Red Tape Remedy for Day Care Center In Sight


(posted Jan 13)

A 2004 office use variance with a commitment to prohibit day care use at 207 S. Girl School Road is giving Dione Miller a big headache. However, the Metropolitan Development Commission Hearing Examiner's favorable recommendation is the start of ending the confusion and the possibility of her finding a new location to operate her day care business.

Petitioner's Attorney Adam Davis indicated that his client, Miller, falls within a hardship case because she entered into a lease without the landlord informing her that a commitment existed that prevent the residential dwelling from being used as a day care facility. The current zoning is D-5 with a variance received in 2004 for office use. Davis told the hearing examiner the 2004 variance was never filed for whatever reason until this action started against his client. Davis thinks the commitment to stop day care use may have originated from a neighborhood association or a remonstrator.

He said his client was cited with zoning violations due to signage and operating a day care.

DMD Senior Planner David Hittle said staff recommends denial of the variance because it's the start of a southward creep of commercial use into the residential area. Staff is concerned with the concentration of residential homes located on the streets of Walton, Jackson and Daleguard. The 207 S. Girls School Road location is currently surrounded by unimproved land. The Wayne Township Library is located west of the property while commercial development occupies the southeast and southwest corners of Rockville Road.

The hearing examiner recommended Miller extend fencing to wrap around the entire facility to protect the children when they are outside from 11 am to 1 pm. Only five children are permitted to be outdoors and no more than 12 children will be enrolled in the center. The children will be under the age of five.

The petition is forwarded to the Metropolitan Development Commission for a Feb 6 hearing. No one opposed the petition at the January 10 hearing.