Legal adviser outlines surplus‑property process; committee seeks updated data before public hearings

District legal counsel told the committee that Education Code section 17390 requires the committee to review enrollment and property information, craft use recommendations for surplus district land, and hold public hearings on any recommendations before forwarding a written report to the board of education. Counsel emphasized that the board — not the committee — makes final surplus determinations.

Committee members asked several procedural and substantive questions. Members sought clarification about whether revisions after a public hearing require additional hearings; counsel said the committee could add further hearings if it wished and that the agenda can be structured to include a presentation, a public‑hearing comment period and then committee deliberation. Counsel also noted that certain affordable or workforce housing projects can proceed under alternate statutory routes that may bypass some surplus steps if the project meets statutory criteria for 100% affordable development.

Members pressed staff about the currency of the draft report’s supporting data. The draft report was originally completed in 2024, but staff confirmed the packet includes updated demographic and enrollment projections dated February 2026 (pages 62–132). Several members nevertheless said the committee should obtain updated appraisals, demolition and remediation cost estimates, and title checks before setting public hearings so the community sees current numbers when providing input.

Public commenter Mr. Cos urged the committee to seek counsel guidance on minute approvals and to ensure committee members have sufficient information before voting on recommendations. The committee agreed to ask staff to circulate updated documentation in advance of public hearings.