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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSTEPPING STONES PRESCHOOL AND CHILD CARE CENTER PUD PRELIMINARY AND FINAL - 32 90 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSITEM NO. 2 MEETING DATE 8-27-90 STAFF Stephen Olt City of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD STAFF REPORT PROJECT: Stepping -Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, Preliminary and Final PUD, #32-90 APPLICANT: Adell Viehweg 2901 Meadowlark Avenue Fort Collins, CO. 80526 OWNER: Same as Applicant PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for a preliminary and final PUD to change an existing small daycare home, licensed for 6 children, to a preschool and child care center that will be licensed for 12 children. The home is located at 2901 Meadowlark Avenue, across the street from Meadowlark Church of Christ and Beattie Elementary School. The zoning is RL, Low Density Residential. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The applicant proposes a preschool and child care center for 12 children in an existing residence with an on -going day care. Minor changes are being made to the property to accommodate the proposed preschool/child care center. In addition to the applicant, one employee will work at the center. The proposed use is compatible with the surrounding area. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 300 LaPorte Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins. CO 80522-0580 (303) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT 0 • August 2n, 1^n, ctephen Olt, "rn'ect planner Plannina Department City of Port Collin Thar Mr. nit, In response to your requenst I have contacted my neighbors to the North and to the South for their reaction to and their support of the present fence at 2901 Meadowlark Avenue. 11r. nncs Hagen, res-+nnded very favorably to leaving the fence as is. T discussed the fence with him by telephone on the 16th. He is presently at Utah State at Logan, T'tah. HP indicated full support of the present fence and didnot think additional plantings were necessary as the noise from the day care is very minimal. T also talked with Margaret Yonkers, the neighbor to the North on the 16th. IlArgaret indicated that the fence is acceptable to her as is. T assured her that whatever plantings were to he planted would not be of the tyre to sucker or infringe on her side of the fence. T anr-ouraged the neighbors to call or write you if they had any concerns or requests concerning the fence, nois-, or -,visual impact that my child care has. The rear fence will be screened with nlantinas of flowers, vines, and h-ishes. The rear sate will be locked at all times as well as the East gate which is not locked. The present fence is compatible with the neighborhood, is safe, sttrdv, f,inctional and anpronriate for child care use. T request that the city planning department consider the present fence to be adequate and anpronriate. Thank you for your cooperation and help with this whole PUD process. Tt has been auite overwhelming and frustrating for a novice. I do appreciate your role for the city and I am ready to comply with requests that help to provide a safe, healthy learning enviornment for our younaest citizens. r<- rely, ee we • • Stepping Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, #32-90 August 27, 1990 P & Z Meeting Page 2 COMMENTS: 1. Backjzround: The surrounding zoning and land use is as follows: N: RL; established single family residential, being a part of South Mead- ow -Lark Heights, Second Filing Subdivision S: RL; established single family residential, being a part of South Mead- ow -Lark Heights, Second Filing Subdivision E: RL; established single family residential, Meadowlark Church of Christ, Beattie Elementary School, being a part of South Meadow -Lark Heights, Second Filing Subdivision and the Replat of a Portion of South Meadow -Lark Heights, Second Filing Subdivision W: RL; established single family residential, being the Replat of Lots 1-13, Block 5, Woodwest Fourth Filing The property is zoned RL, Low Density Residential and is in the South Meadow -Lark Heights, Second Filing Subdivision. 2. Land Use: The proposed use consists of a child care center for 12 children. The applicant also lives at this home and currently operates a day care home for 6 children. A child or day care center, as defined in the City's Zoning Code, is a facility "maintained for the whole or part of a day for the care of 7 or more children under the age of 16 years and not related to the owner, operator, or manager". The City's definition of a day care home limits the maximum number of day care children (including the caretaker's own children) to 6. Two additional school -age children may be cared for on a before -and -after school basis. Thus, a PUD is necessary to expand the existing day care home to more than 6 children. The State of Colorado Department of social Services has two classifications of day care; the day care home (for up to 6 children) and the small child care center (for up to and including 12 children). Licensing requirements for centers