BOUSD geotechnical report finds campus settlement; board directs cost study for stadium bleachers and path-of-travel work

A consultant geotechnical report presented to the Brea Olinda Unified School District Board on Nov. 6 found widespread settlement and drainage issues across the Brea Olinda High School campus, and highlighted the stadium bleachers and the pool/tennis court area as locations of particular distress. The board directed staff and PJHM Architects to provide rapid cost estimates for repairs and alternatives so the district can prioritize Measure H spending.

The presentation by PJHM and the geotechnical engineer summarized findings from 20 borings across campus. The consultant said engineered fill under parts of the site varied widely in compaction and that settlement of 2–3 inches was observed in paved walkways and slabs. The engineer described two primary drivers: variation in engineered fill compaction and surface erosion from inadequate drainage. "We are seeing settlement throughout the campus," the consultant said, noting "2 to 3 inches in places" and recommending monitoring and targeted mitigation.

Recommended short- and mid-term remedies included slab lifting with polyurethane injection for modest settlement, and lime‑treated subsoil or improved base under reconstructed walkways when slabs must be replaced. The report identified the stadium bleachers as a higher‑risk area where gaps and movement have created trip hazards; the feasibility study previously estimated a like‑for‑like concrete bleacher replacement around $9,000,000 and the path‑of‑travel scope has a budget previously shown at roughly $11,000,000 from Measure H funds.

Superintendent Brenda Leon told the board that the district needs cost data now to decide phasing and priorities: "If we're going to fix surrounding areas, we need to know whether the bleachers should be elevated into this phase or patched and monitored," she said. Board members raised public‑safety concerns, particularly gaps in bleacher concrete and the absence of handrails, and emphasized the difficulty of adding improvements piecemeal if major work is later required.

The board voted unanimously to direct staff to increase PJHM's contract to develop cost estimates and alternatives for three options: (1) immediate temporary patching/mitigation, (2) full repair like‑for‑like concrete replacement, and (3) an alternate aluminum bleacher system, with a ratification of the contract amendment scheduled for the next meeting. Staff said PJHM would return cost estimates in time to inform a future study session and that preliminary figures could be available in the coming weeks.

The geotechnical presentation also flagged ancillary maintenance risks: irrigation and age‑related utility breaks have already caused sinkhole-like failures on the field and the team noted the need for underground utility surveys before heavy construction. The board concurrently authorized an amendment to PJHM's scope to add underground utility surveying at the junior high after title work clarified property ownership (see related article).

Next steps: staff and PJHM will return cost estimates and scope options for the stadium seating and the broader path‑of‑travel project at a future study session; the board indicated preference to have actionable cost scenarios before making major scope decisions under Measure H.