Temple City : School Expansion Rejected

The City Council has unanimously turned down an expansion proposal by the owner of the Santa Anita Village Pre-school, who wanted to more than double the size and capacity of the facility.

The plans had called for increasing the size of the preschool at 5313 Santa Anita Ave. from 1,917 square feet to 2,889 square feet, and increasing the enrollment maximum from 24 children to 56.

On Tuesday, council members acknowledged that preschools are needed in the city, but said the facility would have been overcrowded even if expanded. They also noted potential traffic dangers from increased pick-ups and drop-offs on busy Santa Anita Avenue.

Neighbors to the north of the school said they were concerned about noise. Lisa Donnell, representing the school, admitted that more children would make more noise, but said a hedge would act as a buffer. She added that the children are well supervised to ensure their safety, and argued that traffic would be light because parents tend to stagger their pick-up and drop-off times.