La Mirada City Council approves new master plan for Biola University

LA MIRADA - The City Council on Thursday approved a new master plan that will allow for growth over 20 years for Biola University, despite concerns from residents who live near the school.

The plan will allow the school, which has been in La Mirada since 1957, to increase enrollment from the equivalent of 5,000 students to 6,800 and add 200,000 square feet of building space.

It also calls for the demolition of 25 buildings and the construction of 16 buildings and three parking structures.

Mayor Gabe Garcia called it a good plan for a "valued partner" for the city.

"We looked at the worst-case scenario, and mitigation measures are put in place to make sure it's a reasonable development," Garcia said.

The plan includes requirements for improvements in two intersections - Valley View and Rosecrans avenues and La Mirada Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue.

A second entry on La Mirada Boulevard also will be required.

Biola also will be required to pay for new sidewalks and curb ramps in the area, a traffic- management program for events with capacities greater than 3,000 people and for the costs of a residential parking permit program - if residents seek one.

All of these requirements will be phased in as Biola's enrollment increases.

However, several residents who live near the school said they fear the development will bring more traffic, add parking issues and noise.

"I'm concerned about the

expansion of Biola," said Keith Harkey, who lives on Biola Avenue. "It's already overbuilt and spilling traffic into the neighborhood."

Harkey suggested the school require students to have a parking permit and stagger their classes to keep traffic to a minimum in peak hours.

Ray Peirce, who lives on Roma Drive near the school, said he was concerned about a proposed track that would have lights and speakers.

"Will those lights be on every night, which I don't see a need for?" Peirce asked. "I'm also concerned about about the number of students. (The amount of parking) isn't keeping up."

Greg Balsano, Biola's vice president of university services, said the school will attempt to ensure the growth doesn't affect its neighbors.

"We tried to come up with a plan that will only minimally impact (the community)," Balsano said.

Balsano also said it's hard to say if all the buildings in the plan will be needed or whether the school will ever reach an enrollment of 6,800.

"It's hard to anticipate what a college will look like 10 years from now," he said.

"More and more classes are being offered online," he said. "You can complete degrees online."

Balsano said this plan should be the last one that will ever be approved by the city.

Since 1973, the city has approved four plans for Biola.

"In general, what you see on our master plan is a campus that's built-out," Balsano said. "There are no more plans. This plan ... would take care of that number of students."

Balsano said school officials in the future will develop the buildings on the plan as needed.

"It's very expensive to (get a new building)," he said. "You have to fundraise, and that takes a long time."

mike.sprague@sgvn.com

562-567-7537

Source: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/ci_21999267/la-mirada-city-council-approves-new-master-plan?source=rss_viewed

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