The Tahoma School District cleared one more hurdle in the process of building a new high school.

The King County Council Budget and Fiscal Management Committee unanimously sent a recommendation to the County Council to pass an ordinance authorizing the sale of a  part of the Summit Pit or Donut Hole property to the school district.

The ordinance would sell 35 of the 156 acres of the county property to the school district for a new high school, athletic fields and some parking lots.

The legislation was introduced by King County Councilman Reagun Dunn who represents the school district and Maple Valley area on the council.

“This legislation is one step closer to final action by the County Council,” Dunn said in a release. “Once passed, it will help pave the way to fulfilling the will of the voters in the Tahoma School District to begin construction of a much needed new high school. I will continue to work with my colleagues on the council to insure its timely passage.”

The ordinance is expected to move to the full council for consideration at the Sept. 29 meeting.

Kevin Patterson, spokesman for the Tahoma School District, said the ordinance and sale of the property is, “the lynchpin so we can proceed and stay on schedule.”

Along with the 35 acres the county owns, the school district is in the  process of negotiating with Maple Valley to purchase 20 acres owned by the city adjacent to Donut Hole. The district would build joint-use athletic fields and more parking.

According to Patterson there is room for student parking on the 35 acres, but the additional 20 acres would be used for faculty and visitor parking and a bus loop drop-off.

Patterson said the plan is to have the property purchases completed no later than the end of the year and break ground in the spring.

“We greatly appreciate the committee’s action today to move the proposed property sale forward to the full council,” Tahoma School District Superintendent Rob Morrow said in the county release. “The new high school at Summit Pit is critical to the district’s ability to provide needed student capacity and to do so in a central location desired by our community.”

Morrow said he hopes the county sale can be competed by mid-November.

The district would utilize district funds and a contribution from the state of Washington to meet the $9 million purchase price.

The price tag for the 20 acres of city property has not been released.