POULSBO — Two properties owned by the North Kitsap School District will be appraised for their market value in the near future.
The district will pay Gary Lyman of Richards & Associates $15,000 for the appraisals. The two properties are the Island Lake property in Silverdale and the district’s administrative offices at the end of Caldart Avenue in Poulsbo.
The appraisals will take approximately two months.
Breidablik Elementary was originally planned to be appraised, but North Kitsap School Board President Dan Weedin said it is not necessary because the property does not have a high commercial value. Not having Breidablik appraised could save the district money, but Weedin was not sure how much — the appraiser’s bid was already a good price, he said.
The Island Lake property has trees that could potentially be sold for timber. The timber could bring in an estimated $100,000, according to David Dumpert, the district’s director of facility maintenance, operations and capital programs. However, after permitting, logging and restoration, the district could expect to receive between $40,000 and $60,000 from the trees. Not all the trees are marketable, because the area was logged 35-40 years ago.
The district offices and Breidablik could be sold as well. However, because of how Breidablik is zoned, there is no need to appraise it, board director Bill Webb said during the March 28 board meeting. Breidablik, Webb said, is not a good sale alternative.
Breidablik is zoned rural residential. If the district sold the property, a developer could build one home per acre.
Ditto for the Island Lake property, which is zoned for one home per 5 acres, according to district Superintendent Patty Page.
The three-acre property where the district offices are located is zoned low residential. A developer could build four to five homes per acre.
The district is looking at a potential $3 million deficit in the 2013-14 school year, according to a recent report by interim finance director Debra Angst.
The district could apply with the county for a rezone of the Island Lake property. Rezoning could allow construction of more homes per acre, which would make it more attractive to a developer. However, rezoning would include connecting the property to utilities, such as sewer, which would take time and cost the district money.
Webb said a more realistic timeframe to sell the Island Lake property is 2016.
“I wouldn’t want to sell Island Lake for 10 to 20 percent of the value if we could figure out better ways to sell it,” Webb said.
During the discussion, which will continue during board meetings, Webb said one plan could be relocating the district office and figuring out how to sell it. That would also give the district time to decide what to do with the Island Lake property.
“My early thoughts are looking at selling the district property soon, and relocating into Breidablik,” Webb said.
If the district moved into Breidablik, that would require repairs to the building. According to district documents, Breidablik needs about $690,000 in total repairs. Repairs include the septic system, for an estimated $30,000; and a new roof — similar to that of Wolfle Elementary — for almost $500,000.
The district could potentially use the money made from selling the district offices to do any necessary work on Breidablik, Page said.
Page said moving the district office to Breidablik is a possibility, however, she said it is “a little premature to do the ‘what ifs.’ ” The discussions are just beginning, she said.
Speaking for himself and not the board, Weedin said he would like to see the Island Lake and administrative properties sold. Weedin would like the district office to move to Breidablik, he said.
Because it is cheaper to renovate a building while there is nobody using it, the district could do any necessary renovations to Breidablik prior to moving in. Plus, the district can’t sell the district offices without having a place to move staff, Weedin said.
Everything is still in the air, Weedin said.
Properties are expected to be a topic of discussion with the board for a while, Page said.