Correspondence - #17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Alcala, Abigail From: Kim Cordoba < Sent: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 12:08 PM To: eComment Subject: Item #17 - 2230 N. Tustin Ave Members of the Santa Ana City Council, My name is Kim Cordoba and I am the owner and director of Plumfield School located at 2112 E. Santa Clara Ave. I am also a managing member of Purvis Enterprises, LLC which owns the property. I am writing to you today to ask for your support in upholding the City Planning Commission's 5-2 decision to deny modification to CUP 2019-41 and CUP 2023-03 and deny appeal 42023-06. I have owned and operated Plumfield since 2006, however, the school has been operating at this location since the early 1970s. We have been providing high quality early education to thousands of Santa Ana and beyond children for more than 50 years. Our facility shares a property line with the proposed development. We not only fall within the current (expanded in June 2023) requirement of 1000' but well within the original (December 2022) 500' CUP requirement. For those of you who do not have young children, you may not be aware of the current shortages of childcare and private kindergartens. Over the last several years, we have seen an increased need for care while centers have continued to close. High costs associated with staffing, facility management, as well as a decreasing work population, have contributed to these factors. Yet, Plumfield has remained. We continue to help put these children on the right path to education. When asking parents what they look for in early childhood education, their first response is overwhelming "some place safe and nurturing." We have been that resource! When asked if they would enroll their children in a school next to a gas station, many families have resoundingly said no. They do not feel it is safe for their children for a multitude of reasons. When asked to elaborate on a gas station specifically next to Plumfield their responses include: 1. Noxious fumes: we are all concerned about the effects on these young children and their developing respiratory systems. This extends to the staff. 2. Physical Safety: Tustin and Santa Clara is an already busy intersection that sees frequent accidents. Starbucks brought in more congestion. A gas station will only complicate that. Couple that with the current application for McDonald's to be constructed across the street (next to Del Taco and Stater Brothers) and it's a recipe for disaster. While we do our absolute best to protect the children in our care, they are young children who can be unpredictable. Our driveway lends itself to being a quick spot to U-Turn. Cars fly into the driveway when they missed their turn or don't want to go further down the street to turn around. Now, consider what a gas station and mini -mart will add. Cars that turn onto Santa Clara to enter the station will inevitably miss the driveway (with it being less than 150' from the intersection) and see our U-shaped driveway and quick turn into it to go back to the station. With young children coming through our parking lot, we fear for their safety. No amount of "right turn only" signs will prevent this. 3. Increase in the unhoused population: A minimart is a haven for the unhoused. Take a quick drive to Tustin and 17th where the 7-11 operates. There are many unhoused individuals there. I have personally witnessed them consuming alcohol and more. It is not a station I frequent because I feel unsafe. Now put that next to a