Residents Aim to Keep Density Low at Site of Former Columbia School

Norma Josey, a 20-year Torrance resident, came the closest to summarizing the consensus of residents who met Thursday night to discuss the future use of the former Columbia School site.

“I’m not sure what I want to see there,” she told the 50 North Torrance residents who met at Magruder Middle School. “But I know what I don’t want: apartments.”

City officials arranged the meeting to hear the views of residents who live near the five-acre, triangular lot on 186th Street.

Owned by School District

The site, which has been vacant since 1987, has been the center of much discussion recently. The Torrance Unified School District would like to develop the land with apartment buildings, but City Council members question the density of the project and some fear it could include subsidized housing--a political hot potato in Torrance.

The site is owned by the school district and is zoned for public use. A zone change would require the approval of the city Planning Commission and the City Council.

District officials have said the district would like to build apartments on the land because Torrance schools would get the most money by developing the lot to the fullest density possible.

State law requires that any profits from the sale of school lands go toward building improvements and the purchase of other property. By developing the Columbia school site instead of selling it, the district can use the profits any way it wants, school officials said.

Harvey Oelkers, the school board’s business manager, attended the meeting and told residents that the district would like the lot zoned R3--high-density, multifamily housing--but will ask the city to zone it R2--medium-density housing.

“We recognize that it would be futile to try to get R3,” he said.

Councilman Mark Wirth, who attended Thursday’s meeting, said the council is concerned about the density of any new development on the site. He said he believes the council would only be agreeable to a project that would be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.

The area north of the site has medium-density, single-family and two-family homes. The area to the south and east is commercial. To the west are railroad tracks.

During Thursday’s community meeting, residents expressed similar concerns about density and traffic.

Elana Warzman, who lives on nearby Grevillea Avenue, collected more than 200 signatures on a petition asking the city to zone the land for single-family houses.

Dennis Hill, who also lives on Grevillea Avenue, received a round of applause when he told the group he would like the site to become “a quality neighborhood” that will upgrade the area but not increase traffic.

Senior Citizen Housing

Some residents said they would support senior citizens’ housing on the site, saying Torrance needs more affordable housing for the elderly. Others, however, said they feared senior citizens’ housing would be too dense for the site and may eventually include subsidized housing.

Hill said he feared that if a senior citizens’ housing project is built, it can someday be sold for use as subsidized housing.

“What concerns me is what lies ahead,” he said. “Senior housing: I’m for it. Is this the place for it? I’m not sure.”

District officials have repeatedly said they do not plan to include subsidized housing in any proposed project.

In developing the land, the district is seeking assistance from the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission. The agency develops public-owned land and provides real estate advice to public agencies at a nominal fee.

Some council members--including Dan Walker and Bill Applegate--have said they are concerned that if the school board works with the county to develop the land, the district may be required to provide subsidized housing.

County officials have said they know of no requirement that would force the district to provide subsidized housing.

Walker and Applegate have said they oppose subsidized housing in Torrance because it would lower property values in the neighborhood.

Subsidized housing is a sensitive issue with the City Council. In 1980, four council members faced recall petitions because they voted for a federally subsidized housing project to continue receiving federal grants.

Faced with overwhelming opposition from residents, the council ultimately dropped out of the federal housing program. The recall effort was eventually abandoned.

POSSIBLE ZONING FOR FORMER COLUMBIA SCHOOL

The Torrance Unified School District wants to develop the former Columbia school site with apartments under R3 zoning, but will ask the city for an R2 zoning. Here are possible zoning designations for the five-acre lot and the resulting number of homes or apartments allowed.

Single-family: 30 houses

R2: 60 houses

R3: 134 apartments or condominiums

Source: Pat Bluman, Torrance city planner