LAKE MARY, Fla. – A STEM charter school in Lake Mary, Seminole Science Charter School, plans to expand. They aim to build a new 73,000-square-foot facility for middle and high school students, as the current campus serves only grades K-8. This expansion will take place near U.S. 17-92 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard.
However, more students means more challenges. Traffic, noise, and growing pains are on the minds of local residents and county officials. This week, the school’s development team presented their proposal to the Board of County Commissioners, hoping to address these concerns.
The Planning and Zoning Commission has already reviewed the project. They recommended that the school avoid connecting to nearby Pugh Street to minimize traffic effects on the Lake Mary Woods neighborhood. They also proposed a fence along the northern boundary of the new site to help create privacy for nearby homeowners.
Scott Leitner, a longtime resident of Pugh Street, voiced his worries about the expansion. He’s experienced the noise from the current school and uneasy with parents using Pugh Street as a drop-off point. “Traffic and noise have always been a concern,” he said. “It’s concerning for our safety.”
During a public comment session, residents raised issues like more noise, lost privacy, flooding risks, and growing traffic problems. Curtis Wilson, another resident, explained that traffic already spills over onto residential streets, making it dangerous for locals to exit their subdivision during school hours.
Despite the concerns, the school’s team insists they have done thorough planning. They conducted a traffic study, which has been approved by county engineers. However, Commissioner Andria Herr expressed doubts about the plan’s impact on local roads. “I struggle to see how traffic won’t get worse with this expansion,” she said.
Brent Spain, who presented the expansion plans, reassured the board that they are listening to community feedback. “Every requirement and policy is being followed,” he emphasized, noting that many residents support the school’s quality education.
Commissioner Amy Lockhart acknowledged the community’s admiration for the school while stating that their current decision must focus on the proposed site plan, not the school’s reputation. “We need to separate our love for the school from our responsibility to assess this as a project,” she said.
In the end, the Board decided that the proposal requires further refinement and will revisit the discussion on March 25.
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Seminole County,Seminole Science Charter School,Education,Schools,STEM,Lake Mary
