Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities Property topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Palmdale board reopens discussion on 30 Fifth Street athletic-complex plans; no decision made
Summary
Board members reviewed a dormant plan for a 13.5-acre site across from campus that previously had $800,000 in preliminary design work; trustees asked staff to research prior city submissions, costs, and possible funding paths but took no formal action.
Trustees of the Palmdale Aerospace Academy District reviewed long-dormant plans for the district-owned parcel at 30 Fifth Street, a 13.5-acre site across the street from one of the district campuses, during the board meeting.
The discussion centered on whether to revive a prior board directive to design a multiuse athletics complex for the site. Staff said previous work on the property included roughly $800,000 spent on preliminary design and engineering and a mockup by the firm BAUMA that envisioned a full-size track and field, a U.S. tournament–regulation soccer field, two additional soccer fields, locker rooms, snack shacks, restrooms and parking. Staff said the original purchase used about $1.8 million in bond proceeds.
Board members and staff said the project went dormant after a change in leadership, the COVID-19 pandemic and the district’s pending charter renewal at the time. Staff reported an earlier cost estimate referenced in the record of “about $7,000,000” but also used the phrase “70.8” without clarifying units; staff said a current, verified cost estimate would require updated study. The board learned that the parcel is bisected by a roadway and that the adjacent front portion is privately owned by a family that declined to sell when first contacted.
Trustees asked staff to confirm what was actually submitted to the city years earlier, whether existing city approvals remain valid, what public-safety requirements (including whether a pedestrian bridge would be required) would apply and whether any city recreation partners might share costs for lighting or operations. Board members also asked whether the district could instead create interim parking or gravel egress to relieve nearby campus parking pressures while a long-term plan is developed.
No motion was made to authorize construction or sale of the property. Instead, the board directed staff to continue research, consult city partners about prior submissions and potential requirements, and return with options and cost updates. Board members noted potential revenue-generation strategies, including rentals and partnerships tied to workforce development in aerospace and robotics, and warned that long-term maintenance funding would be the principal implementation challenge.
Background: staff said the parcel was purchased by a prior board for bond-funded athletics expansion and that sketches and preliminary city submissions exist, but historical documentation and contacts are scarce because earlier staff and board members are no longer with the district.
The board will consider any formal proposal or funding plan in a future meeting after staff returns with updated information and confirmed city permitting requirements.
