November 14, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Brentwood Beat: Tight Traffic Standards For All Brentwood Schools, Not Just Archer

Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.
Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.

Brentwood School is close to releasing a DEIR (draft environmental impact report) discussing its plans to expand its East Campus so as to accommodate another 265 students, to be phased in over four years.

The East Campus, near Brentwood Village and close to the 405, at the north end of the VA property, is where middle (7-8) and upper school (9-12) students attend.

Brentwood School’s West Campus, at Sunset Boulevard and Saltair Avenue, currently accommodates K-6 students.

While new facilities are being proposed for both campuses, it is the East Campus (Middle and Upper) where the proposed increase in enrollment will take place.

According to the Brentwood School’s website, there are currently 230 Middle School students and 465 Upper School students at the East Campus. That’s a total of 695 students.

If an additional 265 students are added, that makes for a total of 960 students, an increase of 38 percent over current enrollment.

It is difficult to ascertain (as yet) what percentage of these students will arrive by bus, carpool, bicycle, skateboard or foot. From the point of view of a casual observer, it appears plenty of cars go in and out of the campus daily and that number will likely go up if Brentwood School’s plans are approved.

But immediate neighbors to the school don’t seem to mind much; there is a history of the Brentwood School and neighboring homeowner associations working closely together with an eye toward keeping traffic and noise impacts to a minimum.

Brentwood School is an outstanding school, something we should all be proud to have in the neighborhood. If there is a need to accommodate more students, that’s kind of the way of the world, is it not? As population continues to increase, we need more schools, wider roads, more offices, more restaurants – more everything, really.

But I’m still not sure I get why people came down so hard on Archer School when it said it wanted to upgrade its facility without ANY increase in student count. If traffic is the issue that makes everyone crazy, aren’t 265 additional students at Brentwood School far more impactful than zero new students at Archer? The two schools are within blocks of each other, all the same intersections will be impacted.

Of course, Brentwood School’s car trips can be mitigated via busing and carpooling. Archer, everyone agrees, has a very stringent busing policy, with more than 70 percent of its students bused daily.  If Brentwood School volunteered to agree to a similar standard, it’s possible car trips in and out of the school could actually go down, even with an enrollment increase.

I don’t have a firm fix on the numbers, I hope to soon.  I’ve been asking for this data for a while, but Brentwood School wanted to complete its DEIR first. As we headed to press, Brentwood School has informed me that more information will be forthcoming soon. By next issue I should know more.

I am not anti-Brentwood School, not at all. Brentwood News has been lucky to sponsor some amazing student interns who go to Brentwood School. These are absolutely terrific kids. But it does feel like Brentwood School gets something of a pass compared to the way people view Archer School, and it has never really been clear to me why this is the case.

I’ve asked around and there are two answers I have heard: 1) Brentwood School opened long ago when people didn’t worry so much about traffic, so, in a way, the school has been “grandfathered” in; and 2) as part of its private covenant with Brentwood School, the president of the Brentwood Homeowners Association (BHA) is prohibited from publicly challenging Brentwood School and its plans. That arrangement seems a little odd to this observer, but maybe there’s a good reason for this.

And maybe there’s nothing in need of challenging, I don’t know. But I think, as a starting place, it would be helpful to know how many car trips go in and out of Brentwood School each day – and what number of students come in via bus or carpool – and what the plans are for the future. Then we can at least deal with a full set of facts as we attempt to glean what, if any, added traffic impacts there will be.

Mike Bonin has said many times he thinks Brentwood School and other schools in the area should adhere to Archer-like traffic management standards. If we really care about traffic, this is good policy. And fair’s fair.  On Brentwood School’s website, one can read that Brentwood School inspires every student to think creatively, act ethically and shape a future with meaning.  Coming up with a very assertive traffic management program is consistent with all that. It’s a time to act creatively, ethically and with a goal of improving our collective future.

I hope to have some better numbers so I can discuss this more intelligently
next issue. In the meantime, if anyone has any thoughts on this matter, please send me an email:  jeffhall@brentwoodnewsonline.com.

Related Posts

Actress Chanel Maya Banks Found in Texas, Family Disputes LAPD’s Closure of the Case

November 14, 2024

November 14, 2024

Family Questions Authenticity of Inflammatory Social Media Posts The events in the case of Chanel Maya Banks, the Playa Vista-based...

LA’s Food Access Farmers Markets Face Possible Closures, Call for Community Support

November 14, 2024

November 14, 2024

Nonprofit Seeks Monthly Donors To Continue to Offer Fresh Produce to the Underserved Food Access LA, the nonprofit organization behind...

SANTA MONICA HOTELS OFFER EXTRA BEDROOM PROGRAM FOR LOCALS WELCOMING VISITORS

November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (November 11, 2024) – Santa Monica Travel & Tourism announces the return of the popular “I Wish...

(Video) What Parents Love about Vistamar’s Open House v1

November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024

Why attend a Vistamar admissions open house? Parents talk about all that you can experience when you visit. At Open...

Family Searches for Missing Actress Chanel Maya Banks; Asks For Public’s Help in West LA

November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024

Relatives Search for Chanel Maya Banks, Last Heard From on October 30 The family of an actress based on the...

Court Halts Order for Expedited Veteran Housing in West LA, Citing VA’s Budget Constraints

November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024

Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Criticizes the VA on Veterans Day The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily paused an...

Armed Robbery in Culver City: Suspects Flee with $12,000 Rolex in Early Morning Incident

November 12, 2024

November 12, 2024

Two Suspects Targeted Man in Parking Lot, Brandishing Firearms, Demanding Valuables Culver City police are investigating an early morning armed...

Metro’s New Bus Lane Camera Enforcement Aims to Speed Up Commutes for LA Riders

November 12, 2024

November 12, 2024

Pilot Program Begins With 60-Day Warning Period to Clear Bus Lanes The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), in...

Legendary Actor Tony Todd, Known for Iconic Horror Roles, Dies at the Age of 69

November 12, 2024

November 12, 2024

Star of Candyman and Final Destination Remembered by Fans and Peers Iconic actor and Marina del Rey resident Tony Todd...

LAUSD Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault on a Minor, Police Believe There May Be Other Victims

November 11, 2024

November 11, 2024

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced on November 8 that a middle school teacher, Colleen Jo Matarico, is...

Suspect Arrested, Another at Large After Culver City Vehicle Burglary

November 11, 2024

November 11, 2024

Police Ask Public for Assistance to Aid the Investigation Early morning on November 7, Culver City Police responded to reports...

Beverly Hills High Limits Student Gatherings After Pro-Trump Rally Disrupts Campus

November 11, 2024

November 11, 2024

Principal Cites Safety Concerns Following Post-Election Demonstration Beverly Hills High School has put limits on student gatherings after a pro-Trump...

LAX Runway Closures in November May Lead to Increased Aircraft Noise for Nearby Residents

November 10, 2024

November 10, 2024

Temporary Runway Shutdowns for Maintenance and Upgrades May Alter Flight Paths Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has announced temporary runway...

Racist Text Messages Target Students in Santa Monica, West LA, Raising Alarm Among Schools, Families

November 10, 2024

November 10, 2024

Outrage Spreads as Disturbing, Racially Charged Messages Reach Students and Others By Dolores Quintana Schools on the Westside of Los...

8 Things to Do in Big Bear Lake: A Local’s Guide to Adventure and Relaxation

November 8, 2024

November 8, 2024

Nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains, Big Bear Lake is a true gem for nature lovers, families, and adventurers alike....