Parkland, FL (Friday, September 7, 2018)— On Thursday, September 6, 2018 the City of Parkland City Commission unanimously approved three separate Resolutions granting permission to Parkland School Property, LLC to develop a 98,638 square foot, sixty-one classroom educational institution, at the northwest corner of University Drive and Hillsboro Boulevard, for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The City Commission vote followed a 6-1 recommendation for approval from the City’s Planning and Zoning Board on August 9, 2018.
Resolution 2018-062 granted Special Exception Approval, Resolution 2018-061 granted Site Plan and Community Appearance Board approval, and Resolution 2018-069 provided approval of a delegation request to amend restrictive notes for DeBuys Plat Parcel C located in Broward County Plat book 180, pages 148-166.
“The impact of traffic is always one of the main concerns related to new development projects,” said Bob Payton, Parkland’s City Manager. “The City’s traffic engineering firm, MacKenzie Engineering and Planning, Inc., has determined that the adjacent roadways and intersections will operate at an acceptable level of service based on the proposed construction of new turn lanes and intersection improvements that were conditions for site plan approval.”
To uphold site plan approval, Parkland School Property, LLC. shall complete numerous roadway improvements on Hillsboro Boulevard and University Drive prior to the issuance of certificate of occupancy. Some of the improvements include constructing a westbound right-turn ingress lane on Hillsboro Boulevard; providing surety for and then constructing a traffic signal when warranted at the Hillsboro Boulevard entrance; constructing a northbound left-turn lane at the University Drive & Hillsboro Boulevard intersection; providing surety for and then constructing a traffic signal when warranted at University Drive & Hillsboro Boulevard; constructing a school safety zone on Hillsboro Boulevard; and removing the U-Turn at the school entrance.
“In addition to establishing and maintaining an efficient flow of traffic, traffic safety also remains a top priority,” said Payton. “In conjunction with completing the required roadway improvements, as well as monthly traffic frequency reviews, the applicant has agreed to cap enrollment if traffic becomes problematic and contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to provide off-site and on-site traffic management as deemed necessary by the City Engineering, Public Works, and Public Safety departments.”
The vacant parcel zoned Planned Commercial District (PCD), where the charter school is to be located, accommodates uses permitted under the B-1, B-2, and OP districts. Educational institutions are permitted as a Special Exception with the B-2 district.