of more than 12 children are very extensive and require a different occupancy rating. As a result, the typical child care centers have a much larger capacity than 12 children. Child or day Residential Uses Density Chart i the point chart small child care land use policie the proximity o care centers are defined as land use category of the LDGS; s applicable only to calculating was not used to evaluate this center in an existing residence s of being located within and f a neighborhood park (Beatti Elementary School). e a residential use under the however, since the Residential residential density (DU/acre), proposal. The proposal for a at this location does meet City adjacent to residential uses, in Park), and a school (Beattie Stepping Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, #32-90 August 27, 1990 P & Z Meeting Page 3 3. Design The existing home is wood frame tri-level with the proposed child care use occurring on the ground floor level. The spaces will provide access/exit directly to the outside, at grade, in two locations. A minimum of 40 square feet per child (or a total of 480 s.f.) is required for indoor open play space. The applicant's 1247 square feet exceeds that requirement. The home fronts on a collector street and is directly across the street from a church. To the rear is the New Mercer Canal that gives a 75' to 100' wide buffer, back fence to back fence, between homes. There is a significant stand of large, mature cottonwood trees within this ditch easement. This property has a 5' high chain link fence with inserts that provide an adequate visual barrier for the adjacent properties. There is mature landscaping in both the front and the rear yards. The applicant will increase the landscape in the rear yard with the use of larger evergreen materials along the fences interspersed with deciduous shrub understory, ground covers and vines. This will enhance the visual buffer as well as create a more significant noise buffer for the neighboring properties. A minimum of 2,500 square feet of outdoor play area is required for 15 or fewer children. The applicant's fenced outdoor area to the rear of the home of 2,917 square feet exceeds the requirement. One employee will assist the applicant in the child care operation whenever there are more than 6 children in attendance, as required by the State licensing procedure. Parking for the applicant is in the existing garage. One parking space in the driveway will be used by the employee, leaving the remainder of the driveway spaces (approximately 3) for parents to use in dropping off and picking up children. Based on the applicant's current day care schedule (see Site Plan) and projections for the enlarged operation, approximately 9 vehicle trips will be made to the site in the morning and the same number will occur in the afternoon. The nature of the home child care center is that attendance times are varied and, as is the current situation in this home, the peak time is not at the traditional 8 AM and 5 PM hours. This child care center operates on a 6:15 AM to 5:30 PM schedule. The amount of parking space in the driveway appears to be adequate to support the proposed preschool and child care center without impacting the surrounding neighborhood and street. 4. Neighborhood Compatibility: A neighborhood meeting was held at the Meadowlark Church of Christ on June 26, 1990. One neighbor, not associated with the proposed operation, attended this meeting. The only concern expressed was that of the additional traffic that may be generated. A maximum of 6 trips more than what presently occurs may be expected between the hours of 6-9 AM and 4-5:30 PM. The nature of this request appears to be compatible with the surrounding area. There is the on -going day care use in this home presently and the increased number of children will not adversely impact the neighborhood. No comments, either in support of or in opposition to this request, have been received by the Planning Staff. • • Stepping Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, #32-90 August 27, 1990 P & Z Meeting Page 4 5. Transportation: Parents of the children attending this child care center will have to drop off and pick up their children from the driveway of the home. Meadowlark Avenue is a collector street; therefore, no one will be permitted to use the street for the purpose of drop off/ pick up. A note stating that "Drop-off and pick-up of children must occur on -site, and will not be allowed on Meadowlark Avenue" is on the Site Plan. RECOMMENDATION Staff finds that the Stepping -Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, Preliminary and Final PUD, meets the criteria of the All Development Chart of the Land Development Guidance System and is compatible with the surrounding area. Therefore, staff is recommending approval of the Stepping -Stones Preschool and Child Care Center, Preliminary and Final PUD, #32-90. M=no 51T._ PJ_ iv V,= 1C' dill, �Ilelll I. 4"ll • SS3��, f,,.1 ' , dYgy�� 'rr7�f J d 6 Ord). . .•.fir,+E,./c Nf Yr -0�•' =YFmii )�mfcd� ndi.:�c.l T�irn Tsy' g•�n.KJ=J • ;Ysn Nixt Nl 4fl-' ✓cl; r, l5L ' 2 ;t 4 s YI < Y'f n �P r� STEPPING -STONES PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE CENTER PUD - 2 JULY 1990 miry 12. . `.l I­J Al, r..a b �.