Lutz Lake Fern Road

Charter school on Sunlake scrapped

September 9, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When a proposed charter school at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard was announced, opponents rallied against the proposal.

They said the proposed school was too big for the location.

They predicted it would ruin the quiet enjoyment of their residential properties.

They complained about the traffic the school would generate and the ensuing hazards, and they also objected to the noise and fumes the school would bring.

Potential flooding was another big issue.

Joe and Pat Serio, would-be next-door neighbors to a proposed charter school in Lutz, are delighted that plans for building the school have been dropped. (File Photo) — Joe and Pat Serio, would-be next-door neighbors to a proposed charter school in Lutz, are delighted that plans for building the school have been dropped.
(File Photo)

But county planners gave the proposal a recommendation for approval, provided the school complied with a lengthy list of conditions.

A county hearing officer agreed with county staff and gave the project his stamp of approval.

Opponents felt dejected.

But now, the charter school plans at that location are being scrapped.

The applicant for the special use permit was Charter Schools Inc., of Boca Raton, and the school operator would have been Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables.

The school would have been for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and would have been built in two phases.

But, those plans have been dropped.

It turns out that the applicants decided to drop the plan for a number of reasons, including the fact that it costs too much to meet the requirements, their representative, Michael Horner, said in a letter to the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

The coalition joined area residents to fight the proposed school.

The coalition doesn’t oppose schools — but it objects to attempts to squeeze schools onto sites that are two small, or that would pose traffic hazards or other concerns, said Mike White, who is the founder and president of the citizens’ group.

White learned that the school would be scrapped through Horner’s letter.

White shared Horner’s letter in an email to coalition members and other interested parties.

In part, Horner wrote: “Mike (White), I was informed by a county staff member this morning that there are still discussions and meetings ongoing regarding this prior approved charter school and I thought I should respond.

“Our clients have decided to drop this charter school for a number of reasons, not the least of which is land cost and significant costs for the required roadway improvements which were extremely high.

“This parcel will now most likely be pursued for residential use and the current owners are exploring those opportunities given the unreasonable low-density classification on site compared to surrounding parcels.

“While a charter school may be pursued in this general area on another parcel, it will not be on this corner.”

In passing along Horner’s letter, White also noted, “I think I would call this a victory for the Sunlake community.”

White believes the work the community did to push for conditions to address the school’s impacts resulted in the applicants pulling out.

“We knew that it was going to be very costly,” White said.

Pat Serio and her husband, Joe, who live next to the proposed school site, agreed with that assessment.

They are grateful to the people who collected petitions, attended public meetings and voiced their concerns about the project.

“We’re ecstatic,” Joe Serio said.

“Needless to say, we’re very pleased that it’s not happening,” Pat Serio added.

“There are a lot of other things that would be more suitable (on that property),” she said.

Published September 9, 2015

Upper Tampa Bay Trail ties into Suncoast Trail

August 5, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Editor’s Note: Due to heavy rain and flooding, Hillsborough County officials had to postpone the opening of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail. The ribbon cutting, which had been scheduled for Aug. 7, will be re-scheduled for a later date. Notice of the cancellation was received after the publication deadline for The Laker/Lutz News.

Nature will be an up-close experience for strollers, joggers, skaters and cyclists as they navigate along the newest and most northern segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail.

Workers are finishing the landscape at the new trailhead facility for Upper Tampa Bay Trail. There will be restrooms, ample parking and a covered picnic pavilion. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Workers are finishing the landscape at the new trailhead facility for Upper Tampa Bay Trail. There will be restrooms, ample parking and a covered picnic pavilion.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Nearly 3 miles of the more than 4-mile trail segment cuts through Brooker Creek Preserve in Hillsborough County, between Lutz Lake Fern Road and Van Dyke Road.

The ribbon cutting for the $5.6 million project will be Aug. 7 at 10 a.m., at the new trailhead facility at 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road. Funding came from Hillsborough, South West Florida Water Management District (known as Swiftmud), and a federal grant provided by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“It’s going to be a beautiful trail,” said Tina Russo, Hillsborough’s regional planning coordinator. “It’s really awesome. This is such a unique experience being in the preserve.”

