Board backs off fast pace to build middle school gyms

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Ocean View School District Board of Trustees

unanimously approved a series of measures that will slow down the project

to build gymnasiums at the four middle schools.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved revisions on the proposal to

create a community advisory committee, which was approved at the last

meeting. The committee will be comprised of two residents from each

school’s area; the parent-teacher support group presidents from each

middle school; principals from each middle school; the district’s interim

director of maintenance, operations and facilities; and the California

Environmental Quality Act consultant, who will act as facilitator.

The group’s duties will include addressing the concerns of the

communities, providing input on who will be allowed to rent the facility,

operating hours, noise, traffic, the fiscal plan, and the physical design

of the buildings.

Many of the residents said they weren’t opposed to the gymnasiums, but

they object to the proposed two-story size, location, possible hours of

usage, night lighting and noise. Many are also concerned with additional

traffic the gyms could bring to the residential neighborhoods.

Residents, as well as some trustees, said they were also unsettled by

the funding plans.

The committee’s first public meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 in the

district board room.

In another response to community outcry, the board agreed to hire a

consultant to study the environmental implications of the gyms. According

to the California Environmental Quality Act, the district is required to

do an environmental study.

Trustee Tracy Pellman also proposed to place a moratorium on obtaining

funding for the construction of the gymnasiums. The board will vote on

the moratorium at its next meeting, Nov. 7.

“If they never approve funding, [the project] will never go anywhere,”

Supt. Jim Tarwater said.

To echo Pellman’s proposal to block the project until further

community input is gathered, Trustee Carol Kanode requested the board

rescind the approval of the project until the community advisory

committee has met and made recommendations.

“We’ve done things backward, and we need to recognize that,” Kanode

said.

The proposal will come back to the board for information at its the

next meeting and will return for a vote at the Nov. 21 meeting.

“There’s no timing on this. It will just be when the job is done,”

Tarwater said.