HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - 75A5/7/19 City Council Meeting
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INCLUDES CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED FOR
ITEM 75A FOR 3/16/19 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
75A
City Council Meeting Correspondence
3/19/2019
PUBLIC HEARING —ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT N0.2019-01 TO AMEND CHAPTER 41
(ZONING) TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR "SCHOOLS' AND TO ALLOW SCHOOLS ASA PERMITTED USE
IN THE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT NO. 82 ZONING DISTRICT AT 2601- 2617 WEST FIFTH STREET
Date of Name Representative of In Favor In Opposition Comment
Correspondence of RA*. of RA.*
1 3/19/2019 Stefanie Phillips Santa Ana Unified School Yes
District Superintendent
m 1
TOTAL:
*RA - Recommended Action
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Page 1. of 1
March 19, 2019
Steven A. Mendoza
Santa Ana Unified School District
Acting City Manager, City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 1988, M31
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Re: Zoning Ordinance Amendment
Dear Mr. Mendoza,
Stefanie P. Phillips, Ed.D.
7�','�,u"!gnre der of Schools
L del it t^ ori
I am writing on behalf of the Santa Ana Unified School District to inform you of our interest in a zoning ordinance
amendment recently adopted by the Planning Commission on February 11, 2019, which would allow public, private
and charter schools to be built and/or expanded in an existing industrial area. At its upcoming meeting on March 19
2019, the City Council is anticipated to consider approval of the Planning Commission action.
At issue is the intended beneficiary of this amendment: an independent Charter school at a location already impacted
by existing traffic and pending construction of the OC Streetcar light-rail project. Parking and traffic circulation will
become a greater issue if this Charter school is allowed to expand. Expansion will jeopardize safe routes to school,
which we are ALL concerned about. Moreover, it is the District's position that Charter schools do not offer an
educational benefit over the District's educational options worthy of modification to City zoning policy. In
comparison to the District, many Charter schools strategically select students that require fewer resources while
rejecting others that require greater support, offer inferior student enrichment and extracurricular opportunities, and are
not subject to the superior standard required for District facilities. For these and other reasons, the District opposes
adoption of the zoning ordinance amendment.
In the past, the Mayor and Council Members have expressed their general support for academic institutions in the City
of Santa Ana, and particularly for public schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District. The District would like to
take this opportunity to remind the City of the many public school expansion and reconfiguration projects needed to
improve District schools. To the extent that these projects may require or be enhanced by City zoning or other policy
adjustments, we sincerely hope the City will be prepared to assist and partner with the District with the same level of
support as considered for this potential Charter school benefit.
We greatly appreciate the City's consideration of our common goals related to public school improvements in the
Santa Ana Unified School District as it relates to this matter.
Stefanie P. Phillips
Superintendent of Schools
cc: Mayor, City Council, Board Members
1601 East Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92701.6322 (714) 558-5501
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Valerie Amezcua, President • Rigo Rodriguez, Ph.D., Vice President
Alfonso Alvarez, Ed.D., Clerk • John Palacio, Member