It also is a unique design for Hillsborough.

The 12-foot asphalt path, with three concrete boardwalks through wetlands, is the county’s first paved multi-use trail through a preserve.

Construction of the newest, northern segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail in Hillsborough County began in March. When the trail opens on Aug. 7, it will link with Suncoast Trail in Pasco County

The trail also is another link in a master plan to create a regional trail system, and a statewide system.

The trailhead at Lutz Lake can be a starting point south toward Van Dyke or northeast to the Suncoast Trail in Pasco County. The new facility has a covered picnic pavilion, restrooms and ample parking.

Suncoast is a 42-mile trail that runs from Hillsborough through Pasco and to Hernando County.

“I think we’re all looking forward to these types of amenities,” said James Edwards, Pasco’s transportation planning manager.

Construction of the path followed an eco-friendly design with much of the trail at grade level to allow for natural water run-off.

Along the trail there are narrower, unpaved walkways into conservation areas. Russo said bicycle racks would be provided.

She envisions the trail as a two-for-one deal, because it will appeal to local residents who want to enjoy the preserve. But, it will also have regional appeal for hikers and cyclists who enjoy combining Upper Tampa Bay and Suncoast trails for longer distances.

Trails aren’t only for recreation.

Commuters like them as well especially as the systems expand, Russo said.

Plans are under way to extend Suncoast. Hillsborough is hoping to fill in a gap between Van Dyke and a trailhead at Peterson Park that links the Upper Tampa Bay Trail with Town ‘N Country. The nearby Courtney Campbell Trail links Tampa and Clearwater. Eventually the trails through Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco could hit the 100-mile mark, Russo said.

Transportation planning and traffic studies are looking at ways to increase commuting options with park-ride facilities and public transit tied into trails.

“It’s a lot about transit and trails,” she said.

Published August 5, 2015

Hearing officer approves Lutz charter school

April 15, 2015 By B.C. Manion

A proposed charter school in Lutz has received approval, despite objections from nearby residents, homeowner associations and community organizations.

Land use hearing officer James Scarola approved a special use permit for the Tampa Academy of Math and Science, a charter school for up to 870 kindergarteners through eighth-graders.

In his April 6 decision, Scarola found that the request complies with the county’s land development code and the Hillsborough County’s comprehensive plan.

The ruling will stand, unless an appeal is filed with the county’s Appeals Board.

Plans call for the charter school to occupy 7.46 acres of an 8.45-acre tract, on the west side of Sunlake Boulevard, just south of Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The remaining acre is being reserved for a future development.

Besides clearing the way for the school, Scarola also approved a request to waive buffer requirements between the school and the remnant 1-acre parcel.

The applicants — Charter Schools Properties Inc., and Charter Schools Associates Inc. — scaled down their original request for a school for more than 1,000 students. They also agreed to numerous conditions addressing transportation issues, building height, buffering, phasing of development, placement of the school buildings, and the outdoor play area. They also must turn off outdoor lights by 9 p.m.

Phase one plans call for a two-story classroom building, with 33 classrooms for a maximum of 670 students.

Phase two, which is contingent upon an additional traffic analysis, would serve 200 students, in 11 classrooms, in another two-story building.

Both classroom buildings will be situated near Sunlake Boulevard.

Access to the site will be from one driveway on Lutz Lake Fern Road, which will be a right in/right out only, and two driveways on Sunlake Boulevard. One of those driveways would be right in/right out only, and the other would be right out only.

The applicant has agreed to build new right-turn lanes and a new U-turn lane in conjunction with the project.

Opponents have objected for months about the traffic the school would generate. They also have expressed concerns about potential flooding, fumes from vehicle exhausts and noise from outdoor activities.

County planners recommended approval of the request, with conditions, and staff from the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission did not object.

During the hearing, Tom Hiznay, a county planner, told Scarola that the site’s design, along with conditions for approval, provides “sensitivity to surrounding uses.”

