FUHSD deems Gird Road property to be surplus

At its December board meeting, the board of trustees for the Fallbrook Union High School District (FUHSD) deemed its 50-acre property on Gird Road to be surplus, allowing the board to deliberate about what to do with the property in the future.

The property, which was purchased in 1967, was planned to house a second site for the school district, but the second high school was never built, and in 2010, the board began considering possible uses for the site.

According to a board meeting agenda, the board of trustees formed a “7/11” committee to provide recommendations to the board in accordance with state law. By doing so, the board was able to begin acting on the long-term use of or sale of the real property. On April 11, 2011 legal counsel presented the requirement governing the district’s actions related to real property owned by the district.

The committee met five times to review the need for the Gird Road property as a possible future school sight, and on Nov. 14, the committee declared the Gird Road site surplus real property.

According to district superintendent Dale Mitchell, the board has not yet determined what it will do with the property.

“The board is not likely to make a decision until the spring due to other priorities,” he stated. “The superintendent/designee will be doing research, and we will have more information for the board this spring.”

The district now has the ability to choose to retain ownership to the site and keep it vacant; retain ownership and establish a district program or service at the site; enter into a long term lease for approved uses within current zoning requirements; place the property on the market for sale; or trade the property for another site.

“The options that other districts have used in the past vary, but were typically limited to swapping sites or selling the property and using the money for other facilities needs. For the last couple of years, the state law has changed, allowing districts to use the money for other budgetary needs,” said Mitchell. “Right now, for our district, there is no clear direction. I expect to provide a definitive recommendation to the Board later this spring.”

To comment on this story online, visit http://www.thevillagenews.com.