Fraudulent Marin Horizon School Mill Valley, CA Safe Routes to School Grant

From: charlessands@aol.com
Date: August 8, 2010 11:49:12 AM PDT
To: dawn_foster@dot.ca.gov
Cc: evergreen neighbors
Subject: Fraudulent Marin Horizon School Mill Valley, CA Safe Routes to School Grant

Dear Ms. Foster,

bcc. Homestead Valley Concerned Citizens, Madrone Park Circle Group and Save Evergreen Ever Green.

Subject: Fraudulent Marin Horizon School Mill Valley, CA Safe Routes to School Grant

We respectfully inform you that:

a) Marin Horizon School is a non-profit multimillion dollar commercial educational enterprise that was imposed on Homestead Valley, Mill Valley, CA 94941 in 1993 by the County and allowed by the County to expand to accommodate 300 students in 2005. Source: Board of Supervisor's resolution 2005-104 and 105

b) More than 450 Homestead Valley residents opposed Marin Horizon School expansion in 2005 because of the vehicular traffic generated by its commuting students 96.04 % of which live outside of our community. Source: Marin Horizon School.

c) Marin Horizon School's application for a Safe Routes to School Grant is fraudulent

1. No pedestrian accidents have occurred on Evergreen Ave. in Homestead Valley, Mill Valley, CA 94941. Marin Horizon School's application accident is fraudulent.

2. The 3 pedestrian accidents fraudulently reported by Marin Horizon School occurred in the City of Mill Valley, CA not in Homestead Valley, CA. The pedestrians were afdult Whole Food Shoppers. Source: City of Mill Valley.

3. Nearly no Marin Horizon School students walk the entire length of Evergreen Ave. Perhaps less than 20. Source: Personal observation.

4. Marin Horizon School rents the existing Marin County owned Homestead Valley Elementary School site from the Mill Valley School District.

6. Prior to 1993 all students in our community walked along our semi-rural streets to the Homestead Valley Elementary School.

7. Since 1993 Marin Horizon School traffic has increased the average daily traffic by 100%. Marin Horizon School traffic consultants omitted to study the cumulative negative impact of Marin Horizon School Traffic on Evergreen Ave. pedestrian safety. Source: Marin Horizon School Environmental Impact Study Section 6 Traffic and Transportation.

8. Marin Horizon School traffic is endangering its own few students who now walk on Evergreen Ave.

9. In 2003 more than 400 Homestead Valley residents petitioned the Marin County Community Development Agency and Board of Supervisors to not allow Marin Horizon to expand and to require Marin Horizon School to bus all of its commuting students to mitigate Marin Horizon School's negative impact on the natural environmental character of our community.

10. In 2005 Marin County Community Development Agency ignored: Our request; Goal # 1 of our Tamalpais Area Community Plan to "Maintain the semi-rural character of the community as defined by its small town residential and commercial setting of the natural environment and; Goal # 7 " Limit commercial (Marin Horizon School is a commercial educational enterprise) development or redevelopment to uses that primarily serve the Planning Area residents at a scale compatible with the semi-rural environment.

WE RESPECTFULLY OBJECT TO THE USE OF FEDERAL,STATE AND MARIN COUNTY FUNDS TO PROVIDE A SIDEWALK FOR A PRIVATE COMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED ON COMMUNITY AND WHOSE TRAFFIC IS ENDANGERING ITS OWN FEW PEDESTRIAN STUDENTS.

AND REQUEST THAT YOU IMMEDIATEKY TAKE ACTION TO RESCIND AWARD OF FEDERAL "SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL" FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT AN UNNEEED UNWANTED SIDEWALK THAT WILL DESTROY THE NATURAL CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY

Best regards,

Charles D. Sands, Architect and Urban Desiger
Sandsconsult Architcts