West Orange relief high school battle continues

No re-vote on if school will move forward with settlement for school

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County commissioners said on Tuesday they will not re-vote on whether or not to move forward with a settlement regarding a relief school in west Orange County.

They decision came after a morning full of public comments from both sides of the issue.

Some residents want a new high school built on land purchased by Orange County Public Schools at the corner of State Road 535 and Fiquette Road.  Others don't want the school, and they say it should be built on another parcel of land.

The issue has pitted the county against the school district, with the district filing a lawsuit to get the school built.

After meeting with a mediator, the county and district appeared to be ready to settle, with the district eliminating the football stadium and the bright lights that had many neighbors concerned.

But in late April, the county voted to walk away from the settlement, leaving it up to the courts to decide if the school can move forward.

"I think the conversation we had today was encouraging," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.  "We were able to have clarity about what some members of the board would like to have seen in the agreement.  I think there's a way for us to move forward and avoid litigation."

The school district says it is not approving new housing applications until the matter is resolved, leaving many developers waiting for a court decision.


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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