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Council supports site in Alva for new high school

By Staff | Oct 26, 2016

Don Ruane

The Lehigh Acres Community Council voted unanimously to let the Lee County School Board know it supports ALVA Inc. and its plan for a high school in Alva.

ALVA Inc. is working toward have an additional high school built at Joel Boulevard and Tuckahoe Road.

“This location is a great site for serving Lehigh Acres students whose schools are over capacity,” Don Ruane, an ALVA Inc. member and Alva resident, told a group of nearly 20 members and guests.

“But we’re fighting to have the school built at this site on the edge of Lehigh rather than at Gateway,” Ruane said.

He said the school district is expected to select a site by April. Construction of the new East Zone school is expected to be finished in time for the school to open in August 2019.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Suggested site in Alva for the new high school shown in relationship to the other East Zone schools.

The school district currently owns 102 acres at Joel and Tuckahoe, which it purchased in 2007 for $6.1 million. ALVA Inc. believes that the site is the best location in the East Zone for another school.

Ruane said ALVA Inc. proposes that the district come up with a curriculum for the new school centered around environmental sciences, with an attention on agriculture.

“We want our students throughout the East Zone to be environmentally and agriculturally literate so they can make healthy choices and live well,” he said.

Ruane said when the site for the new school in Bonita Springs was selected, it was a tense. But he does not believe that the experience has to be repeated.

“We recognize this high school will serve the entire East Zone, not just Alva,” Ruane said.

MEL TOADVINE Don Ruane, left, of ALVA?Inc., gave a presentation on a possible site for a new East Zone high school during the Lehigh Acres Community Council meeting. Speaking with him is local resident Yepram Dervahanian.

One of the best things about the Alva site is there are hundreds of acres of conserved lands, streams and creeks, along with the Caloosahatche nearby for field studies.

He added that Lee County and UF/IFAS Lee County Extension Services are planning a park near Joel and Tuckahoe that could offer more learning opportunities.

Ruane said the plans for the park were presented during a previous ALVA Inc. meeting.

Information provided by Ruane showed that the Alva site is bordered by Tuckahoe to the north and Joel to the east. The Styles Road Extension abuts the western edge, and Conservation 20/20 land is to the south.

Ruane noted the site is 102 acres, enough room for the high school and expansion for other uses in the community.

The size and access provided by Joel, Styles and Packinghouse Road make traffic management easier with proper planning.

He said the parcel size makes it easier to place sports fields, parking lots, a wastewater treatment station or other unpopular features. The 20/20 property nearby limits residential conflicts and enhances the environmental curriculum.

Information provided by ALVA Inc. claims that less home sites are within a mile of the property.

“The difference is that approximately 143 home sites are within one mile of this property, whereas more than 300 are within a half mile of the Gateway site,” he said.

Ruane said fewer people will be impacted at the Alva site, adjacent residential uses are sparse and the acreage provides buffering.

He said adjacent buffering is possible with native landscaping around the perimeter and there is a significant number of affordable residential lots nearby in Lehigh to add demand for the school.

Ruane pointed out that it is less than a mile from state Route 80, a significant cross state highway.

The site is also well positioned to attract students from Hendry and other counties under the new law allowing students to attend school anywhere in the state.

“Existing high school options, including Gateway Charter High School, are clustered on the south side of Lehigh. This site provides a return on tax dollars and a more equitable distribution of classrooms in the zone,” he said.

“Northeast zone families could be more involved with a school near their homes,” Ruane said.

He noted that there would be no interference with Joel construction work because the county has no long-range plan that would interfere with the project.

Ruane also noted that nearby residents may benefit from job opportunities created by the construction and operations of the new school, which could provide opportunities for local business and economic development activities.

He called Lehigh a growth engine with some of the best home prices and rents in the county.

“The district can ride the growth wave in this affordable area,” Ruane said.

Rick Anglickis, president of the Lehigh council, appointed a committee to work with ALVA Inc. to help convince the district that the Alva site would be the best one.

