First Unitarian Universalist Church seeks annexation of new site amid access concerns

Apr. 24—ROCHESTER — A church's request to annex 35 acres into northeast Rochester comes with access concerns.

First Unitarian Universalist Church purchased land south of Century High School at the intersection of Viola Road and East Circle Drive last year for $450,000.

Surrounded by property already within city boundaries, the proposed church site came with an existing agreement to connect the site to Centurion Court Northeast, which connects to Viola Road across from the school parking lot entrance.

"The access to the church property right now is a private road built by the developer, maintained and owned now by the (homeowner's association)," Centurion Court resident Paul Espeset told Rochester's Planning and Zoning Commission during a hearing Wednesday.

He said he believes the proposed church warrants a second access point, rather than routing all traffic through the neighborhood east of the site.

While establishing access points isn't part of the annexation process, Logan Tjossem, a principal planner with Widseth, said options are being studied as development plans are being prepared.

"I think the neighbors' concerns are ours as well," he said, pointing to the need for Olmsted County permission to add access to Viola Road or East Circle Drive.

Congregation member Greg Turosak said the potential for greater accessibility, along with visibility to support church growth, is among the reasons the congregation opted to move to northeast Rochester from

its current site at 1727 Walden Lane SW.

As the commission voted unanimously to recommend the Rochester City Council approve the proposed annexation, several members asked to send a message encouraging the county to approve the access request.

City Attorney Michael Spindler-Krage said formal action directed at county staff by the commission would be challenging for the city's Community Development staff.

"I would guess that they would take the position that it's not appropriate for them to be addressing what ultimately would be a county decision," he told the commission members.

Community Development planner Ed Caples said commissioners' support will be part of the meeting record, which county staff could review during discussions with the church and Widseth.

Tjossem said he plans to continue working with the county to seek a second access point, which could be supported by a potential traffic study due to peak use of Viola Road immediately before and after school hours.

"That's part of the reason neighbors and the church have concerns. ... It makes more sense in our mind to have access off East Circle Drive," he said.

In addition to addressing potential access points, Tjossem said work on the development plan points toward creating an infill use of the property, which cannot be fully developed due to geological conditions.

"There is very limited space that can be developed on this site," he said.

The church is planning a 18,000-square-foot, south-facing building with 120 to 150 off-street parking stalls. Tjossem said plans call for working with natural elements on the southern section of the site to create public trails and memorial gardens.

Tjossem said construction of the new church is expected to begin in the spring of 2026.