Following a Planning Commission recommendation, the Prior Lake City Council on April 7 approved a plan for a larger YMCA than initially proposed on the Shepherd's Path campus at county roads 42 and 21.

The YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis asked for approval to construct a 50,000-square-foot facility instead of the 40,000-square-foot building originally requested.

The organization also is seeking to build a two-story building instead of the one-and-a-half-story YMCA initially planned. The request also includes the possibility of allowing a future expansion with an additional 12,000 square feet. Yvonne Anderson, the YMCA’s community development director, said the group asked for more space because it decided to add licensed child care to the YMCA’s list of services.

City staff had suggested having the YMCA open later on Sundays for the first 30 days after construction to avoid overlapping with church traffic and to allow time for review of the parking and traffic situation. But council members said having the YMCA open on Sunday mornings – when patrons would compete for parking spots with members of Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church – actually could help to determine potential conflicts.

Other parking and traffic solutions include having a crossing guard at North Berens Road and McKenna Road on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings during church programming and setting aside parking west of McKenna Road during busy church times.

The council agreed to have city staff review the parking and traffic situation within the first 60 days of the YMCA opening.

-- Lori Carlson