HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrowth-1990 T
50 -c'J7_ O
The runaway growth yields
blessings . . . and problems
By SHERI FOX SAVAS
Sun Staff Writer '-- Leanne Grove: "Residential "E Paul Partyka: "Winter Springs Enrollment at Wintersprings
¢' t growth Is leveling off for the 'son the threshoid otexploding, The school was designed to
•
Until about four years ago,a "' =k, t. time,but Iexpeclanupswing s ':" fmm a population standpoint." house 783 students. The use of
trip to the grocery store for Wm fir' y` in commercial growth along ',as portable classrooms brings the
ter Springs residents meant a , I State Road 434 once they 111 i total capacity to 827.
commute to Longwood or Cas- »yy start construction on the d The situation at Keeth El-
i
selbcrrv. S•' expressway." emente rY'sssmilar. Enrollment
And running out to the bank ' aJ at the school,which was built to
meant going farther than just accommodate 733 students,was
around the comer. .,,. Phillip Kulbes: The growth William Jacobs: "It (Winter 919 on Sept.4. Portables bring
Now that growth and Bevel- Is inevitable. The only thing - . e. :Springs)will still grow but at a the total capacity to 887.
opment have made a virtual "^ we can do Is control it and a �° smaller percentage than Jibes Winterspringsmiddle school•
decide what kind of growth In the past The major growth students attend either Green-
boomtown of Winter Springs, �
residents can bank, shop, and we era going to have.° _% Is over." wood Lakes, Lakeview,
conduct all their business in or F { Tuskawilla, or South Seminole
near their own town. Middle School,all of which are
Property values are moving operating over capacity.
up;city services are improving Arthur Hoffmann: "Growth is Cindy.Kaehiec "I:think that
At the high school level,most
and expanding; and a new steady:Itprohabi Isn't Noma ' 7?. growth is already leveling off. attend Oviedo High School,cj. Y fi g yg g Y g wudentssdesianedtohold 1,890
superpark and senior center are to be as rapid in the flextime a We can see that the number
scheduled for construction. p by students,y,year o 2, enrollment Event th
years as It was In the past '" of building permits being far this yearof 2,061. Even with
x " /five years. Dulled:" five portables on-site, the
Mixed blessings school's total capacity of 2,000
Coe , � students is insufficient to house
These blessings and others °, the current population.
that have come hand-in-hand Richard Wells,director of fa-
with the growth in the city,how- cilities for the Seminole County
ever,have also brought the asso- "Winter Springs, despite in- transportation, police, and fire said. And the widening of C.R. School Board, said the Winter
ciated blights of crowded roads, creases in taxes the past three impact fees. 419 between Lockwood Road Springs,Tuscawilla,andOviedo
crowded classrooms,and rising years,is still the cheapest city in County Engineer Jerry and Chuluota is about 15 years areas are the district's fastest
i property taxes. Seminole County as far as a tax McCollumsaid that,forexample, in the future. growing, along with the Lake
For the third time in three rate basis," said Commissioner about 60 percent of the cost of Winter Springs officials say Mary area
{ years, ad valorem taxes are on Paul Partyka. newcountyroadsis paid forfrom construction of the expressway The schoolboard has noplans
the rise. This year's increase to Commissioner Arthur impact fees. The remainder is should ease some of the city's to expand Winter Springs or
about.$,3.60per$1,000ofassessed Hoffmann said the proposed in paid for from the local-option traffic woes. Some city commis- Keeth Elementary, Wells said,
property value is about 20 per- creaseinpropertytaxesisneeded gas taxes collected. Each city sioners have also suggested because the district just corn-
cent higher than last year's $3 to cover the growth in services, receives approximately one- building a loop around the city pleted a $100 million building
rate. which in turn is needed to ac- third of the revenue the county to alleviate some of the traffic Project for existing schools,and
commodate the growth earns from the gas tax. congestion. because county residents re-
in population. Growth can also pay for itself Commissioner Philip Kulbes rendydefeatedabondissue that
would have permitted new con-
The city's Land Devel- because new homes and busi- said such a by-pass cannot be
opment Coordinator nesses increase the tax roll. built for about five years. sttuation.Theonlynewelemen-
tary schools to be built are Mar-
Don LeBlanc said thecity "But we can live with the traf- guerite Partin Elementary in
has approved plans for More residents-added burdens sic for about four years without Oviedo and Heathrow Elemen-
aboutl86newhomesites getting frustrated,"Kulbes said. tary near lake Mary.
since October 1989. An- Still,the new residents place Those traffic jams on Hwy. Within the next five years,
other 1,1381otshavebeen added demands on schools, 434,C.R.419 and S.R.434 could Wells said the district will in-
giventhepreliminarygo- roads,reaeationalfacilities,and actually be a proverbial blessing crease the capacity at Oviedo
aheadbythecity,hesaid. police and fire protection. in disguise, Kulbes said. With High School to 2,500 students.
Traffic problems are obvious theroadsalreadyoperatingover
Builders pay four ice- for motorists who travel capacity,the commissioner said Future city growth
pact fees Tuscawilla Road,State Road 434, itisunlikelythatdeveloperswill
and County Road 419. receive approval to build more What about the future of
In many ways, these McCollum said the portion of homes in the area, growth in Winter Springs?
new homes and their Tuscawilla Road southof E.Iake Partyka predicts that the
buyerswillpaytheirown Drive ispresentlyoperatingover School taxes on the rise boom will continue, with the
way. capacity. The remainder of the city'spopulationdoublingbythe
For instance, develop- road and the portion of C.R.419 In addition to the city's rising year 2000,if not sooner.
ers in Winter Springs that passes through Winter propertytaxes,residents will pay City Manager Dick Rozansky
must pay four impact Springs are operating at appro- more in school taxes in 1990-91. says growth has leveled off.
fees on their projects. A priate levels right now,he said. As parents,teachers,and stu- Whatever the future holds,
transportationimpactfee Thecountyisplanning to four- dents are well-aware, Winter city officials say Winter Springs
is charged bythe county, lane Tuscawilla Road Springs classrooms are now is no longer Seminole County's
and the city charges in about six or seven years,he bursting at the seams. "sleeping giant."