A Brief History of DMUSD Facilities and
Why the Del Mar Heights Rebuild is Still a Big Deal

1947: Del Mar Shores School opened.

1949: The Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) was established.

1965: Del Mar Heights School opened with eight classrooms.

1970: The community-funded baseball field at Del Mar Heights was dedicated.

1974: Del Mar Hills School opened.

2000: Del Mar Heights School underwent a $2 million renovation.

2004: The Performing Arts Center at Del Mar Hills was built, using community funds.

2005: Del Mar Shores School was closed by DMUSD and eventually sold to the City of Del Mar after community protests and a legal battle. It is currently the site of The Winston School.

2007: Ocean Air School opened. DMUSD tried to close Del Mar Hills for the first time, and community protests stopped it.

2012: Prop CC, DMUSD’s previous bond attempt that included money for short-term technology purchases, failed at the ballot box.

2015: Del Mar Heights School celebrated the 50^thAnniversary of the school opening in 1965.

These historical details matter, because DMUSD’s message is going to try to convince you that this school, whose buildings vary in age from 56 to 50 years, that were extensively remodeled 20 years ago, and whose CA Dept. of Education School Accountability Report Card indicates Excellent School Facility Good Repair Status, is in desperate need of replacement.

The temporary portables that were installed between 1990-2000, that should have been removed when the Carmel Valley schools were built, are indeed old and decrepit and should be removed.

Reconfiguration

March 2018: DMUSD started campaigning for reconfiguration, the idea that Del Mar Hills should close (again) and a single large school, Del Mar West, should replace Del Mar Heights. This launched four months of community protest, during which the district insisted that Prop MM, a $186 million General Obligation Bond was absolutely required, that it would be used to fix all district schools’ needs, and was a path to preserve Del Mar Hills. It was proposed to pay for the Del Mar Heights Rebuild.

Hundreds of community members protested, including many who previously protested in 2007.

Holly McClurg promoted the bond in her April 5^th, 2018 weekly video, declaring to viewers, “You own these schools!”, and stating (in 2018) that two of the campuses were 40 (actually 44) and 60 (actually 53) years old, and that every school has substantial needs now and into the future. She states that enrollment is projected to be flat (not true; district projections show enrollment increase, and actual CA dept of education data shows substantial decrease), and without the bond they would have to reduce staff and increase class sizes to pay for facilities needs (despite Mello Roos funds being available for the new school in East Pacific Heights Ranch). The original video is now marked as private, so a video of it is available here: https://youtu.be/dpSAlBvb_rg

Prior to the bond, the message from Superintendent Holly McClurg was, “If we don’t have a funding source for facilities, educational quality/classroom sizes will be impacted.”

DMUSD Facilities Presentation 1 of 6: https://youtu.be/eNeNsBUvlIA

Spending $300-400K from the general fund to simply remove the portables was never presented as a viable option. Reducing the Del Mar Heights school population back down to fit the permanent 22 classrooms was never presented as an option. DMUSD’s message was that we absolutely needed to build a new school to deal with the deterioration of the temporary portables at Del Mar Heights.

July 25, 2018: The district relented to public pressure to have nine schools, including a new school in Pacific Highlands Ranch, and stated that passing the Prop MM bond was the only way to keep Del Mar Hills open. DMUSD approved a 9-school plan to get parents to agree to a GO Bond. The plan made no promises, and public comment made note of the “Trust Issues” between the district and the public. During the following special meeting in August, the board agreed to put Prop MM on the ballot. It passed in November, with families across the district excited about the improvements that were promised to their local, walkable school.

November 2018: Prop MM passed, became Bond MM, and increased property taxes across the district by over $29 per $100,000 of home value (approx. $290 per year for a $1 million home).

As promised, DMUSD set up a Citizen Oversight Committee (COC). It is presided over by an attorney hired by DMUSD (this is explicitly illegal according to Education Code 15282).

