Pioneer School District officials are opposing proposed zoning that would allow an apartment complex, in addition to a single-family subdivision, across the street from Frontier School.

Officials say the development would create a level of traffic too dangerous for pupils and a population growth too high for the school to handle.

The district's concerns may complicate the approval process that city land use policy considers to be a desirable development near Grangeville Boulevard and Centennial Drive, an area close to Hanford's new educational center as well as its commercial areas.

Despite the concerns, Cal Clark Farms' proposal for a general plan amendment and rezoning for its property has been cleared by the city Planning Commission. The commission has voted to recommend the proposal. The Hanford City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter next week.

Debate about the proposed zoning change for the future development is expected to take center stage during Tuesday's public hearing.

All but one of the planning commissioners who attended the Aug. 25 meeting supported the proposal. Commissioner Russell Nabors, who opposed the move, could not be reached for comment this week.

At issue is the proposed general plan amendment that would allow a 4.4-acre multi-family residential development at Berkshire and Centennial in addition to a 35-acre single-family housing development north of Berkshire.

There is no indication as to how fast the land owner would move on the projects as the housing market remains in a slump and no specific plans have been submitted to the city. While city officials say the zoning change would satisfy city policy calling for more affordable housing, school officials say it conflicts with their interest.

Meanwhile, families from the Frontier School area are caught in the crosshairs of the city's transformation. One parent said she would welcome single-dwelling houses, but she said apartments make poor neighbors for the elementary school.

"My first concern is the impacted enrollment we'd have at the school. My other concern is the safety factor on the sidewalk that sits at the southwest corner of Berkshire and Centennial," said Karri Thompson, whose son attends Frontier. "That sidewalk feeds right into the 4.4 acres where the developer wants to build some kind of high-density dwellings. With apartments, you'll have a lot of parking and you'll have cars pulling out in that area."

Thompson was among 10 parents who showed up to the Aug. 25 commission meeting to protest the proposal. She said she was unhappy with how the commission handled the proposal.

"What was most disturbing about that meeting was that Cal Clark did not have any specific plan, and the city Planning Commission, without having any plans in front of them, OK'd it," Thompson said. "I thought that was unfair for the citizens."

Diane Cox, superintendent of the Pioneer Union Elementary School District, echoed Thompson's concerns and said the school, which is barely a year old, was built based on the city master plan calling for single-family houses, not apartments.

"We built our school with a capacity of 104 single family dwellings. It's not built out yet around us, but we did not have in our plan that we would have multi-family dwellings, which would definitely increase that number," Cox said.

Cox added that the school district also is concerned about traffic safety in the area. 

"Last year we had over 200 cars pass through the intersection of Berkshire and Centennial each morning and afternoon, so whatever the project might be, it would increase the traffic," she said.

Because of budget cuts, the school stopped busing students. There are more students walking and more cars, Cox said.

Reactions from Frontier parents and the school district surprised and even befuddled some city officials.

"We had not received any information from anybody (before the Aug. 25 meeting). I was especially surprised that the school district had not contacted us," said Cathy Cain, Hanford's planning manager.

Cain said developing the property as an apartment complex could mean approximately four times as many dwelling units as a single-family subdivision. But it may not mean more children.

That's because the developer is interested in building a high-end senior apartment complex on the parcel, in which case there would be no children, thus solving the school district's concern.

There is no guarantee, however, because Cal Clark Farms has yet to submit any plan.

From the city planners' point of view, a multi-family development makes the most sense for the property, Cain said.

Whether it's a family apartment complex or a senior apartment complex, it would still meet all land use policies in the city general plan that call for the type of developments near major streets and job and service centers, Cain said. Also, the constraints of the corner property make it difficult to build regular single-family houses, she said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(Sept. 11, 2009)