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Charter School Negotiating For Permanent Site

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By RONNIE BLAIR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Imagine Charter School at Land O' Lakes, which opened this week in a temporary location, still plans to move to a permanent site in August 2009.

But it won't be the one that was originally planned.

The charter school was going to lease a 36,000-square-foot building that was to be built on about 4 acres west of U.S. 41 on Morgan Road.

However, the county Development Review Committee and the developers never reached a compromise on access to the proposed school.

As part of the school project, county officials wanted the developers to add gates where Morgan Road crosses the CSX railroad tracks. They also wanted a traffic signal on U.S. 41 to provide safe access for cars turning left from U.S. 41.

The developers balked at those conditions and withdrew their plans last week. With that site no longer an option, the charter school is negotiating to lease a site on State Road 54 about a mile west of U.S. 41, Principal John Selover said.

He said the school hopes to complete negotiations soon.

In the meantime, the charter school is holding classes in a 22,000-square-foot facility it is leasing for one year at the Ballantrae Professional Center, 17901 Hunting Bow Circle.

The school opened Monday with 449 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Imagine is one of four charter schools in Pasco County.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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