The Town Council deferred a conditional-use application for Educational World Learning Center (COND2025-0218) after an extended public hearing at which the applicant, staff and neighboring property owners presented competing views.

Applicant presentation and staff concerns: Architect Eduardo Vasquez and the applicant said the proposal would not enlarge the existing building or increase the number of classrooms; rather, they said, one existing classroom would change from daycare age groups to an elementary classroom serving up to 19 elementary students (mix of 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds). Planner Susanna Alonso told council staff had concerns about meeting the town’s open-space requirements for elementary-age outdoor play (staff identified a requirement that would total 8,998 sq. ft. for the proposed number of elementary students) and asked for documentation tying the adjacent lot the applicant wants to use as outdoor play space to the daycare property (staff requested a covenant in lieu of title or similar binding agreement plus landscape improvements and other conditions prior to approval).

Association opposition and legal issue: Valerie Sanchez, counsel for the Miami Lakes Professional Center Condominium Association, submitted written objections and told council that the association’s recorded condominium declaration (cited in public comments) explicitly excludes “schools” as a permitted use; association president Ruben Sanchez said congestion at the single ingress/egress point and the small size of the condominium (12 lots) created safety concerns if larger numbers of parents, staff or service vehicles attempted to enter during drop-off or pick-up periods. The association provided a copy of its declaration language in the public record and said it had denied an architectural request tied to the same proposal.

Council action: After questioning staff and the parties, council members voted to defer the conditional-use item to the Nov. 18 council meeting so applicants and the association could continue coordination and so staff could gather additional documentation requested by council (including the required legal/documents tying the adjacent lot to the daycare property and a clearer operations plan addressing circulation and staffing). The item will return to council as a public hearing on the deferred date.

Ending: The deferral preserves council’s ability to consider the conditional-use request with additional evidence expected about outdoor space, parking/traffic circulation, and any private condominium recording that the association says prohibits school uses.