My son was nearly hit by a car on his way home from school, a terrifying moment no parent should ever experience. Sadly, this danger has become a daily reality in Jacksonville Beach due to The Discovery School’s ongoing failure to follow required safety conditions. The Discovery School, a prestigious private institution that charges more than $20,000 per student and generates millions in revenue annually, has not complied with the safety requirements set by the  Jacksonville Beach Planning Commission in 2014. 



These conditions require:

• Staggered drop-off and pick-up times
• Crossing guards present during all drop-off and pick-up hours

Instead of enforcing the conditions required of The Discovery School, the City of Jacksonville Beach has used significant police time, city staff resources, and taxpayer dollars in a way that appears to protect the school, including routing resident correspondence through the City Attorney and an apparent refusal by the Planning and Code Enforcement Division to require the school to come into compliance. 

Emergency Services May be Delayed


The intersection of South 15th Street and Shetter Avenue has become a dangerous choke point with only one way in and out.

This directly affects emergency access for: 

• Pablo Hamlet (assisted living facility)
• Marsh Inlet
• Fairway Lane
• Marshside

Blocked roadways during peak school hours could mean life-or-death delays.

Expansion Without Safety Infrastructure


Despite being out of compliance, The Discovery School continues to grow:

• New buildings
• Expanded parking areas
• A proposed athletic field impacting wetlands, stormwater flow, and traffic

All of this has occurred without new traffic studies, updated permits, or required public hearings since 2017, even as the neighborhood’s traffic intensity has dramatically increased.

Taxpayers Are Subsidizing a Prestigious Private School 


While residents fund city services and pay membership fees for public amenities:

• Jax Beach Police are repeatedly deployed for traffic control
• The City allows use of public rights-of-way for private queueing
• Code complaints remain unaddressed
• Discovery staff park for free in the taxpayer-supported dog park

Meanwhile, the school continues operating and expanding without meeting the basic conditions required for a residential neighborhood.

Additional Impacts on Neighborhoods


Residents have repeatedly reported other issues, including: 

• Failure to install required privacy barriers, exposing yards, bedrooms, and pools
• After-hours construction outside permitted times
• Dangerous conditions and impacts on the educational environment for students

This is not just a traffic issue. It is a matter of safety, privacy, fairness, and quality of life. Children at Discovery can see directly into neighboring homes and backyards, creating distractions for students and uncomfortable intrusions for residents. In addition, the school has taken no steps to secure the seven-foot drop at the rear of the property, where children frequently play, creating a clear safety hazard.

We Are Asking the City to Act Now

• Immediately enforce the 2014 safety conditions.
• Require The Discovery School to come into full compliance.
• Halt all new construction until code violations, traffic issues, and safety concerns are addressed in a public hearing.

Right now, the City of Jacksonville Beach is effectively prioritizing the needs of a private school over the safety and wellbeing of the surrounding neighborhoods. That must change. Sign this petition to demand action.

Together, we can restore safety, fairness, and accountability to our community. Our safety matters. Our neighborhood matters.