HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/08/2002, COMM.1 - POTENTIAL CITY USE OF PACHECO SCHOOL SITE b' ZING AGENDA ema
DAIIE -Z-9-02 ITEM#®
COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
To: Mayor& City Council
From: Jan Howell Marx, Council Member
Re: Potential City Use of Pacheco School Site
Date: January 2, 2002
As you know, the San Luis Coastal Unified School District is considering closing Pacheco
Elementary School, located adjacent to Cal Poly at Slack Street and Grand Avenue. We have
also received a letter from Alta Vista Neighborhood Association expressing concern about near
term uses of that land which would preclude reestablishment of a school in the future(attached).
The City has an opportunity to help preserve the residential quality of the neighborhood and
utilize an important piece of property for recreational or other purposes. I propose that the City
Council direct staff to explore possible City uses of the Pacheco School site with staff and our
advisory groups and open formal communication with the School District in this regard, and
report back to the City Council with options within the next six months.
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RECEIVED
kl0 2002
SLO CITY COUNCIL
cc: Planning Commission, Parks&Recreation Commission and Joint Use Committee
alta vista
neic,hBoRh000 association
po Box 5412 san Luis owspo ca 93406
December 10, 2001
Steven M. Ladd, Superintendent
San Luis Coastal Unified School District
1500 Lizzie Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3062
Dear Dr. Ladd:
On behalf of the Alta Vista Neighborhood Association, we would like to present some
concerns we have about the possible closing of Pacheco Elementary School and potential
uses of the site.
We recognize the budget crisis the District is confronting and the difficult choices that
must be made. As you deliberate with the Board on ways to resolve the crisis, we want to
inform you how the decisions on Pacheco may impact its immediate neighborhood in
some ways of which you may not be fully aware.
The Alta Vista Neighborhood is a diverse neighborhood, the core of which consists of
families and long-term residents. Its character may not be readily evident to those
unfamiliar with the neighborhood who approach the entrance to Cal Poly via Grand
Avenue. Among our population are young families with small children who have moved
here to be near this neighborhood school. Some are Cal Poly faculty and staff who value
the proximity to this school. If Cal Poly should build housing in the area for its faculty and
sta the need for a neighborhood school would only increase.
To us it seems crucial that a decision made in this budget crisis not preclude a future need
for a neighborhood school on this site. Our strong preference would be to keep Pacheco
open. However, in the event the Board decides it must be closed, we have a deep concern
about possible uses of the site, some of which would have a deleterious impact on our
neighborhood. We are particularly disturbed by some of the possibilities mentioned by
President Baker in an e-mail dated October 25, 2001: "parking for student residence halls
[and] less likely . . . student housing."
-2-
We are proud to live in an attractive neighborhood adjoining Cal Poly, as evidenced
by numerous recent improvements on homes and landscaping. We invite you--and
anyone wishing to understand the character and needs of our neighborhood--to contact
us for a tour.
We appreciate your openness to public participation in the decision-making process, as
was noted in a recent editorial. We would very much welcome the opportunity to meet
with you in person to discuss this crucial decision. The following are contact numbers
for AVNA: Carol Lick at 546-0994 or Martin Luschei at 5442847.
Thank you for your attention. MernhP,rf- - e
Tran 's,e_, /4VIVA
cc: Members. San Luis Coastal Unified School Board
Patricia Andreen, President
Caroline Botwin
Diane Dixon
Stuart McElhinny
Walter Millar
Glen Oelker
Chris Ungar
Members, San Luis Obispo City Council
Allen K. Settle, Mayor
John Ewan, Vice Mayor
Christine Mulholland
Jan Howell Marx
Ken Schwartz