Ignite Academy, a private K-8 Christian school with about 133 students, has cleared its first hurdle to relocate to approximately 5.23 acres of vacant property at 2271 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs, which is located in Pasco County. The school has been leasing space at Radiant Church on East Lake Road, but the church decided to merge with another church and not to renew the school’s lease. On November 18, county commissioners unanimously approved a land use amendment and zoning change on the vacant property from residential to institutional.
The approval sends the request to Forward Pinellas for a hearing to change the countywide land use map. However, some commissioners expressed concerns that if the school failed, institutional land use and zoning would allow more intensive uses. To address these concerns, the property owner agreed to restrict any future use through a development agreement that will receive another hearing before the county commission. Commissioner Vance Nowicki voiced concern that with institutional zoning, if the school folds “even a decade from now,” another developer could build a behavioral health or addiction treatment center on the site.
Commissioner Kathleen Peters cautioned fellow commissioners not to stigmatize those suffering from addiction or mental health issues. The school’s relocation plans are being led by its owners, who are seeking a “forever home” for Ignite Academy. The school’s current location has been a temporary solution, and the new site on Keystone Road would provide a more permanent home for the students and staff.
More information on the development agreement and the Forward Pinellas hearing will be available as the process continues. For more information on Ignite Academy, visit their website or contact the school directly.
Originally reported by Suncoast News – Spring Hill
Sources: Suncoast News – Spring Hill
