HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Seeks to Discuss Surplus School Sites

Faced with the problem of deciding what to do about surplus school sites, the City Council said Monday it will seek a joint meeting next month with the Planning Commission and representatives of five school districts.

The five districts all have schools in Huntington Beach, and the districts together now have 20 closed school sites. In some cases the districts are seeking to sell or lease that surplus property.

The Planning Commission, however, has turned down two such requests recently. School officials, alarmed by this development, have said they desperately need the money because of cutbacks from the recession. In a study session on Monday night, the City Council was briefed about the school situation, with one planner saying that an increase in closed schools has become a “trend” in the city.

One council member said city government and school districts have not been communicating adequately about the problem.

“It’s vital that we have this meeting with the schools,” said Councilwoman Linda Moulton-Patterson, herself a former school board member. “One of the reasons we are having this problem is because of lack of communication between the city and schools.”

Councilman Don MacAllister said the city in no way should usurp the power of the school boards.

“I don’t want the city all of a sudden to take over the schools,” he said. “They’ve got their own board of directors. It’s not up to us (on the City Council) to tell them to keep schools open or closed. . . . They’re in economic straits right now.”

Councilman Jack Kelly said that even though the school districts have said the surplus sites will not be needed any time in the near future for education needs, he nonetheless has his doubts. “It’s the future demand for classrooms that worries me,” Kelly said.

Four elementary districts have schools in parts of the city. They are Huntington Beach City, Ocean View, Fountain Valley and Westminster. Huntington Beach Union High School District operates four regular high schools and one continuation school within the city.

There are 20 schools in the city that are either closed or will be closed by June.

Two school boards have been turned down by the Planning Commission in their attempts to sell or lease vacant school land.

The Fountain Valley School District, which has some schools within Huntington Beach city limits, wants to sell the old Bushard Elementary School near Yorktown Avenue and Brookhurst Street. It was proposed that the site be used for building 58 single-family homes. The Planning Commission, however, has denied approval of the plans.

The Planning Commission has also rejected Huntington Beach Union High School District’s proposal to lease land at Golden West Street and Warner Avenue for construction of up to 296 apartments.

Both of those rejections by the Planning Commission are being appealed to the City Council. The council will probably vote on the two proposals within the next three months.