Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

SE-02-11-089 — Pine Hills Seventh Day Adventist Church

Request: Special Exception in A-2 zone to construct new school building for up to 150 students grades K-8 and to allow school use. (NOTE: Applicant wants to relocate existing day school inside proposed new building).

Decision: Denied

Hearing: The Staff Report and Recommendation is located on Pages_____. Staff presented its findings, which addressed location and parking issues, traffic impacts, aesthetics, and buffers. The applicant wants to construct a new school building behind the existing school building. They also want to increase the student body from 95 students to 150 students. Staff informed the BZA the existing school did not receive special exception approval. The applicant gave his presentation. He felt the request was reasonable and had few impacts to the surrounding area. The applicant could not respond to the question of why they have been operating a private school without special exception approval. They informed the BZA their present student body was 100 children grades K-8. Nine (9) surrounding homeowners spoke in opposition. They felt the present uses on site have disrupted their neighborhood, especially in terms of noise, privacy, unauthorized parking and civility. Staff received 20 commentaries in opposition and none in favor.