Spanish River Church gets 1st new building nod

A new education building, cafeteria, offices and covered walkway are in the offing for Spanish River Church and Spanish River Christian School on church and sy
The city’s Planning & Zoning board signed off on allowing the demolition of the outdoor pavilion cafeteria where students eat outside. And constructing a 24,410 square-foot cafetorium, classroom and office building, and 1,144 square-foot covered walkway.
John Mezzetta, senior architect for Leo A Daly firm, showed the board renderings of the proposed new project. Planned for the middle of campus at 2400 W. Yamato Road, this won’t affect student enrollment or residential neighbors, board members except Jonathan Whitney were told. Whitney recused himself as a church elder. Final approval goes to city council. Widening the sidewalk in front will depend on an edict on that stretch and a possible exemption for church and synagogue row.
Here’s other projects considered by the P&Z:
• Access and adequate parking were issues for site plan approval of Vista townhouses at 1830 NW Fourth Ave. and 1845 NW 15th Vista. The board voted 7-0 to approve construction of two, three-story multifamily buildings with eight units. Expected to attract college students, the complex will now require a gate and sign and rental lease provisions for parking.
• Neighbors objected to changes requested at 101 Pine Circle Villas. The condo buildings on one of the city’s highest points were approved in 2015. New concerns center on rooftop amenities that could blow off in a storm; privacy and increased traffic on an unimproved road with two schools. The buildings are out of character in this single-family neighborhood, one speaker added. The P&Z Ok’d all the changes. Neighbors will have one more chance when this comes before city council.
By Marci Shatzman