As COC members termed out, they were replaced by people affiliated with DMUSD, and a highly qualified construction company owner with extensive understanding of both the construction industry and the district was rejected.

3 February 2020 DMUSD Bond MM Citizens’ Oversight Committee Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6rpAKJqu7s

20 April 2020 DMUSD Bond MM Citizens’ Oversight Committee Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51xW9WODgZE

21 Sept 2020 DMUSD Bond MM Citizens’ Oversight Committee Mtg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV1iF-Hvb8k

7 December 2020 DMUSD Bond MM Citizens’ Oversight Committee Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t-rGKA2qls

8 Mar 2021 DMUSD Bond MM COC Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opqO0g5m5VY

2 June 2021 DMUSD Bond MM COC Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opqO0g5m5VY

13 Sep 2021 DMUSD BondMM COC Mtg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OoLipLQs-0

Del Mar Heights Rebuild

April 1, 2019: Community outreach for the Del Mar Heights School Rebuild began. Neighbors were not notified; school parents were notified and a notice was placed in the Del Mar Times, but no additional notification went out to the community. At the first meeting, attendees were told they will be kept informed if they sign up for an email list, but no emails went out. Meetings were held during weekday working hours.

Because this project was billed as a Rebuild, not a Redevelopment, and also because DMUSD notified current school parents, but did not notify incoming parents, and did not notify the surrounding community, the outreach was not at all robust. It was hardly hundreds of people, as claimed by DMUSD. More community members did attend the two September sessions, but by then the design was complete and no further input was accepted.

According to requested DMUSD sign-in-sheets, 89 non-district employee individuals attended the five meetings. Everyone else in attendance was either a DMUSD or Baker Nowicki employee, or a school board member. DMUSD later inflated the number of attendees to 175-200 (presented at the October 2019 regular school board meeting) and 400 (presented to the Torrey Pines Planning Board in August 2020). Baker Nowicki’s website currently states 150 attendees, including staff.

1 Apr 2019 DMUSD and BakerNowicki Design Symposium: https://youtu.be/GwnBFhMxs-U

September 2019: DMUSD and the Baker Nowicki architecture firm introduced the finished design to the community during two meetings. This was not for community input; the design was finished.

5 Sept 2019 Del Mar Heights Rebuild Meeting: https://youtu.be/mJmELY9Szd8

23 Sept 2019 Del Mar Heights Rebuild Meeting: https://youtu.be/xUdti-VtM4o

The identical design was presented to the DMUSD school board at the regular meeting.

Once the September 2019 sessions happened, and other parents and community members realized what was planned, they flooded School Board meetings with community protest.

25 Sept 2019 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/F36cTqnbHlU

October 2019: Community members protested the design again at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

23 Oct 2019 Regular Board Meeting: https://youtu.be/u0Hylw6UV84

November 2019: Community members protested the design again at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

20 Nov 2019 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/cA5nOKyrYGc

December 2019: The DMUSD school board held an illegal closed session meeting with regard to the rebuild.

Community members protested the design again at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

After Prop MM passed, the list of projects changed. At the December school board meeting, there was non-agenda discussion about why the Carmel Del Mar (CDM) Multi-Use Room (MUR) would not be expanded as previously agreed.

18 Dec 2019 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/NQqJ_tsC3kw

January 2020: Del Mar Heights School received an “Exemplary” facilities rating on the CA Dept of Education School Accountability Report Card.

Save the Field filed paperwork to form a community benefit nonprofit.

Community members again protested the design at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

22 January 2020 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/TIZletCM3Ro

February 2020: Asst. Supt. Jason Romero and Asst. Supt. Shelley Petersen presented an explanation of changing district demographics, including how eastern schools won’t send students west anymore once School #9 opens.

