Council, School Board to Discuss Land Deal

Hoping to seize an opportunity to get land for parks, the City Council has set a meeting with Newport-Mesa Unified School District officials to discuss buying property from the district.

Both agencies would benefit if they can strike a deal, Mayor Joe Erickson said, because the schools need money and the city needs parks.

School board members voted in March to offer the former Costa Mesa High School farm to the city, which had considered the land as a site for a sports complex.

But at a council meeting last month officials delayed the vote, saying they want to find out first if the district has plans to put other properties up for sale or if the 18 acres at the high school will be the only tract available.

The district has either sold or is planning to sell several of its closed schools to pay for repairs at remaining facilities across the district.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District sold one campus, known as the Bear Street School, in August for $5.3 million to a real estate developer.

In addition, school officials have considered selling the Monte Vista school in Costa Mesa, which is currently being used as an alternative education center.

The farm has been appraised at about $10 million, but district officials have not officially set a selling price.

The joint meeting of the council and the school board will be at 7 p.m. today at the Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa.

Information: (714) 760-3200 or (714) 754-5225.