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JAMES THORNERA misunderstanding on acreage threatened to snag a deal to build a new high school in Wesley Chapel. But the two sides work it out.
MEADOW POINTE - The Pasco County School District has cleared up a misunderstanding that had threatened plans for a new high school in Wesley Chapel.
At a meeting last week with the Porter family, owners of the 5,000-acre Wiregrass Ranch, superintendent John Long confirmed the district will buy 84 acres for a high school to open in August 2005.
The site sprawls southeast of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and the future route of State Road 56, and abuts another 5 acres the Porters plan to sell the district for a school library to be co-owned with the county.
"We'll end up close to 100 acres." Long said Monday. "That's right where we have to be."
The school site adjoins 25 acres that the Meadow Pointe housing development donated to the county for a park. The school and the county would jointly develop sports fields.
The Porters had assumed the school district needed only about 60 acres, which - combined with the county park land - would have held a high school, Long said.
At the meeting, Long successfully made his case for the full 84 acres, which is enough land to also hold a middle school.
The Porters' lawyer is drawing up a final contract that would pay the family $30,000 an acre, Long said.
Time is of the essence in building the $27-million high school.
Wesley Chapel High School, which opened in 1999 north of State Road 54, has grown crowded as the suburb adds hundreds of new homes a year.
"They know we needed to start yesterday on that high school," Long said of the Porters.
- James Thorner can be reached at (813) 909-4613 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4613. E-mail address: thorner@sptimes.com