Orange Unified Buys Out Partner in Barham Ranch

The Orange Unified School District will become sole owner of the 525-acre Barham Ranch, severing ties with the Serrano Water District in the hope that owning all of the property will give the district leverage to trade the land for school sites.

“Whether we build or swap for other locations, we are the sole owner without having to communicate with another agency,” said Barbara Van Otterloo, superintendent of Orange Unified.

The district’s trustees voted 6 to 1 Thursday night to buy Serrano’s half-interest in Barham for $2.4 million, with $1.5 million up front and the rest in eight annual payments. The deal will close after a 30-day escrow, Van Otterloo said, with the money for the down payment coming from a fund for long-term facility needs.

David Noyes, the water district’s general manager, said, “We feel comfortable because they are committed to keeping it open space. That is what everybody is looking for.”

Last month, County Supervisor Todd Spitzer proposed to have the county buy Barham Ranch for $4 million and preserve the property, a recreation area that borders Santiago Oaks, Weir Canyon and Irvine Regional parks.

Though he expressed disappointment Friday that the water district chose not to sell its half-interest directly to the county, Spitzer said, “My constituents and I are still committed to preserving Barham Ranch and open space, and I am still committed to working with the school district to find an alternative school site.”

School board President Linda Davis said that will be the first consideration as the district seeks places to build new campuses.

“We will listen to the city, county, state, anybody who has potential school sites for our students,” Davis said.

If the school district sells Barham Ranch to the county, the Board of Supervisors and the state Department of Parks and Recreation would have to approve the purchase.

Environmentalists and residents have mobilized to preserve Barham Ranch since the water district began talks two years ago with SunCal Cos., an Anaheim-based developer that proposed 600 homes on the land. After learning of Spitzer’s plan last month, SunCal officials withdrew their plan.

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Orange Unified School District will become sole owner of Barham Ranch after voting to buy Serrano Water District’s share of the property.

Source: County of Orange