CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad Unified School District has submitted plans to upgrade the Pacific Rim Elementary School campus, including new classroom facilities, a solar canopy and a battery energy storage system.
The district submitted a Coastal Development Permit application to the city in February and mailed public notices to surrounding property owners on May 11, according to city spokesperson Sarah Lemons.
Public school projects are generally required to obtain permits from the California Division of the State Architect. However, because the Pacific Rim campus is within the coastal zone, the project must first receive a Coastal Development Permit from the city.
Lemons said the city anticipates the project will require a public hearing before the Planning Commission, which is expected to act as the decision-maker in January 2027 if the review process remains on schedule.
The proposed improvements include construction of a solar canopy and a battery energy storage system, or BESS, on the east side of the campus near a bend in Solandra Drive.
Lemons said the solar canopy is expected to have a capacity of about 25 kilowatts. The battery energy storage system would be between the size of a refrigerator and a small shed.
The proposed BESS has prompted questions from residents in the neighboring Mariners Point community, who expressed concerns about the use of lithium-ion batteries, potential fire risks, cooling fan noise, emergency access, proximity to classrooms and homes, and the possibility of thermal runaway or smoke affecting nearby neighborhoods.
Residents discussed concerns within their homeowners association and in email communications with Ryan Murphy of Carlsbad Unified, which were obtained by The Coast News.
In written responses, Murphy told concerned residents that the free-standing battery unit, approximately 82.7 inches long, 51.18 inches wide and 97.05 inches tall, would be located 11 feet from the nearest classroom, 11 feet from the adjacent retaining wall and fence, 19 feet from a second retaining wall and approximately 60 feet from the nearest property line.
Murphy said the BESS uses lithium iron phosphate batteries and generates 70 decibels of sound, but noise levels would decrease to roughly 35 decibels at the nearest backyard — quieter than a normal conversation.
The unit includes an integrated fire suppression system, active cooling system, battery management system and overcurrent protection, Murphy said. The equipment will be enclosed by fencing and was reviewed and approved through the Division of the State Architect plan review process, including coordination with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and other agencies.
Murphy told residents that several alternative campus locations were studied during the design process and that he would ask the design team to re-examine other possible options. The current location, however, meets state building and fire codes, provides required setbacks and emergency access, and is protected from vehicle impacts.
The overall project includes a combination of new construction and demolition. Plans call for the removal of 11 portable classroom buildings and demolition of one shade structure.
The district also plans to construct a 12,220-square-foot classroom building connected to an existing 1,920-square-foot structure beneath a continuous roof. According to Lemons, the new building would stand about 19.5 feet tall.
A separate 3,360-square-foot modular classroom building would house a child care program and an additional music classroom.
Additional improvements include the installation of a stormwater treatment system, the resurfacing and restriping of asphalt play areas, the replacement of landscaping and interior classroom upgrades.
