Title
SP2026-0008, Mindset Connect, 1700 NW 98 Avenue, site plan amendment and special exception. (Cole) (District 2)
Summary Explanation and Background
SUMMARY EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION / BACKGROUND:
Derek Antelo, agent, is requesting a site plan and special exception approval for a school containing a maximum enrollment of 120 students, Mindset Connect located at 1700 NW 98 Avenue. The school will be occupying the former daycare space within a portion of the existing Faith Presbyterian Church.
Concurrently at tonight’s meeting, prior to the hearing of the site plan and special exception, ZV2026-0006 will be heard to allow a school on a +/-2.5 acre lot instead of on a lot with a minimum size of 4 acres. Should the variance be denied, this request shall be denied as well for not meeting the requirements of Land Development Code Section 155.526.
The school will be occupying the former daycare space within a portion of the existing Faith Presbyterian Church. Faith Presbyterian Church was approved in 1981 through site plan application SP81-20.
In addition to the applicant's requests, building permits will be required for the proposed interior modifications to ensure compliance with the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code. Issuance of these permits is contingent upon approval of the requested variance, as well as approval of the associated site plan and special exception applications for the proposed school use pursuant to Sections 155.301(M) and 155.526 of the Land Development Code.
SCHOOL OPERATIONS PLAN:
The applicant has provided the following information detailing the operations of the school.
• General Summary: The Applicant operates a K-12 educational program that provides individualized educational support for homeschool families through a structured learning environment designed to complement each student's home education. Daily operations include academic instruction, individualized educational support, enrichment activities, leadership development, life skills instruction, and supervised recreational activities. The educational model is intentionally designed to provide small learning environments that allow instructors to address the individual learning needs of each student while encouraging academic growth, character development, and family involvement. The campus utilizes existing classrooms, administrative offices, designated outdoor recreation areas, parking facilities, and supporting infrastructure. Students remain under staff supervision throughout the school day while participating in scheduled classroom instruction, enrichment activities, outdoor recreation, and other educational programming. Administrative staff oversee daily operations, student safety, visitor management, and coordination with families to ensure the efficient operation of the campus.
• Hours of Operation: The proposed hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with an optional early drop-off beginning at 8:00 a.m. Friday programming operates from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with optional early drop-off also beginning at 8:00 a.m. Administrative and staff activities may occur outside of these hours as necessary.
• Student Drop-Off and Pickup Times: Student arrivals generally occur between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., with parents having flexibility in arrival times due to the homeschool support model. Student dismissal occurs at approximately 3:00 p.m., when parents retrieve students from the campus.
BUILDINGS / STRUCTURES:
No exterior modifications are proposed for the existing building. All interior modification will be reviewed through the building permit process.
To comply with the barrier requirements per code section 155.526(A)1.(c) the applicant is proposing an 8’ tall fence adjacent to the canal along the south, west and a portion of the northern property line.
No modifications are proposed to the existing recreational area, which is fully outside.
ACCESS / CIRCULATION:
Access to the site shall remain through the existing ingress only and egress only access points, one along NW 97th Avenue. Internal driveways remain for circulation throughout the site.
The proposed drop-off/pick-up line is capable of a stack of 23 vehicles. Parents may also park in an existing parking space and walk their child into school.
No bus transportation shall be provided.
PARKING:
Code requires the following parking requirements for the proposed uses:
• Elementary or Middle School: 20% of the population
• High School: 30% of the population
• Religious Institution: 8.5 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of spaces
Based on the proposed student enrollment and the existing religious institution, the proposed uses require 86 parking spaces. Currently, there are 114 parking spaces existing on site leaving a surplus of 28 parking spaces.
SIGNAGE:
No signage is proposed at this time.
SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS:
Section 155.526 of the Code of Ordinances requires schools to seek special exception approval for the establishment of new schools. Section 155.301(M)2.(a) requires special exception review and action by the Planning and Zoning Board.
The applicant provides a letter addressing the City standards of approval for a Special Exception application:
Standard: The proposed use is compatible with the existing natural environment and community character of the properties within the immediate neighborhood.
Applicant Reply: The proposed K-12 school is compatible with the surrounding area because it continues a longstanding educational use on the Property. The church campus has served children and families through preschool and daycare programming for more than forty-one (41) years. While the proposed school will serve a different age group, the educational character of the Property will remain unchanged.
The proposed school will operate entirely within the existing church campus utilizing the existing classrooms, parking facilities, internal circulation, playground, and supporting infrastructure. No expansion of the building footprint or additional buildings are proposed. The only physical site improvement associated with this application is the installation of the required eight (8) foot chain-link fence adjacent to the canal. Because the Property has historically operated as an educational campus serving children, approval of this application will preserve the existing community character rather than alter it. The surrounding neighborhood has coexisted with educational activities on the Property for more than forty-one (41) years without adverse impacts.
Staff Comment: The site has been used as a preschool and daycare in the past. The proposed school use is compatible with the underlying land use and zoning designations. The school will have the ability to serve the surrounding neighborhood.
Standard: The proposed use is deemed desirable for public convenience, and not injurious or otherwise detrimental to the public health, safety, comfort, and welfare.
Applicant Reply: The proposed K-12 school will provide educational services for homeschool families throughout Pembroke Pines and the surrounding communities while utilizing an existing campus that has a long history of serving children and families.
The Foundation's educational model is intentionally designed around small learning environments that promote individualized instruction and close supervision. The proposed school contains ten (10) classrooms and is designed to maintain approximately twelve (12) children per instructor. Based on this operational model, the practical capacity of the school is approximately one hundred twenty (120) children. This capacity is established by the Foundation's educational approach rather than the maximum physical capacity of the building.
