Commission gives nod to master plan for Hillbrook

By Nathan R. Huff

After waiting until past midnight on Oct. 25, to speak on Hillbrook School's application for a new master plan, neighbors left angry, following a planning commission decision to approve the school's conditional use permit.

Commissioners, after hearing close to two hours of testimony, moved to approve the CUP with several new conditions. Hillbrook agreed to add conditions requiring the continued promotion of a carpooling program and the opening of Ann Arbor Drive to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. School officials also consented to a six-month review of the school's success in reducing traffic.

Residents of Marchmont and Ann Arbor drives were dissatisfied with the decision, remarking angrily that the commission had just approved the school's long-sought master plan without doing anything concrete to alleviate traffic concerns. Storming out of the meeting at around 2 a.m., residents of both neighborhoods promised to appeal the decision to the town council.

Neighbors were successful in their first appeal to the town council on June 5, persuading council members to send the private school back to the planning commission with the direction to address the traffic concerns of Marchmont Drive neighbors.

While the school's master plan focuses on a number of new buildings proposed for the hillside campus, residents have used the application for a new CUP to raise issues of traffic, noise and safety. The proposal has pitted Marchmont Drive residents--who live on the only approach street for the school's 315 students--against Ann Arbor Drive residents, who have actively protested the idea of opening a gate to the campus at the end of their cul-de-sac.

As one of the results of the council appeal, a traffic study of Marchmont Drive traffic was undertaken. It found that, during peak hours, traffic on Marchmont Drive is almost three times the normal peak traffic on local access streets. The report, completed by town traffic engineer Gary Kruger, recommended opening the Ann Arbor Drive gate and supporting the school's carpooling plan, though state law prohibits the town from mandating such a plan.

While a number of residents from both neighborhoods continued to argue for or against opening the Ann Arbor Drive gate, the majority of speakers found common ground in their stance that Hillbrook was responsible for the traffic it had created. "For 26 years it's been neighborhood against neighborhood," Ann Arbor Drive resident Nancy Stengele said, explaining that the dispute had drawn attention away from the cause of the problem.

While some applauded Hillbrook's heightened efforts this year, most residents described the school as continuing to resist ideas that would dramatically reduce school traffic. "With each solution, Hillbrook Headmaster Sarah Bayne rejected it out of hand," Marchmont resident Patti Elliot said of the town-mandated meetings between Hillbrook and its neighbors. "If they have the money to build new buildings, then they should have the money to deal with the traffic issues."

Residents from both neighborhoods want Hillbrook to begin busing students or running shuttles to and from student drop-off and pick-up points. Bayne has argued busing the widely dispersed student population is impractical, and shuttle services are too expensive. Bayne also stated at the meeting that increased carpooling efforts were already making a noticeable difference on Marchmont Drive traffic.

Bayne and Hillbrook board of trustees President Robert Dunn, said the school was also willing to reduce the number of nighttime events, ensure that all cars parked on Hillbrook School grounds and close the campus to outside organizations on weekends. Dunn promised to continue working with the neighbors.

Commissioner Suzanne Müller, adding the six-month review condition to her motion to approve, expressed the need to have a way to check up on the school's progress. "I'm inclined to approve this project to move forward," Müller said. "But I'm afraid if we approve this, some of the incentive for the school to continue vigorously pursuing the carpooling may go away."

Police Report

Editorial: Glickman, Dubois ask the right questions

Local Home Sale Listings

Obituary

Picture from the Past

Nutritional habits play an important role in senior health

Sports Briefs

Los Gatos Wildcats run to Mount Sac win

Big win for Los Gatos frosh-soph

Cats take big step with win against Milpitas Trojans on Friday night

Dickerson wins national title