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Commissioners approve Bell Shoals Academy request to add high school building
Summary
Hillsborough County commissioners voted 6-0 to approve a minor modification allowing Bell Shoals Academy to expand from K–8 to K–12 and add a building envelope; staff said there is no increase in the student cap or overall square footage.
Hillsborough County commissioners voted 6-0 April 8 to approve a request from Bell Shoals Baptist Church to modify an existing planned development and allow Bell Shoals Academy to expand from a K–8 school to K–12 and to add a building envelope for a future high school building.
The change is a minor modification to a planned development originally approved in February 2004. The school’s representatives and county staff said the request keeps the project beneath the existing maximum square-foot cap and does not increase the student cap.
Bridal Grady, Hillsborough County Development Services, summarized the request as “to increase the grade level for [an] existing school” and confirmed staff recommended approval. Rebecca Kurt, attorney with Brooks, Rocha, Colby & Rice, represented the applicant and said the proposed high school building is “internal to the already approved building” and therefore should not affect surrounding neighbors. Kurt added that the site has on‑site queuing and parking and that staff had found the request approvable.
Kurt said, “There is no increase in the student cap — it’s just the addition of high school students,” and noted that, in her view, the change could reduce traffic generation because some high school students drive themselves.
Scott Odom, executive pastor, and Daniel Padron, head of school, were present with the applicant’s team. Kurt said she had contacted two neighbors; one asked for information and one expressed support after the applicant explained the proposal.
Commissioner Wessel moved for approval; Commissioner Gwen Myers seconded. Karen Zapata recorded the vote as 6–0 in favor.
The county administrative record for the application is PRS application 205314. Staff said no increase in maximum square footage and no change in the student cap were part of the approval conditions. No additional conditions or specific construction schedule were stated at the hearing.
The board’s approval allows the applicant to proceed under the amended PD provisions; any future site-specific changes that would exceed the existing square-foot or student caps would require further county review.
