[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6328559,"mediaKeyId","2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4","parentId",2319060,"title","St. Cloud council continues review of proposed private school after safety and traffic concerns raised","audioSeconds",1114,"startMs",5974000,"endMs",7088000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4&start=5974&end=7088","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4/thumbnail_5974000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6328559/St-Cloud/Osceola-County/Florida/St-Cloud-council-continues-review-of-proposed-private-school-after-safety-and-traffic-concerns-raised","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328559-80a474e7315556583d40946ab5542c6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1774967461&Signature=WIJ0GS6Lht4PN47W3zyHpdc4PRDRFHEkGpckFD6yGqp~INH6hMvqyVyJ44xwNhBC72XFJlIy1v7cZJNS6KdQKiTNkg2AHXihdFT~Oi1O8dKHmvGPjESVaCbHBMC14TWYuQu0ehpYvApgQSoXpPzZkCYdJ3Onyg9nu6TxBMUV9LkMLPNpMRkjcnzEVkvVR~E9p19yifsFTT9-UKFkRTCxZmAumkSwivsMcs6n8He-zyt3R8hGhl7YR7wVA3cBj6yn1Cl7WAR4FUuWYP4YDNtcIWu6VMt1kb6jwhTQYZsX3G3TcVbXBvzx4ilKwTJaFD4JfEucDwlcRFFveU5j~er6ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of St. Cloud, FL","date","2025-02-14T18:46:28Z","article","The St. Cloud City Council voted on Feb. 13 to continue a decision on a conditional‑use permit for Christ Centered Academics, a small private school that proposed operating Monday–Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a site that also hosts a church and food pantry.

Melissa Dunklin, the city’s director of community development, told council staff recommended denial because adding a school to a site where a food pantry and church activities already generate queuing could increase traffic backing up onto East U.S. 192 and Old Hickory Tree Road and interfere with right‑of‑way safety. Planning Commission had recommended approval with conditions tied to stacking, site changes and an expiration if the school leaves the property.

Why it matters

Council members and residents focused on immediate safety and operational issues — possible vehicle stacking into the public right‑of‑way, building and fire code compliance at an existing modular classroom and public allegations about past practices at a different facility used by the school. The council postponed final action to allow inspection, additional information and a staff review.

What applicants and residents said

Annette Moore, who identified herself as the school’s principal, said the program is small — 13 students and three staff — and serves children with special needs who receive state scholarship funding (she referenced the program formerly called McKay). Moore said the church altered the food‑pantry process to eliminate the drive‑through stacking and that the pantry now operates as a walk‑up distribution so vehicles no longer queue into the roadway.

Opposition and safety concerns

A former student, identified on the record as Draven Moore, described disciplinary and safety concerns while he attended the school, including windows that had been nailed shut in a classroom, crowding and food‑handling practices he said were unsanitary. His father, James Moore, told the council the City had previously ordered other locations used by the school to close for code noncompliance and said the modular classroom lacked sprinklers and adequate exits at earlier locations.

Council action

After public testimony and discussion, Mayor Christian B. Robertson moved to continue the item to the council’s March 13 meeting to allow staff inspections and additional documentation. The motion carried on roll call with a 4‑0 vote (Council Member Ken Gilbert recused because of a conflict and did not participate in the vote). The council asked the city manager and the fire chief to inspect the present site and report back on any code or life‑safety issues and directed staff to include information about the food‑pantry operations and any prior enforcement history in the packet for the March hearing.

