PRHS gets approval to move in

City approves temporary CofO

With assurances that all required safety measures are taken, city Planning Commissioners approved a temporary certificate of occupancy for the new high school educational space, allowing school officials to move into the space in July.

Meeting via the internet Zoom site, planners and city officials held the May 3 Planning Commission meeting.

“This has been a long journey,” Keith Martin, assistant school superintendent, told city officials, explaining that the project has been underway for two years. He said the opening of the new high school, which will house 10th- through 12th-grade students, includes reconfiguration of all school campuses necessitating the moving of furniture and equipment in July to prepare for the August school opening.

“We’re expected to be completed in July and we need the summer to move,” Martin said. He said continual rain through the winter and spring caused delays and the floor in the gym will not be completed by July. He said a fire wall and door separate area one from areas two and three which include the gym and fine arts theater. “We are making sure all stake holders are safe.”

He said temporary fencing will be installed, as will appropriate signage and that construction workers will be limited to a separate entrance from the school students and staff. “The two areas would be completely separated,” Martin said.

Martin said all site concrete, permanent utilities, building and site lighting will be completed. He said the one area which probably won’t be completed by July is the wooden gym floor which takes six to seven weeks to acclimate. He said he believes the theater will be complete but because the gym and theater share a lobby, it’s best to keep both areas closed to students until they can be completely opened.

“I appreciate Tony’s (city inspector Tony Townsend) work with this,” Martin said. “It’s something we’ve navigated in the past. We’ve added on to high school several times and nine years ago we added on to the Intermediate campus I’ve been very proud of the safety record we’ve had.

“I feel more comfortable about this one because it seals off so nicely,” he said.

In other business, city officials:

• Approved a variance request for Dave Turner, 1001 Griffin Lane, for smaller setbacks to install a pool; and

• Approved a home occupation request for Amanda Day, 1405 Vineyard St., for an online business.