ORANGE

Officials with the Oakridge private elementary school will lease a 10-acre site in Irvine next year while looking for an alternative site for their nondenominational K-8 school. School officials are still reeling from last week’s 5-0 vote by the Orange City Council to condemn the 15-acre property they purchased June 21 for $1.1 million from developer Beazer Homes for the school’s relocation from Tustin. “I understand and accept the process” of condemnation, Patricia Burry, school director, said Tuesday. “All I ask is for fair market value of the property.”

The city--which is woefully short of park space--exercised its legal right last week to take the land by eminent domain to build an estimated $6.1-million sports park. As envisioned, the park--at Prospect and Springs streets--would have five lighted soccer fields and a 23,500-square-foot gymnasium and community center.