Limerick Avenue Elementary School Classroom Replacement

Relocatable classroom replacement projects will reduce LA Unified’s reliance on relocatable buildings, restore play space, increase green schoolyards, eliminate health and safety concerns, and/or reduce Maintenance and Operations costs. Limerick ES was prioritized due to the site wide reliance on relocatable classroom buildings that are not certified by Division of State Architect (DSA). The Project will remove aging relocatable buildings at Limerick ES, which includes 23 relocatable buildings, 19 of which are not certified by DSA, containing 42 classrooms and support spaces. To replace them, the Project will construct a new two-story classroom building consisting of 29 classrooms and support and administrative spaces. Site improvements include new parking, utility upgrades, new playground areas, new track with turf, outdoor learning environments, landscaping, hardscaping, fencing and gates, security enhancements, and accessibility upgrades; exterior painting of existing buildings and structures; and interim facilities necessary to support school programs during construction (Figure 1). The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education approved the Project's budget of $122,584,000 on June 4, 2024. The Project also entails the implementation of a cleanup plan for arsenic impacted soil, which includes excavation and disposal of impacted soil located in a portion of the construction area of the Project. The soil cleanup portion of the Classroom Replacement Project is estimated to cost approximately $654,630. Soil sampling was performed as part of the Preliminary Environmental Assessment Equivalent (PEA-E) and Soil Management Plan (SMP) to address compliance with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Arsenic was reported in soil samples above the Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) upper bound estimate (95th percentile) for background concentration for southern California of 12 milligrams per kilograms (mg/kg). A complete copy of the report for this investigation is included in the PEA-E and SMP. This SMP was prepared to describe the procedure for removing the soil with elevated arsenic concentrations to below the DTSC background concentration in the paved areas and unpaved areas of the school. Based on site characterization data, the SMP includes the following elements: • Excavation and off-site disposal of soils with arsenic concentrations =12 milligrams per kilogram from eight Areas of Concern (AOCs). • Excavation of soil to a depth of 1-2 feet below ground surface, depending on the AOC. • Additional excavation of impacted soil from tree wells to a depth of approximately one foot or a feasible depth that does not compromise the health of the trees. • Verification sampling of excavation areas to confirm arsenic-impacted soil has been removed. • After confirmation sample results confirm the remedial goals, excavation areas will be graded or backfilled with clean fill material. The SMP identifies best management practices designed to limit potential short-term risks (e.g., the exposure of students, staff, and onsite workers to chemical of concerns during soil excavation activities) through the proper use of institutional controls, such as engineering controls, security measures, personal protective equipment (PPE), and adherence to established health and safety procedures, including the application of water spray to suppress fugitive dust emissions during the excavation, the proper handling, transportation and disposal of impacted soil, and enforcing speed limits at the Project site. All soil removal activities will follow generally acceptable practices, institutional controls, and State, federal, and local agency guidelines, including, but not limited to, those of the: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SCAQMD, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)/National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Regional Water Quality Control Board. Soil removal will occur when students and staff are off campus. The Project will be implemented per all applicable State, federal, and local regulations, as well as all District Standards and Specifications; such as those provided in the updated Standard Conditions of Approval for District Construction, Upgrade, and Improvements Projects (SCs) as adopted by the Board of Education in December 2023. LAUSD’s SCs, design guidelines, and best management practices are designed to be incorporated into the Project design in order to avoid or limit potential adverse impacts associated with the District’s projects. The beneficiaries of this Project are the Limerick ES students, faculty, staff, families, school supporters, and the community at large who may request access to the facilities and grounds of the Campus pursuant to the Civic Center Act (CA Ed. Code Sections 38130 - 38139).