Why are these Clovis neighbors pushing back against a school’s expansion?

CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A proposal to allow a Clovis school to more than double its student population over the next seven years has received push-back from those living nearby.

According to the City of Clovis’ Assistant Planner Marissa Parker, Valley Crescent School has been situated near North Sylmar Avenue and West Nees Avenue since 1995, when it was started as a daycare facility.

The school has made a series of expansions since it was founded; Parker says the school is now proposing an even larger expansion. The proposal was heard during a Clovis Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 23.

“[Valley Crescent] are allowed to have a maximum number of 174 students,” Parker said. “They are proposing to increase that by 240 students for a total of 414.”

Parker says the expansion would also include amenities including a two-story classroom building and a basketball court.

“We want the school to be better,” said the Chairman of the Board at Valley Crescent, Mohammad Ashraf. “At this particular time. We don’t have a science lab. We don’t have a computer lab, we don’t have a staff lounge.”

Ashraf says the ultimate goal of the expansion is to improve education at Valley Crescent and add to Clovis’ longstanding legacy of being a superior school district.

“Clovis is known for education,” Ashraf said. “Other students’ parents, some of them moved from other states to buy houses in Clovis.”

But some neighbors say that, while they can appreciate Valley Crescent’s impact, they feel the expansion will lead to inconveniences and even danger for the community at large.

One of those who spoke at the meeting, Todd Valerie, says the additional students will bring additional noise and he is unwilling to compromise his peace at home to accommodate Valley Crescent School.

“I know that I’ll deal with noise during the construction phase. That’s Monday through Friday, 7 [a.m.] to 7 [p.m.], and on the weekends. I’m not looking forward to that,” Valerie said.

Valerie says the proposed two-story building will also affect his privacy.

“There are full-length windows that would have to have a direct view into my backyard – that sense of privacy that I’ve enjoyed for 27 years would be gone.”

Valley Crescent’s representatives apologized to their neighbors for putting forth their proposal without consulting them, but are hopeful they can come to a solution that both parties can agree on.

The Clovis City Planning Commission elected to approve a conditional use permit – with the condition that the application be brought back after one year for review.