Agenda Item # 12.B.
City Commission Regular Meeting - 5:05 PM
- Meeting Date:
- 06/01/2026
- Re
- Legacy Consortium School - Conditional Use
- Submitted For:
- Kev Freeman
SUBJECT:
Quasi-Judicial Hearing - Review and Approval of an application (PZCON2025-00010) for a Conditional Use to operate a private school serving Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade, with a capacity for up to 200 students at 510 Orange Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL. The property is zoned General Commercial (C-3). Parcel ID: 2410-606-0004-000-3.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with Sections 125-187 and 125-237 of the City Code, the applicant is requesting the review and approval of a Conditional Use with No New Construction to allow for the operation of a private school serving Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade, with a capacity for up to 200 students. The applicant is seeking to operate the school in 18,428 sq. ft. (the 1st & 2nd floor) of the existing 20,195 sq. ft. commercial building. The property is zone C-3, General Commercial Zone with a future land use of GC, General Commercial. The subject property has a total of approximately 0.53 acres.
The property is located at the northwest corner of Orange Avenue and North 5th Street. The subject property is surrounded by institutional and commercial uses to the north, south, east, and west.
The proposed facility is approximately 18,428 square feet. The site is adjacent to 18 parking spaces for the use of the employees and visitors. A shared parking agreement allows the school to utilize adjacent parking lot in the rear for parent drop-off and pick-up. The adjacent parking lot has a total of 25 parking spaces. The facility can be accessed by vehicles and pedestrians from two (2) entrances located on Orange Avenue and Avenue A.
The proposed building at 510 Orange Avenue is well suited for the Academy’s facility requirements—spanning classrooms, administrative space, a multipurpose room, and a designated play area. In addition to these core spaces, the school has secured strategic community partnerships to ensure safe and effective operations:
Shared Playground: First United Methodist Church has agreed to allow shared use of its playground for students, expanding opportunities for physical activity and recreation.
Shared Parking: The neighboring property at 500 Orange Avenue has agreed to shared parking access. The United Methodist Church has also agreed to a shared parking agreement, where the school can use their parking lot for both arrival and dismissal, ensuring smooth traffic flow and safe pedestrian pathways during arrival and dismissal.
Arrival and Dismissal Plan
To further minimize congestion along Orange Avenue, the school will stagger student start and dismissal times:
Start Times/Arrival Times:
-Preschool-8:00 a.m.
-Kindergarten & 1st Grade – 8:30 a.m.
- 2nd through 5th Grade – 8:00 a.m.
- 6th through 8th Grade –8:45 a.m. –
Dismissal Times:
-Preschool-12:30 p.m.
-Kindergarten & 1st Grade – 1:50 p.m.
- 2nd through 5th Grade – 3:00 p.m.
- Middle School (6th–8th) – 3:30 p.m.
This staggered schedule ensures smooth traffic management, limits overlap between groups and reduces the impact on local roads during peak hours.
Operation of the proposed facility will be from 8:00am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. There will be a total of 26 staff members. This location will accommodate approximately up to 200 students on average.
The property is located at the northwest corner of Orange Avenue and North 5th Street. The subject property is surrounded by institutional and commercial uses to the north, south, east, and west.
The proposed facility is approximately 18,428 square feet. The site is adjacent to 18 parking spaces for the use of the employees and visitors. A shared parking agreement allows the school to utilize adjacent parking lot in the rear for parent drop-off and pick-up. The adjacent parking lot has a total of 25 parking spaces. The facility can be accessed by vehicles and pedestrians from two (2) entrances located on Orange Avenue and Avenue A.
The proposed building at 510 Orange Avenue is well suited for the Academy’s facility requirements—spanning classrooms, administrative space, a multipurpose room, and a designated play area. In addition to these core spaces, the school has secured strategic community partnerships to ensure safe and effective operations:
Shared Playground: First United Methodist Church has agreed to allow shared use of its playground for students, expanding opportunities for physical activity and recreation.
Shared Parking: The neighboring property at 500 Orange Avenue has agreed to shared parking access. The United Methodist Church has also agreed to a shared parking agreement, where the school can use their parking lot for both arrival and dismissal, ensuring smooth traffic flow and safe pedestrian pathways during arrival and dismissal.
Arrival and Dismissal Plan
To further minimize congestion along Orange Avenue, the school will stagger student start and dismissal times:
Start Times/Arrival Times:
-Preschool-8:00 a.m.
-Kindergarten & 1st Grade – 8:30 a.m.
- 2nd through 5th Grade – 8:00 a.m.
- 6th through 8th Grade –8:45 a.m. –
Dismissal Times:
-Preschool-12:30 p.m.
-Kindergarten & 1st Grade – 1:50 p.m.
- 2nd through 5th Grade – 3:00 p.m.
- Middle School (6th–8th) – 3:30 p.m.
This staggered schedule ensures smooth traffic management, limits overlap between groups and reduces the impact on local roads during peak hours.
Operation of the proposed facility will be from 8:00am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. There will be a total of 26 staff members. This location will accommodate approximately up to 200 students on average.
RECOMMENDATION:
Technical Review Committee
Affected departments have reviewed the proposed Conditional Use with No New Construction application with regard to the requirements of the City Code. Findings from the review by corresponding departments and the associated responses by the applicant are provided with the staff’s supporting documents.
Original Recommended Conditions of Approval to the PLANNING BOARD
Planning Board Recommendation:
The Planning Board, at their April 13th, 2026, meeting, had concerns with the subject application’s shared parking lot agreement with First United Methodist Church, such as clarity on the boundaries of the shared parking lot/parent pick-up and drop-off area, the school hours of operation, the agreement not being signed by both parties, and not having a back-up (Plan B) for the parent pick-up and drop-off should the lease agreement between the subject applicant and First United Methodist Church is dissolved.
