Takhini North child care centre can proceed

It’s amazing what a difference a year can make, at least for one child care provider.

It’s amazing what a difference a year can make, at least for one child care provider.

On Monday evening, exactly a year less a day since the city’s previous council turned down Leet Mueller’s application to have her day home at 75 Ortona Ave. zoned to permit a child care centre, members elected in last October’s vote approved the rezoning.

It means Mueller can operate the Montessori toddler program she has proposed since her rezoning application first came to council in June 2009.

Currently, she operates the Paintbrush Montessori Infant & Toddler Centre Family Day Home out of her rented duplex.

She had the approval of her landlord to pursue the rezoning, council was informed by city staff prior to the vote.

Her proposed program would be limited to 12 children, the same maximum number a day home can have.

However, the rezoning takes away the age restrictions that fall under day home operations, thereby enabling her to operate the Montessori program specifically aimed at children 18 months to three years old.

The limit of a dozen children was one of four conditions placed on the rezoning. The others include:

• permitting the child care centre as a secondary use;

• a minimum lot size in the case of this child care centre being 461 square metres rather than the usual requirement of 930 square metres; and

• providing off-street parking to employees.

The city’s change of heart came after Mueller earned the support of her neighbours to operate the toddler program.

Many of those same neighbours, including the resident who lives on the other side of the duplex, had stated their opposition to Mueller’s plan during a public hearing on the matter last year.

Concerns over the proposal at that time ranged from noise to traffic to parking issues and others.

However, earlier this year, Mueller approached Coun. Ranj Pillai. She cited the support she has now garnered from the neighbours for the rezoning since starting up her day home operation last year.

Pillai then brought forward the motion to reconsider the application, and Mueller provided the city with letters and signatures of her neighbours now supporting the move.

The proposal was enough to now convince council to go ahead with the rezoning.

Before the vote was taken last night, Pillai offered his thanks to city planners in allowing the proposal to get to council again.

“This is truly fulfilling the sustainability plan,” he said.

He noted the way the plan promotes the development of services like child care in neighbourhoods, making it easier for city residents to use alternative forms of transportation or travel shorter distances to get to such services.

A lot of parents will be relieved with the new status for the property, Pillai added.

Mayor Bev Buckway said the next time the city takes an overall look at its zoning bylaw, staff should consider better aligning the conditions for day homes and day cares throughout the city.

Mueller could not be reached for comment on council’s decision this morning.