A proposed K-8 charter school on Plymouth-Sorrento Road will not be required to undergo further Development Review Committee (DRC) review or public hearings, following discussion at the committee’s Wednesday meeting. 

The project is exempt from those requirements under Florida law. 

“This is a charter school, and state statute exempts this from going to any public hearings for approvals,” Bobby Howell, DRC chair, said during the meeting.  

Because of that designation, the project must be treated the same as a public school and is not subject to the special exception or public hearing processes typically required for other developments, Howell added. 

The proposal, submitted as a construction site plan for a charter school at 1829 and 1839 Plymouth-Sorrento Road, came before the committee as a third submittal. 

Planning staff reported only minor outstanding comments, including one related to landscaping that has been forwarded for legal review, according to project manager Jun Sohn at the meeting. Furthermore, transportation-related comments had also not yet been received at the time of the meeting, he added.  

Sohn requested conditional approval, noting that no additional DRC meetings would be necessary. 

DRC members indicated they had no comments, and staff confirmed that prior comments had been addressed. 

Following discussion, the committee reached consensus that the project would not need to return for further review. 

The project was first introduced to the Development Review Committee in December as a roughly 91,000-square-foot, two-story charter school on about nine acres at the intersection of Plymouth-Sorrento and West Lester roads. Plans at the time included athletic fields and other on-site amenities. 

Earlier review raised concerns related to drainage capacity, parking requirements and bicycle accommodations, prompting revisions that have been addressed through subsequent submittals. 

The charter school project is associated with Scott Woodrey, president of the Ford Lauderdale-based Red Apple Development.  

According to the company’s website, Red Apple Development has constructed 75 facilities totaling almost 5 million square feet across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana and Michigan. 

“We collaborate closely with clients to create an experience that is both accommodating and efficient and yields a facility that meets the needs of students, families and administration,” the website said.  

The DRC gauges proposals for compliance with city code related to land use, infrastructure and design. The committee doesn’t grant final approvals; however, its feedback helps ascertain whether projects move forward or need more revisions.