FAQ
- How long will construction last? Hide
Build out of the entire Campus Enhancement Plan will take place in three phases over 5 1/2 years, according to a carefully planned construction schedule, with actual construction time of 36-54 months.
- How can school be in session during construction? Hide
Construction will be phased to minimize any disruption to students and the surrounding community.
- How does the Campus Enhancement Plan help my child if he or she may have already graduated by the time the campus improvements are completed? Hide
A commitment to continue The Buckley School’s tradition of excellence is why alumni, parents and friends of Buckley will choose to support the Revised Campus Enhancement Plan. Just as today’s students benefit from the generosity of previous generations, the Revised Campus Enhancement Plan offers us an opportunity to provide a legacy that benefits future generations.
- Will any programs be eliminated as a result of the Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide
No. The Campus Enhancement Plan was created to provide a long-term solution to the programmatic needs of the school for the next several decades. Much careful thought and planning have gone into the various features of the plan and their design. The Campus Enhancement Plan will strengthen Buckley’s ability to respond to programmatic needs in all three divisions of the school, while catching up with changes in instruction such as technology in the classroom.
The school is already planning construction operations so that our full program is maintained throughout the building process.
- I live in/near Sherman Oaks. How will the Campus Enhancement Plan impact my community? Hide
We have been through two substantial revisions of the Campus Enhancement Plan so that we could address your concerns and we are confident that the Campus Enhancement Plan balances the needs of our current and future students with the needs of our neighbors. Most importantly, the plan now avoids construction near our closest neighbors and will not involve hauling large quantities of dirt to or from campus. We are also keeping new building roof heights on the Main Academic Campus at or below the height of the existing Disney Pavilion. While construction potentially spans a six year period, please note that it will be implemented in intermittent phases and we do not anticipate continuous construction. Also, the EIR proposes the mitigation measures required during construction and beyond to minimize disruption to the neighborhood. These measures include a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan. As the process moves forward we will continue to work with our neighbors and the City to provide even more information.
- What entity approves what actually gets built and how does the process work? Hide
The City of Los Angeles reviews and approves applications for the right to build and operate the improved school facilities. In Los Angeles, there is a lengthy review and approval process for any school project located in a residential area. Buckley currently has a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that was granted almost 40 years ago to allow the creation of the existing campus on the site of a former country club. To implement the Campus Enhancement Plan, Buckley must seek a new CUP, and secure approvals of several land use applications for new and expanded facilities. Because the City’s Planning Commission must approve the CUP, the City is reviewing the environmental impacts of the project. To ensure thorough environmental analysis, Buckley volunteered to make the project the subject of a full environmental impact report (EIR) – the most comprehensive form of environmental review. The land use applications are being considered along with the results of the EIR.
A hearing officer from the Los Angeles Department of City Planning held a public hearing on the project in December 2007. The hearing officer will make a staff recommendation and report to the City Planning Commission, which will also hold a public hearing on the project applications and decide whether to certify the EIR. The decision of the Planning Commission can be appealed to the City Council, which would first refer the matter to a public hearing before its Planning and Land Use Management Committee before taking a vote of the full City Council at a subsequent, and final, public hearing. The entire City review and approval process will take somewhere between one and two years to complete. For a timeline of the review and approval process, visit www.buckleyla.org and click on “Learn More About Our Campus Enhancement Plan.”
- How will Buckley manage the approvals and construction processes? Hide
Buckley has assembled an entitlements team that includes architects, traffic engineers, engineering and environmental specialists, and “land use” attorneys to advise and assist the school’s leadership and its Board. The team includes experienced professionals who have worked on numerous school projects ranging from Pepperdine University and USC to Crossroads School, Harvard-Westlake, Curtis School, Marlborough and Le Lycee Francais, to name a few.
In addition to this strong group of experts, the leadership of The Buckley School has committed to representing the school’s interests in a variety of public forums to ensure that the community and decision-makers understand that the goals of the plan match the goals and needs of the school, while respecting the needs of the neighborhood.
- How can I participate in the public approval process? Hide
There are many opportunities to support Buckley’s plans during the review and approval process, including attending public meetings and public hearings and communicating your support for the plan to decision-makers. A summary of those remaining opportunities includes:
- The City Planning Commission. The City Planning Commission must approve any school CUP and will certify the EIR. Once the Planning Commission sets a public hearing date, we will share that information as well. In the meantime, you can communicate your support to the Planning Commissioners by writing them at L.A. City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 532, Los Angeles, California 90012.
- City Councilman Jack Weiss. The Buckley School is located in Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss’ district. Councilman Weiss has been a vocal supporter of school projects, generally. He has heard from opponents of the project, and it would be very helpful for him to hear from members of the community who share his passion for education, and feel strongly about Buckley’s Campus Enhancement Plan. Councilman Weiss’ past Planning Deputies, Bonnie Kopp and Kimberlina Whettam, and his current Planning Deputy Beverly Kenworthy have met on numerous occassions with Buckley and its neighbors as the Campus Enhancement Plan has developed over the past many months. Councilman Weiss can be contacted at L.A. City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 440, Los Angeles, California 90012, telephone (213) 473-7005, or at his district office located at 14310 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 100, Sherman Oaks, California 91423, telephone (818) 756-8083.
- Will tuition be increased to pay for the Revised Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide
Tuition is not expected to be increased beyond the average annual increase to pay for the Revised Campus Enhancement Plan. Instead, Buckley will launch a capital campaign to fund the enhanced and modernized campus. Additionally, as needed, the school can use nonprofit financing vehicles such as bonds to pay for construction activities.
- Will the expectations for annual giving increase due to the Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide
The goal for The Annual Fund will remain the same during the planning and implementation phases of the Campus Enhancement Plan. Our consistent goal for The Annual Fund has been, and will remain, 100% participation by all families and a minimum of $1.3 million dollars raised. A separate campaign will be launched to pay for the Campus Enhancement Plan, but families will still be asked to maintain their current level of giving to The Annual Fund.
- Whom should I contact if I have questions or concerns about this Plan? Hide
To ask questions or provide comments, please send an e-mail to Lisa Turchan at lturchan@buckleyla.org.