By the time this Council Corner is published, the City Council will have heard public comment regarding the planned use of the 15-acre site between Foster City Blvd. and Shell Blvd. This land is designated in the current Foster City General Plan for Public/Semi-Public use and the current Zoning Ordinance for PF (Public Facilities). The current General Plan land use designation and the current Zoning Ordinance land use are the appropriate land use designations for a school and all of the required environmental assessments for this land use were completed for BridgeView Academy.
As you probably know, the BridgeView Academy was unable to raise the capital needed to proceed with their plan. The severe downturn in the Economy made the task of funding a new private school impossible. Although it was not possible to proceed with the Academy, I continue to believe that an educational facility constructed on leased land that provides athletic and cultural facilities not currently available in Foster City is the best use of this land. Therefore, I will vote to continue the current General Plan Designation and the current Zoning Ordinance Designation for this fifteen-acre site in the very heart of our City.
The City Council Public Hearing Monday, August 4, 2003 will be a matter of record when this Council Corner is published, but I predict that there will be no change in either the General Plan Designation or the Zoning Ordinance Designation of this 15-acre site. Nor will there be any change in the facility requirements, both athletic and cultural, that the successful bidder must provide for residents of Foster City. Nor do I anticipate any change in the ownership of the fifteen-acre site, which will continue to be owned by Foster City and leased to an entity that meets all of Foster City?s requirements.
I continue to believe that a private school best satisfies the current General Plan Designation and the Zoning Ordinance Designation. BridgeView Academy met all of Foster City?s land use requirements and shared public use for athletic and cultural facilities. Unfortunately, the Economy was not supportive of their plan. Foster City can wait for an upturn in the Economy. The movie, Field of Dreams, taught us ?Build it and they will come.? I say, ?Save our 15-acre site and they will come.?
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