The Ogden City School District Board of Education on Tuesday declared the former Taylor Canyon Elementary site surplus and authorized staff to begin the statutory process to dispose of the property, district officials said.

The declaration — approved by majority vote at the board's August meeting — starts a process under state law that requires the district to notify eligible public entities (Ogden City and Weber County) and give them first right of refusal. The board and staff said the approximately 5-acre site was demolished several years ago, is zoned R-16 by Ogden City, and that a successful rezoning to R-15 could allow about six additional single-family lots. District staff estimated an appraised sale value “around $4,000,000,” and said proceeds must be used for capital projects or debt reduction.

Why it matters: The site sits in a residential neighborhood where residents use the former school grounds as open space and a sledding hill. Neighbors urged the board to preserve the land as a park; the board majority said the district has no foreseeable educational need for the property, pointed to enrollment declines, liability risks from continued public use, and the district’s fiduciary duty to taxpayers.

Board and staff presentation
The board’s business administrator explained the surplus process required by state law: after a board declares property surplus, the district must give 90 days’ notice to eligible public entities; those entities have 90 days to make an offer or formally pass. If no eligible entity buys the property, the district may market it to private buyers. The administrator said the district created a citizens’ committee some years ago to produce a rubric for evaluating property and used that tool in the board's closed-session review with a district real estate consultant, Jeremy Peterson.

Key facts provided by staff: the parcel is “just under 5 acres”; the current Ogden City zoning is R-16 (single-family lots of roughly 6,000 square feet or larger); a rezoning to R-15 would still allow only single-family dwellings but could increase the number of buildable lots; proceeds from any sale must be deposited in the district’s capital projects fund and used for capital purchases or debt service. Staff also noted demographic studies showing declining enrollment districtwide and capacity in nearby elementary schools.

Public comment and community concerns
Several neighborhood residents told the board they use the site as green space and urged the district not to surplus the land. Suzanne Vincent said the neighborhood had been told the parcel would remain green and stressed that nearby Thomas Park is actively used and lacks parking; she said the Taylor Canyon site already “has parking” and is used as a park. Lydia Cheshire recalled memories of attending the school and encouraged preservation of the site as a memorial and community resource. Kyle Ballmer asked whether the city or county might acquire the site for park use and whether residents could pursue petition or zoning protections.

Board members acknowledged community concerns; several said they sympathized but reiterated they must weigh educational need, liability (if the district continues to own property that the public uses), and long-term district capital priorities.

Board action and next steps
Vice President Anderson moved to declare the Taylor Canyon property surplus and authorize its sale under state law; the motion was seconded (recorded as second by board member Burnell in the meeting). The motion passed. District staff said they will send the required notice to Ogden City and Weber County as soon as possible; those entities will have the statutory response periods that can extend the process up to roughly a year. If neither public entity purchases the parcel, the district will proceed to market the property to private buyers in accordance with state rules.

Votes at a glance
- Consent calendar: motion to approve made by Vice President Anderson and seconded by Board Member Petersen; outcome: approved (vote recorded as in favor). Details and roll call not specified in the meeting transcript.
- Appointment: Jessica Searle was presented and introduced; she was described in the meeting as approved by the board as Supervisor of Special Education — Early Childhood Programs (appointment recorded as approved; mover/second not specified in transcript).
- Policies: Board Policy 5.103 (food service legal reference update), 7.901 (instructional paraprofessionals, tutors, volunteers), and 9.202 (student fees and charges, updates tied to House Bill 344 (2025)) were moved for final reading by Vice President Anderson, seconded by Board Member Petersen, and approved.
- Taylor Canyon surplus declaration: motion to declare the Taylor Canyon Elementary property surplus and authorize sale; mover: Vice President Anderson; second: Board Member Burnell; outcome: approved. The transcript did not record a full roll-call vote tally for the surplus motion.

What the board said it will do next
District staff will obtain formal appraisals as required by law, issue notices to the eligible public entities, and begin the required statutory timelines. The district stated that proceeds will be placed in the capital projects fund earmarked for land-sale proceeds and used for future capital purchases or debt reduction.

Context and background
Taylor Canyon Elementary was closed and demolished several years ago. The district said it has been maintaining the parcel at a minimal level. Board and staff materials cited repeated demographic studies that, in staff judgment, show no foreseeable educational need on the site, and emphasized the district’s responsibility to manage assets for the benefit of all district taxpayers.

Community members and some board members asked whether the board could delay the declaration to allow more time for public discussion; the board majority said the decision followed the district’s rubric and deliberations and that waiting longer would continue the district’s exposure to liability from public use of the property.

Ending
The board’s declaration begins a state-prescribed process that gives Ogden City and Weber County the first opportunity to acquire the site. Neighbors who want the district to preserve the land as green space said they will continue outreach to local government and the board while staff proceeds with the statutory notice and appraisal steps.