A new preschool will soon open in Crescent Park after Palo Alto officials voted on Monday to approve an expansion of the St. Elizabeth Seton School.

The private Catholic school won approval this week after months of debate with neighbors, who criticized some of the details in the proposal, including the proposed fences that the school was planning to put up and the revised traffic patterns. Since then, the two sides have resolved their conflict. The applicant had agreed to work with adjoining property owners to implement and fund "individual, personal-property fence solutions," according to a report from the Planning Department.

The City Council voted 8-0, with Gail Price absent, to support the application after the school and the neighborhoods reached a compromise. Rita Vhrel, who had previously criticized the application, thanked city staff and the applicants for listening to the neighbors' concerns and finding an agreeable solution.

"We have all worked together, particularly since June of this year, to identify and resolve all the issues that were separating us," Vhrel said. "I think that I for one would encourage you to approve the application."

John Miller, the project architect, said the school has been planning this expansion since 2008 and is eager to start the construction on the expansion, which would replace an existing modular building (the building would remain adjoining to the site). The building would house kindergarten and pre-K students. The school plans to have the new pre-K program and after-school day care program in place by next August, in time for the new school year.

"We are out of time," Miller said just before the council took its vote. "We have seven months to build the building."

The council approved the application with little discussion. Councilwoman Karen Holman and Vice Mayor Greg Scharff both said it's an easy decision, given that all the conflicts between the school and its neighbors have been resolved.

"This is a process that worked," Holman said. "Our appreciation to all parties for coming together and resolving this matter."

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