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Board reviews three solar layouts for Ventura High, narrows options to two for community feedback
Summary
District staff and NG Services presented three alternate solar layouts for Ventura High School — courtyard & softball canopies with ground arrays, ground mounts west of campus buildings, and a single-row array north of the stadium — and asked the board for a consensus to pursue cost comparisons and community outreach. Trustees stressed preserving front-campus aesthetics and community input.
At its Aug. 6 meeting, the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education reviewed three alternative designs for a planned solar project at Ventura High School and asked staff to return with cost differentials and additional community outreach.
Kevin Watson, project manager with NG Services, said the district asked the company to revisit placements after prior board feedback. The firm presented three preferred designs: an all-canopy approach that places large shade canopies in the main courtyard and softball field and relocates ground-mounted arrays to the campus southwest corner; a ground-mounted plan west of a robotics building that avoids the campus front but requires additional underground boring under Poy Street; and a single-row ground-mounted option north of the stadium that would remove more parking but preserve the campus core.
"The original preferred design was in the parking lot, but an earthquake-fault zone prevents building canopies there," Watson said, explaining why the team moved the canopy option to the front of campus. He noted the canopy option generally has lower construction complexity and a closer electrical interconnection point, while the ground-mount options require longer horizontal boring and additional electrical runs.
Trustees asked about practical impacts. Watson said the courtyard canopy would require removing about three trees (with a one-to-one replanting guarantee) and clearances of roughly 14 to 18 feet under the array structure. He also said placing canopies over parking stalls could trigger DSA requirements, including installation of EV chargers under newly adopted California code when canopies over parking lots are used.
Trustee James foresight and others raised aesthetic concerns about a canopy over the school’s front entrance, suggesting community input on visual impact and a cost comparison with the ground-mount option. Board members agreed the decision should be informed by (1) cost differentials among options, (2) staff and principal input, and (3) outreach to students, teachers and neighbors before a final choice.
Staff said they expect to return with updated cost estimates and community engagement options at a subsequent meeting and emphasized schedule constraints tied to DSA permitting and a target interconnection deadline in 2026.
The board did not make a final selection but directed staff to pursue additional cost data and community engagement and to report back at the next available board meeting.
