Fight to Preserve East Kendall & Neighborhoods along S.W. 97th Avenue
The East Kendall Homeowners Federation, www.EKHF.org, was formed to fight the proposed
expansion of Pinewood Acres School located at SW 96th St. and SW 97th Avenue.
 The owners of Pinewood Acres School recently entered a contract with Academica/
Somerset Academy to operate as a charter school.
 Academica/Somerset Academy has submitted a plan to the County to expand to
accommodate 2,000 students - K thru 12th grade at the Pinewood Acres location.
 Currently, student enrollment at Pinewood Acres School is capped at 290 students.
 Pinewood Acres School had 120 students enrolled this past school year.
 The existing school would be demolished and replaced with a one hundred and one
thousand (101,000) sq. ft. two story mega-campus.
 Academica/Somerset’s traffic engineer has submitted a traffic survey to the County
which conservatively projects that three thousand six hundred (3,600) additional cars
will be added to the traffic on 97th Avenue and the surrounding neighborhoods, daily.
 There are several A-rated public schools, as well as private, specialty schools within a
one mile radius of Pinewood Acre/Somerset Charter School which are under enrolled.
Discussion:
The EKHF and the supporting Homeowners Associations do not object to charter schools
per se, nor are we against creating more educational opportunities in the area. However, we
strongly oppose mega-schools, the traffic congestion this proposal represents and the
detrimental impact to our property values, quality of life and neighborhoods.
Another serious and inevitable outcome of this expansion will lead to the eventual widening
of S.W. 97th Avenue to four (4) lanes, to ease the gridlock of three thousand six hundred
(3,600) additional cars daily. The County Planning Department has definite rules which
must be followed according to County Charter that set specific traffic density “triggers”.
This traffic increase and resultant congestion would be one of those “triggers”.
Conclusions:
 Academica/Somerset Charter proposed one hundred and one thousand (101,000) sq.
ft. mega-school building housing two thousand (2,000) students is not consistent or
concurrent with our neighborhood, nor will the infrastructure support it.
 The surrounding neighborhoods support Pinewood Acres School staying at its currently
allowed enrollment cap of 290 students.
 The East Kendall Homeowners Federation and seven supporting homeowners groups
have united to halt this expansion with all of our resources.
Please go to www.EKHF.org to view our action plan. Send us your email address so you will
be informed of all developments. Attend our meetings and join the fight to save our
neighborhood by donating whatever you can afford (see donation form on this website). Please
attend the County Commission Public Hearing when this comes up for a vote. Thank you for
your much needed support.