Santa Rosa County District Schools is seeking a conditional use to allow an educational institution in Single Family Residential zoning and Planned Business district zoning areas. The matter will go before the county zoning board at 6 p.m. on July 9.
The planned site for a future K-8 school, which could serve 1,200 students, is nearly 40 acres of land located south of U.S. 98 and east of Kitty Hawk Drive in the unincorporated area of Gulf Breeze.
Per the supporting documentation for the agenda item, educational institutions will generate a larger impact than a residential subdivision or even 160 new homes on the site.
“One of the biggest impacts will be traffic,” stated the application. “With an educational institution, specifically a K – 8th grade, the traffic is usually on Monday through Friday during daily commute times or just after morning commute and just
before afternoon commute. One of the criteria is that the site be located within the more highly accessible portions of residential districts and this proposed location is on a major arterial.”
before afternoon commute. One of the criteria is that the site be located within the more highly accessible portions of residential districts and this proposed location is on a major arterial.”
Additionally, the application states that: “Assuming all of the projected vehicle trips will impact Gulf Breeze Parkway, the current zoning could allow approximately 746 daily vehicle trips onto Gulf Breeze Parkway. The proposed use could produce approximately 774 daily vehicle trips on Gulf Breeze Pkwy. assuming total build out of the subject site. The overall net affect upon the roadway is 28 daily vehicle trips.
The applicant stated that the current maximum volume of Gulf Breeze Parkway has a maximum volume of 65,600 daily vehicle trips and that in 2017 the trip count was 34,500 daily trips. “If this request is approved it will not create capacity
problems for Gulf Breeze Parkway,” stated the application.
problems for Gulf Breeze Parkway,” stated the application.
The school district asserts that the driveways and parking lot are configured to maximize the length available for pick-up/drop-off vehicles to queue inside the boundary of the site as opposed to the vehicle queue extending onto the public rights-of-way and interfering with local traffic. Around 2,700 linear feet of internal queuing length is available for vehicles within the boundary of the site, per the application. Also, the application states the building has been positioned on the site to maximize
separation from the Gulf Breeze Parkway right-of-way and existing commercial frontage parcels.
separation from the Gulf Breeze Parkway right-of-way and existing commercial frontage parcels.
To provide input on the matter to county commissioners, who will make the final decision, email bocc@santarosa.fl.gov.
