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Board approves sale of land adjacent to Capital High; buyer outlines plans for UAV integration and training facility
Summary
The board approved selling nearly 50 acres adjacent to Capital High School for $256,000. The prospective buyer described plans for a UAV integration and training facility and discussed a potential 3–5 year timeline and community engagement, while trustees emphasized the district cannot impose use restrictions on an outright sale.
The Kanawha County Board of Education voted 5-0 on May 5 to approve a contract to sell vacant property adjacent to Capital High School (District 10, Map 93, Parcel 1.1) to Che Gales for $256,000 as shown in the meeting enclosure.
Several community members and adjacent property owners spoke during the public comment period. Mike Holtzclaw, owner of the nearby Willow Event Center and a second-place bidder, urged “best and appropriate use” and expressed interest in trail connectivity and remediation of a former landfill and dam on the parcel. Peyton Forbes, an adjacent landowner, urged the board to retain the land for public or school use — citing cross-country, STEM and environmental opportunities — and suggested partnership options such as donating nearby acreage or involving land-trust groups.
The prospective buyer (identified in the meeting as Mr. Galas) told the board his plan was to develop a UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) systems-related integration and training facility, not a hobbyist operation. He described the site's proximity to the airport and logistics advantages as factors that drew his interest and said the timeline for ground-breaking was likely three to five years while licenses and manufacturer agreements are being finalized. He said the intended facility would be a training academy-sized integration facility (he estimated approximately 10,000 square feet for operations) and that most production parts would be built elsewhere; he also said he had financed the land purchase privately and had begun discussions to contact state economic development and local partners.
Board members asked whether the district could impose use restrictions; staff and Dr. Williams stated that because the buyer is purchasing the property outright, the board cannot control future use through the sale contract absent specific language, and no clawback or restrictive use provision was added during the meeting. Trustees encouraged the buyer to coordinate with the Charleston planning office, BZA, the West Virginia Development Office and the Charleston Area Alliance on permitting, setbacks and possible incentives. The buyer said he would seek community engagement and work with Capital High students if the academy moves forward.
The motion to sell passed by roll call 5-0. Board discussion noted both local opportunity for jobs and training and the risk that speculative projects sometimes fail to materialize; trustees expressed interest in working with the buyer and local development partners while stressing the buyer’s obligations to obtain required permits and approvals.
