Fullerton Union board gets detailed update on deferred maintenance and Measure I/L bond projects, CEQA and DSA timelines
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Summary
District staff outlined deferred maintenance work completed over winter, how Measure I and L bond dollars will fund science lab remodels and athletic projects, and a schedule for CEQA and DSA approvals that could let construction start as soon as spring/summer 2026.
District facilities and business leaders on Jan. 13 gave trustees a multi‑part update on deferred maintenance, general‑fund projects, grants and a sequence of Measure I and Measure L bond projects.
In a presentation, Assistant Superintendent Ruben Hernandez summarized work completed over winter — asphalt and walkway replacements, new fencing and gate openers, ADA ramps, lighting upgrades and interior flooring replacements — that were paid from deferred maintenance, general fund allocations, CTE and CalSHAPE grants and earlier bond proceeds. He described deferred maintenance as the district practice of setting aside routine maintenance dollars and using other local supports such as developer fees and certificates of participation to fund larger longevity projects.
Facilities project manager(s) described the Measure I/L sequencing and regulatory steps that must come next. They told the board that CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) review and Division of the State Architect (DSA) approval are both in progress: draft CEQA documents are being prepared in sequence (Troy first), and DSA submissions for several projects were filed in November. The district said it expects negative declarations for the six comprehensive high schools, with board consideration and CEQA filings staggered: Troy’s CEQA/tracks/interim housing targeted for April, Sunny Hills/Fullerton/Sonora in June, and Buena Park and La Habra later in the spring/summer cycle.
Staff identified near‑term project sequencing should approvals proceed: Troy track and field could start in May (April if approvals accelerate), Troy interim housing in June, Sonora science modernization in June (an estimated 5–6 month build), Fullerton work in July, and seismic bond components beginning in August. Sonora required design changes because of a high groundwater table, which led to added bioswales and other stormwater pretreatment measures.
Officials emphasized procurement steps already under way: contractor prequalification, constructability reviews and logistics planning to build on active campuses without closing schools. Facilities staff explained CEQA outcomes (negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or EIR) and said most of these on‑site projects are expected to result in negative declarations or mitigated negatives rather than full EIRs.
Board members asked technical and safety questions. When a trustee asked whether exterior campus fences require panic hardware, staff replied that state rules do not require panic hardware for exterior gates on campuses with adequate acreage provided there is a designated area of refuge; interior gates between campus spaces may have panic hardware where needed.
The next formal steps described by staff are completion of CEQA drafts and agency review, further DSA approvals, and bringing bid packages and contract approvals back to the board in the sequence aligned with project starts. If agency approvals and bidding follow the current timeline, staff said construction could begin this summer for the first group of projects.
The board did not take a construction or contract vote on Jan. 13; staff framed the presentation as an informational update ahead of future board action.
