Politics & Government

Olympian's Figure Skating School Gets OK from Planning Commission, Despite Objections

Olympic gold medalist Ilia Kulik wants to open a skating rink in an office park, but neighbors and another rink owner aren't thrilled.

Olympic gold medalist Ilia Kulik got the go-ahead to open a figure skating school in Lake Forest when the Planning Commission approved a use permit for the school Thursday night.

The planned facility would occupy a 17,923-square-foot building at 20341 Hermana Circle and would cater to students looking to pursue a professional skating career. It would not be open to the general public and would not host birthday parties or hockey practice, and the number of skaters on the 10,046-square-foot ice surface at any one time would be capped at 14.

Kulik, a 33-year-old Aliso Viejo resident who won a gold medal in figure skating for Russia at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, told the Planning Commission that he wanted to open the school as a way to continue his career.

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"I know that I'm not going to skate really for that much longer, because professional skating is really demanding," Kulik said, "and I felt that a very good direction to take is to continue to share my knowledge, to share my experiences, with the young and upcoming generation."

, it unanimously approved an application to open a training-focused ice rink elsewhere in Lake Forest. That application came from Glenn Bushway, owner of the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace. He spoke out against Kulik's proposed school at Thursday's meeting, saying that it would "poach" people away from his business and that there wouldn't be enough customers in the area to support two new skating facilities in Lake Forest.

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"Isn't it amazing that after 16 years in South County, two ice rinks show up in your backyard?" Bushway said. "I typically don't stifle entrepreneurship. I encourage it. But as a business leader, I have to protect my 100 employees and their family livelihoods."

John Nicks, an 81-year-old figure skating coach and former world champion who has worked with the likes of Sasha Cohen, Kristi Yamaguchi and Peggy Fleming, said he was opposed to Kulik's proposed school. Nicks teaches at the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace and said he was looking forward to doing so at Bushway's new Lake Forest facility and invited Kulik to join him there.

Three employees from Natures Image, a commercial landscaping firm next door to the proposed school, also opposed Kulik's plans, citing the fact that the school would bring minor-aged students into the parking lot that's used by the business's trucks and bulldozers.

"Our concern is that this equipment is behind our lot, and it's heavy-duty, dangerous equipment," said John Scatton, the controller of Natures Images. "We spend $50,000 a year teaching our personnel how to use it and how to proceed safely around it. And I have to say, for a 14-, 15-, 16-year-old boy, this is what they call in the liability business a dangerous, attractive lure."

Commissioner David Carter said he found Scatton's argument persuasive.

"I would love to have a skating rink, a professional rink there, but I would really, really, really hate even more at some point in time to have one of those professional kids or staff or anyone else injured," Carter said.

As to Bushway's concern that Kulik's business would hurt his own, Commissioner Jerry Verplancke asked Assistant City Attorney Matthew "Mal" Richardson whether the commission was legally allowed to consider competition between local companies when making decisions.

"Generally, economic realities are not within the purview of your roles as planning commissioners," Richardson said.

Commissioner Tim Hughes said he thought the skating school would be compatible with the nearby businesses.

"I can't find a real solid, valid reason to deny the application," he said.

The commission voted 4-1 in favor of approving a use permit for the proposed school, on the condition that the applicant install a new walkway outside the building for students to use. Carter was the "no" vote.


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