Ending

The council set a March 13 continuation. Pending the staff inspection and factual updates, the council will revisit the conditional‑use permit and any proposed conditions.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St Cloud Fl-City Council Meeting February 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The St. Cloud City Council postponed a decision on Feb. 13 about a conditional‑use permit for Christ Centered Academics after staff urged denial over traffic and compatibility concerns and residents raised building‑safety and supervision complaints.","taxTitle","St. Cloud, Osceola County, Florida","taxId",4583,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328564,"Toho Water Authority outlines causes of high bills, accelerates device replacement after St. Cloud complaints",993,923000,1916000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4&start=923&end=1916","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4/thumbnail_923000.jpg","/articles/6328564/St-Cloud/Osceola-County/Florida/Toho-Water-Authority-outlines-causes-of-high-bills-accelerates-device-replacement-after-St-Cloud-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328564-16a283174bf9773fea778099975b67df/orig.mp4?Expires=1774967461&Signature=Q4E3KEcDGQmfXi9c0O2zDh8GKImLU4lI~HNwlc4Ms-QZt3sgD37LfIbaWQglTFwmbU1fRTY1YQOuSw~0xTN~uQXWrpQdu1DFx~Yz~Rq58c1wb0yvq-xclIqmDxHamyroImYbXSsV-RgndsMsLMaFkrCKQ-GuxoIY63EiSC4muB5ZPibY8FQRcUPKSrbuWVqs1nHz8EyglpQChN61gqTcdYIokJtv8UqauDkYpcf7wY10qw0Bs-lp3uCMvlscThV9z6u6Bnpx1ZQNltnIBKIIVR15wehd2qaeuC6Qa3Cm6OadV5RQW4JVOlhOqzNmuFQJm~zJu66scSwHl8YhtxzGYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Toho Water Authority told the St. Cloud City Council on Feb. 13 that a combination of a recent rate increase, unusually high irrigation and premature failures of remote meter communications devices are the main drivers behind recent customer complaints about high water bills.

Todd Swingle, chief executive officer of Toho Water Authority, told the council the utility began seeing customer concerns in December and launched a dedicated web page and email address in early January for bill inquiries. He said Toho is offering individual bill reviews, free irrigation consultations and bill adjustments where appropriate.

Swingle and other Toho staff emphasized the drivers: a rate change that took effect in October 2024; higher tiered charges for irrigation above 10,000 and 20,000 gallons; local city fees such as stormwater and solid‑waste moved onto Toho bills after annexations; and equipment problems with MTU/MIU communications devices that report meter readings to the office.

Why it matters

The mix of causes affects remedies and who pays. Rate changes and city fees are recurring and visible on customers’ bills; unusually high irrigation or a pool fill is a customer issue that Toho can help diagnose; device failures and reading-estimate procedures can cause billing errors that the utility corrects later. Toho said it is pursuing both customer‑facing assistance and system fixes.

Key details from the presentation

- Rate and fee changes: Swingle said potable water, wastewater and irrigation rates rose about 5% in October 2024; the reclaimed irrigation rate rose about 12.6% and is set at 75% of the potable irrigation rate. Toho also bills city solid‑waste and stormwater fees on its statement; those fees rose “about 8.2%” and in some cases are newly appearing on bills when properties were annexed.

- Usage tiers and irrigation: Toho explained it uses a tiered rate structure; significant increases often appear above 10,000 gallons and again above 20,000. Swingle said average residential indoor use is about 4,000 gallons per month and average reclaimed irrigation use in the service area is roughly 7,000 gallons — a level consistent with Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) conservation goals.

- Autopay and payment processing: Toho said customers on credit‑card autopay were blocked if a bill exceeded a $300 card limit; the autopay failed and a past‑due amount then showed up on the next bill. Toho said it is working with its payment vendor to raise the autopay card limit to $1,000 to reduce failed payments and inadvertent delinquencies.

- MTU/MIU device failures and estimate billing: Swingle said the utility is seeing premature failures of the remote electronic transmitters (MTU/MIU) — not the mechanical meter — around the 11–12 year mark rather than the expected 15–17 years. He said about 6,500 devices are identified for repair or replacement in the St. Cloud footprint (about 28,000 Toho‑wide out of a total footprint of roughly 210,000 devices). When a device is offline, Toho said it uses an estimated usage based on the customer’s prior 12 months until a manual read or replacement can be obtained; adjustments, credits or charges are applied once an actual read is available.

