Proposed Mill Valley Middle School site a nonstarter

The Mill Valley School District's recent decision to explore building a new middle school on Friends Field is unwise and should be reconsidered.

The site, located immediately adjacent to an integral part of Mill Valley's Community Center grounds, is a nonstarter. The installation of a school, on what Mayor Urban Carmel has called “Mill Valley's living room,” would destroy invaluable athletic and recreational facilities widely used by the people of Mill Valley. The resulting loss would be incalculable.

Friends Field was designed to be Mill Valley's scenic venue for sports, entertainment and community gatherings.

An association of three benefactors, called Friends of Fields, spearheaded a communitywide effort to raise the funds necessary to build it. They oversaw the construction of athletic and recreational facilities on the former city landfill site.

The city subsequently assumed responsibility over Friends Field and expended millions of dollars to maintain, support and administer its facilities.

Friends Field has become a vital resource for the people of Mill Valley. Thousands of kids utilize its fields throughout the year for soccer, baseball, softball, football and lacrosse games.

The annual Mill Valley Music Festival and Memorial Day carnival are held on Friends Field.

On Feb. 1, school district officials decided to add Friends Field as a third option for the location of the proposed new middle school. In view of the central importance of Friends Field, the district's decision, announced at an emergency meeting scheduled on 24-hours notice, triggered shockwaves throughout Mill Valley. It sparked intense opposition from city officials, youth sports and civic organizations, as well as construction professionals.

In written statements and letters, city representatives pointed out that the school district probably lacks the legal authority to develop the site and that the project would be contrary to the public interest.

The Mill Valley Little League, the Southern Marin Lacrosse organization, soccer clubs and others warned of the devastating impacts the project would have on local athletics programs serving thousands of children. Friends of Fields argued that the district cannot lawfully spend school bond funds on the destruction of Friends Field and that it lacked any credible plan to replace the existing athletic and recreational facilities.

Several experienced construction professionals, including builders and architects, cautioned that any project on a former landfill located near protected wetlands and an estuary would require regulatory approvals from state and federal environmental agencies.

Some shared that it would likely trigger costly site mitigation measures that the school district had not adequately assessed. Others noted that any construction on Friends Field would face severe logistical hurdles, that the school district was severely underestimating the complexities and costs of building on the site and that the project would pose extremely challenging traffic and emergency vehicle access issues, while adhering to Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

So far, the extensive and detailed concerns raised by so many have proven insufficient to deter the school district.

In the face of overwhelming community opposition, at meetings on Feb. 8 and Feb. 13, district officials confirmed the intention to proceed with exploring the Friends Field option.

This will needlessly prolong the increasingly vociferous controversy roiling Mill Valley for no discernible purpose.

There is not a realistic possibility that the location will ever be approved as the site for the new middle school. The legal and practical obstacles to building on Friends Field are self-evident and insurmountable.

Under the circumstances, the district representatives should bring the controversy to an end by promptly acknowledging that Friends Field is an unsuitable site.

This would avoid wasting public and private financial resources and countless hours of community time further investigating and debating Friends Field as a potential middle school location.

It would also help to restore public faith in the judgment of and decisionmaking processes of Mill Valley School District officials.