Lessons in Listening

Cutting corners may not only fail to save time, it can cost time, as the Los Angeles Unified School District learned the hard way in trying to select a site for a new high school in Arleta.

In its rush not to lose a good site to a competitor, the district failed to follow its own policy of informing the public it was considering the site, an old Gemco store lot. Arleta residents found out anyway and raised enough of a ruckus to force school officials to start the process over--including meeting with the public and soliciting suggestions, which they should have done in the first place.

The school district’s actions were troubling for a number of reasons. A Mexico City-based food retailer, Grupo Gigante, acquired the old Gemco site a year ago with plans to open a supermarket. The LAUSD not only knew about that plan, it was trying to rush its own process so that it could buy the land, using the power of eminent domain if needed, before the project got underway.

Trouble is, neighborhood residents want the supermarket, which they see not only as a convenience but as a source of jobs. Mayor Richard Riordan’s business team sees it the same way, as an anchor for economic development in an area that could use a boost. The mayor’s team helped broker negotiations between Grupo Gigante and the site’s former owners and is helping the company obtain zoning changes.

Granted, the city and the school district are separate entities. But because they’re separate doesn’t mean they should work at cross purposes. Both have an interest in improving the well-being of communities. Neither should butt in when the other already has a good plan in the works.

Yes, the northeast San Fernando Valley needs relief for its overcrowded schools. And yes, it’s a sad statement when city residents see a grocery store as a better neighbor than a high school, as some Arleta residents assert. What happened to the days when schools were considered a neighborhood asset? But the LAUSD isn’t helping schools’ reputations by leaving the public out of decisions or by trying to put in a school at the expense of another neighborhood amenity. Starting from scratch is the best way the district can make amends. Now Arleta residents need to do their part and come up with alternatives.