OAK PARK : Ahmanson Agrees to Fund Schools

Developers of the Ahmanson Ranch project in eastern Ventura County have tentatively agreed to spend about $24 million for schools in the Oak Park Unified School District, whose enrollment could increase by more than 70% to absorb the new families, officials said.

Assistant Supt. Stan Mantooth told members of the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council that the school district has been negotiating with Ahmanson Land Co. to ensure that the developers pay for all impacts of the 3,050-dwelling project in the school district. “The impact of those students should have no negative impacts on the school district or the community,” Mantooth said.

The council, which advises the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, conducted a public meeting on the Ahmanson project Tuesday.

Mantooth said the school board expects to complete negotiations with the Ahmanson Land Co. before county supervisors vote on the project. A vote is tentatively scheduled for mid-December.

The $24 million includes the cost of building two elementary schools and one middle school on the development; expanding Oak Park High School by 45,000 square feet to accommodate about 500 extra students; building portable classrooms; expanding the administration offices, and making other additions from parking spaces to cafeteria expansion.

Mantooth said the development would add an estimated 1,500 new students. The district’s current enrollment is 2,150.

Ahmanson President Donald Brackenbush said the company at first proposed to sell the district the land for the schools, but now has agreed to donate the land.

Mantooth said the developers will be required to provide transportation to the high school from the development.