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Residents urge Baldwin Park council to oppose rezoning of former Flanner Elementary for market-rate condos
Summary
Several Bassett-area residents and the Park Not Condo Coalition urged the Baldwin Park City Council to help stop a proposed rezoning of the former Flanner Elementary School site for a market-rate condominium project, citing loss of rare open space, traffic and safety concerns.
Several residents who identified themselves as Bassett neighbors told the Baldwin Park City Council on May 21 that they oppose a proposed rezoning of the former Flanner Elementary School site, which speakers said is now owned by Bassett Unified School District and is under consideration for residential development.
"I'm asking that the Baldwin Park City Council please help us stop the effort to rezone the land for development," said Gabriela Alba, who identified herself as a Bassett resident. Alba told the council she wants the site preserved as open space or a recreational area that residents can reach on foot.
Speakers said the proposal would replace open space and children's play areas with market-rate condominiums. Several public commentators used similar numbers: Miguel Zuniga and Yolanda Kiros raised traffic and neighborhood-impact concerns tied to "over a hundred condos" or "a hundred and five condos or villas" that they said the developer (identified in public comments as "Storm Providence" or "Storm Property") is proposing to build on the Flanner site.
Juana (Janetta) Whitley, speaking for the Park Not Condo Coalition, told the council the site "is presently zoned for open space and recreation use" and argued the Bassett Unified School District’s proposed zoning change "directly conflicts with Baldwin Park 2002 general plan, which clearly identifies the need to preserve and expand open space to meet the health environment and the recreational need of current and future residents." She urged the council to "work with the Bassett community to stop" the rezoning effort.
Why it matters: Commenters say the site is a rare opportunity for local recreation in an under-resourced neighborhood. They raised public-safety and equity concerns, asked for council intervention or support for preservation, and requested that the site be considered for inclusion in greenway or open-space plans rather than being rezoned for market-rate residential development.
Speakers asked the council to consider alternatives and to weigh funding and partnership options, including public grants and nonprofit support, to acquire or preserve the site. "There are countless nonprofit organizations, state and federal grants, and philanthropic sources available for this kind of project," Alba said, urging officials to explore those avenues.
No formal Council action on the Flanner site was recorded in the meeting minutes. Public comments, including the Park Not Condo Coalition request, were entered into the record and the council did not take an immediate vote or direct staff to take specific land-use steps during the May 21 session.
