Council approves special-use permit for Yi Hwang Academy at River Green with no-student-parking condition

On July 13, the Duluth Mayor and Council approved Ordinance O2026-29 to grant a special-use permit (SU2026-002) allowing Yi Hwang Academy (a dual-language charter school) to operate at 4400 River Green Parkway (Parcel R6325 026) in M-1 zoning, with a Council-added condition that no student parking be permitted.

Deputy Director Aron Hall described the site’s context within the River Green Employment District (5.29 acres) and noted several existing conditional/special uses nearby, including charter and private schools and behavioral services. Hall said the Planning Commission heard the case June 1 and recommended approval; staff concurred.

Applicant counsel Melody Glauton told council the K–7 school commissioned in July 2018 seeks to add an eighth grade so current seventh-graders can continue. She described hours, aftercare and stacking/traffic-flow plans and said the school would work with the city on circulation measures. In response to Councilmember Thomas’ concern about possible future expansion to high school grades, Thomas successfully requested a condition prohibiting student parking; Glauton agreed the condition was acceptable.

Council approved the special-use permit unanimously (Park, Thomas, Doss, Graeder, Cummings). The change permits the school to serve grades through eighth grade at the River Green location; any future expansion to additional grades or student-driving privileges would require further review or a change to the permit conditions.