The school district could have a new crossing guard and extra
cash if two developers go beyond the district’s request for help in
offsetting developer-fueled growth in student population.
Gilroy – The school district could have a new crossing guard and extra cash if two developers go beyond the district’s request for help in offsetting developer-fueled growth in student population.
Representatives from Rancho Meadows discussed giving a cash donation and Tony Sudol of ACS Ventures explored the possibility with staff and trustees from the Gilroy Unified School District of paying for an extra crossing guard. The developers are among nine that have expressed willingness to meet a district-requested voluntary increase in district developer fees from $2.63 to $6.61 per square foot of new residential construction building.
A 1998 state law prohibits school districts from raising impact fees. While the district needs $6.61 per square foot to pay for the construction needed to support the new students coming into the district through new housing developments, the developers are only required to pay $2.63 per square foot. The increased interest in helping the school district is therefore promising, trustee Denise Apuzzo said.
“Anybody whose willing to come forward and make a donation, we welcome that,” she said. “There’s so many needs in the district.”
The donations do not come without strings attached. Superintendent Deborah Flores said the Rancho Meadows is geographically split so that half of students would attend Luigi Aprea Elementary School – the highest-scoring school in the district – and Rucker Elementary School, which is in need of major infrastructure improvement. The cash donation from Rancho Meadows would hinge upon the district changing attendance boundaries so that residents in their development would attend one school.
“It’s logical for them to ask for that,” Flores said.
Likewise, the crossing guard Sudol would sponsor would go at the intersection of 10th and Alexander streets, near where his housing development will go. Students from his development would cross this intersection to get to Eliot Elementary School, Flores said. The cost of an additional crossing guard would be upwards of $2,000 given the current district pay scale.
Neither Sudol nor representatives from Rancho Meadows returned phone calls Thursday.
The proposed donations are welcome given the district’s $15 million facilities deficit, which is used to build new classrooms and schools, and Gilroy’s burgeoning population, which grew more than 3 percent this year.
District trustees recently approved a $15 to $20 million private-investor borrowing program known as certificates of participation. Trustees and staff hope the borrowed money will help them finish building a second high school, an additional elementary school and make improvements at Rucker.
The voluntary developer fee increases would help the district pay back these certificates, but success largely depends on two other developers, Glen Loma Group and Hecker Pass landowners, who have city permission to build 1,700 houses worth $20 million in additional fees to the district.
By contrast, several of the nine developers that have come forward with voluntary fee increases do not have permission for even one house.
“It doesn’t represent a lot unless some of (their projects get) approved down the road,” Flores said.
Even though some of the developers have small operations and are affected significantly by the voluntary increase, they recognize the importance of funding the district, said Michael McDermott of the recently approved Oak Grove project. His voluntary increase will mean an additional $1.7 million for the district.
“We want better education in Gilroy,” he said. “I’m not sure there’s an exact quid pro quo between facilities and the education process but if they have adequate money for facilities, that’s a good thing.”
Although he applauded the extra developer donations – he has also volunteered to work with the city to make infrastructure improvements to increase traffic safety – but said he cannot promise a similar donation.
“Good for those guys, but real estate times are tough,” he said.
