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Home My WebLink About~Master - Special Use Permit to Operate a Child Care Center at 2807 Duff AvenueCITY OF AMES, IOWA ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTME IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF PRARIE FLOWER CHILDREN'S CENTER FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, §29.1503(4), AMES MUNICIPAL com, TO OPERATE CIJILD CARE CENTER ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2807 DUFF AVENUE. FACTS H [1, 1-117;23 AUG I 1 2016 '„e' � 1 1,, L L- 1 11, CASE NO. 16-06 CVTYOAMESIOWA GEOCODE NO. 05-26-375-020 DECISION & ORDER The property at 2807 Duff Avenue is owned by the City ofAmcs and is zoned S-GA (Special Government/Airport district) and is home to Camp Canwita and the Prairie Flowers Children's Center. The Prairie Flower Children's Center is owned and operated by the Ames Waldorf Association (AWA). The AWA and Prairie Flower were represented at the hearing by Carver Nebbe. City Planner IZay Anderson presented a staff report. Several neighbors opposed amending the Special Use Permit, and provided comments in writing and/or at the public hearing. The director of Camp Canwita provided a written statement in favor of the amendments to the Special Use Permit. On August 10, 2011, the Zoning Board of Adjustment granted approval of a Special Use Permit (SUP) to allow the operation of a preschool at 2807 Duff Avenue for not more than seventeen children between the ages of three and five years, during weekdays ol'the school year, between the hours of'9:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., with the following conditions: 1. The applicant submit to the City Clerk's Office proof of certification with the State of Iowa as a registered day care (preschool) provider, prior to beginning operations at 2807 Duff Avenue; 2) That the use continues to be sponsored by, Linder the oversight of and consistent with the overall purposes and mission of Camp Fire USA (now known as Camp Fire Heart oflowa); and, 3) Signage for the preschool is limited to that signage which otherwise identifies and is allowable to Camp Canwita, consistent with the conditions of the deed restriction that conveyed the property of Camp (..,anwita to the City, as determined by the City Attorney, and per adopted City sign regulations. Since granting of the Preschool License by the State of Iowa, and granting of the Special Use Permit (SUP) by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Ames Waldorf` Association has operated the Prairie Flower Children's Center (preschool) at 2807 Duff Avenue during the school year, beginning in 2011. At this time, they are requesting that an amendment to the SUP be granted to allow the following: - The inclusion of 20 children attending the preschool at any one time. This is an increase of three children, from the original approval for seventeen, and exceeds the maximum number of children allowed by the State of Iowa Preschool License, granted on September 29, 2011, which allows for the care of maximum of'seventcen children on the premises at any one time; - Permission to operate the preschool, during the school year, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is an expansion of the hours of operation For the preschool frorn the original approval, which is 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., to conduct preschool in the morning, and day care for the preschool children in the afternoon; and, - A range of three to seven years of age for children attending the preschool. This is an expansion of the age range from the original approval for three to five year -olds. The proposal is to offer preschool programming in the morning, and extended day care in the afternoon hours for only those children that attend the preschool in the morning. The ages of children attending the preschool will primarily be three, four, and five year -olds. The rare exception could include a small number of six, and seven-year olds. Staffing of' Prairie Flower Children's Center (PFCC) currently consists of two adults, a lead, and an assistant teacher, who oversee all PFCC, activities. The applicant states that with twenty children, the plan Would be to operate with no less than two adults, with strict adherence to Department of Iftiman Services (01 IS) requirements for child supervision. 01 IS requires a ratio of no less than one adult to eight 3 year -olds, one adult to twelve 4 year -olds, or one adult to fifteen 5, 6 and 7 ycar-olds. Preschool is limited to Monday through Friday, during each school year. ']'here are scheduled events and activities for families of the preschool children that occur at the preschool site during the school year. These family gathering are scheduled in the evenings, and on weekends, at least once each month, and more frequently during sorne months between the first of the August and the end of May. The activities and events include family potlucks, festivals for I falloween, Winter Break, May Day, and at least one fund raising event each school year. The preschool is considering future expansion of' the preschool program, in future years, following the 2016/17 school year, to include a preschool program for twenty children in the morning, and another twenty children in the afternoon. However, this proposal is not part of this SUP and would require a separate amendment to the SUP. Intensification ofuse for additional programming may require site improvements for paved driveway approaches and parking lot improvements. The Ames Waldorf" Association (AWA) has operated the Prairie Flower Children's Center at 2807 Duff Avenue during the school year, since 2011. AWA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The property, at 2807 buff Avenue, is owned by the City of Ames and is used by Camp Fire Heart of Iowa, as Camp ("'anwita, a community -based non-profit organization, for youth programs throughout the summer months. The site includes approximately 13.4 acres of wooded land located directly north of leis Grove Park. There is a one-story commercial building f'or use by the proposed preschool that contains 1,768 square feet of gross floor area, A large open play area is located between the building and the existing gravel parking lot. The parking lot, which is a non -conforming gravel Surface, is accessed directly from Duff Avenue, north of Inis Grove Park III FA (A AKIN The Board considers the requirements of Special Use Permit under Section 29.1 503(4)(a) and (e) of the Ames Municipal Code, and considers the evidence and the facts as found above, and finds that the application meets the standards and that the amendments to the SLIP shall be approved, with the following conditions: a. That the hours of operation of Prairie Flower Children's Center be limited to 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, exclusively during the school year b. That the number ol'children attending preschool at the Prairie Flower Children's Center be limited to twenty children at any one time c. The age range of'children attending preschool at Prairie Flower Children's Center be limited to the ages of three to seven d. A preschool program in the morning, with daycare for only those morning preschool children in the afternoon. Additional students beyond the morning preschool program or for after school care are not permitted e. Incidental and accessory events or gatherings with limited occurrences in the evenings or weekends are permitted f. A transition of the preschool program, in future years, to offer a morning preschool in the morning, and a separate preschool for other students in the afternoon will require approval of another Amendment to this Amended Special Use Permit by the Zoning Board of'Adjustment g. After school daycare, for students who are not attending the morning preschool program is not permitted by this Special Use Permit h. That the use continues to be sponsored by, under the oversight of', and consistent with the overall purposes and mission of"Camp Fire Heart oflowa i. The applicant submit to the City Clerk's office proof of certification with the State of Iowa as a registered day care provider for twenty children at any one time on the premises at 2807 Duff Avenue, prior to expanding the preschool operation frorn seventeen to twenty children, and maintain its state certification ORDER WHEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the applicant is GRANTED, section 29.1503(4) of the Ames Municipal Code, an Amended Special Use Permit, with conditions, for the property located at 2807 Duff Avenue, Any person desiring to appeal this decision to a court of record may do so within 30 days after the filing of this decision. Done this l3th day of.July, 2016. F'rin Cain Secretary to the Board Matthew Koehler Vice Chair