To: County Commissioners: mmoran@scgov.net; mhsmith@scgov.net; jneunder@scgov.net; rcutsinger@scgov.net
Planning Commissioners: Donna.Carter@sarasotaadvisory.net; Kevin.Cooper@sarasotaadvisory.net; Jordan.Keller@sarasotaadvisory.net; Colin.Pember@sarasotaadvisory.net; Martha.Pike@sarasotaadvisory.com; Neil.Rainford@sarasotaadvisory.net; Andrew.Stultz@sarasotaadvisory.net; Justin.Taylor@sarasotaadvisory.net
County Staff: countyadministrator@scgov.net; mosterhoudt@scgov.net; kosborn@scgov.net; bhanson@scgov.net
Dear County and Planning Commissioners,
I want to register my OPPOSITION to any form of Special Exception approval for the Classical Academy of Sarasota (TCA) to develop the Grace Church parcel at 8000 Bee Ridge Road. TCA proposes to build the 3rdlargest school in Sarasota County right in the middle of long-established residential neighborhoods. This proposal would cause permanent and significant negative impacts to our entire neighborhood communities.
Five years ago, Sarasota County completed the widening of Bee Ridge Road to 4 lanes from I-75 east to the roundabout at the Laurel Oak and Bent Tree communities. East of that to Lorraine Road, the road remains 2 lanes. This decision was due to a monetary constraint as the County had intended to widen Bee Ridge all the way to Lorraine Road. Known at that time was Skye Ranch, approved for 3,700 homes, and just recently, an elementary school. Also, Hi Hat Ranch was at initial stages of proposed development of their huge property encompassing land from Clark Road to Fruitville Road, backing up to neighborhoods located on Lorraine Road from Clark Road to Fruitville Road and almost to Myakka to the East. We now know that Hi Hat Ranch has been approved for 13,000 homes and the first “village” of 3000 homes and a high school, are intended to be completed within the next 2 to 5 years. This first building location will be constructed such that the main entrance and exit will be coming in from Bee Ridge Rd.
TCA has proposed a student body of 300 and 100+ staff to begin this August, 2023, and they expect to grow to 1310 students and 200+ staff. TCA plans no busing, so 1,310 student drop-offs and exits plus 200 staff, threaten to triple our existing traffic volumes - twice a day. Also, TCA must honor a day care center located at the Grace Church property under a 5-year contract, so those children will be dropped off and picked up each day as well - with different timing, Our local, two-lane road network of Bee Ridge Road, Lorraine Road, Palmer Boulevard, and a single-lane roundabout cannot support this additional traffic.
Left turns into and out of our neighborhood entrances are already challenging, and we believe the new traffic volumes will severely increase our problems. Pedestrian safety is a huge concern as well. Even the four-lane sections of Bee Ridge Road will face daily traffic jams at the three double-lane roundabouts, with significant new pressures at intersections as far west as Mauna Loa, I-75, and Cattlemen Road.
Noise and light impacts are another major concern. We know that they can intrude over a 2 mile radius. TCA site details remain vague, yet their Capital Campaign and the February 2023 Workshop divulged intentions to introduce loud, noise generating components into our neighborhood – with over 8,400 homes within that range. A football/soccer stadium with tall lights, stadium seating, press box, and a public address system are planned – as are an outdoor amphitheater, bell tower, and exterior announcement system. The parcel is not big enough or buffered enough to protect us from unacceptably high levels of noise or light. Enjoyment of quiet and peaceful evenings is part of the reason that many of us bought homes in this area.
Thus far, TCA has not provided specific details about the site development since encountering significant community opposition in February, other than to reduce their initial student numbers to 300 for this August. However, based on a current TCA capital campaign page that mentions 800 existing students and a waiting list of 200 students for each of 13 grades, this presents a potential future student population of 3,400.
I know that the County requires new developments to be compatible with existing land use, to be adequately buffered to effectively separate traffic, visual impact and noise, as well as not allowing entry and exit to the parcel to adversely affect traffic flow, safety, or control, among other items you also require.
I respectfully submit to you that this Request for Special Exception from TCA does not meet your County requirements and request that you do NOT approve this request as it is currently configured.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
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