Community Mtg Review Aug 25
The Issaquah School District held a community meeting at Grand Ridge Elementary on Thursday, August 24 regarding a future school site in the Issaquah Highlands, and also gave updates on the 2016 Bond.
Deatils of the meetings can be found on the District website HERE: https://issaquah.wednet.edu/news-details/2017/08/25/community-meeting-review-documents-and-tools?utm_content=bufferb4c0e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Below is the information you’ll find there.
Tools from the Meeting
Issaquah City Council Email Address: citycouncil@issaquahwa.gov
Click here to visit the Land Acquisitions webpage.
Documents presented at the community meeting:
Building New Schools – the Quest for Suitable Land
FAQ School Siting
Grand Ridge Site Presentation 7-19-17
CF-F Zoning
August 9 School Board Meeting Podcast
Board Resolutions:
Resolution No. 1096 – Concerning Board Support of Proposed City of Issaquah Zoning Code Amendments
Resolution No. 1097 – Concerning Board Support of Proposed City of Issaquah Annexation and Pre-Annexation Zoning for King County Island
Bond Projects Webpage:
2016 Bond Project: Cougar Ridge Expansion Project
2016 Bond Project: Pine Lake Middle School Rebuild
2016 Bond Project: Sunset Expansion Project
Community Meeting Background Information
New schools need to be built soon in the Issaquah School District to accommodate current student enrollment. The community showed overwhelming support for increasing capacity for students when more than 70% voted in favor of approving a $533.3M school bond to acquire property, build two new elementary schools, a new middle and high school, and expand capacity at additional schools. Since the election in April 2016, the District has been hard at work to identify suitable property in an incredibly competitive and expensive market for land within the Urban Growth Boundary. Our goal is to locate schools where the population needs are greatest within these boundaries. However, it has been an extremely difficult process. We have identified properties that would work for us to build schools on, but we need some help in terms of zoning revisions and code variances from the City of Issaquah to make them viable options. Of particular interest is a piece of property adjacent to Swedish Hospital that we believe represents our best chance at building a much needed elementary school in the Issaquah Highlands. As with any development in our region, there are concerns that need to be addressed. This community meeting was held to discuss concerns that have been brought to our attention regarding the size and type of schools we are building, growth in the region, and preservation of trees. Per the materials listed above, we had the opportunity to share and explain our rationale, criteria, and vision for our future schools with our community.
Details about the Podcast
The Issaquah School Board took action at their August 9 regular meeting to support the District in its requests submitted to the City of Issaquah for needed zoning and code revisions. You can listen to the discussion, public testimony, and the subsequent vote via podcast on our website. You are most welcome to listen to the entire podcast. However, the discussion regarding requested zoning changes begins at the 2:12 time mark and you may forward the file to that point.
Hot Topic News Item regarding the Community Meeting.
Hot Topic New Item regarding The Search for Property to Build New Schools – FAQ.
If you have opinions you would like to share with the Issaquah City Council, you may send an email to citycouncil@issaquahwa.gov.
If you have questions or comments for the ISD, please access our online survey form.