CAMARILLO : Developer Deeds Land for School

A developer has deeded six acres of land worth more than $1 million to the Pleasant Valley School District for construction of a new school in eastern Camarillo, where district officials say more classrooms are badly needed.

Under an agreement reached between Pardee Construction Co. and the school district, the developer is handing over the property on Woodcreek Road, north of Mission Oaks Boulevard, in lieu of developer’s fees. Such fees, required under state law, are used to help districts finance new schools in fast-growing communities.

The district, which projects it will have 6,250 students next school year, has been growing at a rate of about 150 students a year, and in recent years has started busing children from schools in the eastern part of the city to western Camarillo schools to help ease overcrowding, said Howard Hamilton, assistant superintendent for administrative services.

School officials approached Pardee with the proposal because the district is short on cash for new school construction, Hamilton said. Under the agreement, the district will credit the developer with future development fees equal to the value of the property.

School officials are now seeking ways to pay for the estimated $6 million in construction, including a possible bond measure on the ballot.