GRAND ISLAND – The issue of how many students a piano teacher can work with in her home at one time drew packed the City Council chambers Tuesday, May 21.
Alicia Glaser of 3917 Partridge Circle teaches piano lessons in her home. The issue had previously been heard by the Regional Planning Commission, including a public hearing. Current regulations allow for a piano teacher to teach one student at a time.
Regional Planning Commission Director Chad Nabity told the City Council that after a public hearing on the matter, the Commission “recommended an alternate version of the regulations that would treat music lessons the same as cultural, art and dance lessons and limit the number of pupils to 4.”
Glaser had requested working with up to eight students at a time. But after hearing extensive testimony and reviewing letters in the City Council packet, the City Council voted to back the Regional Planning Commission’s recommendation, limiting the number of students to 4 students. The City Council voted 8-1 on the issue. City Council Member Mike Paulick was absent. Council member Jason Conley voted against the issue.
Mayor Roger Steele said because his wife offers music lessons in their home, he would oversee discussion of the matter but would not participate in the discussion. The City Council spent one hour discussing the situation.
Brian and Alicia Glaser’s home is located on a cul-de-sac, which affects parking compared to if the home were located on a straight street. Alicia Glaser said she taught music education for 17 years in public schools, most recently at Cedar Hollow School. She then decided to teach piano lessons in her home. She said she was not aware that city regulations limited the number of students at any one time to one student. The situation became an issue when it was reported as a code enforcement issue to the city. A code enforcement officer visited the Glasers’ home.
Glaser wrote in a letter that she started with one piano in Glaser Music Studio. “We eventually purchased three additional pianos, and I started giving group lessons in our basement, which we converted into a safe, comfortable, and welcoming learning environment.” She wrote about the various benefits of offering group piano lessons.
She wrote that she has parents sign a policy before taking lessons. She pointed out sections in the policy that address parking, driving, and speed of vehicles. Glaser provided a copy of the rules that parents receive. Items included in the rules concern drop off and pick up of students and curb parking. She also listed driving expectations of yielding to vehicles, observing speed limits, giving the right-of-way, yielding to emergency vehicles, riding bicycles, and walking to lessons.
Among the speakers, none questioned the value of piano instruction. The issues were how much parking and traffic in the cul-de-sac were affected by the piano lessons.
The Glasers’ attorney, Mitchell Stehlik, said the couple was requesting that the number of students be increased to eight students. If the business was relocated to a commercial building, it would increase the cost of lessons.
Steve Fosselman, 3922 Partridge Circle, said he “completely supported” the Glasers’ request.
John Gillespie, 3916 Partridge Circle, said that he would like to see the Glasers get a commercial location for the business. He described the situation as a “nuisance.” He asked the City Council to keep the number of piano students at one time limited to one student.
Approximately 30 letters were included in the City Council packet about the issue.
Tracy Gillespie, 3916 Partridge Circle, wrote that “what I don’t support in the circle is the traffic.” She continued, “If this is a high demand in the city of Grand Island, then why not go to a commercial building and expand to have more children and (be) able to do more events with this? Have a parking lot to support this?”
Scott and Nikki Juengst live at 3903 Partridge Circle. They were concerned about the “heavy traffic” on their cul-de-sac multiple times a week. They supported Glaser’s efforts, saying “our neighbor is a wonderful person, and her music program is amazing.” Juengsts noted that they have had to wait to get into their driveway because the cul-de-sac was blocked by the cars, or “people park in our driveway because parking is not available in the cul-de-sac.” They continued, “We would love to see her business thrive but not in our residential neighborhood. I know she has had many of her parents write letters to support her, but the traffic doesn’t affect them.”
Todd Clyne lives at 3923 Partridge Circle in the cul-de-sac next to the Glasers. “I’ve personally observed over 50 cars in one evening consistently,” he wrote. “The log jam of cars creates stress and overuse on the street, the inability of proper snow removal, and the absolute restriction of proper emergency services provided by the city. My wife and I made the decision to move to Partridge Circle cul-de-sac for the location and LACK of traffic.” Clyne said that “our young son cannot go outside and ride his bike or scooter without us constantly worrying for his safety.”
