Everett schools address future land needs now

Published 11:43 am Friday, February 8, 2008

This community has historically and generously supported its students in many ways. In 2006 voters said “yes” to a school capital bond proposal, making it possible to build the Everett School District’s 17th elementary school, Forest View Elementary, which opened in September 2007. The 2006 bond is also making it possible to upgrade technology throughout the district, renovate six elementary schools and add a gymnasium to North Middle School. We promised voters that we would also use some of the 2006 bond money to buy land for future schools — classroom space that will be needed over the next 20 years.

Forecasts by the Washington state Office of Financial Management (OFM) tell us that population in our district will grow between 15 and 20 percent within 20 years. Those increases mean the district will need three new elementary schools and more classroom space for high school and middle school students during that time period. It is time now to consider where those schools might be built and to buy the land that will be needed to do so.

Proactive thinking and planning have long been in practice in this district. Previous district leaders bought land well ahead of time to build H.M. Jackson High School, Gateway Middle School, Penny Creek Elementary and Forest View Elementary when they were needed and where they are needed. These schools now provide wonderful learning environments for students from many of the new housing developments in the south end of our district.

Building a school requires a buildable land area of between 13 and 50 acres — depending upon the final design, classroom grade levels and land configuration. “Buy land; they’re not making it anymore,” is a statement Mark Twain made more than 100 years ago. Obviously, it is true today, and as time passes, there will be fewer and fewer sites large enough for the schools our students will need. If we do not act now, we may not be able to find land in the future to build schools that will be reasonably close to where students will live.

With the goal of acquiring land for additional schools, the district is in negotiations with owners of approximately 68 acres of land, composed of 24 individually owned properties east of Sunset Road between 164th Street SE and 180th Street SE. This land is located just outside Snohomish County’s Urban Growth Area boundary in the southeastern portion of the school district.

These properties were identified as being in the right location for our future schools because they are near where new housing development is now taking place and will continue to take place. The district’s team evaluated these properties for wetlands and steep slopes which would increase construction costs or prohibit construction. They also considered the public roadway system and the property’s access to future public sewers, water, natural gas and electricity.

The district’s offers to purchase these properties will be structured around legal requirements set by the state, which include market-value property valuations done by state-certified appraisers. We will also be offering $750 to each property owner to help pay the costs of their own property appraisal or professional evaluation of our offer.

This proactive approach to buying property ahead of time will help ensure that our future students have the opportunity to attend schools in their own neighborhoods, on property that is sized appropriately for their school’s educational and athletic programs. These schools and their playfields also provide a tremendous asset to the local community for a wide variety of youth and adult oriented recreational activities.

You will find more information about our process and maps on the Web site at www.everett.k12.wa.us or by calling Mike Gunn, director of facilities and planning, at 425-385-4190.

Carol Whitehead is superintendent of Everett Public Schools.