Board reviews SFPUC pipeline easement; legal concerns and construction impacts flagged

District staff presented a purchase-and-sale agreement, water-utility easement deed, and temporary construction-easement deed proposed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to bring pipeline service to the Sunol area and allow the district to tap into the line. The superintendent clarified the item on the agenda was a review, not an approval; the board must consider the documents twice before final action.

Trustees raised liability, scope and timing concerns: the draft contract included provisions shifting hazardous-material liabilities and other risks toward the district, and trustees asked legal counsel to negotiate a standard of liability that limits the district to responsibility for gross negligence or intentional acts rather than ordinary negligence. Members requested stronger protections so construction would not interfere with school operations and asked staff to obtain a redline showing changes when SFPUC returns a revised draft. The board directed the superintendent and district counsel to continue negotiations and report back at the April meeting.

Representative quote: "I believe that the purchase and sale agreement and the easement deeds really need to be further negotiated by the superintendent and the district's legal counsel to ensure and safeguard the district's interests," a board member said during the discussion.

Why it matters: The proposed pipeline requires temporary construction on district property (including ripping up a field to install pipe), so the board seeks to clarify scope, timing, liability and restoration conditions before approving any sale or easement.