Section 5.15 School Facilities

SECTION 5.15 SCHOOL FACILITIES

This section identifies school facilities within the City of Buena Park and evaluates the potential impacts to school services and facilities that could result from implementation of the proposed General Plan Update. Mitigation measures to reduce the significance of impacts are recommended, as necessary.

5.15.1 EXISTING SETTING

SCHOOL FACILITIES

There are five elementary and two high school districts serving students living within the City of Buena Park. These school districts provide educational services for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. School facilities within these seven districts include 14 elementary schools, one junior high school, one high school, one alternative high school, and one special education center. Refer to Table 5.15-1, Public School Characteristics, for enrollment and capacity information for the public schools currently serving the City. Additionally, the Speech and Language Development Center is located at 8699 Holder Street and three private schools are located within the City of Buena Park, including the Crescent Avenue Christian School, Rossier Park School, and Saint Pius V School.

SCHOOL FUNDING

In order to accommodate students from new development projects, school districts may alternatively finance new schools through special school construction funding resolutions and/or agreements between developers, the affected school districts, and occasionally, other local governmental agencies. These special resolutions and agreements often allow school districts to realize school mitigation funds in excess of the developer fees allowed under SB 50. Table 5.15-2, School Development Fees, identifies the current fees each school district charges for new development within the applicable school district. It should be noted that these fees are subject to annual review and are anticipated to change during the General Plan buildout horizon.

Although there is the potential for existing and future students within Buena Park to attend private institutions, these schools are privately funded and do not receive SB 50 developer fees.

5.15.2 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

AB 2926

The State of California has traditionally been responsible for the funding of local public schools. To assist in providing facilities to serve students generated by new development projects, the State passed Assembly Bill 2926 (AB 2926) in 1986. This bill allowed school districts to collect impact fees from developers of new residential and commercial/industrial building space. Development impact fees were also referenced in the 1987 Leroy Greene Lease-Purchase Act, which required school districts to contribute a matching share of project costs for construction, modernization, or reconstruction.

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Table 5.15-1 Public School Characteristics

2008/2009 2009 Schools No. of Temporary Classrooms Enrollment Capacity Elementary School Districts Buena Park School District1 Gordon H. Beatty School 1,037 1,208 16 Arthur F. Corey School 613 759 11 Charles G. Emery School 712 728 16 Carl E. Gilbert School 703 883 11 Mabel L. Pendleton School 593 662 16 James A Whitaker School 747 873 19 Buena Park Junior High School 1,170 1,198 9 Centralia School District2 Buena Terra Elementary 394 625 4 (including 2 child care portables) Dysinger Elementary 486 725 3 (including 2 child care portables) Raymond Temple Elementary 388 675 4 (including 2 child care portables) San Marino Elementary 599 850 13 (including 2 child care portables) Walter Knott Elementary 528 800 0 Cypress Elementary School District3 Closed in June 2009 – Planned to be used as an interim housing site as Elizabeth Dickerson School schools are modernized. Magnolia Elementary School District4 Dr. Peter Marshall School (located in Anaheim) 630 648 8 Savanna School District5 Holder Elementary School 529 600 12 High School Districts Anaheim Union High School District Hope Special Education Center 6 240 270 4 Gilbert West Alternative High School7 300 300 1 Fullerton Joint Union High School District8 Buena Park High School 1,971 2,349 0 Sources: 1 Email correspondence from Vickey Davis, Administrative Secretary, Buena Park School District, dated March 6, 2009. 2 Correspondence from Dr. Diane Scheerhorn, Superintendent, Centralia School District, dated February 27, 2009. 3 Correspondence from Sheri Loewentein, Superintendent, Cypress School District, dated February 19, 2009. 4 Correspondence from Michael Conroy, Assistant Superintendent, dated February 27, 2009. 5 Correspondence from Eric Frano, Business Services, Savanna School District, dated February 18, 2009. 6 Phone conversation with Donna Erickson, Principal, Hope Special Education Center, September 28, 2009 7 Phone conversation with Nancy Lamotte, Assistant Principle, Gilbert West Alternative School, September 16, 2009. 8 Correspondence from George Giokaris, Superintendent, Fullerton Joint Union High School District, dated March 10, 2009.

