II. INITIAL STUDY CHECKLIST
Housing Element 2021-2029 City of Imperial Beach
Initial Study/Negative Declaration February 2021
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The Sweetwater Union High School District provides 7th through 12th grade education and Adult
Education to the citizens of Imperial Beach. Two secondary schools and one adult school service the City:
they are Mar Vista Academy, Mar Vista High School and Mar Vista Adult School located on the Mar Vista
High School Campus. The middle school, located approximately a quarter mile outside the City's eastern
boundaries (1267 Thermal, San Diego), provides 7th to 8
th
grade education. The high school, located at
505 Elm Street, Imperial Beach, provides 9th to 12th grade education. The Adult Schools, located at 503
Elm Street and 170 Palm Ave, provide a variety of classes including but not limited to, GED, English as a
Second Language (ESL), High School Diploma Program, Business Education and Child Care classes.
The recommended standard for new elementary school sites is ten acres of land, which will provide
adequate land for 18 to 20 classrooms, playgrounds and other related uses. For new junior high schools
(or middle schools), 20 acres of usable land is needed for 1,500 students. High schools require 50 acres of
land for 2,400 students.
State Assembly Bill (AB) 2926 authorized school districts to assess all new development a fee to offset
impacts proposed projects might have on the school facilities. According to the Imperial Beach General
Plan, those fees cover less one-third of the cost to provide new classrooms. Whenever possible, the
Districts have requested that developers provide full impact mitigation on development. The
establishment of special tax districts, full cost recovery agreements or the provision of relocatable
classrooms in lieu of fees are just a few examples of such mitigation measures employed by the
Sweetwater Union High School District.
At the time of the 2019 General Plan/LCP Update, the middle school and high school both exceeded their
capacities. New residential development already in the City and in the Nestor and the San Ysidro
communities have added students to these and neighboring schools. To meet student enrollment needs,
the District plans to construct a new 2,400‐student high school in Otay Mesa. In planning new schools, the
Sweetwater School District uses a student generation factor of .29 students per household.
Parks
Imperial Beach’s coastline, ocean, parks, and preserves define its character, contribute to a healthy
environment and quality of life for residents and visitors, and support the area’s economy and emerging
eco‐tourism sector. These resources reinforce the City's identity as a small beach‐oriented town, and
make the City an enjoyable, scenic and aesthetically pleasing place to live, work, play, and visit. To fully
utilize the natural advantages of Imperial Beach's location and climate, a variety of park and recreational
opportunities are provided for residents and visitors of all ages, incomes and lifestyles. City residents and
visitors benefit from a variety of parks including mini‐parks, neighborhood parks, community parks,
activity centers, special use and all purpose parks. Shared or “joint use” of parks, athletic fields, open
space resources and other recreational facilities is an important strategy to cost‐effectively expand
recreational opportunities available to the public, made possible by the City’s continued coordination
with the school districts, the SDUPD, and other county, state, and federal agencies.
The City of Imperial Beach owns, operates, and/or maintains approximately 21.4 acres of park land in
seven sites consisting of Sports Park, Reams Park, Dunes Park, Veterans Park, Teeple Park, Serenity
Gardens Pocket Park, and Pier Plaza. The recreational programs within these parks are operated by the
Imperial Beach Boys and Girls Club.
In addition to City parks, the following recreational facilities are located within the City limits: Border Field