Orange County Public Schools Threatens Court Action Over Stalled Windermere Relief School
Thursday, January 30, 2014
By: Grant Gentry

January 30, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - Orange County Public School officials say they are prepared to go to court in the battle over a proposed relief school in West Orange County.

The land for the 65-acre site, dubbed the “Beck Property,” is already owned by the district, but some residents in the Windermere area are opposed to a school there.

Representatives from the school district and the county met in Orlando Thursday morning to discuss the proposed school.

OCPS says it hopes to avoid legal action, but legal counsel, Woody Rodriguez says the school board is willing to take that course if necessary.

“And if the decision of the County Commission is ‘no we simply can’t have a school there’ then obviously we know that then the only resolution at that point is to go forth with a legal challenge and see what the courts determine,” Rodriguez said.

Orange County’s Attorney, Jeffery Newton, said the two groups would not resolve their legal issues yesterday and his board has already made their decision on the property.

“We have not developed any conditions that would make it palatable to our board and I think that is a subject of discussion that needs to take place at the joint meeting when it does occur,” Newton said.

OCPS is pushing for the relief school to help fill the need for more than five thousand high-school students who will be zoned in the area by 2017.

Officials say they will meet again on February 18^th to discuss the feasibility of the property before taking any court action.