� 3)m �• �4 bray Ie t m aiu muaovr q rn•aw 6i1) - f.)O Ins. IGiPE�s FYiPP60Plm a e R'reY)�,P er:�o.m mn)w wm m t Y 4et. t.ry a ..-al�q• an9 m.e 9�4R4 91WSLLiT 1f90, tM uk.r.aq�-.� Mi om<T.aoT'F.<�ar m< Y..) >rap<.tY ee..:)p.e rn `• l4 • C.P.I. )i-S)-11. bM Ae aNir.q to y)! I)an. v at)6<�C .2partY P. Sm•e, )� m.i•.:M.rn:�:M�ws...t cnvle.:n�er:nn n...n..u. L/,e 9 Y,<. .... • .ZIL4DKGI Statement of Planning Objectives 2 July 1990 1. Tb,%eqmnd Stepping Stones Center from the current 1 - icensing requirements of six children to a nzimm of twelve children present at any one time. Licensing by Colorado Social Senrices labels this license "Large Day Care Home." 2. To hire a full-time assistant to be on site whenever the number of children exceeds six. The staff, (full or part-time) are required to maintain all licensing requirements of Social. SeLvice3; current infant todd'.er CPR, American Red Cross First Aid,, current Physical exam,, and continuing education in the area of child development. 3. To maintain the residential character of the neighborhood. TO maintain the pleasing appearance of the property, and not allowing children to play outside the fenced play area. To maintain a good neighbor Policy. 4. To continue meeting the needs of children by taking advantage of educational opportunities that -are availableso that the skill and knowledge of staff will be current and appropriate. To complete the requirements for "Master Provider" I i (National recognition) from NAFXDC by 1991- To complete the requirements rements, for CDA (National accredidation) by August 1990.- To attend conferences and workshops yearly. i 5. To minind-z 6 visual impactimpacton the neighborhood by maintaining the privacy fence with slats and by the fast growing plantings of bushes and shrubs on the North and South Fence lines. 6. To mIrj=*e auditory impact on the neighborhood by Closely Supervising the children's outdoor play while providing a variety of constructive play activities and materialsi Mile the noise impact is already minimal by the buffer of Meadowlark Arenue and the 65 foot wooded canal.area I will also have plantings of shrubs and busheG on the South and North fence lines. 7. To continue to provide a safe and healthy ervironment for the growth and development.of the Young child- 8. To meet the handicap accessibility laws by providing a door at the street level with access to the first floor child care area. 9. To meet the . continuing neighborhood need for quality child care.. Out community licenses approximately 600 providers Yearly- The largest number being in the Beattie school area or 80526 tip code. This area has a very heavy concentration of young families with preschool children. Because we are all unique in meeting these needs and attract different clientele we are meeting different kinds of needs. Their has not been a Problem with several facilities in the same neighborhood,even when several on the same cul-de-sac. With more than 50% of mothers Of Preschool children in the labor force more and more families are relying on early childhood programs to meet their needs. mall group settings are especially important for the young child and will continue to be the primary choice of parents. mall settings now in rar;mer county are meeting the needs of over 6000 preschool children and the need continues. This license willallow me to continue to meet the needs of the ccmunity and the.needs of.children working together with state and local garernment to praride good begnnngs.for our nations greatest resourcQ, it's children. 2901 Meadowlark Are. Fort, Collins, Address GAT f���l � li��n'N �- Q2�G!-�OOI�� G�-F l t�'D CA•�� ALL DEVELOPMENT: NUMBERED CRITERIA CHART ALL CRITERIA APPLICABLE CRITERIA ONLY CRITERION Is the criterion applicable? Will the criterion be satisfied? If no, please explain Yes No NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATABILITY 1. Social Compatability 2. Neighborhood Character 3. Land Use Conflicts -=97� 4. Adverse Traffic Impact PLANS AND POLICIES 5. Comprehensive Plan PUBLIC FACILITIES & SAFETY 6. Street Capacity 7. Utility Capacity 8. Design Standards 9. Emergency Access 10. Security Lighting 11. Water Hazards RESOURCE PROTECTION 12. Soils & Slope Hazard 13. Significant Vegetation 14. Wildlife Habitat 15. Historical Landmark 16. Mineral Deposit 17. Eco-Sensitive Areas 18. Agricultural Lands ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS _ 19. Air Quality 20. Water Quality 21. Noise 22. Glare & Heat 23. Vibrations 24. Exterior Lighting 25. Sewages & Wastes SITE DESIGN 26. Community Organization 27. Site Organization 28. Natural Features 29, Energy Conservation 30. Shadows 31. Solar Access 32. Privacy 33. Open Space Arrangement 34. Building Height 35. Vehicular Movement 36. Vehicular Design 37. Parking 38. Active Recreational Areas I 39. Private Outdoor Areas 40. Pedestrian Convenience % 41. Pedestrian Conflicts 42. Landscapina;Open Areas d3. LandscapingiBuildings 44. Landscaping;Screenino 45. Public Access 46. Signs '.7i�ta