§ 38-1755. School site standards.
Plans for elementary, middle, K-8, free-standing ninth grade centers, and high schools shall comply with the following development standards, which relate to the design and layout of facilities, sites and other improvements, and shall apply to all school sites unless the board of county commissioners reviews and approves the site with changes or modifications.
(a)
(1)
Minimum net lot areas, which shall exclude water bodies and conservation areas but may include off site areas used for retention/detention of site runoff, shall be as follows:
School Type * Urban Service Area & Special Land Use Rural Service Area Elementary 7 acres for 550 permanent student capacity 9 acres for 650 permanent student capacity 10 acres for 830 permanent student capacity 11 acres Middle/K8/Free-Standing Ninth Grade Centers 12 acres 16 acres High ** 40 acres 50 acres * Determination of the school type shall be made based on the highest grade level in the proposed school. ** High schools in rural settlements shall be prohibited. (2)
If the school board does not use one (1) or more of the following techniques for the design of the proposed school, the minimum net lot areas outlined in the table immediately above shall be increased by ten (10) percent:
a.
Parking structures;
b.
Joint use facilities;
c.
Co-location of schools;
d.
Off-site stormwater; or
e.
Multi-story schools (not including for auditoriums and gymnasiums).
(b)
Maximum building heights (excluding parapets) :
(1)
For elementary schools, three (3) stories, not to exceed forty-five (45) feet, except two (2) stories, not to exceed thirty-five (35) feet, for elementary schools in the rural service area.
(2)
For middle schools, K-8 schools and free-standing ninth grade centers, three (3) stories, not to exceed fifty (50) feet, except two (2) stories, not to exceed thirty-five (35) feet, for middle schools, K-8 schools and free-standing ninth grade centers in the rural service area.
(3)
For high schools, six (6) stories, not to exceed ninety (90) feet, except:
a.
for any buildings constructed within two hundred (200) feet of single-family residential zoned property, four (4) stories, not to exceed sixty-five (65) feet; and
b.
in the rural service area, two (2) stories, not to exceed thirty-five (35) feet, and fifty (50) feet for gymnasiums and auditoriums.
(c)
Building setbacks from property lines shall be a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet and as established for major street setbacks.
(d)
All driveways and parking areas shall adhere to the minimum setback requirements established for the zoning district.
(e)
Parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the educational specifications adopted by the school board consistent with applicable state standards for public schools, and may include spaces incorporated into joint use facilities with other parties.
(f)
Unless otherwise provided in the educational specifications adopted by the school board consistent with applicable state standards for public schools, the school board shall comply with the following landscaping requirements:
(1)
The planting of trees and shrubs shall be prioritized along the road frontage and property lines to create buffers.
(2)
Trees and shrubs shall not be planted in locations adjacent to doors or windows or under parking lot lights or security cameras, where at maturity the trees or shrubs could potentially obstruct views.
(3)
Trees shall not be planted within ten (10) feet of backflow preventer devices, fences, or other utility infrastructure.
(4)
The planting of canopy trees within twenty-five (25) feet of buildings shall be minimized.
(5)
The planting of hedges shall be minimized.
(6)
Any landscaping requirements imposed on school facilities should be in accordance with the crime prevention through environmental design approach.
(g)
Access requirements :
(1)
Vehicular access to elementary schools, middle schools, K-8 schools, and free-standing ninth grade centers shall be provided by at least one (1) paved local road at least twenty-four (24) feet in width. The county may allow a width of less than twenty-four (24) if a street master plan or complete street study recommending a lesser width on the roads associated with the school has been approved by the county.
(2)
Primary access to free-standing ninth grade centers located adjacent to high schools and to all high schools shall be provided from a collector or arterial roadway and such primary access to the free-standing ninth grade center may share access with the adjacent high school. High schools may also be located on collector or local roads consistent with section 38-1753(f).
(3)
Site plans for renovations to existing schools (where practicable) and for new schools shall provide adequate capacity for on-site vehicle stacking to facilitate safe and efficient pick-up and drop-off of students on-site.
(4)
A minimum five-foot wide sidewalks shall be provided by the school board along that portion of the school site frontage that is adjacent to a public roadways. For purposes of this subsection, "adjacent" shall mean where the school site is contiguous to a public right-of-way. The county will not require any other off-site sidewalk or pedestrian structure in conjunction with a school site. Where necessary to provide continuous pedestrian access to adjacent residential areas, the county shall prioritize the completion of construction of the sidewalk system to eliminate gaps leading to the school site. Additionally, pursuant to F.S. § 1006.23, ("Gabby's Law for Student Safety"), whenever a hazardous walking condition affecting any public elementary school student whose grade level does not exceed grade 6 is determined to exist along a road over which the county has jurisdiction, and the district school superintendent or his or her designee requests a position statement from the county with respect to correction of such condition, the county shall timely inform the school board whether the county will include correction of the hazardous walking condition in its next annual five-year transportation work program and, if so, when correction of the condition will be completed. If the correction of such condition will not be included in the county's next annual five-year transportation work program, the factors justifying such conclusion must be stated in writing to the district school superintendent and the department of education. The county or the school board shall notify the department of transportation and the department of education to allocate state funds for the transportation of students subjected to the hazardous walking condition until the condition can be corrected or the projected completion date, whichever occurs first.
(5)
When a proposed school sites abuts a county public recreation areas, interconnecting pedestrian access shall be provided to the property line, at the time of site development, by both the school board on its property and the county on the public recreation area, provided that the school board reserves the right to impose reasonable restrictions on interconnectivity to ensure the safety and security of students and school facilities.
