Yerba Buena making headway, officals say

The new $33-million Yerba Buena School remains on track to open in 2007, administration officials say.

At a recent Las Virgenes Unified School District meeting, Deputy Superintendent Donald Zimring gave an update to board members on the progress of the school's construction.

Zimring said 80 percent of the construction has been completed and that the interiors of two buildings are underway.

"It's no longer a dream, but very much a reality in progress," Zimring said. He added that the storm water management plan has been implemented and steps are being taken to protect Medea Creek.

The project, however, was mired in delays from the start. At first, skyrocketing land prices in Agoura Hills put the project on hold.

When the district finally settled on the 30-acre parcel between Reyes Adobe and Lindero Canyon roads for the school site, other problems arose.

The district was required to place high power voltage lines underground. Next month the electrical lines are expected to be placed underground by Edison. Progress was further delayed when a small portion of the site was found to have soil contamination by pesticides that had been used on a turn-of-the-century farmhouse that once stood on the land.

Other problems that have been overcome included initial setbacks with bidding among contractors who were confused over segments of the contract. The board initially rejected all three bids and reissued the bidding with clarifications.