- Board‑approved accelerated replacement program: Swingle said Toho’s board approved an accelerated program last night that increases the line‑item spend for meters and MTUs from about $7,400,000 to $12,400,000 (an increase of $5,000,000). He said timing depends on contractor and device availability; vendors have told Toho they can ramp up and prioritize failed devices.

Customer contacts and outreach

Swingle said the dedicated bill‑inquiry inbox received about 33 emails since Jan. 6; Toho also reported a dataset of 62 high‑bill‑related contacts in which just over 20 were due to consumption, about 12 had identified leaks, 17 involved MIU failures or a combination of MIU failure and leak, and 6 related to rate increases. He emphasized that the inbox is routed to a trained team and that Toho also averages about 1,000 calls per day across its full service area.

Toho listed near‑term actions: increase the autopay card limit, offer free irrigation consultations and in‑person bill consultations at City Hall, perform targeted bill‑data reviews even for customers who do not call, accelerate MTU/MIU replacements with prioritized inventory, and present a comprehensive utility management update to the council in late March (staff suggested March 27).

Council response and next steps

Council members thanked Toho for the presentation, cited personal examples of failed autopay processing and urged proactive notifications to customers. Several council members asked staff to ensure Toho’s onsite outreach, coordination with city customer service, and the March workshop include details on Plant 4 upgrades and timelines for the device replacement program.

Ending

Toho asked residents with concerns to email waterbillquestions@tohowater.com or meet staff in the lobby after the presentation for an in‑person sign‑up for a review. Swingle said Toho will share the reports and responses it provides to customers with city staff for transparency.

","Toho Water Authority told the St. Cloud City Council on Feb. 13 that a mix of meter‑device failures, recent rate and fee changes, high irrigation use and an autopay card‑limit are behind recent spikes in customer bills, and that its board approved boosting replacement spending for MTUs/MIUs from $7.4 million to $12.4 million.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328545,"Council approves tri‑party mobility fee agreement with Whaley Farms for Bellaterra framework roads, capped at $20 million",464,7553000,8017000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4&start=7553&end=8017","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4/thumbnail_7553000.jpg","/articles/6328545/St-Cloud/Osceola-County/Florida/Council-approves-triparty-mobility-fee-agreement-with-Whaley-Farms-for-Bellaterra-framework-roads-capped-at-20-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328545-27c191023a542037608c341d325d6204/orig.mp4?Expires=1774967461&Signature=l7v7XY4f8~dQw6aEKbDBLR5tnn~363CTCW8RT7m11saxZMDFQksmL6fb7rCqMiHZqhm78FmxK-PRcdWRkWTsoDnFxGpxmF2JXQ3uAFls5hJtQEwocF2GuiNIMwhnCFTsj4uJJJBZYHmqaI8R~lHOpxc6I-FYrMT~zFbpIweD7xzuC2fXT-BsZv29fc3MxKY6nCM8nS7AF82UkR61hTRKRLQfVKsg4LihFny2oqiMq0aIfJjEP9LS4oAdDB9PJA075GMxW4K6TP-bqFJXyOPK0m7WC6Lnq5CSUHIumO3MW7kIydKrgPjmhu02TlagQ4cO4OoN69Mrx0iDdazfu~JaDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Cloud City Council on Feb. 13 approved a tri‑party mobility fee agreement among the City, Osceola County and Whaley Farms LLC to reimburse eligible design, permitting, right‑of‑way acquisition and construction costs for framework roads tied to the Bellaterra project through mobility fee credits.

What the agreement does

City planning staff said the agreement covers portions of Kissimmee Park Road, South Berry Drive and a section of Cecil Whaley Road that Bellaterra will construct; the reimbursement would apply only to the additional mobility capacity beyond what is required to serve the project and is limited to the actual costs the developer documents. The agreement sets an estimated reimbursement cap of up to $20,000,000 in mobility fee credits.

