Building Policy Leaves School’s Plans in Limbo
A private school has withdrawn its request to build on Alipaz Street amid confusion about how the proposal made it as far as it had in the city planning process.
Council members Tuesday said the proposal from Saddleback Valley Christian School, now based in Aliso Viejo, should have been delayed because of a recent vote to halt large building projects citywide until June 1999. The moratorium is designed to give the city time to update its general plan.
The council apologized to the school operators for any confusion and called for further discussions to see if the project would be allowed under exceptions in the moratorium.
“We’re not selling the property,” said Bruce A. Harbin, chairman of the school’s board. He said he will keep working with the city on the project.
Dozens of residents also appeared before the City Council to raise questions about how the proposed school would affect traffic and whether schoolchildren would be safe near busy streets.
Many families whose children attend the school voiced their support for the project.
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