(6)
The school board shall submit a traffic and operational impact study in conjunction with submittal of the appropriate development permit application for the development of a school site. When the traffic impact study warrants an official traffic control signal, as defined in F.S. § 316.003(24) at the main entrance to the school, the school board shall install the official traffic control signal at its expense, and convey such traffic signal to the county at no cost for the county to maintain and operate.
(7)
When the traffic and operational impact study warrants turn lanes at the entrances and/or exits to a school, turn lanes of sufficient length, as determined by the traffic impact study, shall be installed at the school board's expense. The county shall not require turn lanes anywhere other than the entrances and exits of school sites unless they are warranted by traffic generated by the school.
(8)
The school board shall pay its proportionate share of the cost of other on-site system improvements necessitated by the school, may pay its proportionate share of off-site system improvements, but shall not be responsible for addressing existing facility or service backlogs or deficits.
(9)
When circumstances permit, the school board or the county may consider installing roundabouts in proximity to schools.
(h)
Ancillary facilities shall be located and buffered on the site to minimize adverse impacts on adjacent residential properties. Also, landscape buffers shall be provided along that portion of the school property line where the school property contains vehicular use areas, including but not limited to parking, driveways, or other similar uses. Landscape buffers shall not be required by the county for any other non-vehicular use area except as provided in subsection (i) and shall specifically exclude crosswalks and landscape islands in parking lots.
(i)
In addition to subsection (h) above, a landscape buffer shall be provided when ancillary uses not related to an on campus school instruction programs are located within seventy (70) feet of the perimeter of the school property, including but not limited to, maintenance shops, bus storage, and other similar uses. The landscape buffer shall consist of:
(1)
A vegetative buffer at least ten (10) feet in width and six (6) feet in height that incorporates existing plants and trees and is at least fifty (50) percent opaque at the time of planting, or
(2)
A chain link fence at least six (6) feet in height and landscaped so as to incorporate existing plants and trees and achieve six (6) feet in height and fifty (50) percent opacity within eighteen (18) months of planting.
(j)
The dimensions and configurations of the school site shall not subdivide or assemble parcels to create or leave adjacent parcels that are not suitable in size, shape and location for the uses depicted on the county's future land use element map and permitted by the existing zoning district designation.
(k)
Pursuant to F.S. § 333.03, no school or portion thereof used as an "educational facility," as defined in F.S. ch. 1013 shall be constructed at either end of a runway of a publicly-owned, public-used airport within an area that extends five (5) miles in a direct line along the centerline of the runway, and that has a width measuring one-half (0.5) the length of the runway. Exceptions approving construction of an educational facility within the delineated area shall only be granted when the board of county commissioners adopts a resolution making specific findings detailing how the public policy reasons for allowing the construction outweigh health and safety concerns prohibiting such a location.
(l)
The location and arrangement of exterior lighting shall be designed and installed to minimize adverse impacts to adjacent residential property.
(m)
The school board shall be responsible for obtaining environmental permits from the appropriate state and federal agencies for each proposed school site. Additionally, the school board shall submit to the County's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) the documentation and applications required by the permitting agencies with jurisdiction over the proposed school site. The school board shall submit a conservation area impact permit application to the EPD only when the affected wetlands on the site do not require mitigation under state regulations, such as isolated wetlands less than half an acre in size. In those situations, mitigation to offset the environmental impacts shall be required, as mutually agreed upon by the EPD and the school board. Examples of mitigation by the school board may include or be similar to one or more of the following:
(1)
Participation in the "Green School Recognition Program."
(2)
Compliance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Globes, or Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).
(3)
Installation of permanent storm drain label markers on all storm drain inlets on the school site, reading "Only Rain Down the Drain." Marker lettering shall be at least one-half (0.5) inches high.
(4)
Painting of all storm drain inlet aprons on the school site with text reading, "Only Rain Down the Drain."
(n)
The school board shall be exempt from the tree mitigation requirements set forth in the county's tree protection and removal ordinance codified in article VIII of Chapter 15 of the Orange County Code. Prior to developing a school site, the school board shall submit a tree survey and, to the extent practicable, preserve and protect mature canopy trees having a diameter at breast height (DBH) measurement of six (6) inches or greater.
(o)
Signage shall comply with the county's sign ordinance codified at chapter 31.5 of the Orange County Code, including section 31.5-16 related to electronic message centers (EMC), except that the following standards shall apply to an EMC to the extent these standards conflict or are inconsistent with chapter 31.5 and section 31.5-16:
(1)
An EMC shall be prohibited on a wall sign and a pole sign:
(2)
An EMC shall be permitted on a ground sign, provided:
a.
The maximum height of the ground sign shall be eight (8) feet;
b.
The minimum setback for the ground sign shall be ten (10) feet from all property lines;
c.
A maximum of one (1) such ground sign may be permitted;
d.
The maximum allowable copy area for such a ground sign shall be thirty-two (32) square feet, except that the maximum allowable copy area shall be nineteen (19) square feet when the ground sign is located within one hundred (100) feet of a residential use or zone;
e.
The EMC shall be used only to advertise school related functions or events;
f.
Such a ground sign shall be separated from a pole sign by a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet;
g.
The EMC shall be turned off or placed in "sleep mode" from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. of the next day.
(Ord. No. 96-31, § 2, 10-8-96; Ord. No. 2017-06 , § 1, 4-25-17)
Editor's note
Ord. No. 2017-06 , § 1, adopted April 25, 2017, amended § 38-1755 and in so doing changed the title of said section from "Site standards" to "School site standards," as set out herein.