Schools want to lease city land

Voters are being asked to approve leasing city owned property to two schools looking for recreational space.

By KELLY RYAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 21, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two St. Petersburg schools want to borrow city land for recreation fields, but they need voters' permission to do it.

Campbell Park Elementary School is being rebuilt and expanded as part of the Pinellas School District's agreement to slowly end court-ordered busing for desegregation. The district wants to lease 4.6 acres of open space in Campbell Park for exclusive use during the school day. The lease would last 99 years and cost the school district a nominal fee.

The Canterbury School of Florida, a private school, is seeking approval for a 25-year lease of about eight acres behind the Northeast Treatment Plant. Canterbury's Upper School at 901 58th Ave. NE would use the land to build athletic fields and a driveway. The city would initially earn $9,500 in annual rent, but that price would increase when the driveway is installed.

Both of these issues will be before voters on March 27 in the form of referendum questions. The city charter requires voters to approve any lease of park or waterfront land.

In the case of Campbell Park, the neighborhood association initially opposed the lease. The district had sought a lease for more than eight acres, which neighborhood leaders said would have cut off the entire park during school. The district compromised and is seeking half the original amount, thereby winning neighborhood leaders' support.

Right now, Campbell Park's student capacity is just under 500 students. The school has been using the city's park and ball field for physical education and recess for years. But the lease now before voters would prevent people who aren't part of the school from using the school's area during the day.

The new, $10-million Campbell Park Elementary, to begin construction next spring, would double in size and be a state-of-the-art facility serving up to 772 students.

Most elementary schools require at least 12 acres of land. Campbell Park sits on a lot of less than three acres at 1101 Seventh Ave. S. Recent property acquisition have increased that to only about eight acres, which officials say makes clear why the park land is so important.

"It's essential," said Jim Miller, the district's director of property management. "We can't build the school without having the land."

If the referendum passes, neighborhood residents would have access to part of the park during the day and the entire park at night and on weekends. No permanent buildings would be on parkland.

Canterbury School's upper campus, for about 220 middle and high school students, wants to lease eight acres of city land so its students have a convenient place for physical education and playing ball. Right now, students use athletic fields at Puryear Park and other city facilities that are a walk or drive away.

The property is part of the city's treatment plant, but city officials say they do not anticipate needing it for expansion of the plant.

If voters support the measure, Canterbury will build soccer and softball fields, as well as a track. A new driveway also would be built off 62nd Avenue NE, diverting traffic away from residential neighborhoods off 58th Avenue NE.

"We very much want this to pass," said Robb Hough, president of Canterbury's board of trustees. "I can't find any reason in my mind why it would be bad for anybody."

The questions

REFERENDUM QUESTION 1: Joint operating/lease agreement for property in Campbell Park during school hours to School Board.

Shall the City enter into a joint operating/lease agreement with the Pinellas County School Board for use only during school hours of a parcel of land located at the east end of Campbell Park abutting the Campbell Park Elementary School for 99 years for the school's proposed use as a playground and activity area as parking as provided in Ordinance No. 459-G?

REFERENDUM QUESTION 2: Lease and possible sale of two parcels of property located at the Northeast Treatment Plant.

Shall the City lease for 25 years with a possibility of selling two parcels of property located at the Northeast Treatment Plant to Canterbury School of Florida, Inc. for the proposed purpose of constructing an activity field (approximately 8.13 acres MOL) and, at Canterbury's option, a parcel approximately one hundred feet wide for a driveway extending from 62nd Avenue Northeast as provided in Ordinance No. 458-G?

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