School Board to Give Its Two Cents on Apartments Planned Near High School

The Capistrano Unified school board will consider weighing in on a proposed 100-unit apartment complex planned next to San Juan Hills High School.

District staff is recommending trustees urge the San Juan Capistrano City Council to reject the project because of “significant adverse impacts,” especially to area traffic.

Called Rancho San Juan Apartments, the proposal, which includes some affordable housing, has a tumultuous history as it made its way through the city planning process.

In August, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the council deny the project in part because traffic already is congested near the school. That was in spite of an offer the developer made to install a new traffic light above and beyond what environmental studies had recommended.

In December, the council considered taking action on the apartments, but decided staff needed more time to study yet further traffic changes, including restriping to allow two lanes of traffic to come and go at the intersection of La Pata Avenue and Vista Montana.

The City Council is now scheduled to hear the proposal at its Jan. 21 meeting.

The resolution prepared for the trustees to consider also includes the possibility that the district may want the land to eventually expand the high school, especially after La Pata is punched through to San Clemente.

“The project is located on the last useable vacant property in the vicinity of SJHHS that is potentially suitable for the expansion of the school,” the proposed resolution states.

The school board meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the district headquarters, 33122 Valle Road in San Juan Capistrano.