Planning commission approves Kadino Academy charter school at 1460 East Main with conditions; enrollment capped at 70 to start

The El Cajon Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a CEQA exemption and a conditional use permit allowing a charter school to occupy the first floor of a former Sharp Healthcare office building at 1460 East Main Street and enroll up to 70 transitional kindergarten through second-grade students, city staff said.

Staff reported the site encompasses about 38,768 square feet (nearly one acre) and includes a two-story, approximately 14,900-square-foot office building. The proposed school would create five classrooms (four classrooms of 15 students and one classroom for 10 TK students) and operate weekdays roughly 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with after-school programming until 6 p.m. Initial enrollment would be capped at 70; staff and the applicant said future expansion would require a traffic study and city engineering approval of a queuing and traffic management plan.

To provide on-site play space, the proposal removes some parking to create a blacktop outdoor recess area directly adjacent to the building. The site currently has 67 parking spaces; staff said the proposal retains roughly 48 spaces for parking while converting the remainder to play area.

Engineering and planning staff recommended several public-improvement measures to manage vehicle circulation and avoid left-turn conflicts, including placement of flexible lane delineators to restrict left turns, additional red curb along Oakdale Avenue to deter curbside drop-offs, and a public-improvement agreement to update the existing driveway. Staff said the front vehicle gate would be closed to vehicle traffic during recess and physical activity times.

Spencer Hayes Flores, associate planner, told commissioners the project is exempt from environmental review under CEQA Guidelines §15301 for existing facilities. Flores noted that the resolution would authorize the director of community development to approve a minor amendment to accommodate modest future expansions after notification to adjacent property owners; larger expansions would require an updated traffic and queuing study.

Kristen Barkas, introduced herself as the executive director of the applicant and said the organization has operated in El Cajon since February 2019 and has a large wait list. "We've been open since 02/2019, and, we have been doing phenomenal things in El Cajon," Barkas said, citing community demand and a wait list of more than 400 applicants for next year.

Commissioners questioned parking availability on Oakdale, the effectiveness of red curb in an area where on-street parking is often used, and safety/visibility for the proposed recess area on a corner lot. Staff said red-curb installation is discretionary and recommended delaying striping until the site is occupied and operations can be monitored; the commission directed staff to evaluate red-curb needs after occupancy rather than require immediate installation. Commissioners also discussed perimeter fencing and visibility; the applicant said she planned security cameras and visibility-limiting screening attached to existing perimeter fencing similar to the applicant's other campuses.

Commissioner Pollock moved to adopt the resolution approving the CEQA exemption and Conditional Use Permit No. 2025-004 subject to conditions and a red-curb evaluation after occupancy; Commissioner Rose seconded. The motion carried unanimously.