SOUTHWEST FORSYTH -- As Forsyth County’s newest high school becomes a reality, county officials are working out uses for the surrounding area.
At a work session on Tuesday, commissioners approved two agreements and discussed another with the Forsyth County Board of Education regarding Denmark High School, which is set to open in fall 2018.
Commissioners unanimously approved agreements on a practice field and the purchase of part of the school property for county uses and will take future action on possibly renting part of the property and moving the Denmark House, the practice of school namesake Dr. Leila Denmark.
Located on 100-plus acres at 645 Mullinax Road between Mullinax and Fowler roads, Denmark will be the county’s sixth brick-and-mortor public high school. Ground broke on the project in May.
County Attorney Ken Jarrard said the agreement for the field would be similar to an agreement for practice fields at another high school.
“It’s very similar to the current prior deal the county had done involving Lambert,” Jarrard said. “The county will purchase synthetic turf for a practice field in exchange for use of that field on defined nights and weekends.”
District 2 Commissioner Brian Tam said the agreement with Lambert has been popular.
“You drive by it every day until the lights go out and there’s people on that field,” he said.
Under the agreement, the county’s cost is capped at $495,000, and when in the county’s use will be administered by the county’s parks department.
The school board will be responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance and purchase and installation of the field.
The agreement will include lights, parking and bathrooms and is effective for 10 years. Work must be completed before July 1, 2018.
The second approved agreement was for the purchase of 9.5 acres on the south side of the school for county uses, which has been proposed as use for a new library and sheriff’s precinct. The county will pay $1,026,000 for the property.
The county will also lease .5 acres on the site for the Denmark House, which will need to be moved from a nearby area.
If approved, costs of the property will be handled by county sewer tap fee abatement for the school board. Commissioners will take action on Dec. 6.
Movement of the house would be handled by Lennar Homes, which is developing the property where it currently sits, and District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent said there was community support for the project.
“They said they will pay for the move and another group says they help collect money to rebuild back and freshen it up and fence it and all that stuff,” Levent said, “but they don’t want to do anything or create an LLC until this is done.”