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Table 5.15-2 School Development Fees

Development Fees School District Residential Non-residential Buena Park School District Fees for new development are negotiated with Fullerton Joint Union High School District each developer and the needs of the district.1 Centralia School District $1.315/SF $0.21/ SF Cypress Elementary School District $2.97/ SF $0.47/ SF Savanna School District $1.315/ SF $0.21/ SF Magnolia School and Anaheim Union High School Districts* $2.97/ SF $0.47/ SF Anaheim Union High School District $1.315/ SF $0.21/ SF 1. This fee is split between the two districts.

SENATE BILL (SB) 50

Senate Bill 50 (SB 50) and Proposition 1A, both of which passed in 1998, provided a comprehensive school facilities financing and reform program, in part by authorizing a $9.2 billion school facilities bond issue, school construction cost containment provisions and an eight- year suspension of the Mira, Hart and Murrieta court cases. Specifically, the bond funds are to provide $2.9 billion for new construction and $2.1 billion for reconstruction/modernization needs. The provisions of SB 50 prohibit local agencies from denying either legislative or adjudicative land use approvals on the basis that school facilities are inadequate, and reinstates the school facility fee cap for legislative actions (e.g., General Plan amendments, Specific Plan adoption, Zoning Ordinance amendments) as was allowed under the Mira, Hart and Murrieta court cases. According to Government Code Section 65996, the development fees authorized by SB 50 are deemed to be “full and complete school facilities mitigation.” These provisions are in effect until 2006 as long as subsequent State bonds are approved and available.

SB 50 establishes three levels of Developer Fees that may be imposed upon new development by the governing board of a school district depending upon certain conditions within a district. Level One Fees are the statutory fees, which can be adjusted for inflation every two years. Level Two Fees allow school districts to impose fees beyond the base statutory cap, under specific circumstances. Level Three Fees come into effect if the State runs out of bond funds after 2006, which would allow school districts to impose 100 percent of the cost of the school facility or mitigation minus any local dedicated school monies. The school fee amounts provided for in Government Code Sections 65995, 65995.5 and 65995.7 would constitute full and complete mitigation for school facilities.

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5.15.3 SIGNIFICANCE THRESHOLD CRITERIA

Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines contains the Initial Study Environmental Checklist, which was included with the Notice of Preparation to show the areas being analyzed within the EIR; refer to Appendix A of this EIR. The Initial Study includes questions relating to schools. The issues presented in the Initial Study Checklist have been utilized as thresholds of significance in this Section. Accordingly, school facility impacts resulting from the implementation of the proposed General Plan Update may be considered significant if they would result in the following:

. A significant impact would occur if the project would result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, or result in the need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which may cause significant environmental impacts in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives for schools in the City of Buena Park.

Based on this standard, the effects of the proposed project have been categorized as either a “less than significant impact” or a “potentially significant impact.” Mitigation measures are recommended for a potentially significant impact. If a potentially significant impact cannot be reduced to a less than significant level through the application of mitigation, it is categorized as a significant unavoidable impact.

5.15.4 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

SCHOOL FACILITIES

 BUILDOUT OF BUENA PARK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN UPDATE COULD RESULT IN ADVERSE PHYSICAL IMPACTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES SERVING THE CITY.

Impact Analysis: There are five elementary and two high school districts currently serving students residing within the City of Buena Park. These school districts provide educational services for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Currently, schools serving Buena Park are below capacity, with the exception of Gilbert West Alternative High School, which is at capacity; refer to Table 5.15-1.

Implementation of the proposed General Plan Update is anticipated to result in the addition of 1,517 dwelling units citywide. School districts typically use generation factors to determine the potential number of students that would be generated by the amount of residential development. In order to provide a conservative estimate of potential student growth associated with buildout of the General Plan Update, a range is used to account for single-family and multiple-family units. Table 5.15-3, Estimated Student Generation, identifies the number of potential students that would be generated from buildout of the General Plan Update.

