The Former Jacobs Middle School Site

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This webpage was created by the City to inform and receive feedback from the community about the recent purchase of the former Jacobs Middle School site. Please read the background information and FAQs, and use the tools below to provide your feedback.



Background

The former Jacobs Middle School Site (Jacobs Site) is 14.1-acres in size and owned by the Eureka City Unified School District (escrow pending). George C. Jacobs Junior High School was built in 1956 and served as a junior high school up until 1982. After its closure as a junior high, the facility continued to be used for various functions such as adult education and a continuation high school until the facility was closed following the 2008-09 school year. The buildings remained largely unused and unmaintained for greater than a decade before demolition of the structures occurred in January 2021. (Information from the Eureka City School’s website: The Jacobs Junior High School Campus, Then and Now - Eureka City Schools)

The School District plans to retain the northern approximately 5.8 acres of the site as ball fields in perpetuity, leaving the southern 8.3 acres open for redevelopment. The future of these 8.3 acres is of great interest because the City of Eureka is largely built out, with relatively few sites that provide realistic opportunities for new development. Unlike other remaining vacant land in the City, the site is relatively unconstrained – it is outside of the Coastal Zone, relatively flat, and not located in an ecologically sensitive or hazardous area.

What Does this Mean for the Community?

Currently, the Jacobs Site is owned by the Eureka City Unified School District, not the City of Eureka. The City and School District are two separate entities. The City does however control the zoning of the site which dictates what uses are allowed and at what densities, height, etc. Currently the site is zoned for Public Facilities, but the City Council could choose to rezone the site for other uses in the future. There is also an initiative ballot measure that qualified for the City’s next general election that, if passed by the voters, would change the zoning for the Jacobs Site.


Please be respectful. All derogatory and off-topic items or comments will be removed by the auto-moderator. Review the Talk Eureka website Terms and Conditions and Etiquette and Moderation Policy. These policies are always linked at the bottom of each Talk Eureka webpage.

This webpage was created by the City to inform and receive feedback from the community about the recent purchase of the former Jacobs Middle School site. Please read the background information and FAQs, and use the tools below to provide your feedback.



Background

The former Jacobs Middle School Site (Jacobs Site) is 14.1-acres in size and owned by the Eureka City Unified School District (escrow pending). George C. Jacobs Junior High School was built in 1956 and served as a junior high school up until 1982. After its closure as a junior high, the facility continued to be used for various functions such as adult education and a continuation high school until the facility was closed following the 2008-09 school year. The buildings remained largely unused and unmaintained for greater than a decade before demolition of the structures occurred in January 2021. (Information from the Eureka City School’s website: The Jacobs Junior High School Campus, Then and Now - Eureka City Schools)

The School District plans to retain the northern approximately 5.8 acres of the site as ball fields in perpetuity, leaving the southern 8.3 acres open for redevelopment. The future of these 8.3 acres is of great interest because the City of Eureka is largely built out, with relatively few sites that provide realistic opportunities for new development. Unlike other remaining vacant land in the City, the site is relatively unconstrained – it is outside of the Coastal Zone, relatively flat, and not located in an ecologically sensitive or hazardous area.

What Does this Mean for the Community?

Currently, the Jacobs Site is owned by the Eureka City Unified School District, not the City of Eureka. The City and School District are two separate entities. The City does however control the zoning of the site which dictates what uses are allowed and at what densities, height, etc. Currently the site is zoned for Public Facilities, but the City Council could choose to rezone the site for other uses in the future. There is also an initiative ballot measure that qualified for the City’s next general election that, if passed by the voters, would change the zoning for the Jacobs Site.


Please be respectful. All derogatory and off-topic items or comments will be removed by the auto-moderator. Review the Talk Eureka website Terms and Conditions and Etiquette and Moderation Policy. These policies are always linked at the bottom of each Talk Eureka webpage.

  • Upcoming Meetings for the Jacobs Site

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    Dear Community Members,

    We invite you to mark your calendars and participate in the following meetings concerning the Jacobs campus. Your voice matters, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.

    Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 - City Council Meeting

    Save the date for March 19th as City Staff presents a debrief to City Council about the community feedback gathered from the Jacobs campus town hall meeting in January and potential next steps. Council Member Moulton requested that Staff present options to Council on paths forward given the District is selling the land to a private developer, including a potential rezone of the site. We heard the community’s concerns about the recent sale, and we have heard thoughtful ideas for potential development and use of the site, all of which have been incorporated into the options we will be presenting to Council. Your presence and engagement in this discussion are essential as we work towards creating an inclusive and transparent environment on this important topic. The City Council meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. and the public is welcome to participate in person at City Hall (2nd floor Council Chamber) or over Zoom. Please see the links below for Zoom information. The City Council Agenda packet will be posted next week (3/12/24). The Agenda can be found here: https://www.eurekaca.gov/317/View-Board-Commission-Meetings-Agendas

    Zoom link to watch City Council Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82016149675?pwd=N1JNZERDRjhtUXJoZkFUdzI5RTNJUT09

    Zoom meeting information:

    Meeting ID: 820 1614 9675

    Passcode: 503858

    Or join by phone:

    707-441-4243

    *6 to mute/unmute and *9 to raise/lower hand



    Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 - Planning Commission Meeting

    Join us on March 13th – the Planning Commission will be reviewing whether the location and purpose of Eureka City Schools’ acquisition and disposal of properties is aligned with the goals and policies of the City’s 2040 General Plan (the City’s guiding document or “blueprint” for how Eureka will grow and develop over the next two decades). Since the proposed project is located within the City limits of Eureka, California Government Code §65402 requires the School District, prior to either acquisition or disposal (i.e., sale) of real property, to request a General Plan Conformance determination from the City of Eureka’s Planning Commission. The Planning Commission meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and the public is welcome to participate in person at City Hall (2nd floor Council Chamber) or over Zoom. Please see the links below for the agenda packet and Zoom information.

    Link for Planning Commission Agenda Packet with Staff Report: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgranicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feureka%2F027d0267b36e28057d15255e865150760.pdf&embedded=true

    Zoom link for Planning Commission meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87574634398?pwd=MUlNcFZxcW5BM240OUsxZ1F3MURDUT09

    Zoom meeting information:

    Meeting ID: 875 7463 4398

    Passcode: 627427

    Stay connected for more updates and details. Thank you for being an active member of our community!

    Warm regards,

    The City of Eureka

  • Jacobs Site Post Town Hall Update

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    Dear Community Members,

    The City would like to express our gratitude for your presence and active participation at the recent Jacobs Campus Town Hall Meeting. Your attendance at the town hall was valuable and we appreciate your commitment to the community and your willingness to engage in open dialogue and provide feedback on the future of the Jacobs Campus. The City is currently working on reviewing the feedback collected at the meeting and incorporating information onto the website. We will continue to provide you with announcements as updates come in.


    We look forward to continuing this journey of community engagement together.

    With sincere gratitude,

    The City of Eureka

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Page last updated: 29 Aug 2024, 11:51 AM