Sites Poll Results p.11- AHSCC - Alpine High School Citizens Committee - www.AHSCC.com

AREA HIGH SCHOOL BREAKING NEWS

The Alpine High School Citizens Committee (AHSCC) would like to say, Thank you to all who participated in making your preferences known on the Grossmont Union High School District’s (GUHSD) Online Survey of the proposed Alpine area high school sites.

The AHSCC will be following up on our efforts in bringing a high school to Alpine, and will keep the public posted via e-mail and future press releases. There will be future public meetings much like those of the past, wherein GUHSD representatives will be invited to address and inform our community on the progress of the Alpine area high school land purchase and State of California approval process.

Numerous representatives of the Alpine High School Citizens Committee, and others from the Alpine community were present at the Grossmont Union High School Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, September 14th. At this meeting the results of the web-based survey performed across June & July, requesting opinions from Alpiners and residents of the Blossom Valley area was presented to the public and the GUHSD Board by the district's consulting firm.

The Information Presented Was As Follows...

There were 700 responses and 254 general comments. Out of the 12 potential study areas, citizens ranked the following four (4) as the most preferred:

1) Site J - the Lazy-A ranch and other adjacent properties along east Alpine Boulevard with 287 votes.

2) Site C - the industrial zoned properties along Tavern Road, just north of the I-8 Overpass with 257 votes.

3) Site G - the chicken ranch property at the end of Chocolate Summit east of Dunbar Lane (Blossom Valley) with 244 votes.

4) Site B – The Wright's Field property with 175 votes.

Further, the responders ranked their principle concerns regarding a high school site and its selection as follows:

#1 - traffic and its management;

#2 - opposition to displacing homes & businesses;

#3 - opposition to using eminent domain powers;

#4 - opposition to Wright's Field.

Based on the site selection consultant's work to date, and considering the outcome of their non-scientific survey, the Grossmont Board instructed an expedited detailed analysis of each of the 4 sites above, with the intention to pick 2, maybe 3, for submission to the State Board of Education for its final approval of one site. Submission to the state and use of its site selection process are necessary to qualify for the (approximate) $50 million in state matching funds.

While the "cost of turning the first shovel" will be a major determinate to the board, the detailed analysis of the 4 sites will generally follow the state site selection criteria, which are listed in the general order of importance below:

1. Safety

2. Location

3. Environment

4. Soils

5. Topography

6. Size and Shape

7. Accessibility

8. Public Services

9. Utilities

10. Cost

11. Availability

12. Public Acceptance.

With respect to the 3rd criteria, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that alternative sites be reviewed in a comprehensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

There was an acknowledgement that the 4 properties may have varying environmental sensitivities - from none to high. There was an acknowledgement that the detailed studies must include the impacts of environmental mitigation. There was acknowledgement that while the Grossmont Board is the approving power of an EIR, there are environmental issues that could place the board into the compliance arena of County of San Diego environmental ordinances; and that needs to be evaluated site by site in the studies. There was acknowledgement that at least one site has a history of CEQA lawsuits, and the board must be aware of such a possibility repeating.

Again... There was a good turn-out of Alpine community members at the board meeting. Many of us spoke encouragingly to the board. Our presence seemed to extract reassurances from the board as to its continuing support for an Alpine high school and for expediting the site selection process. Superintendent Dr. Terry Ryan stated that the detailed studies necessary to whittle-down to the final 2 or 3 sites will take approximately 2 to 3 additional months, and the board instructed Essentia to move forward as expeditiously as possible.

For the powerpoint presentation graphics which were presented at the GUHSD Board meeting of September 14th... go to (click on web http address) this web page; http://www.guhsd.net/construction/PresentationWebSurveyResults9_14_06.pdf

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