The Property contains adequate parking, established internal circulation, existing classrooms, outdoor recreation areas, and supporting infrastructure necessary to safely accommodate the proposed school. Staff members supervise daily arrival and dismissal activities, and all children are transported by parents or authorized guardians. School bus transportation is not provided.
The proposed school provides an educational resource for the growing homeschool community while operating in a manner that protects the public health, safety, comfort, and welfare. Additionally, the Property Owner has already committed substantial financial resources toward the design and installation of a new fire sprinkler system, monitored fire alarm system, upgraded water service, and other required life-safety improvements, demonstrating its long-term commitment to the Property and to providing a safe educational environment.
Staff Comment: School use is permitted in the R-TH zoning district within the City.
Standard: The design of the proposed use shall minimize adverse effects, including noise, light, dust, or other potential nuisances, of the proposed use on adjacent property through the use of building orientation, setbacks, buffers, landscaping, and other design criteria consistent with the city regulations to the greatest extent possible. Entire site shall be void of any pre-existing code violations.
Applicant Reply: The proposed K-12 school will operate entirely within the existing church campus and existing building. No expansion of the building footprint, construction of additional buildings, or significant site modifications are proposed as part of this application.
The school's daily activities will occur primarily within the existing building, with the exception of scheduled outdoor activities in the existing designated playground area. The Property contains existing parking, landscaping, internal circulation, and buffering that have successfully supported educational uses for more than forty-one (41) years. Accordingly, the proposed school is not expected to create adverse impacts, including excessive noise, light, dust, or other nuisances, on adjacent properties.
Staff Comment: The proposed building currently exists and the site meets all setback and buffer requirements.
Standard: There are adequate parking areas and off-street truck loading spaces (if applicable) consistent with the parking requirements of the Code, and the layout of the parking and vehicular use areas is convenient and conducive to safe and efficient operation consistent with the city standards to the greatest extent possible.
Applicant Reply: The Property contains approximately one hundred twenty (120) existing parking spaces. Mindset Connect typically utilizes approximately twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) spaces during normal operations, including parking for sixteen (16) team members, occasional church staff, parent meetings, and authorized visitors.
Parents may either briefly drop off their children or park and accompany them into the building. Team members are present during arrival and dismissal to assist families and support safe and orderly vehicle and pedestrian movement.
No bus storage or off-street truck loading is proposed or required for the operation. The existing parking layout and vehicular-use areas provide adequate capacity and are convenient and conducive to the safe and efficient operation of the proposed K-12 school. Moreover, the existing parking facilities have historically accommodated comparable educational uses on the Property without creating parking shortages or adverse impacts on surrounding properties. Accordingly, the proposed operation will function well within the existing parking capacity of the campus.
Staff Comment: The site meets the City’s standards for required number of parking spaces for schools. The traffic operations plan have been reviewed and accepted by the Development Review Committee (DRC).
Standard: There will be adequate provisions for traffic movement, both vehicular and pedestrian internal to the use and adequate measures exist or shall be taken to provide ingress and egress to the proposed use, for both vehicles and pedestrian, in a manner that minimizes traffic congestion in the public streets, and the use may not result in a significantly greater amount of traffic on local streets than would result from a development permitted by right, performed through use of a traffic study.
Applicant Reply: Children are transported to and from the Property by their parents. School bus transportation is not provided. Because Mindset Connect operates as a homeschool support program rather than a traditional public or private school, parents have the flexibility to drop off their children throughout the morning based on their individual family schedules. All children must be picked up no later than 3:00 p.m.
Unlike traditional public schools, Mindset Connect's educational model allows families flexibility in arrival and dismissal times, resulting in a more gradual distribution of traffic throughout the morning and afternoon and reducing peak traffic impacts on surrounding roadways.
Most arrivals occur at approximately 9:00 a.m., and most pickups occur between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Team members are present during arrival and dismissal to supervise children, assist families, and maintain safe and orderly vehicular and pedestrian movement. Parents may either briefly drop off their children or park and accompany them into the building.
The Property contains established access points, drive aisles, parking areas, and pedestrian routes that have successfully supported educational uses for more than forty-one (41) years. Children are not required to cross public streets; therefore, crossing guards are not necessary.
The previous preschool and daycare operation served approximately one hundred (100) to one hundred twenty (120) children. The proposed K-12 school will operate within a similar operational capacity utilizing the same existing access points, parking facilities, and internal circulation. Accordingly, the proposed use is not expected to generate a significant increase in traffic or create congestion on surrounding public streets beyond the historical educational use of the Property.
Staff Comment: City staff has reviewed the proposed traffic operations plan and has no objections.
Standard: The land area must be sufficient, appropriate and adequate for the use and for any reasonably anticipated expansion thereof.
Applicant Reply: Although the Property contains approximately 2.5 acres and does not meet the minimum four (4) acre site requirement established for schools, the existing campus has successfully served children and families through preschool and daycare programming for more than forty-one (41) years.
The Property contains ten (10) existing classrooms, a designated outdoor recreational play area, approximately one hundred twenty (120) parking spaces, established internal circulation, and the supporting infrastructure necessary to accommodate the proposed K-12 school. No expansion of the building footprint or construction of additional buildings is proposed as part of this application.
Mindset Connect's educational model is intentionally designed around small learning environments, maintaining approximately twelve (12) children per instructor and a practical operational capacity of approximately one hundred twenty (120) children. Because the proposed school will continue to utilize the existing facilities and infrastructure, no additional land area is anticipated to be necessary for future operations.
Staff Comment: The site does not meet the minimum size requirements as established within the code. A variance has been requested (ZV2026-0006) for relief from this requirement.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend approval of site plan SP2026-0008, subject to the approval of zoning variance ZV2026-0006.