School Board Accepts Cash in Lieu of Land
The Santa Ana Unified School District board of trustees voted 5 to 0 Tuesday to reject a contaminated parcel of land at the former Tustin Marine base and take a $22-million cash payment instead.
The 22-acre parcel at the intersection of Red Hill and Warner avenues, originally intended for a combined elementary and middle school, was offered by Tustin as part of a settlement reached in May to conclude years of legal battles over the closed helicopter base and its reuse.
Last month, environmental consultants hired by the school district found unacceptably high levels of carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals in soil samples collected at the site.
The money, which could potentially rise to $44 million if the state matches the funds, will be used to buy land elsewhere in the district.
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