Council supports site in Alva for new high school

By Staff | Oct 26, 2016

Don Ruane

The Lehigh Acres Community Council voted unanimously to let the Lee County School Board know it supports ALVA Inc. and its plan for a high school in Alva.

ALVA Inc. is working toward have an additional high school built at Joel Boulevard and Tuckahoe Road.

“This location is a great site for serving Lehigh Acres students whose schools are over capacity,” Don Ruane, an ALVA Inc. member and Alva resident, told a group of nearly 20 members and guests.

“But we’re fighting to have the school built at this site on the edge of Lehigh rather than at Gateway,” Ruane said.

He said the school district is expected to select a site by April. Construction of the new East Zone school is expected to be finished in time for the school to open in August 2019.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Suggested site in Alva for the new high school shown in relationship to the other East Zone schools.

The school district currently owns 102 acres at Joel and Tuckahoe, which it purchased in 2007 for $6.1 million. ALVA Inc. believes that the site is the best location in the East Zone for another school.

Ruane said ALVA Inc. proposes that the district come up with a curriculum for the new school centered around environmental sciences, with an attention on agriculture.

“We want our students throughout the East Zone to be environmentally and agriculturally literate so they can make healthy choices and live well,” he said.

Ruane said when the site for the new school in Bonita Springs was selected, it was a tense. But he does not believe that the experience has to be repeated.

“We recognize this high school will serve the entire East Zone, not just Alva,” Ruane said.

MEL TOADVINE Don Ruane, left, of ALVA?Inc., gave a presentation on a possible site for a new East Zone high school during the Lehigh Acres Community Council meeting. Speaking with him is local resident Yepram Dervahanian.

One of the best things about the Alva site is there are hundreds of acres of conserved lands, streams and creeks, along with the Caloosahatche nearby for field studies.

He added that Lee County and UF/IFAS Lee County Extension Services are planning a park near Joel and Tuckahoe that could offer more learning opportunities.

Ruane said the plans for the park were presented during a previous ALVA Inc. meeting.

Information provided by Ruane showed that the Alva site is bordered by Tuckahoe to the north and Joel to the east. The Styles Road Extension abuts the western edge, and Conservation 20/20 land is to the south.

Ruane noted the site is 102 acres, enough room for the high school and expansion for other uses in the community.

The size and access provided by Joel, Styles and Packinghouse Road make traffic management easier with proper planning.

He said the parcel size makes it easier to place sports fields, parking lots, a wastewater treatment station or other unpopular features. The 20/20 property nearby limits residential conflicts and enhances the environmental curriculum.

Information provided by ALVA Inc. claims that less home sites are within a mile of the property.

“The difference is that approximately 143 home sites are within one mile of this property, whereas more than 300 are within a half mile of the Gateway site,” he said.

Ruane said fewer people will be impacted at the Alva site, adjacent residential uses are sparse and the acreage provides buffering.

He said adjacent buffering is possible with native landscaping around the perimeter and there is a significant number of affordable residential lots nearby in Lehigh to add demand for the school.

Ruane pointed out that it is less than a mile from state Route 80, a significant cross state highway.

The site is also well positioned to attract students from Hendry and other counties under the new law allowing students to attend school anywhere in the state.

“Existing high school options, including Gateway Charter High School, are clustered on the south side of Lehigh. This site provides a return on tax dollars and a more equitable distribution of classrooms in the zone,” he said.

“Northeast zone families could be more involved with a school near their homes,” Ruane said.

He noted that there would be no interference with Joel construction work because the county has no long-range plan that would interfere with the project.

Ruane also noted that nearby residents may benefit from job opportunities created by the construction and operations of the new school, which could provide opportunities for local business and economic development activities.

He called Lehigh a growth engine with some of the best home prices and rents in the county.

“The district can ride the growth wave in this affordable area,” Ruane said.

Rick Anglickis, president of the Lehigh council, appointed a committee to work with ALVA Inc. to help convince the district that the Alva site would be the best one.