The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the proposed Conditional Use with two (2) additional conditions:
Recommended Conditions a total of eight (8) conditions.
Staff Recommendation:
The applicant has since resubmitted after the recommendation of the Planning Board. Staff has determined that the two (2) additional recommended conditions of the Planning Board have not been addressed.
Therefore proposed application does not meet the standards of the City’s Code Section 125-235, and 125-237. Therefore, Staff recommends that the City Commission DENY the Conditional Use with No New Construction subject to the ten (10) Concerns as noted.
Affected departments have reviewed the proposed Conditional Use with No New Construction application with regard to the requirements of the City Code. Findings from the review by corresponding departments and the associated responses by the applicant are provided with the staff’s supporting documents.
Original Recommended Conditions of Approval to the PLANNING BOARD
- A Landscape Maintenance Agreement will be required and approved by the Planning Department prior to Final Certificate of Occupancy.
- A Landscape Inspection will be required and approved by the Planning Department prior to Final Certificate of Occupancy.
- Coordinate with the City of Fort Pierce Public Works – Solid Waste Division to ensure that your proposed dumpster enclosure meets the City Standards and is accessible for City Garbage Trucks.
- Should vehicle-staging encroach into Avenue A right-of-way, the operator of the school shall provide an alternative transportation solution to alleviate any roadway impacts.
- Any impacts to Avenue A, such as signage, crosswalks, temporary lane closures, etc., require a City of Fort Pierce Right-of-Way Permit approved by the City Engineer.
- This Conditional Use Approval is based on the maximum capacity of 200 students.
Planning Board Recommendation:
The Planning Board, at their April 13th, 2026, meeting, had concerns with the subject application’s shared parking lot agreement with First United Methodist Church, such as clarity on the boundaries of the shared parking lot/parent pick-up and drop-off area, the school hours of operation, the agreement not being signed by both parties, and not having a back-up (Plan B) for the parent pick-up and drop-off should the lease agreement between the subject applicant and First United Methodist Church is dissolved.
The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the proposed Conditional Use with two (2) additional conditions:
- Prior to the presentation of this application to the City Commission, the lease agreement will be revised to clearly define the location, boundaries of the parking lot use, and time of operation and signed by both parties.
- Prior to the presentation of this application to the City Commission, this application will include a back-up plan B for drop off and pick up should the lease agreement be dissolved.
Recommended Conditions a total of eight (8) conditions.
Staff Recommendation:
The applicant has since resubmitted after the recommendation of the Planning Board. Staff has determined that the two (2) additional recommended conditions of the Planning Board have not been addressed.
Therefore proposed application does not meet the standards of the City’s Code Section 125-235, and 125-237. Therefore, Staff recommends that the City Commission DENY the Conditional Use with No New Construction subject to the ten (10) Concerns as noted.
- Add a map; possibly a markup aerial that specifically identifies the location of the pick-up and drop-off area that the leasing agreement references to the leasing agreement.
- It appears that the Church retains the right to concurrently utilize the parking area for church operations, including but not limited to other school drop-off and pick-up,, weekly church activities, and access to entrances and exits for members. Please identify what kind of daytime church activities that could cause a conflict with the use of the pick-up and drop-off parking lot in the lease agreement.
- The applicant does not identify operating hours, only arrival and dismissal times. Please add to leasing agreement.
- The Back-up Plan does not identify if all students will only live in the City of Fort Pierce or can live anywhere throughout the Treasure Coast. If students from all areas of the Treasure Coast are allowed to attend, where will their parents pick up and drop off be? The backup plan generally does not seem to align with the concerns of the Planning Board and what they wanted addressed overall. The Back up plan mentions centralized pick-up and drop-off locations (any examples, this is somewhat vague). Essentially the issue is whether the backup plan is functional and addresses the concerns raised by the Planning Board. Please be more detailed and precise.
- The three buses would have a maximum capacity of up to 195 students and the school allows for up to 200 students. Give more details about the pickup, drop off, and if there still may be some parent pickups and drop-offs. If the school is at full capacity; those 5 students need to be accounted for.
- Where will the buses do their pick-ups and drop-offs without the leased parking lot? This should not occur along Orange Avenue. This should be identified in the backup plan.
- Where will the buses be stored when not in use? This needs to be identified in the backup plan.
- The adjacent parking lot has a total of 18 parking spaces with two of them being handicap accessible spaces. Yet, there are 26 staff members. Identify how this will be addressed and the impact minimized. Will the additional employees be using on-street parking, the City Parking lot at the corner or 7th and Orange Ave, etc?
- If the lease agreement ends, the playground will be removed. Please provide an update on how you will address the State of Florida requirements for playgrounds.
- The CEO/President of the school should also be signing the backup plan.
ALTERNATIVES:
Alternative Recommendation:
APPROVE – with Amended/Additional Conditions
APPROVE – with Amended/Additional Conditions
RESPONSIBLE STAFF:
Vennis Gilmore, Historic Preservation Officer/Senior Planner
COORDINATED WITH:
Technical Review Committee
Planning Board
Planning Board
Fiscal Impact
OTHER INFORMATION:
N/A
Attachments
- Staff Presentation
- Staff Report
- Site Plan for Electronic Signature
- Landscape Plan
- Traffic Statement
- Lighting Plan
- Floor Plans
- Survey
- Narrative
- Design Review Narrative
- Shared Playground/Parking Lot Rental Agreement
- 1st Addendum to Rental Agreement
- Proposed Backup Plan
- Student Safety Plan
- Staff Report Supporting Documents
- Public Notice Certification
- Applicant Information