Ocoee City Commission approves expansion of Innovation Montessori

The Ocoee City Commission has given a K-8 charter school approval to expand to the high school level.

Commissioners gave approval at their April 5 meeting for Innovation Montessori Ocoee to use the 4.32-acre property located at 1475 E. Silver Star Road for a two-story high school.

The school made a special-exception request to have interior work done to the building, which previously operated as Kids Community College, a charter school for children between kindergarten and fifth grade. 

The approval of the special exemption came with two conditions: that the approval was limited to Innovation Montessori and not transferrable to another user, and that sound amplification would be limited during off-school hours.

The building would welcome 268 students. The property already has 104 parking spaces in place, and there would be no changes added to the access points. 

“This property has been there for so long,” Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson said. “It’s good to see somebody on it.”

The approval was unanimous.

“I am glad that someone is taking the opportunity to do something with it,” Commissioner George Oliver said. “I definitely support this project.” 

CHURCH DENIED USE OF PLAZA

The A Dios Sea La Gloria Ministry petitioned the approval of the use of Suite A101 of the plaza located at 1700 E. Silver Star Road where a Publix store and several restaurants also are operating as businesses. 

The pastor said the church would provide services from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

“I’m not opposed to the use,” Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen said. “I’m concerned about the parking, because I want to make sure that your parishioners are able to get in but also that the businesses are able to function.” 

Oliver supported Wilsen’s statement.

“I shop at that plaza myself sometimes, and it is very hard to get in there,” he said. “There is no way to expand parking, no way to expand anything.” 

The petition was denied based on the shopping plaza’s logistics. 

DAY CARE APPROVED

Commissioners approved a special-exception request to build Bluford Avenue Daycare at the intersection of Maine Street and South Bluford Avenue.

The property consists of two parcels totaling 2.26 acres. The facility to be built would be about 10,970 square feet. 

The biggest concern for the City Commission was the access to the building. 

Given that the property is located close to West Colonial Drive, several options to alleviate traffic were discussed, such as a roundabout or a right in/right out traffic pattern. The commissioners’ main concern is having a lot of people making a U-turn at the traffic light. 

“Folks coming from downtown is not the problem,” Wilsen said. “The problem I have is with them coming home. You know people are going to try and make a U-turn there, and that’s not a place to make a U-turn.” 

The day care will be located on a commercial area, so part of the planning goes into considering how people could be able to walk from the parking and the shopping center into the day care. 

“That’s a traffic place right there, coming off of Highway 50,” Johnson said. “We can have our staff see if we can work with that and come with some suggestions.”

Approval of the project was unanimous.