DRC presses applicant on parking, stormwater and utilities for proposed Apopka K–12 charter school at Plymouth Sorrento Road

City staff and the project team discussed a proposed K–12 charter school for properties at 1829 and 1839 Plymouth Sorrento Road during the Dec. 17 DRC meeting. Staff noted the development is processed administratively under Florida statute and the city’s CSP procedure, meaning it does not require a public hearing; the proposed site totals about 9 acres and the applicant described main structures approximating 91,000 square feet, plus parking and sports fields.

Civil engineer Ryan Heilman told staff the site plan shows 198 permanent parking spaces and additional event parking labeled as event spaces; he agreed to provide a parking analysis and clearer queuing/stacking exhibits. On bicycle parking, staff cited two LDC calculations (short‑term and long‑term) with different per‑student rates and told the applicant to provide whichever calculation results in the maximum requirement. Fire staff requested coordination on truck access and the addition of several hydrants; the applicant agreed to a follow‑up meeting on hydrant locations.

Public Works raised a substantive stormwater concern: the downstream drainage system that the site would discharge to (identified in the record as tied to a prior development) appears undersized for the combined area, and staff urged the applicant to match post‑development discharge to the downstream design or find a direct connection to the downstream pipe rather than creating a long spreader swale. The project team said they have some calculations from the downstream owner and will review them further; staff also asked for structural/shop drawings for a proposed pond wall and tieback details.

Other technical points included confirmation that sign and fence permits are submitted with building permits after site approval, that applicants should show phase lines on plans if the sports field will be a second phase, and a recommendation to submit a Utility Availability Request to confirm reclaimed‑water availability on Plymouth Sorrento Road.

Next steps: the applicant will supply a parking analysis, revised exhibits and queuing/stacking plans, bicycle parking calculations, utility‑availability requests, structural details for the pond wall, and coordinate offline with Public Works and Fire on stormwater, hydrology and hydrant placement. No formal action or vote occurred at the DRC meeting.