Maintenance & Operations Building Project | Important Message to Our Community

Posted Date: 04/28/26 (04:00 PM)

Your Voice Matters

The Huntington Beach City Council has scheduled the M&O Building appeal for:

Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 6:00 PM | City Council Chambers | 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach

City Council Member Andrew Gruel has appealed a project that was reviewed and approved by the City's Zoning Administrator and Planning Commission. We need our community to show up and send a message: our students deserve properly maintained schools, and our team deserves a safe, permanent place to store the tools and materials required to make that happen. Every continued delay drains resources meant for our students' education.

You can take action in one or both of the following ways:

Option 1 — Attend the City Council Meeting

Your presence matters. Join us on May 5 at 6:00 PM at City Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street. If you wish to speak, you will have the opportunity to provide public comment in support of the project.

Option 2 — Email the City Council

You can send an email asking the full City Council to uphold the Planning Commission's 6–1 approval at City.Council@surfcity-hb.org.

This project has been reviewed, studied, and approved twice, yet the delays in approval continue to cost our community money that should go toward students.

Misconceptions vs. Facts

MISCONCEPTION	FACT
✗ This will bring constant noise, traffic, and industrial activity to a quiet neighborhood.	✓ The M&O team already operates from this site, currently outdoors in a parking lot. Moving indoors will reduce noise.
✗ The District didn't explore other locations.	✓ The District spent more than five years working with the City of Huntington Beach, OCTA, neighboring school districts, local realtors, and private landowners to find an alternative site.
✗ This hasn't gone through proper review.	✓ This project has completed CEQA review, been approved at every level of City review, by the Zoning Administrator, and approved 6–1 by the Planning Commission. It meets all applicable City requirements.
✗ The building will be a large, industrial eyesore.	✓ The building is a 7,500 sq. ft. structure built to City standards with design review-approved materials. It includes enhanced features such as insulation for sound, a block wall to separate it from neighboring properties, and landscaping to soften its appearance.
✗ The school district shouldn't be building here at all.	✓ The District Office has operated here for years. This purpose-built support facility is designed to help maintain safe schools for 4,500+ students.
✗ The area is not zoned for an industrial building	✓ The building fits the existing zoning for this property without requiring any changes, which is why it has been reviewed, studied, and approved twice.

What This Building Actually Is

The M&O building will mainly function as a storage facility and office. It will house the tools, supplies, and materials our team needs to maintain our schools, and provide space for staff to coordinate, plan, and complete administrative work before heading out to our campuses, where the work happens. Much like when you hire a contractor at your house, the work is primarily completed at our schools. We cannot mow the grass, replace light fixtures, or change carpet in a building.

Our M&O team is the backbone of everything that takes place on our campuses. During the school day, they keep classrooms safe and functional, handling HVAC, grounds, plumbing, and electrical needs. Beyond the school day, they maintain fields and facilities for local community organizations, support evening and weekend events, and enable our schools to serve the broader Huntington Beach community. This building simply gives them a proper home base to do all of that more efficiently.

For more information on the project, visit the Maintenance & Operations Building Project webpage. The District remains committed to working with our community on this project and will continue to provide updates as they become available.

[Tuesday, Apr 28 at 4:36 PM]
Correction: The Huntington Beach City Council meeting is Tuesday, May 5, 2026. We apologize for any confusion.