Vista Norte charter wins city OK to keep running in Casa Blanca, grows to 450 students

The Raincross Gazette: The Planning Commission Thursday backed Vista Norte Public Charter School's Casa Blanca campus at 7680 Casa Blanca St., approving a conditional use permit that legalizes the operation and allows up to 450 students. The site is zoned single-family residential but allows charter schools with a permit, and staff found the project consistent with the general plan, zoning code, and design guidelines.

Staff called the setup unusual: most students study off-site and come in once a week for appointments, which holds down traffic and on-site activity. The independent-study program serves ages 14 to 23, many of them behind on credits and unable to stay in a traditional school. The permit preserves Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service's community programs on the site and bars weekend or nighttime use.