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Cloverdale trustees debate future of 30-acre south parcel; direct staff to research livestock and sale process
Summary
Trustees reviewed options for a roughly 30-acre district-owned parcel south of town — including sale, athletic fields, school site, staff housing and low-cost fire-mitigation uses such as livestock — and asked staff to return with cost estimates and a clearer process for selling surplus property and for livestock-based fuel‑reduction plans.
The Cloverdale Unified School District Board of Trustees spent a substantial portion of its meeting discussing options for a roughly 30-acre parcel the district owns south of town, and directed staff to gather more information on two near-term possibilities: using livestock for fire mitigation and clarifying the legal and procedural steps required to sell surplus school property.
Superintendent (unnamed in the record) opened the discussion, saying the district “own[s] about 30 Acres south of town,” and reviewed capacity, DSA approval timelines for other projects and how funding release is tied to state approvals. Trustees and staff laid out a range of options for the parcel: selling the land, converting it to athletic fields, locating a future school site or maintenance facility there, or pursuing housing that could be staff housing or income-generating rental housing. The superintendent said DSA had fully approved the building increment for the district’s Early Education project and that subsequent funding steps typically follow CDE approval by “about 6 to 8 weeks.”
Board members pressed on practical constraints and costs. One trustee noted state rules on minimum site sizes for school campuses and reminded colleagues that even if classroom capacity appears sufficient, a site must meet state acreage standards to support typical school facilities. Concerns about fire risk and public safety drove much of the conversation: board members recounted a recent small fire on the parcel and discussed whether managed livestock (goats, sheep, or donkeys) could serve as an inexpensive fire-mitigation strategy while keeping the land accessible and fenced to limit public hazards. “We did work with the Cloverdale fire department and they did cut in a fire block all the way around the property,” a board member summarized, noting the district had offered the site for training in the past.
Trustees also discussed selling the parcel. Members who attended a CSBA seminar described the surplus‑property sale process as complex and specialized: sales of school land typically follow a surplus designation process and may require returning proceeds to the original funding source if bond funds (Measure H) were used to buy the property. One trustee explained that money from a sale of Measure H–purchased property would need to be spent consistent with the measure’s voter-approved terms and that surplus‑property sales often require specialized real estate agents familiar with school rules.
Directives and next steps: the board agreed by consensus to ask staff to obtain quotes and additional information on (1) what livestock-based fire-mitigation would require (fencing, costs, liability and lease or rental arrangements), and (2) the formal steps, timeline and estimated costs for selling surplus school property, including legal and CSBA-recommended practices. Trustees said they are not committing to any single option now but want staff research to return this winter so the board can decide on a plan for next year.
Why it matters: The parcel sits near housing projects under construction and could be used to meet future student enrollment needs, to create athletic fields, or to generate revenue; each option carries distinct costs, regulatory constraints and community impacts. The board highlighted the need to weigh short-term safety and fire-mitigation against longer-term capital needs and the restrictions tied to Measure H funding.
The board did not take a final vote to sell or repurpose the land; staff were asked to report back with cost estimates, legal steps, and feasibility studies at a future meeting.
