Brunswick Planning Commission approves detailed site plan for Applewood and Kidder additions

BRUNSWICK — Brunswick Schools can move forward with the building additions to Applewood and Kidder elementary schools, which are part of its facilities master plan. Brunswick Planning Commission approved the conditional zoning certificate and detailed site plan for both sites during its meeting Thursday. Applewood will have an approximately 5,600-square-foot addition on the northeast side of the nearly 60,000-square-foot building comprising four new classrooms, student restrooms and an individual staff restroom. Kidder will have a nearly 3,400-square-feet addition on the north side of the approximately 69,000-square-foot building, and it will house two 1,200-square-foot preschool classrooms and student restrooms. There will also be an art room to the south side of the building as part of another 1,500-square-foot addition. The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for both sites during its April 21 meeting since the additions do not meet the 75-foot minimum setback from residential property on all property lines. The landscaping plan was discussed for both properties during Thursday's Planning Commission meeting. A few trees will be planted at each school. Scott Alleman from ThenDesign Architecture said the school district is interested in keeping the campuses for both schools as open as possible for safety and sight lines. "Less is more is typically what (Police Chief Robert) Safran has said to me," Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer said. "We need sight lines, heaven forbid that there's ever anything where we have to have safety forces there that need to see in or around the building for any reason." Planning Commission member Jeff Arona brought up strategic landscaping to improve security as an option for the district's future projects. "I think what we're talking about for these projects tonight makes sense," he said. "I also want to make the point that we're not saying we're open to no landscaping." The school additions are part of the district's $102 million bond issue that passed in May 2023. Brunswick Schools previously announced its plans to begin construction at Applewood and Kidder in late summer and be finished for the 2026-27 school year. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.