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GLENDALE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE ARMENIAN SCHOOL FOR CODE VIOLATIONS
By C.J. Lin, Staff Writer
Contra Costa Times
Sept 10 2010
CA
A private Armenian school that was supposed to be bustling with
students fresh from summer vacation remained shuttered in Glendale this
week after a judge ordered it closed for failing to meet safety codes.
The temporary restraining order was issued against Scholars Academic
Foundation because the school did not have proper permits or emergency
equipment, said Scott Howard, city attorney.
"It's a potential hazard in the making," Howard said. "So there's
concern when you take over this building to use as a school that it's
a real potential safety hazard for the children."
Calls to the school went unanswered and a phone listing could not be
found for owner Anahit Grigoryan. Her attorney, Vipan Bhola, did not
return several calls for comment.
"They just don't have any permits for the school," Howard said. "Those
permits are routine. Everybody needs one. Supermarkets, liquor stores,
laundromats - you need it. And that includes a private school."
The K-12 school was supposed to have opened on Tuesday . Located in
a former strip mall at 3800 Foothill Blvd. that once housed a public
continuation school, Scholars leases two buildings built over a gated
underground parking lot.
Included in the list of violations is that the lot was being used for
storage as well as a playground for students despite having inadequate
ingress and egress routes, Howard said.
The facility needs to get a conditional use permit - which will require
a public hearing to address issues such as traffic and parking -
because zoning does not allow a private school at the site. The
building's current office and retail permit will also need to be
changed to a school permit, according to the complaint.
The school currently lacks safety equipment such as panic bars for
doors, Howard said.
The restraining order prevents the school from conducting teaching
classes, tutoring, counseling, running a day care or nursery and
holding assemblies.
Meanwhile, local public schools had made arrangements to accept
students that had been displaced by Scholars' closure.
The code compliance issues date back to February, when the school
moved to its current location without obtaining any permits, Howard
said. The school was previously the Scholars Armenian School and Arts
Center at 1021 Grandview Ave.
A check for a permit application bounced before school officials paid
in full. But fees for an environmental review then went unpaid, leading
city officials to reject the application because it was incomplete,
Howard said.
The school's owners sued to stay at the location while addressing
compliance issues and were successful, but the problems remained,
Howard said.
A hearing is set for Sept. 17 at Los Angeles County Superior Court
in Glendale to determine whether a permanent injunction will be issued.
While Howard believes the school's operators can clear up the code
violations, he's not sure that they'll be able to in time for the
hearing because a public hearing will still need to be called for
neighbor input.
"It's kind of the 11th hour now," Howard said. "Because frankly,
they should have perfected their applications months and months ago."
From: A. Papazian
By C.J. Lin, Staff Writer
Contra Costa Times
Sept 10 2010
CA
A private Armenian school that was supposed to be bustling with
students fresh from summer vacation remained shuttered in Glendale this
week after a judge ordered it closed for failing to meet safety codes.
The temporary restraining order was issued against Scholars Academic
Foundation because the school did not have proper permits or emergency
equipment, said Scott Howard, city attorney.
"It's a potential hazard in the making," Howard said. "So there's
concern when you take over this building to use as a school that it's
a real potential safety hazard for the children."
Calls to the school went unanswered and a phone listing could not be
found for owner Anahit Grigoryan. Her attorney, Vipan Bhola, did not
return several calls for comment.
"They just don't have any permits for the school," Howard said. "Those
permits are routine. Everybody needs one. Supermarkets, liquor stores,
laundromats - you need it. And that includes a private school."
The K-12 school was supposed to have opened on Tuesday . Located in
a former strip mall at 3800 Foothill Blvd. that once housed a public
continuation school, Scholars leases two buildings built over a gated
underground parking lot.
Included in the list of violations is that the lot was being used for
storage as well as a playground for students despite having inadequate
ingress and egress routes, Howard said.
The facility needs to get a conditional use permit - which will require
a public hearing to address issues such as traffic and parking -
because zoning does not allow a private school at the site. The
building's current office and retail permit will also need to be
changed to a school permit, according to the complaint.
The school currently lacks safety equipment such as panic bars for
doors, Howard said.
The restraining order prevents the school from conducting teaching
classes, tutoring, counseling, running a day care or nursery and
holding assemblies.
Meanwhile, local public schools had made arrangements to accept
students that had been displaced by Scholars' closure.
The code compliance issues date back to February, when the school
moved to its current location without obtaining any permits, Howard
said. The school was previously the Scholars Armenian School and Arts
Center at 1021 Grandview Ave.
A check for a permit application bounced before school officials paid
in full. But fees for an environmental review then went unpaid, leading
city officials to reject the application because it was incomplete,
Howard said.
The school's owners sued to stay at the location while addressing
compliance issues and were successful, but the problems remained,
Howard said.
A hearing is set for Sept. 17 at Los Angeles County Superior Court
in Glendale to determine whether a permanent injunction will be issued.
While Howard believes the school's operators can clear up the code
violations, he's not sure that they'll be able to in time for the
hearing because a public hearing will still need to be called for
neighbor input.
"It's kind of the 11th hour now," Howard said. "Because frankly,
they should have perfected their applications months and months ago."
From: A. Papazian