Lori Henn, 1709 Meadow Road, lives at the corner of Meadow Road and Partridge Circle. “The increased traffic from the business being run out of Alicia Glaser’s home is a major concern, and safety issue of the residents,” she wrote. “There are residents that have come close to being run over, and numerous near miss collisions.” Henn said she supports Glaser’s efforts to be a business owner. “I just want the business to be in a place that is compatible with the amount of traffic that her business brings to an area.”
Andrea Phommaravongsa lives at 1422 Meadow Road. Her daughter takes piano lessons from Glaser. She said that her daughter enjoys “having a group of friends that she is learning with in a comfortable place like home.” She wrote, “I have never seen more than six vehicles at any given time during that window when I have been there.” She concluded, “I hope that our city will continue to let our youth be taught in a home setting.”
Steve and Cathy Fosselman, 3922 Partridge Circle, wrote, that as neighbors of the Glasers, “we have experienced no inconvenience in traffic, parking, or making use of our street as a result of group music lessons offered across from us.” They continued, “As a home occupation, we have never experienced that these group lessons alter the residential character or disturb the peace and quiet of our neighborhood.” Finally, “the Glaser family has planned very well with the group size proposed to allow for sustainability and the most effective training.”
Cindy Kelley, 1103 W. First St., wrote that Glaser has chosen to teach piano lessons “in the safety of her home, in smaller groups for more one-on-one teaching.” Kelley encouraged the City Council to support small, in-home businesses such as Glaser Music Studio.
Dr. Steven and Lauren Meier live at 1434 Meadow Road. They wrote, “We encourage our Council members to support the Glaser Music Studio…grant the proposal of the zoning amendment for their home, and allow Glaser Music Studio to stay at 3917 Partridge Circle.”
Jared and Ralae Noorlander live at 3933 Partridge Circle. “We are in support of Glaser Music Studio and the zoning proposal.” They have two children who take lessons from Alicia Glaser. “We ask their small business remain as is, with the consideration of allowing eight students at a time in their home for lessons.” They said that there are several people in the cul-de-sac who are not bothered by “the way they are executing their business.”
Jim and Michelle Brisnehan of 3927 Partridge Circle, said that they “are writing this letter in support of the amendment to the city code” to allow up to eight pupils at one time. They said that having the business in the neighborhood does not “affect our ability to drive around the cul-de-sac as needed or retrieve our mail.”
Joseph and Beatriz Crumrine of 1528 Summerfield Ave. said that their son is a student at the piano studio. “On days when one of us has to drive our son there, we have never experienced any issues with traffic.”
Nathaniel Balcom, 3565 Graham Ave., wrote that he has children who have attended piano lessons at Glaser’s studio for several years. Balcom urged the City Council to “allow the studio to remain where it is.” “The benefits of maintaining the studio in its current location far outweigh any perceived drawbacks.”
City Council member Chuck Haase said the issue was not a “Glaser issue.”
“This is a Grand Island issue. It’s the cul-de-sac that’s the problem,” Haase said. “I think the Glasers have done everything that they can. Haase initially supported increasing the number of students to eight people.
City Council member Mitch Nickerson is a Realtor.
“Businesses are businesses. Residences are where you reside,” Nickerson said. “It’s about what is a reasonable number of people.” Nickerson said that residents are entitled to experience “quiet enjoyment” in their homes.
City Council member Bethany Guzinski said she also opposed increasing the number of students to eight people.
City Council member Jack Sheard said he was concerned about the increased traffic that would travel on the cul-de-sac if the number of students was increased. He said he would support increasing the number of students to four people.
City Council member Mark Stelk said his wife does tutoring in their home.
“I don’t want to disrupt the quality of the neighborhood,” Stelk said. He said he would also support increasing the number of students to four people.
