Planners approve expansion at Squirrel Hill school city planning commission decided yesterday to endorse a proposed expansion of Colfax Elementary School rather than wait for results of a traffic study.The property values of living in a school district with bad schools is way worse than living near a school with an expanded gym.
We need to cut red-tape. When the public speaks, as it did, and with the jam now before the school district, we've got to move.
In terms of the school plans, we always need to be thinking again -- but -- with 'red tape' -- INMSHO (in my not so humble opinion) we (as a city) need to put the 'pedal to the medal and go straight ahead.'
I'm happy to see a K-8 school really house in one building a full range of K-8 students. I'm happy to know of a K-8 plan that evolves into a K-8 by growing the students too.
Posts
1 comment:
Planners approve expansion at Squirrel Hill school
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With several of its members attending their last meeting, the city planning commission decided yesterday to endorse a proposed expansion of Colfax Elementary School rather than wait for results of a traffic study.
The decision, at the end of a long public hearing, thrilled supporters of the expansion plan, many of whom burst into applause after the vote. Dozens of parents and other supporters attended yesterday to testify in favor of the $10.5 million addition, which would add six classrooms, a gymnasium and an auditorium.
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials hope construction of the new two-story building can begin in the summer. It would be connected to the existing school by a bridge. The district hopes to open the 17,791-square-foot addition in August 2007.
The Squirrel Hill school is one of four elementary schools in the district that has begun the transition to a K-8 format. Colfax added a seventh grade this year and will add an eighth in the future.
A handful of residents who live near the school spoke against the proposed expansion, citing concerns about increased traffic, the effect on property values and the size of the addition. Several said the new building would destroy existing open space and the ambience that goes with it.
The vast majority of those attending, however, spoke in favor of the project. The commission also received a petition signed by 925 people in support of the addition.
Commission members were expected to take public testimony yesterday on two conditional use requests related to the project and then vote in two weeks once results of a traffic study became available.
But rather than leaving the decision for new board members, they decided to vote, stipulating that the traffic study would be subject to approval by the zoning administrator.
Several members, including Chairman Tom Armstrong, were serving for their last meeting. Holdovers from the Tom Murphy administration, they are being replaced by people appointed by new Mayor Bob O'Connor.
Mr. O'Connor, who supports the Colfax expansion, said he had no problem with the outgoing members taking the action.
The commission action amounts to a recommendation to City Council, which has final say.
Post a Comment