Title:
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Master’s Academy Special Exception Amendment - Consider an amendment to an existing private school Special Exception to allow three (3) existing temporary portables for permanent placement located at 1500 Lukas Lane, Oviedo, in the A-1 (Agriculture) district; BS2024-01 (McCree Construction, Applicant) District1 - Dallari (Kathy Hammel, Principal Planner)
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Department/Division:
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Development Services - Planning and Development
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Authorized By:
Dale Hall
Contact/Phone Number:
Kathy Hammel (407) 665-7389
Background:
The Applicant is requesting an amendment to an existing private school (Master’s Academy) Special Exception to allow permanent placement of three (3) portable buildings on the subject property. The three (3) portables were approved in 2021 as temporary structures for six (6) months. The applicant would like to change the portables from a temporary use to permanent use, therefore an amendment to the Special Exception is required.
The addition of the portable classrooms will not increase the allowable number of students (1,200) or the number of staff.
The Master’s Academy Special Exception was approved on July 27, 1998, for a middle and high school. In 2018, an amendment was approved to the Special Exception to replace two existing portable classrooms with one classroom building and two (2) administration buildings. The existing total area of the buildings at the campus is 162,560 square feet and the proposed permanent portable classrooms total 2,592 square feet, which would only be a 1.59 percent (1.59%) increase of permanent buildings square footage.
Staff Findings:
As provided for in Section 30.3.1.5 of the Land Development Code of Seminole County, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall hold a public hearing to consider a proposed Special Exception and submit in writing its recommendations on the proposed action and if the Special Exception should be denied or granted with appropriate conditions and safeguards to the Board of County Commissioners for official action. After review of an application and a public hearing thereon, with due public notice, the Board of County Commissioners may allow the amendment of the Special Exception; provided, however, that said Board must first make a determination that the use requested:
IS NOT DETRIMENTAL TO THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA OR NEIGHBORHOOD OR INCONSISTENT WITH TRENDS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA:
The Special Exception amendment would allow the change of three (3) temporary portable classrooms to permanent. The approximately 31-acre subject parcel is developed as an elementary, middle, and high school established by an approved Special Exception.
The Master’s Academy Campus is currently made up of athletic fields, parking facilities and several buildings. The proposed permanent portable classrooms are consistent with the established school use.
DOES NOT HAVE AN UNDULY ADVERSE EFFECT ON EXISTING TRAFFIC PATTERNS, MOVEMENTS AND VOLUMES:
The addition of three (3) portable classrooms will not increase the number of students or staff and as such, the expansion is not creating unduly adverse effects on existing traffic patterns, movements and volumes.
IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SEMINOLE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
Middle and High Schools are permitted by Special Exception in the Medium Density Residential (MDR) future land use designation; and is therefore, consistent with the Seminole County Comprehensive Plan.
MEETS ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN THE CODE SECTION AUTHORIZING THE USE IN A PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICT OR CLASSIFICATION:
i. Is consistent with the general zoning plan of the rural zoning classifications; and
ii. Is not highly intensive in nature; and
iii. Is compatible with the concept of low-density rural land use; and
iv. Has access to an adequate level of public services such as sewer, water, police, fire, schools and related services.
The Master’s Academy Campus is bounded by Home Depot on the northeast, Lukas Nursery on east, SR 417 on the west, and agricultural property on the south side across Slavia Road. The expansion of the school will not impact the existing school use on the neighboring properties.
The existing trend of development of the area is agricultural, residential, and commercial uses. The Master’s Academy has been established since 1998 and the proposed expansion of the school will not increase the number of students or adversely impact the surrounding properties; therefore, the proposed expansion to the Master’s Academy site plan is in character with existing uses and compatible with the trend of development of the area. The subject property is serviced by Seminole County Water and Sewer.
Sec. 30.124 (b)(4) of the Land Development Code of Seminole County identifies public and private nursery schools, kindergartens, middle schools, high schools, and colleges as Special Exception uses in the A-1 zoning category.
WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST:
The Master’s Academy school has operated on this site for over two decades and the permanent placement of three (3) existing portables would not change the primary function of the campus, nor its relationship to the surrounding area. The campus is not out of character with the surrounding uses; therefore, the granting of the subject Special Exception will not adversely affect the public interest.
Requested Action:
Staff requests that the Board of County Commissioners approve the Special Exception Amendment and associated Development Order for permanent placement of three (3) portable classrooms in the A-1 zoning district on 30.79 acres.