PC 121008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commissioner Fox stated that the project description in the old approval stated that the students walked to the facility after school and that there were no vans picking up the students. Ms. Zheng clarified that the previous applicant had staff picking up students and walking to the facility. Chair Blank referred to the April 27, 2005 approval for Jennifer Zheng, Little Ivy League, and Ms. Zheng stated that they do not walk them to the facility; they now pick up the students in four large commercial vans that are commercially license and insured. She added that the entire facility is covered under commercial insurance. Ms. Decker clarified that the April 27, 2005 conditional use permit, PCUP-138, was for location at 2340 Santa Rita Road and is not the one the Commission requested. She noted that the Commission requested PCUP-179, the original request for approval that was limited to 2.5 hours per day from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday. She noted that there are some differences between the two conditional use permits but that staff was looking at PCUP-179. In response to Commissioner Fox's inquiry if this permit did not include all day during the summer months, Ms. Decker confirmed that was correct. Elizabeth Shackelford, California Credentialed K-8 teacher, stated that over the last two-and-a-half years, she has worked at Little Ivy League teaching writing and phonics classes to students and that this year she has worked with 39 students in private and semi-private classes. She indicated that she felt the school should be considered a tutoring center and not a daycare, stating that each student has a schedule of where he or she is to be at each hour. She noted that the vast majority of classes are academic in nature, students are taught Chinese every day, and many parents sign-up their children for classes that meet once or twice a week. She stated that she works at the facility every afternoon with four or fewer students at a time. She added that many of these students speak English as their second language and receive one-on-one attention that they do not receive at school. She noted that the atmosphere is focused and academically rigorous and that they work to correct problem areas they have. She stated that she believes she has a unique opportunity to teach because it still allows her to stay home with her children during the day. She asked the Commission to approve the facility in its new location. Vaughn Wolfe stated that he comes through the business park to come to the existing facility and will also come to the new facility assuming the conditional use permit is approved. He indicated that he is an engineer and his wife is from China; her wife's entire family is college-educated. He noted that today's newspaper included an article about competing math scores and that it is important to them that their son receive Mandarin Chinese training and advanced math. He stated that the only place their son will receive advanced math classes is in the GATE program or at Little Ivy League. He noted that China educates more English-speaking engineers than the United States and England put together. He stated that the children need to learn how to speak, read, and write Chinese and do advanced PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, December 10, 2008 Page 13 of 35