Questions About Chesterton Academy’s Proposed New Location

We’re glad you came to the source!

We know there have been questions and conversations about Chesterton Academy - Queen of Martyrs’ request to the City of Sun Prairie for a zoning change and Conditional Use Permit at 431 Linnerud Drive.

We welcome those questions. We want our neighbors and community members to have accurate information directly from us, not assumptions or secondhand information.

We are an independent Catholic school which means we do not receive any funding from the state or the diocese. We are here because our community is supporting us!

Here are some of the questions we’ve heard most often. If you have additional questions, please reach out to us. We are happy to have a conversation.

Is Chesterton Academy purchasing the property?

No. Chesterton Academy is not purchasing the property.

The school intends to lease the building. A private individual is under contract to purchase the property, with that purchase contingent upon approval of the requested rezoning and Conditional Use Permit.

Because Chesterton Academy will not own the property, the school is not receiving a new property tax exemption or removing a property from the city's tax base. The property will remain privately owned.

Why does the property need to be rezoned?

No matter where we go in the city of Sun Prairie, we will need to address zoning and we will need a conditional use permit. The current zoning does not allow the proposed school use as requested (there are not any areas in Sun Prairie that are zoned for schools other than the land the public school owns). The application seeks to rezone the property to Suburban Industrial and would allow the property owner to pursue a Conditional Use Permit for a private high school.

This is not a request to construct a new school campus. It is a request to allow an existing building to be adaptively reused as a school.

Are you planning to build or significantly change the property?

No

There is currently no immediate or near-future construction or site work planned. The existing building, parking lot, access, and outward appearance would remain as they are.

The school anticipates that no construction would be needed during the first two to three years of occupancy. As enrollment increases, modest interior renovations may be considered, such as removing interior walls to create larger instructional spaces and adding restroom fixtures. No exterior additions or building expansion are currently proposed.

What is your school size?

We are intentionally a small school. Growth is important to us, but our goal is not to become a large school. We signed a contract with the Chesterton Schools Network where we agreed to remaining small.

What will traffic look like?

The school is a traditional weekday school operating approximately 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Occasional evening events and parent meetings may occur throughout the year.

Traffic would therefore be concentrated primarily around morning arrival and afternoon dismissal, rather than throughout the entire day. The proposal will use the existing driveway and parking lot, with no modifications to vehicular access proposed.

Will you need additional parking?

The submitted site plan shows 21 existing parking spaces, and the proposal is designed to use the existing parking lot rather than create additional parking or roadway improvements.

Will the school create a lot of noise or activity?

We understand this is a natural concern when a school is proposed.

Chesterton Academy is a low-impact educational use, with activity occurring primarily during normal weekday business hours. Compared with many commercial or retail uses permitted in the district, the proposal anticipates relatively low levels of noise, lighting, and evening activity.

Why this location?

This property provides an opportunity to establish a home for a growing school without new construction or expansion of the building footprint. It allows us to make use of an existing building and existing infrastructure rather than requiring a new development.

For us, this is an opportunity to establish a permanent home while continuing to provide a Classical Catholic education to families in Sun Prairie and throughout the east side of Madison.

Is this going to change the character of the area?

Our proposal does not involve a new building, a building expansion, new parking lots, or changes to site access.

The goal is to reuse an existing building for a compatible institutional use.

We believe this is a responsible way to put an existing property to productive use while bringing a community-serving educational institution to the area.

Have another question?

Please ask us!

We would much rather answer questions directly than have people make decisions about Chesterton Academy based on incomplete or inaccurate information.

We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Sun Prairie community, and we are committed to being a good neighbor.

Chesterton Academy - Queen of Martyrs

Classical Catholic High School | Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Questions? Please reach out to us at contact@chestertonqofm.com.