5 Feb 2020 Del Mar Hills Principal's Coffee: https://youtu.be/gGq-9xBS0Ec

DMUSD submitted full construction plans to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) without informing the public. DMUSD did inform the public about meeting with DSA regarding the Pacific Highlands Ranch school 9 project.

https://playoutsidedelmar.org/2020/03/15/appearances-can-be-deceiving/

Save the Field sent a letter via the Procopio law firm to DMUSD. This letter was interpreted as a lawsuit, even though one was not filed. The letter asked for information.

Community members again protested the design at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

26 February 2020 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/azkkLYD0xK4

March 2020: On March 12^th, the DMUSD school board signed an unconditional commitment to abide by the Brown Act, with regard to the closed session meeting on December 10, 2019.

Community members again protested the design at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

12 Mar 2020 DMUSD School Board Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/aFxa12khsuc

Schools closed March 13^th due to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic.

18 Mar 2020 DMUSD School Board Emergency Meeting: https://youtu.be/hGAng3f67xY

The Sierra Club weighed in on the Del Mar Heights rebuild project and released a statement that the “…project as proposed has not fully addressed all of the associated environmental impacts. A much more thorough analysis of these impacts, and better design/mitigation is essential…”

April 2020: School Board meetings moved to Zoom.

Community members again protested the design at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

7 Apr 2020 DMUSD School Board Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/coQlXabhSdg

22 April 2020 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/eOo8mJzyPmw

May 2020: Community members again protested the design at a DMUSD special school board meeting. Speakers made threats against other members of the community during the public comment segment of the meeting. The DMUSD school board approved the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and the project with a unanimous vote.

12 May 2020 DMUSD School Board Special Meeting*: https://youtu.be/KG9jrVA7SIU

12 May 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting public comments (companion video): https://youtu.be/bn72tDC11YQ

During a phone conversation with a citizen looking for information about whether the plans were “pre-approved”, Fire Marshal Douglas Perry confirmed that he is the only Fire Marshal in San Diego, and that his department does not “pre-approve” construction documents as described in the MND. The MND states in numerous places that the Del Mar Heights Rebuild project had been “pre-approved” by the Fire Marshal, and Chris Delehanty mentioned “pre-approval” multiple times during his presentation.

Community members again protested the design at the DMUSD regular school board meeting.

27 May 2020 DMUSD School Board Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/QPJOJVaMT6o

June 2020: Save the Field filed suit to require DMUSD to fully abide by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and do a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

DMUSD’s application for a Coastal Development Permit appeared in the San Diego Development Services website.

16 Jun 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/dNEU-KzvqWY

24 June 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/QkfkfQGp0cc

9 July 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/ardyaCTe0FE

22 July 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/KouHgDhXjIk

August 2020: The Torrey Pines Planning Board (TPPB) held a special meeting to discuss the Del Mar Heights Rebuild. The Del Mar Heights Rebuild was on the agenda for the regular meeting two days later, but the board decided to consult with the City Attorney before scheduling a special meeting to decide on the rebuild project.

J. Charles Weber, a Fire and Life Safety Consultant, released a preliminary fire protection analysis regarding the changes to Del Mar Heights School.

11 August 2020 TPPB Special Meeting re: Del Mar Heights Rebuild: https://youtu.be/tewdkDUBQyE

26 August 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/HzJMZpZghsQ

September 2020: The new baseball field at Torrey Hills was completed, over the objections of Torrey Hills parents who wanted their field’s gopher problems fixed, not replaced with a Little League-sized baseball field. The original budget to repair the field was $550,000 in May 2020, and then the budget was revised to $993,048 in August 2020. It cost $860,000 according to the Del Mar Times, but that number did not include the architectural fees and “other project costs”.

Bond MM paid $928,000 into its first project, that wasn’t even on the list.

2 September 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/Gpm0--3evQY

23 Sept 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/2reC6KJzAbA

6 October 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/FhW_mONgBEg

28 October 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/OtC6rY5D-iI

10 Nov 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/422drF5D3sU

18 Nov 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/CqbLx5YOAvQ

December 2020: Judge Joel Wohlfeil asked for more information about three of the lawsuit complaints, and denied the remainder of the complaints. As a result of DMUSD losing the lawsuit, Save the Field won reimbursement of attorneys’ fees (standard practice for CEQA, since a lawsuit is the only way to enforce the law).

