The Department of Planning and Development issued a Master User Permit to Bertschi on March 3, 2005. You can download a copy of the permit in pdf format below. Windows users can right click on the link to save it. Macintosh users can control-click the link to save it.

MUP2306429.pdf

We were very disappointed with the conditions specified in the permit. The city disregarded the concerns of the neighborhood when writing the permit. In fact, our first impression while reading the permit was that the city handed Bertschi's lawyer, Melody McCutcheon, a blank form and asked her to write the permit for them.

On March 16, 2005, we filed four appeals against the MUP with the Hearing Examiner's office. The appeals deal with parking, traffic, noise, and concerns with the variance the city granted the school. We expect that a hearing on the appeal will be scheduled for late April or early to mid May. The appeals had up to 54 appellants and show there is strong opposition in the neighborhood to the school's plan.

Recently we heard from a member of the North Capitol Hill Neighborhood Association (NCHNA) that negotiations with the Bertschi School are not progressing, and that the school is waffling on conditions to which NCHNA thought they had firm commitments. Now that the school has the MUP in hand perhaps they have no incentive to agree to any neighborhood concerns. We're not sure if that is in keeping with their "Good Neighbor" policy.

We will keep you posted about the appeal process and when we have a hearing date.