As most of you know, Berean Christian High School wants to

Published as a service of the Rancho San Miguel Homeowners’ Association
As most of you know, Berean
Christian High School wants to
Planning Review determines if
discretionary review is required and
double their enrollment to 750
zoning requirements are met.
students. Their plan adds lights to
Engineering Review verifies
their football field and El Divisadero whether a site development or
Neighborhood Park, replaces the
encroachment permit are needed. If
current administration building with
plans are deficient in any area they
a 2 story office, classroom and
are returned to Berean to correct
performing arts center. Berean will
rebuild El Divisadero Park including and resubmit. Once the plans meet
all requirements a building permit is
artificial turf, a baseball backstop
issued. But construction still cannot
and lighting for night games in the
start.
park and on the football field. Also
included are a locker room, storage
Due to the size and scope, the project
facility and snack shack at the
will likely require discretionary
football field with the bleachers on
review which involves public
top of that facility.
hearings by Zoning, Design Review,
Planning and City Council. Any
Three public meetings held May 9,
recommendations or additional
16 and 17, 2012 drew large and
requirements will require Berean to
vocal attendance. The first meeting
did not get publicized but thanks to a change their design and resubmit it.
This process can take months or
fantastic grass roots campaign,
attendance at the last 2 meetings was even years as we saw with John
Muir.
well over 75 at each. Opposition to
the plan was strong and quite loud.
Here is a brief summary of the
process Berean must complete
before construction can begin.
Berean files a building permit
application. Building Revision
Review, Planning Review and
Engineering Review simultaneously
review the application.
Building Review determines if the
project meets energy requirements
and plans are code compliant. !
!
Berean promised more and better
publicized community meetings
going forward before submission to
the city. The plans are not yet public
record because no permit request is
filed. RSM requested copies of plans
in the next phase of meetings.
Berean states they are seeking via
fund raising efforts and donations.
What does RSM think? We oppose
any expansion at the site. Berean
admitted their project has no benefit
for the neighborhood.
!
September 2012!
The sight is simply too small to
accommodate 750 students and
increased faculty with no increase in
parking. Currently none of their
students are from RSM and only 5%
from Walnut Creek. Most students
travel from Concord, Pittsburg and
Antioch. Traffic and speeding are
already serious issues. The field
lights and 2 story building are a
nuisance to surrounding homes. The
lights invade houses at night and the
height of the building limits sunlight
exposure and causing privacy
concerns. The building and bleachers
will block many views of Mt. Diablo
besides being a visual blight to the
neighborhood.
We need to expand communications
to include neighbors outside our
association boundaries. Volunteers
are needed to canvas Blackstone,
Warwick, El Divisadero and adjacent
streets to get addresses so we can ask
them to join us in our fight.
A HUGE thanks to Josh Mahoney
Minkus and Larry Zweigbaum for
starting the Facebook page “Say No
to Berean Expansion” and stapling
meeting notices up all over the
neighborhood. I will update
Facebook as well as our website as
things happen with Berean. If you
get notices from the school about
their plans please call a board
member or drop them in my mailbox
at 224 Santa Fe Dr. We will get the
word out.