Pictured: opponents of a school on Palm Street showed solidarity by wearing red at Tuesday night’s town council meeting.
by Timothy Rutt
The Arroyo Pacific Academy’s petition for a conditional use permit for its Palm Street location was voted down by the Altadena Town Council tonight.
Just like the land use committee meeting two weeks ago, the community center was packed with supporters and opponents of the school. However, there weren’t the emotional outbursts that characterized the Sept. 6 meeting.
Council chair Sandra Thomas ran the meeting with a strict hand: Arroyo Pacific Acadey owner Philip Clarke had seven minutes to make his case. He could follow with three supporters, three minutes each. The opposition could field four speakers, three minutes each. Clarke then had three minutes to make a final statement.
Clarke largely demurred to his land use attorney, Liz Hanks. Hanks wanted to clarify that schools were a conditionally permitted use in a location zoned for a single family residence, and responded to several statements made at the land use committee meeting.
Coleen Sterritt of the Palm Street Area Resident’s Association (PSARA), which opposes the school, reiterated the resident’s theme that they’ve already endured a school on the property in 2008-2009, and know from experience that it won’t work. Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School operated on the property that year without permits and was closed down by the county.
Pictured: opponents of a school on Palm Street showed solidarity by wearing red at Tuesday night’s town council meeting.
by Timothy Rutt
The Arroyo Pacific Academy’s petition for a conditional use permit for its Palm Street location was voted down by the Altadena Town Council tonight.
Council chair Sandra Thomas ran the meeting with a strict hand: Arroyo Pacific Acadey owner Philip Clarke had seven minutes to make his case. He could follow with three supporters, three minutes each. The opposition could field four speakers, three minutes each. Clarke then had three minutes to make a final statement.
Clarke largely demurred to his land use attorney, Liz Hanks. Hanks wanted to clarify that schools were a conditionally permitted use in a location zoned for a single family residence, and responded to several statements made at the land use committee meeting.
Coleen Sterritt of the Palm Street Area Resident’s Association (PSARA), which opposes the school, reiterated the resident’s theme that they’ve already endured a school on the property in 2008-2009, and know from experience that it won’t work. Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School operated on the property that year without permits and was closed down by the county.