Orange Unified to Debate Sale of Barham Ranch

A proposal to sell Barham Ranch to the county and preserve its 525 acres as open space is on the agenda for tonight’s Orange Unified School District board meeting.

County Supervisor Todd Spitzer proposed the sale last month as a way to end a long-running dispute over the property, co-owned by the school district and Serrano Water District.

The water district’s board voted unanimously Dec. 29 to begin negotiations to sell Barham, which borders Santiago Oaks, Weir Canyon and Irvine Regional parks and is a popular recreation area.

Spitzer said he spoke with Orange Unified officials about the district’s need for new campuses, a factor in talks about whether to sell Barham to the county for about $4 million.

“I asked county staff to go back and fully explore the options because I recognize this is very important to the school district,” Spitzer said. “If I can find a parcel consistent with their needs . . . I would try to make that happen.”

Some school board members expressed reservations about Spitzer’s proposal.

“I’m disappointed in the county that they did not pursue further . . . the idea of a land swap,” said Linda Davis, school board president. “It would have meant money for the Serrano Water District, future school sites for the district and 525 acres for our community.”

Trustee Robert Viviano said, “There may be a way of reaching satisfactory accommodations of all conflicting interests, but perhaps I am more optimistic than I should be.”

The school board will discuss the proposal at a 5 p.m. closed session.

Environmentalists and residents have protested plans to develop Barham Ranch since the water district began negotiating two years ago with SunCal Cos., an Anaheim-based developer that wanted to build 600 homes there. After learning of Spitzer’s proposal, SunCal officials backed off.

The county Board of Supervisors and the State Department of Parks & Recreation would have to approve the purchase.