7‑11 Committee debates declaring Adams site surplus and options for workforce or market-rate housing

The West Contra Costa Unified School District’s 7‑11 Committee on July 6 heard a presentation on surplus‑land law and financing constraints, then debated a proposal to find the Adams (Bridal) School property surplus and recommend it be leased or sold for workforce and/or market‑rate housing. The committee did not take a final vote on the Adams recommendation at the meeting.

Mr. Henderson, the presenter and property attorney, told the committee that the panel’s legal charge is to identify district land that is surplus to educational needs and to forward recommended uses to the full school board. “Determine the amount of surplus space, and come up with that list, and then bring a report to the board,” he said, summarizing the committee’s statutory responsibilities under the Education Code cited during the presentation.

Henderson outlined statutory options the district can use (leasing, sale, joint use, joint occupancy) and warned that proceeds and entitlements come with constraints. “If you sell the property, the funds are restricted” for capital outlay or specified maintenance purposes, he said. By contrast, he said leasing arrangements can provide more flexibility about how proceeds are used.

A committee member (S9) moved that the 7‑11 Committee find the Adams site surplus and recommend it be leased or sold and developed for workforce housing and/or market‑rate housing. Committee discussion focused on sequencing, outreach and feasibility: several members suggested a hybrid approach (splitting a parcel to include both market‑rate units to support demolition/entitlement costs and affordable or workforce units), while others urged more site visits and systemwide analysis before taking site‑specific votes.

Resident and longtime principal Steve Dobensbeck told the committee he and neighbors want more time to review proposals. “I just want to make sure that public input is…postponed until the meeting in six weeks,” Dobensbeck said, asking that any votes be deferred to the Aug. 18 meeting so the neighborhood has an opportunity to comment.

Adela (a resident adjacent to Adams) asked when a staff survey of employee interest would be available and whether specifying workforce housing is intended to rely on streamlined entitlement processes. Henderson confirmed the survey is a recommended tool to inform future board decisions and reiterated that residential projects must comply with local zoning and building codes even when some state statutory streamlining is available.

A member who seconded the motion later withdrew the second amid calls to consider all four sites together and to complete additional outreach; as a result, the committee did not vote on the Adams recommendation at the July 6 meeting. Staff and several committee members emphasized that the recommendation, if pursued, would still require public hearings and board action. The committee set a follow‑up meeting and public hearing processes; staff said outreach (including an Adams community email chain) is being developed and the next committee meeting is scheduled for Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.

What comes next: the committee may reintroduce a recommendation on Adams after neighborhood outreach and further committee review; any surplus finding and ultimate decision to lease or sell will be forwarded to the full school board for final action and will be subject to public hearings and applicable environmental and entitlement reviews.