SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : School District Ends Building-Lease Talks

The Capistrano Unified School District board has ended negotiations with owners of a San Clemente building that was considered this summer as a site for a continuation high school.

Failure to reach lease terms on the 101 W. El Portal property prompted district officials to house the 55 expected continuation high school students in portable classrooms at San Clemente High School. The district also has a continuation high school in San Juan Capistrano, but it is nearing its 200-student capacity.

Dave Doomey, the district’s director of facilities planning and funding, recommended ending negotiations over the San Clemente building because of proposed lease terms. Trustees this week followed that recommendation.

Gerald R. Gibbs, an attorney for one of the building’s four partners, Peter Hioureas, asked trustees to reconsider opening negotiations. Gibbs accused the district’s business office of poor communication.

Gibbs told trustees that Hioureas had spent about $4,500 on improvements to the building in anticipation of the continuation school opening. The San Clemente City Council approved a conditional-use permit for the building in July.

“It’s unfortunate that the district is losing out on this facility,” Gibbs said.

But Supt. James A. Fleming said the district could not, in good faith, enter into a lease agreement on the property.

According to Terri Lunine, the district’s associate superintendent of administrative services, entering into a lease now would pose a financial hardship on the district because the students are being housed elsewhere and would have to be moved.

The district spent about $1,300 as a result of the negotiations.