But Jay Bockisch, a traffic engineer, speaking on behalf of the opponents, characterized the proposed use as “an intense traffic generator” that would have the same kind of traffic impacts as a regional mall, four Publix shopping centers, or the tallest office building in downtown Tampa.

“This is not a transitional land use,” Bockisch said. “We have safety concerns.”

Pat and Joe Serio, who live directly behind the proposed school, voiced strenuous objections to the hearing officer’s decision.

“We were very disappointed, but hardly surprised,” Pat Serio said, in an email.

“It was a totally uphill battle on our part, the most immediate and most impacted residents, neighbors and citizens of Lutz and Hillsborough County and others who will have to live with the consequences of this ill-conceived project and deal with the traffic issues on a daily basis whether commuting or delivering children to and from the numerous already existing area schools,” she wrote.

She also noted that she and her husband were disappointed that county commissioners did not respond when they reached out to them regarding concerns about the school.

“Once again, the Lutz Comprehensive Plan was ignored and the decades’ long efforts by the residents to keep Lutz quasi-rural have been for naught,” she added.

Joe Serio, also via email, said the hearing officer ignored testimony by a traffic expert representing the opponents.

The hearing officer also disregarded testimony at the hearing that “clearly showed the violation of the Lutz Community Plan,” he added.

A brochure for the Tampa Academy of Math and Science says the school is planning to open in the 2016 school year. It plans to focus on science, technology, engineering and math and will use hands-on learning and a solid foundation in core disciplines.

To find out more about the school or for early enrollment inquiries, email , or visit CharterSchoolAssociates.com.

Published April 15, 2015

Sunlake extension offers new route for drivers

April 1, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The blockades disappeared a few weeks ago, and suddenly Sunlake Boulevard was no longer a dead-end street at the construction site of Long Lake Ranch, the master-planned community south of State Road 54.

Motorists slowly are beginning to realize they can travel in a mostly straight line from State Road 54 in Pasco County to North Dale Mabry Highway in Hillsborough County, with a bonus of bypassing the traffic-clogged intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo) — Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Portions of the approximately 3-mile stretch provide a smooth, four-lane road for drivers, with a roundabout in the middle.

The road narrows to two lanes soon after passing Long Lake’s entrance. Varying speed limits are posted along the journey toward Hillsborough County, with the slowest speed of 20 mph through the roundabout.

At the southern end, Sunlake Boulevard enters Sunlake Park, a mature tree-lined neighborhood of 36 single-family homes, built in the 1960s. A series of three speed bumps and a speed limit of 25 mph keep speeders at bay.

“It’s convenient to drivers,” said Melissa Greene, commenting on the Sunlake Boulevard connection. She recently was waiting in mid-afternoon at the intersection of the boulevard and Evergreen Oak Drive for a Hillsborough County school bus to drop off her son.

But Greene and other parents at the school bus stop say they also worry about speeding motorists, increased traffic especially during rush hours, and confusing speed limits that change from one side of the road to the other.

They would like speed bumps similar to those in Sunlake Park.

“I don’t know if that would happen because there are no houses on every section of road,” Greene said. “It would be nice. It would slow people down.”

She also would like to see school buses drive into the subdivisions dotting the boulevard, but Greene said that might not happen.

Still Greene said, “We see drivers fly by here.”

The roundabout also is troublesome to some who worry about accidents as motorists approach and leave the traffic circle.

Heading south toward the roundabout, speed limits drop from 35 mph to 30 mph. On the opposite side on the same stretch of roadway, heading northward, speed limits bump up from 35 mph to 45 mph.

It’s confusing to drivers,” said Jennifer Todd, who waited with Greene for the school bus.

The sequence of speed limits meets national standards for road design for roundabouts, said Deborah Bolduc, Pasco County’s program administrator for engineering services. “It’s for safety reasons,” she said. “It’s supposed to do that.”

Hillsborough and Pasco signed off on the project, but Amprop Development Corp., did the road design and construction to extend Sunlake Boulevard. The company developed the Shoppes at Sunlake Centre on the north side of State Road 54, at Sunlake Boulevard. It also sold land to T. Rowe Price at the southwest corner of the intersection. However, the financial investment firm backed away from plans to build a campus there.

