The San Diego City Council postponed a vote today on letting Veterans Affairs open a home for disabled veterans near Old Town Academy, a charter school.
The VA wants to set up a 40-bed home for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans wounded in action or who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in a building that is part of the old Thomas Jefferson School of Law at 2121 San Diego Ave., which is across the street from Old Town Academy, which has about 250 students.
Cynthia Morgan, an attorney for the charter school, and Jeffrey Gering, the VA's medical center director in San Diego, told the council they had negotiating with one another for the past few days. The law school moved to an East Village building in January 2011.
Gering said there was a suggestion that metal detectors needed to be installed at the veterans home, but he said he did not believe that was necessary. He and Morgan also were trying to work out differences over the composition of an advisory group.
The issue is expected to be back on the City Council agenda for July 24.
City Councilman Todd Gloria said the delay would give the principals extra time to work out details and address concerns expressed by Old Town community members.
"I think the time over the next few weeks will be time well spent,'' Gloria said. "Ultimately, what I want to see is a successful facility that takes care of our nation's heroes.''
Separately, the City Council affirmed that the VA was exempt from state environmental reporting laws.
