Centex Homes to donate 10 acres to SPHS Santa Paula Future Farmers of America
$7 million parcel could be site of state-of-the-art research farm
Santa Paula News
Published: May 24, 2006
Centex Homes/Ventura-Los Angeles Division and the Board of Trustees for Santa Paula Union High School District recently commenced planning for a 10-acre parcel of land in Fagan Canyon that Centex Homes has offered to donate to the District for use by the Santa Paula High School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA).
Centex Homes/Ventura-Los Angeles Division and the Board of Trustees for Santa Paula Union High School District recently commenced planning for a 10-acre parcel of land in Fagan Canyon that Centex Homes has offered to donate to the District for use by the Santa Paula High School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA).
The site, valued at $7 million, is slated to be used by FFA for a state-of-the-art research farm to further the agricultural heritage of Santa Paula. The donation is contingent upon Santa Paula voter approval of Measure E6 (The Fagan Canyon Initiative), now on the June 6 ballot.
“Agriculture is a foundational industry in Santa Paula,” said FFA Advisor and Santa Paula High School Agricultural Teacher Alex Flores. “This new FFA site could foster better agricultural education for our high school students, allowing them explore and possibly even invent new and more efficient farming techniques to benefit all the farms within the Heritage Valley - and beyond.”
According to Rick Bianchi, director of community development for Centex Homes (master planner of Fagan Canyon), the FFA site as well as all of the Fagan Canyon land rests within Santa Paula’s CURB line, and was identified by Save Our Agricultural Resources (SOAR) as being appropriate (and even preferred over other areas) for development. The FFA site was selected for its suitability to be farmed with citrus and even some row crops.
“We hope that we will be able to make this donation to the FFA,” said Rick Bianchi. “The Fagan Canyon land identified for the FFA site is owned by the Dickenson family. It was Bruce Dickenson who asked us to provide the 10 acres to FFA as a legacy of the land his family has farmed for decades. Should Measure E6 be approved by Santa Paula voters in June, the site will be donated to the Santa Paula Union High School Board, pursuant to a legally binding condition noted in our development agreement with the School Board.”
Bianchi added that Measure E6 details a wide range of benefits and funding that Centex Homes will be legally obligated to provide. These benefits and funding programs include the following:
HOMES FOR ALL SANTA PAULANS
* Homes ranging from the $400,000s to over $1 million, with the bulk of homes being single-family detached residences priced at approximately $575,000 (in 2006 dollars).
* 204 homes legally obligated to be reserved for sale or rental to low- and very low-income households and 121 homes to be reserved for sale or rental to moderate-income households earning from $40,000 to $60,000 a year.
* 225 “age targeted” homes for people ages 55 years and better.
* Priority sales notification for Santa Paulans, so that residents will be given notice of all home sales in the canyon BEFORE they are offered to the general public.
* Information about homebuying financial assistance programs for qualifying Santa Paulans.
SCHOOLS FOR SANTA PAULANS
* $24 million for Santa Paula schools to include two new elementary schools, funding for middle schools, and $11 million toward a new high school - plus the FFA site.
JOBS FOR SANTA PAULANS
* 5,000 new jobs, with a program designed to get Santa Paulans employed!
$100 MILLION IN BENEFITS
* $44 million in “up front” fees to be paid by Centex Homes to the City of Santa Paula for use in making improvements to police and fire services, the city’s water and sewer capacities, the library, and purchasing new fire equipment.
* $54 million in “above and beyond” fees to be paid by Centex Homes for existing park improvements (soccer fields, lighting, and park restoration), payment for the City’s General Fund shortfall, storm water retention and culvert improvements, off-site water delivery system, reclaimed water system, a fire station, fire prevention/fuel modification zone area and landscaping, and funding to study a bypass road for Highway 150.
* Plus, $3 million to be paid by Centex Homes for its share of road improvements from Fagan Canyon PLUS another $3 million for road improvements the city is projected to need over the next 10 to 15 years. That’s $6 million to help diffuse traffic flows away from existing neighborhoods.
To learn more about Measure E6, the Fagan Canyon Initiative, please visit www.YesOnE6.com or call Yes on E6 Campaign Headquarters at (805) 525-3343.
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