Making Sunlake Boulevard into a connector route has been part of long-range planning for decades, said Hillsborough County engineer Mike Williams. “As you make additional connections, it helps facilitate the distribution of traffic in the area.”

Heavily traveled North Dale Mabry Highway and U.S. 41 are expected to see some traffic diverted to the boulevard, but area residents say traffic congestion in their neighborhoods will only get worse — especially at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard, and at the left-turn lane off North Dale Mabry Highway, near a 7-Eleven convenience store.

“That backs up pretty far, “ Greene said, describing the traffic at those intersections.

Published April 1, 2015

Competing interests at Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern

March 25, 2015 By B.C. Manion

James Scarola is deliberating the future of a parcel at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Applicants for a special use permit want to use a 7.4-acre parcel to become the new home of the Tampa Academy of Math and Science, a charter school specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Ruth Gimpel Stables is next door to a proposed charter school in Lutz. Ruth Gimpel said the proposed school could destroy her livelihood. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Ruth Gimpel Stables is next door to a proposed charter school in Lutz. Ruth Gimpel said the proposed school could destroy her livelihood.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Ruth Gimpel, who owns a horse stable next door, wants Scarola to deny the request.

So do residents living west of the proposed school.

A number of organizations also have weighed in against the proposed school, including area homeowner associations, the Lutz Citizens Coalition, the Lutz Civic Association and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Clubs.

Scarola, a land-use hearing officer for Hillsborough County, had a public hearing on the request on March 16. He has 15 working days from that public hearing to issue his ruling.

Scarola has the final word on the request, unless it is challenged to the county’s Appeals Board.

Representatives for the applicants — Charter Schools Properties Inc., and Charter Schools Associates Inc., contend that conditions required by Hillsborough County staff address the proposed project’s impacts.

The applicants scaled down their original request for more than 1,000 students, to a school that now would have no more than 870 kindergarteners through eighth-graders.

As it stands now, the school would be developed in two phases, with 670 students housed in a two-story classroom building with 33 classrooms in phase one. The second phase, which is contingent upon an additional traffic analysis, would serve 200 students, in 11 classrooms, in another two-story building.

Both classroom buildings would have a maximum height of 38 feet and would be situated near Sunlake Boulevard.

The applicants have agreed to spend about $500,000 for transportation improvements, said Michael Horner, a planner representing them.

Conditions for approval also call for substantially greater buffering requirements to protect adjacent properties than is required under the county’s code, Horner said.

Michael Raysor, a traffic engineer representing the applicant, said access to the site would be one driveway on Lutz Lake Fern Road, which would be right in/right out only; and two driveways on Sunlake Boulevard. One would be right in/right out only, and the other would be right out only.

The applicant has agreed to build new right turn lanes and a new U-turn lane in conjunction with the project.

Opponents have objected for months about the traffic the school would generate, as well as expressing concerns about potential flooding, fumes from vehicle exhausts and noise from outdoor activities.

Despite those objections, the proposed use has received a recommendation for approval from county staff and garnered no objections from the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission staff.

The school is an acceptable transitional use, according to Tom Hiznay, a county planner.

The site’s design, along with the conditions for approval, provides “sensitivity to surrounding uses,” Hiznay said.

Jay Bockisch, a traffic engineer, speaking on behalf of the opponents, said the proposed school would create the same traffic impacts as a regional mall, four Publix shopping centers, or the tallest office building in downtown Tampa.

“This is not a transitional land use. This is an intense traffic generator. We have safety concerns,” Bockisch said.

The traffic waiting to get into the school’s site will cause backups on Lutz Lake Fern Road, Sunlake Boulevard and North Dale Mabry Highway, he predicted.

The backups on North Dale Mabry Highway, he said, will pose a safety nightmare.

“This is an adverse impact not only to the local community, but to the motoring public along Dale Mabry Highway.”

But Raysor said, “There are multiple safeguards written into the conditions.”

Joseph Serio, who lives directly west of the proposed school site, is concerned about potential flooding. “Where are you going to put the water from the additional highway lanes?” Serio asked.

