Residents near one site being considered for a Castaic high school say they’ll sue the William S. Hart Union High School District if it tries to locate the school there.

Many are worried that building a high school near Sloan Canyon Road between Hillcrest Parkway and Hasley Canyon Road could cause flooding, threaten oak trees and destroy the rural, equestrian community, said attorney Hunt Braly, who is representing the residents.

He added many residents might want a high school, but the location where his clients live poses too many problems.

Hart district officials said they recognize the concerns but still hope to open the long-awaited high school at one of two proposed sites by 2013.

The land near Sloan Canyon Road proposed for a high school is owned by the SCV Facilities Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps the Hart district purchase land and build schools. The other proposed site is in Romero Canyon and owned by an individual.

“It’s a potential issue anytime we have to locate a school where homes already exist,” said Hart district spokeswoman Pat Willett.

The district typically builds schools before houses are constructed, eliminating any resident concerns about school locations, Willett said.

The Castaic community does not have a high school; students living in Castaic commute to Valencia and West Ranch high schools.

For about a decade, the Hart district — which governs all public junior high and high schools in the Santa Clarita Valley — has gone through a list of possible sites.

The proposed high school  seemed to get a boost in 2008 when voters passed Measure SA, a $300 million construction bond, on the promise that a chunk of the money would go toward the long-awaited Castaic high school.

Willett said she could not comment about the threat of lawsuits, but the district has not made a final decision on a site.

The Hart district plans in-depth reports on each site to understand any “fatal flaws” that could knock one location out of the running.

Last month, Braly sent a letter to the district and its board members.

“I am writing to you to inform the William S. Hart Union High School District of the unwillingess of a significant number of property owners on Sloan Canyon Road to offer (to) sell any portion of their property for use by the district for any purpose, including the public roadway necessary to build the proposed Hasley/Sloan Castaic High School,” the letter reads.

“As a result, the district will only be able to acquire these necessary properties through eminent domain proceedings, which each of these property owners will strenuously oppose using all legal remedies at their disposal.”

The letter and comments from concerned residents were meant to put the district “on notice” about the potential problems if they choose the Hasley/Sloan site, Braly said.

“It’s not going to be a friendly acquisition,” he said.

Many of the residents fought the Hart district seven years ago when Hasley/Sloan was originally considered for the school.

Board President Paul Strickland said he’s concerned by the comments but remains focused on a school.

“The board and the district are at the point where we want to get that school built,” Strickland said. “We have to identify the site and build the school as quickly as possible.”