Planning Commission to Review Maranatha High School’s Master Plan

The Planning Commission on Wednesday will conduct a compliance review of Maranatha High School’s 20-year master plan.

Back in 2014, the City Council approved the master plan which mentions three separate development components in three phases.

The commission will determine whether Maranatha High School is in compliance with the conditions of approval and provisions of the Master Plan.

Maranatha High School, a private, college-preparatory school founded in Pasadena in 1965, relocated to its present site, the former Ambassador College campus, in 2005, occupying the southeast quadrant of the former college campus at 169 S. St. John Ave.

The relocation was approved with a conditional use permit (CUP) to establish a private school use, and a minor conditional use permit to allow shared parking between the school and Harvest Rock Church, which has operated at the Ambassador Auditorium.

Maranatha was granted three modifications in 2008 to the approved CUP, allowing it to increase student enrollment from 650 to 800, increase the number of staff and faculty from 84 to 120, and modify a signage-related condition of approval and allow signage as permitted by the Zoning Code.

In 2014, the Maranatha High School Master Plan was approved by the City Council as a 20-year Master Plan with three development phases. Phase 1 is the construction of a new 4,500-square-foot two-story administrative structure; improvements to the northern surface parking lot striping, landscaping and exterior lighting; and the installation of a new tubular steel perimeter fence.

Phase 2 includes the relocation of the existing indoor swimming pool from the Natatorium building to the south lawn; upgrades to electrical, plumbing, and mechanical equipment; and construction of two new sports courts next to the new outdoor pool, in the southeast corner of the campus.

Phase 3 includes the construction of a new 16,000-square-foot, two-story classroom building; construction of a 6,500-square-foot football-related facilities building; enclosing an existing 2,000-square-foot utility building; construction of a new 1,500-square-foot planetarium atop the existing academic center; and construction of a new 500-square-foot greenhouse.

A Planning Department report for Wednesday’s meeting says of all the projects listed, only the installation of a new tubular steel perimeter fence in Phase 1 has been completed.

The rest of the components are currently awaiting funding, the report said, and Maranatha High School is launching a capital campaign program to raise funds for the construction of a new administration building together with the new academic building that will be located at the south end of the gymnasium.

The Planning Department added that based on the current state of the planned improvements, Maranatha has complied with the features of the plans and conditions of approval of the Master Plan.

For more updates on the Master Plan, visit the Planning Commission page, www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/planning-commission.

The special meeting on Wednesday begins at 5:30 p.m. and can be viewed through https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85116927539 or by calling (669) 900-6833 and using the webinar ID 851 1692 7539.