In rebuttal, an expert representing the applicant said drainage requirements must be met.

Gimpel, of Ruth Gimpel Stables Inc., urged Scarola to deny the request. The stable, at 18920 Sunlake Blvd., has produced 75 world champions and 63 reserve champions, as well as providing fun and learning experiences for riders.

The charter school would change that, Gimpel said.

“It’ll force me to sell my farm. It would destroy my livelihood.”

Published March 25,2015

Lutz Lake Fern Road gets a smoother feel

March 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Motorists driving over the portion of Lutz Lake Fern Road from North Dale Mabry to near Oscar Cooler Sports Complex, had the sensation of driving on a washboard.

But the section heading east from that point to U.S. 41, rolled over a new, smooth road.

Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

That’s because the road was open to through traffic over the weekend, before crews went back to work this week to finish the resurfacing project.

The road resurfacing project, about 1.7 miles long, is expected to be completed by March 20, weather permitting, according to Andrea Roshaven a spokeswoman for Hillsborough County.

The project is partially due to a recently completed $5.4 million public works project to connect the Manors of Crystal Lakes subdivision to the county’s water distribution system.

The water line project affected the eastbound travel lane of Lutz Lake Fern Road, requiring it to be refurbished.

The public works department provided an additional $283,000 to refurbish the westbound travel lanes.

The project involves milling and resurfacing.

Local traffic can enter the area, but other motorists are being detoured.

The Manors of Crystal Lakes project involved 4.5 miles of pipeline to create a looped system, giving Manors of Crystal Lakes’ residents a backup, in the event of any water line breaks or disruption.

The 12-inch water pipe was installed along U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road. The new pipe also improved water flow, bringing it up to current standards for fire protection.

The biggest change for customers is that the county’s water system uses chloramines in the final disinfection stages instead of chlorine.

Customers should be aware that water that contains chloramines should not be used in home aquariums, fishponds or home kidney dialysis. Water used for those purposes should be treated or filtered to remove the chloramines.

Published March 18, 2015

Charter school public hearing is finally here

March 11, 2015 By B.C. Manion

After months of delay, a public hearing on a proposed charter school at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern and Sunlake Boulevard is slated for the evening of March 16.

The proposed Sunlake Academy has faced stiff opposition throughout the process from residents who live near the proposed school that would be built on a 7.4-acre site, as well as objections from area homeowner associations, the Lutz Citizens Coalition, the Lutz Civic Association and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Clubs.

Pat and Joe Serio, who live next to the proposed Sunlake Academy, are adamantly opposed to the school, which they say would ruin the quiet enjoyment of their property. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Pat and Joe Serio, who live next to the proposed Sunlake Academy, are adamantly opposed to the school, which they say would ruin the quiet enjoyment of their property.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Since its initial application, Charter Schools Inc., has reduced the number of students who would attend the school. The applicant also has substantially increased its proposed buffering and agreed to transportation improvements.

As the application stands now, the school would allow up to 870 kindergarten through eighth grade students, over two phases.

Changes made by the applicant don’t satisfy Pat and Joe Serio, whose property abuts the proposed school.

“We are absolutely opposed,” Pat Serio said.

Joe Serio said that he objects not only to the proposed charter school, but also to the entire process being used to consider the request.

“I look at it, at the special application, as an end-run around the zoning regulations,” Joe Serio said.

The Hillsborough County Commission adopted the Lutz Community Plan and the North Dale Mabry Corridor Plan, he said. “Now, they’re just abandoning them. They’re making a mockery of the whole process. The citizens worked hard on that,” he said.

With special use applications, a land-use hearing officer makes the final decision on a request, instead of the Hillsborough County Commission.

“We feel that we’re Ground Zero here. It is literally our backyard,” she said.

“The traffic plan doesn’t take into consideration what’s going to happen once people begin to realize the Sunlake (Boulevard) is open to Route (State Road) 54 and start using it,” Joe Serio said.

Traffic is already backing up on Lutz Lake Fern Road, as people wait to turn left to get onto Sunlake Boulevard to head over to State Road 54, he said.

