Charter school operator requests style=”colo

Somerset Academy, which is angling to open a charter school at the University Baptist Church in Coral Gables next month, asked a judge yesterday to hold an emergency hearing that the company hopes will force the city to approve a 675-seat school in that location. The city has said the church is not currently zoned for a school, but Somerset filed a lawsuit last week arguing that it does not need approval from the city for its plans because of a law that states that a church can house a charter school “under their preexisting zoning and land use designations.” Somerset, which already has approval to open a school with 110 students there, needs a certificate of use by July 26 if it is to follow through with the plan for 675 students in August. Neighbors say the proposed school is too big for the area. [Miami Herald]