Residents urge removal of Sanchez Arts Center parcel from surplus/housing proposals

Several residents used the June 16 oral‑communications period to press the Planning Commission and staff to remove Site 23 — the Sanchez Arts Center, Margaret Owens Concert Hall, parkland and dog park — from any surplus‑land listings or housing‑element rezoning.

Speakers asked commissioners to recommend that the City Council and staff strip the parcel from surplus or by‑right development language to preserve the existing arts center and open space. Brian Rainero told the commission Site 23 "is not surplus" and urged removal of the "by right provisions"; Dina Verby said the site should be preserved intact because demolition and rebuilding would displace arts businesses and affordable artist workspaces.

Why this matters: commenters argued that including the site as surplus or rezoning it for housing would threaten an active arts complex that provides jobs, visitor‑serving amenities and parkland. Several speakers said the public had not been told clearly that the council’s materials implied a by‑right redevelopment option and asked staff and the commission to clarify criteria used to place the site in the draft plan.

Details from public comment: Brian Rainero asked commissioners to recommend that staff remove Site 23 from surplus‑land lists and to remove any "by‑right" provisions that could preclude later public input. Dina Verby emphasized that the arts center houses multiple working artists and businesses and that demolition to rebuild would eliminate existing income sources and visitor‑serving space. Both speakers noted the item is scheduled to return to the Planning Commission on July 7 for rezoning consideration.

Commission response and process: Chair Hauser and staff confirmed the rezoning will return to the commission on July 7. Commissioner Davis previously requested staff explore recommending removal of the Sanchez Arts Center from the housing element; staff acknowledged more review would occur before the July hearing. No formal action on Site 23 occurred on June 16 — the remarks were public comment to inform future deliberations.

Ending: The commission will consider rezoning items, including Site 23, at its July 7 meeting; speakers asked the commission to use that hearing to recommend removal of the site from surplus‑land and by‑right treatment so the arts center and park are preserved.