The couple is also concerned about potential flooding, fumes from car emissions and noise from children playing outdoors.

“The whole process seems very tilted toward developers,” Pat Serio said.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the coalition remains opposed to the proposed school.

“It is not an appropriate transitional use,” White said. “It’s not transitional, due to the density,” he said.

Too many cars will be coming and going at peak hours, White said, adding a more appropriate use would be one which spreads the traffic throughout the business day.

Michael Horner, a professional planner representing the applicant, said in an email that his client has “worked diligently to address any and all concerns expressed by staff and the HOA/neighbors, including over a half-million dollars of roadway and other improvements, turn lanes, signal modifications, etc.”

Additionally, as a condition of approval, the applicant has agreed to spend close to $50,000 to extend a 6-foot wall across the entire western property boundary, according to Horner.

Significant setbacks and landscaping buffer are proposed as well — 10 times the buffer required by the county’s land development code, Horner added.

“Bottom line, this school is a very appropriate land use for this property,” Horner said, noting it is supported by the county’s long-range plan and land development code.

Sunlake Academy public hearing
March 16, 6 p.m.

Second floor board chambers at the Fred B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., in Tampa

Published March 11, 2015

Applicants reduce size of proposed Lutz school

February 11, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Applicants for a charter school in Lutz have reduced the proposed enrollment for the kindergarten through eighth-grade school, but opponents say it’s still too big.

Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has amended its request for a private charter school at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request. (File Photo) — The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request.
(File Photo)

The proposed charter school, Sunlake Academy, would be developed in two phases.

Initially, the applicant asked for permission for up to 1,020 kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

After significant public opposition, the request has been scaled back to a maximum of 870 students, with 670 students in phase one and 200 in phase two.

The request would be subject to the applicant’s ability to secure the necessary water and sewer permits, and would require an updated traffic analysis before the second phase would be allowed, according to revised conditions of approval provided by Michael Horner, a professional planner representing the applicant.

A public hearing on the application originally was scheduled in December, was scheduled again in January and then again in February.

Now, the hearing date is scheduled for March 16 at 6 p.m., at the Fred B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

In addition to reducing the potential enrollment, the applicant would use staggered start and dismissal times to avoid off-site traffic impacts, would provide substantially greater buffering than required by county regulations, would agree to a number of improvements to facilitate access into and out of the school site, and would meet various other conditions.

The charter school request is facing considerable opposition from area residents.

When a community meeting was held on the issue at a hall across the street from the proposed school site, more than 90 people showed up.

The meeting was primarily an opportunity for those gathered to learn how the hearing process worked and to decide whether they wanted to create a legal fund to fight the project.

After the meeting, the legal fund was created and people took to the streets to circulate petitions in neighborhoods near the proposed school.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, who has played a primary role in organizing the opposition, said that the scaled-back plans are still too intense for the location.

Horner said the delay was sought to ensure that the applicant has all of the information needed for the land use hearing master, who decides whether to approve or deny the request.

A number of area residents, community organizations and homeowner associations have gone on record against the request, sending emails to county staff, outlining their objections.

In a Dec. 23 email to the county, Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

“It is already a struggle to get out of our community morning, afternoon and evening due to a poorly built intersection at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake (Boulevard). Ever since Steinbrenner (High School), Martinez (Middle School) and McKitrick (Elementary School) have opened, it has only gotten worse,” Caroline wrote.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

White said opponents don’t object to schools, just schools that are proposed for unsuitable locations.

Published February 11, 2015

Opponents to charter school gearing up to do battle

January 15, 2015 By B.C. Manion

About 90 concerned residents turned out to a strategy meeting on Jan. 8, as opponents gear up to battle a proposed charter school for up to 1,050 kindergarten through eighth-grade students in Lutz.

Charter Schools Inc., of Boca Raton is seeking permission from Hillsborough County to allow a school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Sam Calco, a member of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the rules for public hearings on zoning and land-use issues can be confusing. He said it’s important to know the rules, so residents can protect their interests. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Sam Calco, a member of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the rules for public hearings on zoning and land-use issues can be confusing. He said it’s important to know the rules, so residents can protect their interests.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The operator of the school would be Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables, according to the application filed with Hillsborough County.

