School board committee urges city to acquire Jericho Road site for park

The ad hoc committee charged with studying the school property on Jericho Road has recommended that the city acquire the site now occupied by the Bayside Sixth Grade Campus for open space or a neighborhood park, committee chair and School Board member Miss Williams told the Virginia Beach School Board at its administrative workshop.

The recommendation, adopted unanimously by the six voting members of the committee, would transfer or sell the property to the City of Virginia Beach with a condition that it be used for open space or park purposes. "Every voting person on that board ... voted for option 3," Miss Williams said, summarizing the committee's 6–0 vote in favor of Option 3.

The committee reviewed seven disposal and reuse options and narrowed its preferred choice to a transfer or sale to the city with the requirement that the land be reserved for park or open-space use. The property comprises three parcels: the Pembroke Elementary parcel (about 13 acres, increased in the committee's conceptual plan to about 17.8…