Paso Robles district needs to dig huge trench under school to identify seismic ‘anomaly’
Those eagerly anticipating the remodel of Georgia Brown Elementary School in Paso Robles will have to wait longer, as the district considers whether to dig a massive trench to figure out just what the “anomalous feature” is beneath the campus.
That’s the latest update in the plans for the school, which were upended when seismic studies discovered some kind of soil aberration that could indicate the 1940s-era campus sits on an earthquake fault.
The school district said a structural engineer has evaluated all the buildings and determined there is no immediate danger or evidence of seismic activity.
But the mystery of the anomaly remains, and it will require costly work to move forward with the remodel.
To figure out what that feature is and if there is an earthquake risk, the school district must pay likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to dig a large trench that’s is expected to be about 30 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 150 feet long, according to the school district.
One company has estimated the work will cost about $294,000. The school district is still seeking bids from other companies, which could be cheaper.
Plans for remodel at Georgia Brown delayed
Georgia Brown educators have long fought for the Spanish-English dual immersion school’s campus to be remodeled — instead of shuttered completely — after reports of leaky ceilings, a persistent cockroach problem and constant plumbing issues.
The campus has suffered for years from defunct facilities patched up through temporary fixes.
In March 2022, the school district’s board budgeted $15.5 million to rebuild the Georgia Brown campus. After the remodel, the dual immersion program would be relocated to newly remodeled Glen Speck Elementary School campus, and Glen Speck students would be housed in the new Georgia Brown campus.
However, state-required testing of the potential seismic hazards under the Georgia Brown campus have thrown a massive wrench in those plans.
The tests are a new requirement from the state since the 1940s-era campus was built.
Initial investigations at the site found an “anomalous feature” beneath the campus that doesn’t pose any immediate risk to the campus. The study was, in medical terms, essentially an ultrasound of the ground underneath the campus.
Because that ultrasound found an unexpected feature underground, further investigation is required to determine if there’s an earthquake risk.
Next steps: Dig a trench?
Now, the school district must pay for a large trench to be dug at the campus if it still wishes to remodel the campus as promised.
The trench would allow the district to better determine what the “anomalous feature” is, and what kind of earthquake retrofits may be needed to successfully rebuild the Georgia Brown campus.
It’s likely the trench-digging work would take more than a month to complete, the district said.
The work would not begin unless the board of trustees approves the expenditure.
In a meeting on Tuesday evening, the board will hear an update on the seismic issues under Georgia Brown Elementary.
The school district administration has recommended the board schedule a special meeting in August to discuss the next steps for the campus.
This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 4:22 PM.