The proposed Sunlake Academy would operate on 7.46 acres. A 1-acre outparcel at the site represents a potential child care center in the future that is already permitted by existing zoning.

A public hearing on the request is set for Feb. 16. The meeting begins at 6 p.m., but the precise time this request will be heard won’t be known until that evening because there generally are a number of items on the agenda.

The hearing has already been delayed twice and there’s a chance it could be delayed again, Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition told area residents and interested parties who gathered at J.F. Swartsel Masonic Lodge, 3109 Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The application for the project shows two phases.

The first phase includes a two-story building with 33 classrooms, and the second phase calls for a two-story building with 20 classrooms.

The plans also show a storm water pond, a playground, and areas for parking for both vehicles and bicycles. Plans also call for basketball courts.

Since submitting the original plans, the applicant has revised the plans to include a number of changes, including a larger buffer area and setback from residential lots to the west of the proposed school, double tree plantings and fencing.

The plans also include revised plans regarding how vehicles will be able to get in and out of the proposed school.

Area residents and organizations have submitted letters objecting to the proposed school — citing concerns about traffic congestion, potential flooding and negative impacts on their quality of life and property values.

Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line, according to a letter objection he submitted to Hillsborough County.

Other residents are on record objecting to the size, scope and density of the project.

They note that Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern are two-lane roads and are not equipped to handle the additional traffic this project would generate.

The hearing officer must consider “substantially competent evidence” in determining whether to grant the special use permit, White said.

So, while it may feel good to complain about the potential negative impacts, it is crucial to provide the hearing officer factual data, White said.

“You don’t have to be a traffic engineer. You don’t have to be an attorney,” White said, but residents must meet certain benchmarks for their testimony to be considered by the hearing officer.

He recommended “fighting fire with fighting” and “fighting data with data” by hiring an attorney and a traffic engineer to protect opponents’ interests.

A legal defense fund has been set up to collect contributions to cover costs for an attorney and traffic engineer.

Residents also plan to fan out in their neighborhoods to collect signatures opposing the proposed charter school.

Charter school faces opposition

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Opposition is heating up against a proposed charter school for up to 1,050 elementary students in Lutz.

Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school. (File Photo) — Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school.
(File Photo)

The operator of the school would be Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables, according to the application filed with Hillsborough County.

The proposed Sunlake Academy would operate on 7.46 acres, according to Michael Horner, the applicant’s representative. A 1-acre outparcel at the site represents a potential child care center in the future that is already permitted by existing zoning, Horner said in an email.

A public hearing — initially set for Dec. 15, then delayed until Jan. 20 — has been delayed again, this time until Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.

Horner said the delay for the hearing was needed because the county requested additional traffic information, which has been completed but not yet reviewed by county staff.

Horner noted that the applicant has submitted a revised site plan that includes a number of changes, including a larger buffer area and setback from residential lots to the west of the proposed school, double tree plantings, fencing and extensive left-turn lane improvements at both entrances, in response to the county’s mandate for no direct left turns into either entrance.

The proposal now includes only U-turns at the intersection, as well as dedicated right turn lanes on both Sunlake Boulevard and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

It’s not clear whether the proposed changes will make a difference to opponents to the school, who have made it known that they are concerned about traffic congestion, potential flooding issues and negative impacts to their quality of life, as well as property values.

Opponents are planning to have an informational meeting about the proposed charter school on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., at the J.F. Swartsel Masonic Lodge, 3109 Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The application for the project shows for two phases.

The first phase includes a two-story building with 33 classrooms, and the second phase calls for a two-story building with 20 classrooms.

The plans also show a storm water pond, a playground, and areas for parking for both vehicles and bicycles. Plans also call for basketball courts.

Records submitted to Hillsborough County show that residents, area homeowner associations, The Lutz Citizens Coalition and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club oppose the request.

Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the school is being proposed in an inappropriate location.

Both Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern are two lane roads and are not equipped to handle the additional traffic this project would generate, White said.

Published January 7, 2015