Harrisonburg City Council voted unanimously Oct. 14 to rezone 910 North Liberty Street from M‑1 (General Industrial District) to B‑2C (General Business District, conditional), allowing the property owner to pursue a new use for the 2,300‑square‑foot building and enabling a lease to Little Roots Early Learning Center.

The rezoning request, introduced by Adam Fletcher, director of community development, included two written proffers from the applicant: prohibiting funeral homes, vehicle fueling stations and drive‑through facilities on the site, and agreeing to complete a traffic impact analysis (TIA) if future uses generate at least 100 vehicle trips per day. Fletcher told council the parcel is almost entirely within the floodplain and that staff “does not endorse the idea of locating a child care center on this parcel due to the flooding risks,” but that the rezoning conforms to the city’s comprehensive plan and received a favorable planning commission recommendation.

The nut graf: The rezoning clears a zoning hurdle so the owner can market or lease the site for B‑2 uses, including the proposed child care use, but it does not remove regulatory reviews required before occupancy. City staff emphasized that building permits, a potential engineering/site plan review, floodplain development permits and state child‑care licensing would still be required before any center could open.

Council and public speakers walked through the remaining steps. At the public hearing Erin Layman, counsel for Anacera Veterinary Center and for Little Roots, said licensing and building reviews will go beyond the rezoning: “Regardless, whether it’s social services or the Department of Education, there are significant oversights that are going to be occurring,” she said, adding the applicants have already begun planning emergency procedures and licensing paperwork.

A resident speaker asked council to consider not only immediate safety during floods but also post‑flood building conditions such as mold and indoor air quality. Fletcher and council members responded that the city’s zoning administrator and building official would review any change of use and that an elevation certificate submitted by the applicant shows the bottom floor is not fully above base flood elevation, which could require additional floodproofing or mitigation.

Council discussion reflected the balance between the community need for childcare and the site risks. Mayor Dina R. Reid said there would be “a lot of eyes on this” as licensing and permitting proceed. Vice Mayor Fleming noted licensing would involve the state Department of Education (which recently assumed some child‑care oversight duties in Virginia) as well as local building and floodplain reviews.

Action: Vice Mayor Fleming moved to approve the rezoning; the motion passed on roll call 5‑0. The council did not attach additional conditions beyond the applicant’s proffers; staff will require standard building, floodplain and permitting reviews before any occupancy change.

Ending: The rezoning allows the owner to pursue leasing options consistent with B‑2 uses and removes the M‑1 zoning restriction, but it does not authorize immediate operation of a child care center. Any operator will need to complete state licensing, building permits, and any required floodplain development permits before opening.