Developer and council discussion

Applicant counsel and project representatives said they had worked with staff and the city in a detailed workshop and reiterated their willingness to provide infrastructure if mobility fee credits reimburse their documented costs. In remarks during the meeting, the mayor noted the developer agreed to forego a portion of mobility credits and to cap net mobility credits at $20,000,000; the mayor indicated the developer also agreed to advance $4.5 million in mobility fee payments toward immediate needs as part of the negotiated terms.

Council action and vote

Council approved the resolution by roll call vote (5‑0). Staff said reimbursements require documentation of actual costs and that the city will not pay beyond the developer’s documented expenses. Councilmembers asked for clarity on reimbursement mechanics and thanked the developers for engagement at a prior workshop.

Ending

The agreement is intended to accelerate construction of key framework streets that will serve Bellaterra and adjacent properties while tying reimbursement to documented costs and a $20 million mobility‑credit cap.

","The council approved a tri‑party agreement on Feb. 13 that will reimburse design, permitting, ROW and construction costs for framework streets related to the Bellaterra project through mobility fee credits. The agreement caps reimbursement at $20 million in mobility credits and requires proof of actual costs; developers agreed to the cap after",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328550,"Council rejects proposed architectural and use standards for mini‑warehouses and storage facilities",358,4779000,5137000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4&start=4779&end=5137","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4/thumbnail_4779000.jpg","/articles/6328550/St-Cloud/Osceola-County/Florida/Council-rejects-proposed-architectural-and-use-standards-for-miniwarehouses-and-storage-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328550-1580fe5536fee32351083d3b77f8d197/orig.mp4?Expires=1774967461&Signature=n1fs8OYL0b8mAP-563LOq-8vnUzCaALQ7u9fRkGJKNauSmEbFnIoTJepWZ13jvnxDKiH-6YIr7vaOSmqqp9KeXQ7Ne68bRuLUSTsbmhRnBptnVUcdLfoHXKEB-CmGALGCdHh~83GT0GAZEcOGxR4AJ6zH0Xxf2-Ec9Mah2vCK1wLG6rpBnt2xzdtdHKN7AbRZczjdmBW4vFgGWZDvLgMqWY7WiyPFGiZcVGc4kUPyZ1C6Ed0FOO6PEiWOwu3Nm0zVrhPixNx8AwSJ4E1HD3dkB9V88eO~~4gEnDre1hXEckwSth172CboFTjq86HlcP-dLj5EyNYUPkTjkp9wyBh5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Cloud City Council on Feb. 13 voted 5‑0 to deny an ordinance that would have amended the land development code to add architectural and use standards for mini‑warehouse and storage facilities across the city.

Staff proposal

Melissa Dunklin, director of community development, presented the proposed ordinance, which would have added design standards for mini‑warehouses, updated primary and prohibited uses, allowed limited secondary uses (for example, a maximum of two display trucks if truck rental is offered), required a two‑story minimum façade along key roadways, limited curb cuts, required interior access so roll‑up doors were not the predominant street feature, established material and transparent‑window minimums, and required outdoor storage to be screened by at least a six‑foot masonry wall.

Council discussion and vote

Council Member Ken Gilbert argued the city’s valuable frontage and land needs flexibility; Deputy Mayor Sean Fletcher said some issues were addressed by state statute and suggested denial. After discussion the council adopted a motion to deny the ordinance. The motion carried 5‑0 on roll call.

Ending

Councilmembers said they wanted to preserve the city’s future flexibility for commercial frontage and that some provisions would be better handled through targeted PUD standards or site‑specific review rather than a broad code change.

