Cal board might not sell school
CALIFORNIA – The California Area School Board may need to rethink its plans to sell the old Phillipsburg School, which currently houses the district’s administrative offices. The former school and Booster Field are considered one parcel, and in order to sell the school but keep the football stadium, the parcel would need to be subdivided.
Engineer Glenn Wolfe of Pennoni Associates was looking into the subdivision for the board. Wolfe recently wrote to the district’s superintendent, Dr. R. Timothy Marks, saying he has put the subdivision plan on hold until he can discuss it with the school board.
In his letter to Marks, Wolfe said the borough code enforcement officer, Bruce Large, confirmed that the school building is in an area zoned R-1 residential and is permitted there as a non-conforming use. The borough’s zoning ordinance does not permit the expansion of an existing non-conforming use, Wolfe wrote.
“Mr. Large explained that he would consider the subdivision of the existing parcel to be an expansion of the existing use and the subdivision would more than likely not be approved,” Wolfe wrote.
He noted that if the subdivision were approved with the current R-1 designation, the district could sell the building, but it would have to continue to be used as offices for an educational system. It could not be used for apartments, professional offices or any other non-conforming use in a residential neighborhood.
Wolfe is suggesting that the district consider having the parcel rezoned C-1 commercial, which would allow it to be used for apartments or professional offices.
He is seeking information on the process to change the zoning if that is what the board wants to do.
“We need to determine whether we want to seek the zoning change or wait until we have a potential buyer,” Marks said.
Marks said Wolfe will address the board during its committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday at 6 p.m. at Phillipsburg School.