School upgrades spark contrasting opinions

The Orange County Zoning Division hosted a community meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28, to discuss Holy Family Catholic School’s request to upgrade its existing track-and-field and sports facilities.

John Noonan, the applicant for the school, is requesting an amendment to an existing special exception in the Rural County Estate zoning district to allow for an expansion of the athletic fields, including the installation of concessions and bleachers.

The proposal pertains to 25 acres, with the West Windermere Settlement Future Land Use designation, located at 5125 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, in the Dr. Phillips area. 

Courtesy photo

Patrick Thomas and Alex Guastella, volunteering head track coaches at the school, said the existing facilities at the school serve a multitude of purposes, including sports, physical education, recess and after-school care. However, the reasoning behind the project is restoring the facilities to assure the future safety and useability of the existing facility for the students and children. 

“The facility has been compromised by original design limitations, time and subsequent wear and tear causing disrepair,” the coaches said. “The refurbished facility will feature all the current amenities but in a slightly different configuration due to upgrading to conform to safety regulations and requirements but be contained within the original parish property. … These upgraded amenities will benefit the over 700 children who attend Holy Family Catholic School, providing them with a space to practice fitness and train for their athletic pursuits.”

FACILITY FEATURES

Orange County Case Planner Ted Kozak led the meeting and presentation. 

Kozak said site access would be from South Apopka-Vineland Road to the west, and the applicant is not proposing any lights. The number of students at the school, the number of parking spaces and the hours of operation would not change.  

The athletic area would be used during school hours, daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., after school from 3:30 p.m. until sunset and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The school’s proposal includes the installation of 140 seats in two bleachers, as well as modification of the existing track and construction of a new soccer field and basketball court. Other track-and-field improvements would include a long jump and shot put area.

Although a standard track typically measures 400 meters in circumference with 38-degree turns at both ends, the school’s current facility is only 293 meters, requiring sharp 80-degree corners, Thomas and Guastella said. 

“The almost square nature of the track corners is a running hazard putting students at risk of injury,” the pair said. “The school has undertaken a four-year effort to address this issue by creating proper and advanced facilities.”

In addition, a new, 1,140-square-foot building would be constructed with restrooms, concessions and storage.

Father Martin Nguyen, Holy Family Catholic Church pastor, said the existing site plan areas of focus will include modifying the existing paving, demolishing and replacing the existing concession stand, relocating the current playground, replacing the existing track and athletic field, demolishing and relocating the current rectory, relocating the dumpster, and demolishing the existing convent and supporting structures. 

“Now, with the introduction of our new and improved facilities, we anticipate even greater achievements,” Thomas said. “Enhanced training opportunities will empower more student athletes to reach the pinnacle of their sports. Additionally, these upgraded facilities will benefit other sports like football and soccer, making it easier to host Catholic Youth Sports games.”

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Shelley Green, a nearby resident, believes the community members in her neighborhood all oppose the special exception. 

“The Holy Family Catholic School wants to expand/extend the track longer, which puts that farther into the neighborhood,” she said. “It should not be approved. This really is a matter of using the existing property, as is intended to be Rural County Estate. If they want to repair or fix the existing track, then that is acceptable. However, they rushed to demolish an existing house before they were even approved for the special exception. We have some families that have been here for over 53 years. We have to fight these things all the time. This is our third encroachment into our neighborhood.

“We have been dealing with traffic and events for all these years, and they just get bigger and more frequent,” Green said. “COVID did slow things down a little for a short time. … We all don’t mind the churches. In fact, that was one of the things the majority of us liked about the neighborhood. This is about us having rights to enjoy our properties without intrusions to our neighborhood.”

Jeff Forrest, another local resident, agreed with Green. 

However, he said he met with the church and its attorney following the meeting and was “pleasantly surprised by their desire to address our neighborhood’s concerns.

“The church recognized our concerns about parking and traffic and created a separation between the church’s use and the residential neighborhood,” he said. “They have modified their plan to reflect six-foot-high landscape buffers along both of the residential streets, removed the two access points from the existing parking lot and will remove two residential lots from the church master plan, eliminating the ‘religious institutional’ use effectively preventing further encroachment into the neighborhood.

“The church agreed to provide traffic and parking control during significant events such as Easter Sunday to reduce the parking in the neighborhood,” he said. “During the meeting, Father Martin spoke about the church’s desire to be good neighbors; something his predecessor did not do. Drawing from my Greek and Roman history, I believe the church is genuine in its efforts to ‘extend an olive branch.’”

Erinn Lindland, a mother of children enrolled at the school and resident of Torey Pines, said the school is one of the best private schools in Orlando and the reason the family moved to the neighborhood. Lindland said she found other neighbors’ comments “appalling.” 

“These comments were abhorrible,” she said. “The very communities that thrive off HFCS, Palm Lake Elementary, St. Jude, St. Luke, Chain of Lakes Middle School and many more are the ones who claim their property value, traffic and noise will be impacted by these improvements. It is appalling that neighbors would call kids playing ‘noise’ and that they think property value would decrease when it is simply not the case. Houses have nearly doubled in price in Torey Pines since COVID. The reason for their home value being so high is obvious. These neighbors live in the middle of several wonderful schools and thriving businesses because of these same children. 

“HFCS is simply trying to give students an upgrade on what land is already being used for the kids,” Lindland said. “We must recognize the good in what is happening and that children are voiceless when it comes to policy and government. They need parents and communities who support them; give them dignity, worth (and) trust; and recognize they are going to be adults one day. It is our duty to help them achieve that full potential and advocate for them.”

The proposal will next move on to a public hearing before the Orange County Board of Zoning Adjustment April 4, followed by a public hearing by the Board of County Commissioners tentatively set for April 23.