8 December 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/fRqYw8g7bTk

16 December 2020 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/-q8K6A06_V4

22 December 2020 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/H20TJyOgt7A

This is the same timeframe during which the same judge, the Hon. Joel Wohlfeil, allowed strip clubs to remain open during the pandemic, defying a state-level mandate. His decision was stayed two days later, and appealed and overturned one month later.

January 2021: As a result of the judge asking for additional information about the stairs and ADA ramp connecting the proposed school with the cul-de-sac on Mira Montana above the school (the addition of which would have required a traffic study), the DMUSD school board removed the stairs and ADA ramp from the plans.

19 Jan 2021 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/xcIGqzH4Poc

27 January 2021 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/gVJEjux5lQg

11 February 2021 DMUSD SB Special Meeting: https://youtu.be/YiFUypCLvHw

24 February 2021 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/1sR-Ef_stmQ

March 2021: Davis Demographics releases a new demographic study but it is not shared with the public. Enrollment continues to decline.

24 March 2021 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/ZhYVu-MfNyY

April 2021: DMUSD put the Draft Focused Environmental Impact Report (DFEIR) out for public comment through June 11^th.

The DFEIR included a modernization option that appealed to many members of the community.

Many comments in support of a Modernization option are included in the DFEIR public comment.

At the regular school board meeting, Asst. Supt. for HR Jason Romero presented that Del Mar Heights Fall 2021 preliminary enrollment had fallen to 308 students, and that overall district enrollment continues to decline.

28 April 2021 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/h5Zb-ih5zuU

June 2021: DMUSD approved the DFEIR at the regular board meeting.

2021 June 30 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/TYAWcU7yeA0

August 2021: Save the Field appealed the December 2020 decision.

25 August 2021 DMUSD SB Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/_4tenCVYmzg

September 2021: Chris Delehanty presented that supply chain problems are affecting the Sycamore Ridge Play Structure project and causing them to not be completed on time.

22 Sep 2021 DMUSD BS Regular Meeting: https://youtu.be/amN1MqSFbaw

21 Oct 2021 City of SD Planning Commission Hearing: https://youtu.be/17Pjr6Yuo4s

October 2021: City of San Diego virtual hearing regarding the Del Mar Heights School Rebuild permit. DMUSD claims the decision was unanimous, and while this is technically true, the commissioner who is an expert on Fire initially accepted the meeting, and then declined. Other commissioners were unable to be present.

January 2022: City of San Diego City Council meeting is on Tuesday, January 11th at 2pm.

According to the DFEIR, at least 30 days prior to the start of construction activities, all off-site residents within 300 feet of the project will be notified of the planned construction activities. The notification will include contact numbers for the district and contractor in the event of a noise or vibration complaint. At least 10 days prior to the start of construction activities, a sign will be posted at the job site that includes permitted construction days and hours as well as contact information.

Click the link to email our City Council to bring back Bond MM money to all of our schools.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/bring-bond-mm-back-to-carmel-valley-modernize-del-mar-heights?source=direct_link&

Sources

Del Mar Times https://www.delmartimes.net

DMUSD Transparency https://www.youtube.com/user/leeloominaigmail/videos

Enrollment data from the CA Dept. of Education https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

City of San Diego Planning Commission https://www.sandiego.gov/planning-commission

City of San Diego Development Services Department https://opendsd.sandiego.gov/web/approvals/

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Street Number is 13555

Base Road Name is Boquita

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Play Outside Del Mar https://playoutsidedelmar.org

Save the Field https://www.savethefield.org

KPBS https://www.kpbs.org/news/economy/2020/12/24/appeals-court-extends-stay-on-injunction-to