The fate of a 22-acre empty lot in Moorpark that was identified as the site for a new school is still unresolved. 

The Moorpark Unified School District board met Tuesday in closed session where members discussed terms of a parcel in the Moorpark Highlands development just north of Charles Street.

The five-member board made no decision during closed session, leaving more than 550 residents in the Highlands development wondering if they will eventually see a new school in their neighborhood, or be reimbursed for annual assessment fees they have paid for a bond toward the project.

In open session, Superintendent Ellen Smith told about 90 people who gathered at Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology's auditorium that declining enrollment has made a new school unnecessary.

"I've been around the district quite some time and seen many changes in schools," Smith said. "We have the steepest decline (in enrollment) in three years." 

Highlands development homeowners who were at Tuesday's meeting said they moved into the neighborhood and agreed to pay $5,300 in annual assessment fees for a $38 million bond that would be used toward purchasing land for the new school.

Under the agreement, about 45 percent of the Community Facilities District (Mello-Roos) bond was to be used to purchase the land from Pardee Homes.  

The city of Moorpark oversees the bond. Smith said the city will not release the bond to the district unless a final decision is made on what to do with the property.

When the agreement was struck among the school district, Pardee Homes and the city of Moorpark in 2004, Smith said enrollment was at its peak at 7,700 to 7,800 students.  

This year, there are about 7,200 students in the district. 

Smith said the district has several options. The district, Pardee Homes and the city of Moorpark can renegotiate or cancel the agreement; the district can purchase the land and consider selling the property at a later time or the district can immediately sell the property.

Parent Jennifer Standage asked the board members to think carefully about their decisions.

"Having a school was one of the reasons why I moved here and now we are not going to have that," Standage said. "It's devastating, but it's still our money that will be used to buy a dirt lot. Please don't buy this land because there is no need (for a school)." 

Others who spoke during the meeting posed several questions to the board, including who will maintain the parcel and what will be the cost to maintain the land. 

Board president David Pollock said the district is working hard to address residents' concerns 

"We have a legal contract to purchase that property and we do have your interest at heart," Pollock said.