BUSD finalizes purchase of former NCFPD station

The Bonsall Unified High School District (BUSD) approved the final documents to transfer the property containing the North County Fire Protection District's (NCFPD) former Station 5 back to the school district.

A 5-0 BUSD board vote Aug. 11 approved the escrow and closing agreement for the 0.64-acre parcel of land on Old River Road adjacent to Bonsall Elementary School.

"That's pretty much the end of escrow," said BUSD superintendent Justin Cunningham.

The Bonsall Union School District sold the property to the Fallbrook Fire Protection District for $35,000 in 1981. The grant deed, which was binding on successor agencies, included a stipulation that if the land was to be used for anything other than a fire station it was to be sold back to the school district for the purchase price of $35,000.

A fire station and a parking area were constructed on the property. The Fallbrook Fire Protection District became the North County Fire Protection District in 1986 and the Bonsall Union School District became the Bonsall Unified School District in 2014.

The former Station 5 was replaced with a newer and larger station on Olive Hill Road, and in early 2015 the fire district moved its personnel and apparatus into the new station. NCFPD and BUSD staff had different interpretations whether the repurchase price should reflect the improvements made to the property.

In January 2015, the BUSD board voted to support a purchase price of $35,000. Fire board members threatened to continue to use the old fire station rather than sell it for $35,000, but the fire board never took an official position in favor of factoring the improvements into the repurchase price and in July 2015 the NCFPD board voted to approve the sale of the property for $35,000.

In December 2015, the school board authorized BUSD staff to enter into a purchase and sale agreement, and the BUSD board approved the specific agreement on March 9.

In addition to the $35,000 purchase price the school district will pay $1,045 in escrow and title costs and $109 for a natural hazard disclosure report. A $250 buyer refundable pad will cover any additional costs and brings the total payment amount to $36,404 minus any refund the Bonsall district receives from that pad.

"We even paid for their attorney's fees," Cunningham said.

Bob James is NCFPD's legal counsel, and the school district utilized James to assist with the repurchase agreement.

"We're really looking forward to having some more room," Cunningham said.

The school district has not made a definite decision on the use of the land. A continuation high school is one option, and the former fire station may also become a school district maintenance facility. "Our maintenance people would look at that as a great place," Cunningham said.

An addition to an existing school which does not increase student capacity by more than 25 percent or 10 classrooms, whichever is less, is eligible for a categorical exemption from California Environmental Quality Act review.