Zoning board recommends allowing construction of Windermere relief school

WINDERMERE, Fla. — Residents in Orange County are fighting to keep a high school out of their neighborhood.

The school would be built at the intersection of State Road 535 and Ficquette Road, a rural part of the county, to help ease congestion at West Orange High School.

Dozens of people attended a meeting at the Orange County Commission Chambers on Friday, many expressing their opposition of the proposed school site.

A couple dozen people in the room said the proposed school site is on a rural settlement that was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in 1991.

"A high school is a cookie-cutter plan. There are stadiums, there's lots of evening activities, there's bright lights and bands and loud noises and all that goes against what a rural settlement really is," said Sharon Newton, who opposes the plan.

However, the Orange County School District showed Google Earth images of how the land has changed between 1991 and now and they believe the land is no longer considered rural or historic.

No decision has yet been reached.

The zoning board ultimately made a recommendation to the board of commissioners to allow a special exception to build the school.

WFTV