Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

SE-23-10-079 — Christoper Mills for Windermere High School

Request: Amendment to a Special Exception in the R-CE Zoning district to allow the construction of an on-site stadium for an existing public school. BOARD-CALLED ON 9/26/23

Decision: Approved

Hearing: SYNOPSIS: Staff described the proposal, including the existing site improvements and the proposed site modifications, the location of the property, the site plan, landscape plan, and photos of the site. Staff provided an analysis of the six (6) Special Exception criteria and the reasons for a recommendation for approval. Staff noted that 80 comments were received in support of the request and 21 comments were received in opposition. The applicant team provided a detailed Power Point presentation, including proposed stadium improvements with proposed lighting, noise mitigation and landscape improvements, the location of the offsite stadium at Scott Pine Park and the parking and safety issues at that location, and the need for the onsite stadium. There were 9 in attendance to speak in favor and 1 in attendance to speak in opposition to the request. The BZA discussed the need for the onsite stadium, citing the cost and expense it takes to shuttle between game days and unanimously recommended approval of the Amendment to the Special Exception by a 5-0 vote, with 1 vacant and 1 abstention, subject to Conditions #1 through #5, the addition of a new Condition #6, which states " Stadium lighting for the football/ sports field shall not exceed eighty feet (80') in height above ¿nished grade and shall incorporate ¿¿me controls to automatically turno¿ for sports/band practice no later than 8:00 p.m. daily. For sporting events, the stadium lighting shall be turned o¿ pursuant to condition 13_or as soon as the event has concluded, the stadium has been cleared, and any required clean-up has occurred, whichever is earlier. For non-school related functions and events, stadium lighting shall be turned o¿ no later than 8:30 p.m. to allow for post-event stadium cleaning. Parking lot lighting shall not exceed thirty feet (30¿) in height above ¿nished grade and include full cuto¿ ¿at lenses. All such parking lot lighting shall comply with requirements of the Orange County exterior li