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Table 5.15-3 Estimated Student Generation

Student Generation Number of Dwelling Total Students Grade Level Factor1,2 Units Generated Elementary (K-5)1 0.153 – 0.325 1,517 232 – 493 Middle School (6-8) 0.026 – 0.063 1,517 39 – 96 High School (9-12) 0.182 – 0.2053 1,517 276 – 311 Total 547 - 900 1. Where available, student generation factors were obtained from the school districts serving Buena Park. If not available, typical student generation factors from other school districts within Orange County were used. 2. Generation factors range from single-family to multiple-family development rates.

As indicated in Table 5.15-3, buildout of the proposed General Plan Update is anticipated to generate between 547 and 900 new students dispersed throughout all grade levels at various schools serving Buena Park.

According to the Buena Park, Centralia, and Cypress School Districts, student enrollment is declining and capacity is available at existing facilities to serve the anticipated growth associated with implementation of the proposed General Plan Update. The Savanna School District has also indicated available capacity to serve anticipated growth. Further, based upon available capacity and declining enrollments, it is anticipated that capacity would be available within the Magnolia Elementary School District. According to Fullerton Joint Union High School District, the ability to accommodate potential student growth is unknown at this time, as available capacity will depend upon which school a student attends due to their open enrollment policy. However, there is adequate capacity at Buena Park High School. Anaheim School District does not operate any traditional schools currently serving students residing in Buena Park.

School Districts assess Development Fees against residential and commercial/industrial development to mitigate impacts resulting from the increase in demand for school related services. Pursuant to SB 50, payment of fees to the applicable school district is considered full mitigation for project impacts, including impacts related to the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives for schools. Therefore, individual project applicants would be required to pay the statutory fees, so that space can be constructed, if necessary, at the nearest sites to accommodate the impact of project-generated students, reducing impacts to a less than significant level.

Proposed General Plan Update Policies and Implementation Measures:

Policies

CF-3.1: Work with local schools/educators to ensure educational facilities are adequate in order to promote a high level of education to all residents in Buena Park.

CF-3.2: Work with the local school district to anticipate potential increases in the City’s population and the impact on school enrollment.

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Implementation Measures

CF-13 Review development proposals for consistency with school facility requirements, work with school districts to collect student impact fees, and require the dedication of necessary school sites when appropriate.

Mitigation Measures:

5.15-1 Prior to the issuance of certificate of occupancy, individual project applicants shall submit evidence to the City of Buena Park that legally required school impact mitigation fees have been paid per the mitigation established by the applicable school district.

Level of Significance: Less Than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated.

5.15.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

 DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN UPDATE AND OTHER RELATED CUMULATIVE PROJECTS COULD RESULT IN CUMULATIVELY CONSIDERABLE IMPACTS TO SCHOOL FACILITIES SERVING BUENA PARK.

Impact Analysis: Cumulative impacts to school facilities are analyzed in terms of potential impacts to the five elementary and two high school districts currently serving students residing within the City of Buena Park.

Buildout of the proposed General Plan Update and related cumulative projects would result in development of new residential and commercial/industrial uses, potentially generating new students to the City. Individual development projects would be required to pay the applicable Developer Fees, in place at the time, to the appropriate school district based on the type and size of development.

Pursuant to SB 50, payment of fees to the appropriate school district is considered full mitigation for project impacts, including impacts related to the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, the need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, or other performance objectives for schools. Therefore, individual project applicants would be required to pay the statutory fees, so that space can be constructed, if necessary, at the nearest sites to accommodate the impact of project-generated students. Therefore, development of the proposed project and related cumulative projects would not result in significant cumulative impacts in regards to school services and facilities.

Proposed General Plan Update Policies and Implementation Measures: Refer to the Policies and Implementation Measures identified above.

Mitigation Measures: Refer to Mitigation Measure 5.15-1. No additional mitigation measures are required.

Level of Significance: Less Than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated.

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5.15.6 SIGNIFICANT UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS

With payment of school development fees (pursuant to SB 50) and compliance with recommended Mitigation Measure 5.15-1 implementation of the proposed General Plan Update would result in less than significant impacts in regards to school services and facilities. No significant and unavoidable impacts related to school services and facilities would occur as a result of buildout of the proposed General Plan Update.

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