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Montessori School parents, operators urge council to secure space as NCC redevelopment proceeds
Summary
Multiple speakers urged the council to require or secure space for the Montessori School in Neighborhood Congregational Church redevelopment plans; church leaders said they had explored options but could not keep the school on the current property.
Parents, staff and leaders of the Montessori School of Laguna Beach told the city council during public comment that redevelopment plans for the Neighborhood Congregational Church (NCC) do not adequately address the school’s future, and urged the council to require the project to include a location for the program or to help identify an alternate site.
What speakers said: Montessori leaders said the school has provided full‑day childcare and preschool services to local families for 50 years and serves up to 84 families; they said the redevelopment plans do not acknowledge the school’s program or commit to a replacement space. The school’s director and an admissions director told council the school and parents need certainty to retain enrollment and staff and that zoning suitable for schools is scarce in Laguna Beach.
Church response: Susan Cross, president of the Neighborhood Congregational Church board, responded during public comment that the church had worked to keep Montessori on site but concluded it was not possible, and that the church has met with city staff and the Montessori board to explore alternatives (including possible relocation to Saint Catherine’s). She also clarified that the quoted “7,000 square feet” referred to the sanctuary footprint and that Montessori occupies a different building on the campus.
Why it matters: The Montessori program is a longstanding neighborhood service with citywide implications for working families. Parents and staff told the council losing the site would reduce available preschool capacity for full‑day care in a market already short on options.
What council said: Council members acknowledged the concern and said the issue will be considered in upcoming agenda items related to the NCC project. Several council members encouraged continued dialogue among the church, school, the developer and city staff to identify a viable solution that preserves preschool capacity for Laguna families.
Ending: Montessori leaders asked the council to require replacement space in redevelopment approvals or to work to identify a viable alternative site; staff said the project will return to the council and that the concern will be part of that review.
