Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District outlines Carmel Del Mar and Ashley Falls modernizations; parents urge preserving library space
Summary
The district presented schematic design and timelines for Carmel Del Mar and Ashley Falls modernizations and said construction is expected to start in 2026; parents at the meeting urged the board to preserve the library's multi-level character and avoid a fully open 'flattened' design.
The Del Mar Union School District presented updates on planned modernizations at Carmel Del Mar School and Ashley Falls School and described a lease-leaseback selection process that will bring a contractor to the board for approval in December.
Assistant Superintendent Christopher Delhanty and facilities staff said the district has completed schematic design and will enter preconstruction work with a selected contractor; the district expects construction to begin in 2026. The projects include a redesigned library/innovation center, multi-use room audio-visual improvements and site phasing intended to minimize disruption to school activities.
Delhanty said preconstruction work will refine phasing and provide opportunities to value-engineer elements while preserving instructional functionality. He said the district has combined the two projects in procurement to attract a contractor able to work on both schools and to create efficiencies in scheduling.
Several parents spoke during public comment to oppose the design direction for Carmel Del Mar's library. Stephanie Vandevan told the board she believed the planned “flattening” of the recessed library into an open plan would make the area more distracting and compared the proposal to a “hotel lobby” rather than a learning space: “Our central library, our critical center, sanctuary for learning will disappear into a multipurpose lobby,” she said, urging the board to consider evidence-based design that supports reading and focus.
Another parent, Stephanie Lee, asked the district to provide several alternative design options for the library and innovation center similar to the separate options already produced for the multi-use room. She suggested targeted changes that would preserve acoustic separation and the library's volume while improving courtyard use, and noted that the library is not a community-rental space in the same way as a multi-use room.
District staff said they will continue site-level engagement, work with the district architects on design development and share updated documents as planning moves into construction documents and review by the Division of the State Architect.