","City planning staff proposed an amendment to the land development code to add design standards and limit uses for mini‑warehouse and storage facilities along major roadways. Councilmembers said the code changes would hamper future development and overlap with state law; the council voted 5‑0 to deny the ordinance.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328554,"Council denies Cloud Storage conditional use in Stevens Plantation PUD, citing inconsistency with corporate campus vision",898,7135000,8033000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4&start=7135&end=8033","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2319060-b3b2376feda51c6f425b52f08182aca4/thumbnail_7135000.jpg","/articles/6328554/St-Cloud/Osceola-County/Florida/Council-denies-Cloud-Storage-conditional-use-in-Stevens-Plantation-PUD-citing-inconsistency-with-corporate-campus-vision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328554-9a82d3f6731a8edb7feda11b8687a304/orig.mp4?Expires=1774967461&Signature=GEyx~c5ar2B7MBd4VVJRvrjgyJEJEzotRcU8xuD94ffz8ehMBSVRg0ALNFmc6C3gmoFBhSUh9Mrs0jbBf9HxX19TAWtK7uQDbGutlI8HMYhpgLUIUB0o7yCFXIkZBG3FaNp9zkrmKfGgkxEFgbsIT-ddV9pfY3hQoaGFHnPPgP6taFeLfD7oDAWKTHidvYOZ7j9IFlhpckLHZKtgemr5eSlP1Jn3Ufs5M5bxf~6~3fLzq26aKUzgBjWdIjZwGetfokkJMV3a1ho2JJb08W7fazGeXPDR13hJcvYRQ0tSu45WKRqn55yQShUL6reZqrR-g6VNH5XMKROBh40pdaTu8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Cloud City Council on Feb. 13 denied a conditional‑use permit for a proposed three‑story climate‑controlled storage facility in the Stevens Plantation corporate campus by a 5‑0 roll call vote.

Staff presentation and conditions

City planning staff recommended approval with seven conditions intended to preserve the corporate campus character: require a six‑foot masonry wall along the western property line while keeping existing trees; require a minimum of four architectural design elements; ensure storage unit access is not visible from the street and is located behind windows or interior corridors; require building façades to resemble office buildings; and encourage a curvilinear diagonal entry for corner buildings, among other design elements.

Community opposition and council rationale

Dwayne Norman, a resident of Buckingham Court directly west of the site, told council the corporate campus was sold to residents as medical and office uses and that storage units are inconsistent with the intended land‑use plan. He said neighbors had lived in the area for decades and that a storage facility would negatively alter the character and property expectations for the site’s residential edges.

The applicant and staff

Don Huey and the applicant’s attorney argued the conditional use was consistent with the PUD approval and that a compact, multi‑story building would meet the campus footprint objectives. The applicant asked the council to remove some conditions staff added after the Planning Commission hearing, but staff and council ultimately favored the stricter PUD standards and the neighbors’ concerns.

Council action

Council Member Colby Urban moved to deny the conditional‑use request on the ground that the use was not consistent with the general pattern of development in the zoning district; Deputy Mayor Sean Fletcher seconded. The motion passed 5‑0 on a roll call vote.

Ending

Councilmembers said they wanted to preserve the corporate campus character and avoid introducing storage development in a location intended for office and service uses. Staff said a denial would preserve the PUD’s intended development pattern; applicants may pursue alternate sites or revised proposals that better match the PUD character.

","After residents said a three‑story, climate‑controlled storage facility would conflict with the Stevens Plantation corporate campus and adjacent low‑density residential uses, the St. Cloud City Council denied a conditional‑use request 5‑0. Staff recommended approval with seven conditions; residents and some council members argued the use was not","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

St. Cloud council continues review of proposed private school after safety and traffic concerns raised

Toho Water Authority outlines causes of high bills, accelerates device replacement after St. Cloud complaints

Council approves tri‑party mobility fee agreement with Whaley Farms for Bellaterra framework roads, capped at $20 million

Council rejects proposed architectural and use standards for mini‑warehouses and storage facilities

Council denies Cloud Storage conditional use in Stevens Plantation PUD, citing inconsistency with corporate campus vision