The Ridgefield School District bought 15 acres of land at the district’s southern boundary for the potential construction of a new school campus.
On May 9, the district announced the purchase of property at 18216 NE 29th Ave. in Ridgefield. The land is to the east of the Interstate 5 interchange with 179th Street by the Clark County Fairgrounds.
The land cost the district $6 million, according to sale records. The district used impact fees it collects on new construction in its boundaries to make the purchase, a news release stated.
Although the district has no immediate plans for the land, it is intended to serve as the location of the school district’s second intermediate and middle school campus, which would serve fifth through eighth grades, the release stated.
The campus would complement the district’s existing site for its middle school grades of Sunset Ridge and View Ridge schools on Hillhurst Road.
The district also owns a 27-acre parcel at 7025 N. 10th St. and is under contract for another parcel of land, both of which are earmarked for future elementary school campuses, the release stated.
Ridgefield School Board President Joe Vance said the purchase is an effort to meet the needs of a growing community.
“With our schools already over capacity, we will need to construct additional school campuses to accommodate the increasing number of Ridgefield students,” Vance stated in the release. “This land is ideally situated in an area of the district where there is a great deal of housing development planned.”
