School Consolidation Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024080427
Public Agency
Paso Robles Union School District
Document Title
School Consolidation Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/12/2024
Document Description
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) will consolidate eight school campuses to seven and restructure grade levels at each campus affected by the proposed project. Site and building improvements are proposed at the existing Daniel Lewis MS and George Flamson MS campuses to accommodate the increase in students or the relocation of specialty programs (such as, special education). No physical improvements are proposed at Glen Speck ES, Kermit King ES, Pat Butler ES, Virginia ES, or Winifred Pifer ES. The District will close Georgia Brown ES campus. Further details are provided below.
Consolidation
Georgia Brown ES students will relocate to the existing Daniel Lewis MS campus, which will serve as a dual immersion school for kindergarten to 8th-grade students. The dual immersion program will add a new grade level consecutively over the course of three school years from 2024-2025 to 2026-2027 until 8th grade is added. Following the relocation of Georgia Brown ES campus to the existing Daniel Lewis MS campus, the existing Georgia Brown ES campus will close. At the remaining ES campuses, Glen Speck ES, Kermit King ES, Pat Butler ES, Virginia ES and Winifred Pifer ES, the District will add 6th grade to provide transitional kindergarten (TK) through 6th grade curriculum. George Flamson MS will be restructured to serve 7th and 8th grade students and will add a career technical education (GTE) program to the campus. During the 2024-2025 school year Daniel Lewis MS's current 6th and 7th graders will be attend George Flamson MS as 7th and 8th graders.
The consolidation will start in summer 2024 and will be in effect for the 2024-2025 school year.
Campus Improvements at Lewis Middle School
To accommodate the increase of students at the current Daniel Lewis MS campus, the proposed project includes improvements to the Daniel Lewis MS campus. The proposed project will include interior improvements to the classroom building that houses classrooms 28, 29, and 30 to accommodate kindergarten students, installation of a new kindergarten playground area with play structure and perimeter fencing at the southeast side of the project site; installation of three portable classrooms near the south side of the project site adjacent to the gymnasium building; installation a elementary play structure near the center of campus; and interior kitchen upgrades and modernization to the multi-purpose room (MPR) building near the northeast corner of campus. The proposed project also includes new interior and exterior paint and interior carpeting/flooring to buildings throughout the campus. The new kindergarten classroom building (with classrooms 28 - 30), MPR building, two restroom buildings, and administration building will also receive Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access improvements, new roofing and HVAC units, and interior technological upgrades. The north side of campus will also receive updated fencing and ramp improvements. Overall, Lewis MS will have a net increase of three classrooms.
Campus Improvements at Flamson Middle School
Improvements are also proposed at George Flamson MS to accommodate the restructuring of grade levels and new CTE program. The proposed project will include accessibility upgrades (e.g., ADA upgrades), new roofing and HVAC units and interior technology upgrades to the cafeteria, administrative offices in the main building, and classrooms 31 through 35 and restroom improvements for special education uses. The proposed interior improvements to the cafeteria will accommodate an increased student flow; and interior improvements to the administrative offices will accommodate additional staff on campus. The proposed project also includes interior remodel of the kitchen and classroom building 22. Classroom building 22 will also be seismically upgraded. Overall, the improvements at Flamson MS will not increase the number of classrooms on campus.
Construction
The proposed improvements at Daniel Lewis MS and at George Flamson MS will occur entirely within the campuses on existing hardtops or grass areas or within existing classrooms. No demolition of buildings will occur. Construction of the proposed project is scheduled to be implemented in two phases during the summer months prior to the start of the following school year. Phase one will occur summer 2024 with the construction of the kindergarten play area and fencing at Daniel Lewis MS and the improvements to the administration area and classrooms 31 through 35 at George Flamson MS. The remaining improvements will occur during phase two during summer 2025. All construction equipment and workers will be located within the boundaries of the Daniel Lewis MS campus and George Flamson MS campus, and contractors will adhere to the City of Paso Robles construction noise hours in Municipal Code Section 21.60.100.
The proposed project will not increase enrollment in the District and is proposed to address declining enrollment and ensure the efficient allocation of resources. The PRJUSD student body and staff and surrounding community will benefit from a more efficient allocation of school and educational resources.
