Neighbors at odds with Episcopal School plans

Neighbors say guardhouse layout would violate right-of-way

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Proposed changes to a local school’s property has people who live in the area frustrated. The Episcopal School of Jacksonville wants to build a new guardhouse at the school’s main entrance as part of a $17 million capital improvement project. But neighbors say say it will make an already bad traffic situation even worse.

Episcopal School officials say the guardhouse is needed to provide extra security for the students and staff, but people who live in the neighborhood behind the school say it would cause more traffic headaches for residents.

Recommended Videos



David Peterson has lived by Episcopal School of Jacksonville for more than 30 years and is not happy with the what he calls the traffic jams.

"There is a morning and afternoon rush hour,  which you basically get a string of cars and in the morning and a string of cars coming in the afternoon," Peterson said.

The school hopes to add an extra layer of security and safety to its entrance with a new guard house.

But neighbors say the change would move their public road onto the school’s private property.

"The simple solution is leave St. Elmo Drive alone, don’t change it.  Build a security shack. We are all about safety and security of our schools, but don’t do it on a public right-of-way," Jimmy Holderfield said.

In a statement, the head of the school, the Rev. Adam Greene, wrote:

"This upgrade will have no impact on the number of vehicles entering or leaving the campus.
 “Most importantly, according to the survey on file with the City of Jacksonville, the security house is located on school property."

Neighbors said what the school claims it owns and what the markings show on the renderings don't match.

Several neighbors gathered Saturday with blueprints of the property lines in hand. They vow to take their case to a planning commission hearing set for 1 p.m. Thursday.