Planning commission approves conditional use to return Bethlehem Lutheran property to child day care

The Jacksonville Beach Planning Commission on an evening vote approved a conditional use request from Bethlehem Lutheran Church to reinstate a child day care at 1337 Eighth Avenue North.

Staff said the church must obtain conditional use approval because the property stopped operating as a child care facility for more than one year and therefore lost its prior grandfathered status. The commission’s approval followed the presentation of a staff report and testimony from the applicant.

Planning and development staff described PC 9-25 as a request “for conditional use approval to revert a vacant building back to a child day care center, pursuant to section 34-6-12(d) of the Jacksonville Beach land development code, subject to the conditions outlined in 34-5-58(n)(1),” and recommended approval. The staff report said the site previously received conditional use approval in 1986 and that the existing facility meets requirements added during the city’s code update. Staff also stated there are no records of prior complaints or code enforcement cases at the location.

Gordon Grun, the applicant’s agent, testified that the building had been used “for many, many years, 20 years” as a day care before being repurposed temporarily as a residence for seminary vicars. Grun said the church has since moved the vicarage and intends to revert the building to day care use.

Staff told commissioners that the lot “well exceeds 7,500 square feet.” The transcript also records a total-area figure (2,100 square feet) in the staff presentation; the record includes both figures. Staff said a specific capacity for children and required employees was not provided and therefore “has not been specified,” but staff indicated that, based on the building size, existing parking and play area appear adequate. The staff report noted a pull-through drive aisle that would provide on-site drop-off and pick-up stacking lanes.

No members of the public submitted speaker cards to speak on the item. After the public hearing was closed, a motion to approve carried on a roll-call vote. The commission’s roll call as recorded in the meeting transcript was: David Bridal — yes; Margot Moring — yes; Justin Henderson — yes; Matthew Feiler — yes; Nicholas Andrews — yes.

The approval restores the property’s authorized use as a child day care subject to the applicable conditions listed in the staff report and the Jacksonville Beach land development code. The commission did not record a capacity number or an employee count during the hearing; those details were not specified in the public record at the meeting.