CARLSBAD — The La Costa Valley homeowners association is the latest group to weigh in on a controversial lot in that community originally slated for a middle school. The board held its first meeting May 6 to discuss the 22-acre site owned by San Dieguito Union High School District. It was also the first meeting as president for Andy Weis, who was appointed to the position April 14 after Joe Stine resigned from the post.

Stine was a member of the district’s board of trustees; however, he never served concurrently on the two boards. He stepped down as HOA president because he said he didn’t believe it was in the best interest of the association. Stine remains on the homeowners board, but he did not attend the May 6 meeting and has recused himself from all future meetings involving the property.

District officials have said there are currently no plans to build a middle school because enrollment figures have flattened since the land was purchased in 1999 (see accompanying chart). They have also said there are no plans to sell the property because the need for a future school hasn’t been completely ruled out at this point.

Friends of North County, a group of La Costa Valley homeowners who has been researching the lot for three years, has made several accusations against the district. The group had asked the homeowners association to become involved, but the board declined, noting the association’s covenants, conditions and restrictions, or CC&Rs, prevented it from doing so because the property isn’t within its jurisdiction.

While the CC&Rs preclude spending association funds on matters outside the boundaries of the community, they do not prohibit involvement. So board members and homeowners voted to form a committee to serve as a liaison between the school district and homeowners. Weis and four Friends of North County members were appointed to the committee. Two positions are still available.

Greg Brucia, who was appointed to the recently formed committee, sits on the board of directors for Friends of North County and the homeowners association. “As a group, we don’t really have an opinion yet,” Brucia said at the monthly HOA meeting May 12. “We will follow what the community wants.”

Those attending the May 6 meeting also said they supported amending the CC&Rs to allow association funds to be spent on matters pertaining to the property. An amendment would require approval from two-thirds of the 1,073 homeowners. It could also potentially result in a one-time assessment or an increase in homeowner dues, but “only if the district sues us or if we need to sue the district,” Brucia said, adding that if such a move occurred it would not be any time soon.

La Costa Valley homeowners currently pay a $100 monthly association fee for landscaping and community amenities such as tennis courts and a swimming pool. They also pay $800 annually in Mello-Roos funds, which were used for the $5.8 million land purchase and facility upgrades at the school district’s five North County campuses.

Leonard Steinberg, president of Friends of North County, said contrary to rumors, his group does not want to sue the district, nor does it want a middle school at any cost. He said the primary goal is to ensure homeowners have an opportunity to provide input into what is built on the site.

“We do have a process for them to be involved,” Steve Ma, associate superintendent of business services for the school district, said. He was referring to the facilities action plan, a series of workshops that recently got under way to develop a funding strategy, evaluate options and determine needs for all facilities within the district. The first workshop was held March 20. The next one is tentatively set for July 17. Ma said the district opted to wait four months until the new superintendent was officially on board July 1. Future meetings will be listed on the district Web site.

Steinberg said a major concern is that the lot could be sold for high-density development, such as apartments. “La Costa Valley wasn’t built for the sheer number of people that would live there,” he said. Before that can happen, the land would require rezoning, a responsibility that ultimately lies with the city.