San Rafael City Schools holds community sessions on surplus properties; written offers due May 31

San Rafael City Schools hosted informational sessions to explain how it will handle several surplus properties and to answer residents’ questions about zoning, existing leases and how to submit priority offers.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Bob Maruchi opened the meeting and said the sessions were intended to give everyone the same information about the district’s surplus properties. "This is really an informational session," Jessica Johnson, an attorney with the district's outside counsel, said. "We are not here to advocate for a particular position." Johnson led a presentation on site details and the timeline for the voluntary priority-offering process.

Why it matters: The district is soliciting written offers to learn current community and institutional interest before deciding whether to negotiate with a proposer, move to public bidding, or take no action. The process sets a May 31 deadline for written priority offers; if a responsive offer is received it triggers a 90-day negotiation period during which the board may negotiate terms or ultimately accept or reject proposals.

What the district said: Johnson gave specifics for two sites covered in the sessions. For the former elementary site (about 7.9 acres), she said the county zoning is Public Facilities/Residential Single Family at roughly 5.8 units per acre, with a 1.7-acre housing-overlay allowing up to 30 units per acre on that portion. The county housing element also assigns an allocation of 50 lower-income units that appear tied to the overlay portion of the site. Johnson said the district will sell or lease the properties "as is," and that interested parties must perform their own due diligence.

Johnson also noted existing uses and legal encumbrances: the site includes five buildings, several portables, playgrounds and a concession/restroom building; there are a pipeline easement and a roadway-slope easement; and Civic Center uses (for example, Little League) are in place. "There are two leases that expire June 30, 2026," Johnson said, and the district "intends to honor those active leases."

What the Courtyard/Corporation Yard site will mean: For the Courtyard portion of the San Rafael City High property (the Corporation Yard presentation), staff said a lot split will be required because the surplus portion sits inside the larger high-school parcel. Johnson said roughly 1.07 acres in the city’s housing element is identified as high-density with an estimated capacity near 40 units, that the site currently carries two zoning designations (PQ and PD), and that a Phase I soils report exists for a portion of the site. A lease with Community Action Marin on that site expires June 30, 2025; staff said they will honor it.

Who may apply and what to include: The voluntary priority offering was limited to public entities and nonprofit charitable public-benefit corporations (the district intentionally did not issue the notice to private developers). A complete written offer must: identify which surplus site (or a clearly drawn portion), state the intent (purchase, lease, or lease with option to purchase), include a good-faith offered price or lease payment, and supply any other relevant information the proposer wants the board to consider. Offers must be submitted to Bob Maruchi by 5 p.m. on May 31, 2024 (email, mail postmark or in person).

Confidentiality and process notes: Johnson said appraisal reports or offer details generally are not released while negotiations are ongoing; Brown Act closed-session negotiations will list negotiating parties but typically do not disclose offer terms until an agreement has been reached. She said if no responsive offers are received the board may discuss moving to public bidding or may defer action.

Community concerns and staff guidance: Several residents and neighborhood association members said 60 days was too short to assemble funding or partnerships. Johnson and Maruchi suggested submitting a written offer that includes a requested extension or partner‑mobilization timeline as part of the proposal, noting acceptance of such timing is discretionary. Community members also asked about traffic, CEQA/environmental review and whether the district might develop fields; Johnson said environmental and traffic review would be handled by the county at the development stage and that bond funds are earmarked to improve existing fields rather than create new ones.

Next steps: Staff said they plan to post recordings and slide materials on the district’s business services pages and to contact people who signed in. Written offers should be addressed to Bob Maruchi and must meet the four required elements; responsive offers will be shared with the board and may trigger negotiations.

Quotes: "We are not here to advocate for a particular position," Jessica Johnson said, describing the informational nature of the sessions. "We intend to honor those active leases; they are not kicking anyone off the site," Bob Maruchi said.

What’s next: Written priority offers are due by 5 p.m. on May 31, 2024. If a responsive offer is received the district and proposer enter a negotiation period during which the board may negotiate a purchase or lease; if no offers are received, the board may consider public bidding or defer action.