Contact Information
Name
Brad Pawlowski
Agency Name
Paso Robles Union School District
Job Title
Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Cities
Paso Robles, unincorporated San Luis Obispo
Counties
San Luis Obispo
Regions
Citywide, Countywide, Unincorporated
Zip
93446
State Highways
SR-46, I-101
Schools
Multiple
Waterways
Multiple
Township
Multi
Range
Multi
Other Location Info
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District: Daniel Lewis Middle School (MS), Georgia Brown Elementary School (ES), George Flamson MS, Glen Speck ES, Kermit King ES, Pat Butler ES, Virginia Peterson ES, and Winifred Pifer ES
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301, 15303, 15314
Reasons for Exemption
Categorical Exemption Class 1, Existing Facilities
Lewis MS Campus: The proposed upgrades to the MPR; the building that houses classrooms 28, 29 and 30; two restroom buildings; and administrative building will include ADA accessibility, roofing, paint, carpet, HVAC units, and technology upgrades, which is considered operational, repair and maintenance and will not expand existing uses. Paint and new carpet/flooring throughout the Daniel Lewis MS campus are maintenance and repair items and will not expand existing uses. Interior upgrades to the kitchen are minor alternations to accommodate the students and would be a negligible expansion of use since no new building square footage is proposed. These components of the proposed project at Lewis MS will not alter the basic functions of the campus. Thus, these components of the proposed project would be exempt from CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
Flamson MS Campus: The proposed upgrades to the building 22; interior improvements to the cafeteria, administration offices, and classrooms 31 through 35 and restroom improvements for special education uses at George Flamson MS campus are exempt from CEQA under Class 1, Existing Facilities (Section 15301). Interior upgrades to the kitchen are minor alternations to accommodate the students and would be a negligible expansion of use since no new building square footage is proposed. The improvements to the five classrooms, four gender neutral restrooms, building 22 and administration office include ADA access improvements, new roofing and HVAC units, and technology upgrades are repair, maintenance, and minor alternations and will not expand use. The components of the proposed project at Flamson MS will not alter the basic functions of the campus. Thus, these components of the proposed project at George Flamson MS campus would be exempt from CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
Categorical Exemption Class 3, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures
Lewis MS Campus: The proposed construction of kindergarten and elementary play structures, kindergarten playground, new fencing, ADA ramp and access improvements; installation of three portable classrooms; and interior modifications to the building that houses classrooms 28, 29 and 30 at the Daniel Lewis MS campus are exempt from CEQA under Class 3, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures (Section 15303). The proposed play structures and fencing are small new structures that will be located within the school campus. The interior modifications to the building that houses classrooms 28, 29, and 30 will include age-appropriate retrofits to accommodate kindergarten students and are considered conversion of facilities in small structures. Additionally, the installation of three portable classrooms is a small number of small structures. These components of the proposed project are exempt from CEQA under Section 15303.
Categorical Exemption Class 14, Minor Additions to Schools
Lewis MS Campus: The proposed installation of the three portable classrooms is exempt from CEQA under Class 14, Minor Additions to Schools (Section 15314). The three new portable classroom buildings will be located within the school campus. The three portable classroom buildings will increase the total number of classrooms by three which is less than the ten allowed under this exemption. Although student enrollment will increase by 28 percent at the Lewis MS campus, the program capacity on campus will increase by 9.81 percent and the design capacity will increase by 11.05 percent. Therefore, the project will not increase the student capacity by more than 25 percent. Because the new classrooms will be within the same campus, will not increase the school classrooms by ten, and will not increase student capacity by 25 percent or more, the project is exempt from CEQA under Section 15314.
Flamson MS Campus: The proposed project will not install nor construct any new classrooms at Flamson MS Campus. The improvements at Flamson MS, discussed above, would not affect the design nor program capacity at Flamson MS. Therefore, the project is exempt from CEQA under Section 15314.
The proposed project was also reviewed for possible exceptions under Section 15300.2 and found that the exceptions do not apply. See attachment to Notice of Exemption for further explanation of the evaluation, which is available at the District office at 800 Niblick Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 21080.18
Reasons for Exemption
The closure of Georgia Brown ES and the transfer of these students to the existing Daniel Lewis MS campus, the transfer of current Daniel Lewis MS 6th and 7th graders to George Flamson MS (as 7th and 8th graders), and the restructuring of George Flamson MS to serve 7th and 8th graders are statutorily exempt pursuant to PRC Section 21080.18, since the site improvements at Daniel Lewis MS and at George Flamson MS campuses are categorically exempt (see discussion below under "Categorical Exemption" heading). The addition of 6th grade to Glen Speck ES, Kermit King ES, Pat Butler ES, Virginia ES and Winifred Pifer ES statutorily exempt pursuant to PRC Section 21080.18. The transfer of these students and restructuring of grade levels can be accommodated within the existing campuses, and no improvements are proposed at these campuses. Therefore, the proposed project is statutorily exempt pursuant to PRC Section 21080.18.
County Clerk
San Luis Obispo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.