Zoning commission recommends approval for Sherbrooke Center daycare amid strong neighborhood opposition

The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission recommended approval of a development-order amendment and a Class A conditional use to allow a Primrose Schools daycare in the Sherbrooke Center on the northeast corner of Lantana and Lyons Road.

The commission’s professional staff recommended approval, citing the applicant’s revised site plan and conditions. Nancy Frantani of the zoning division told commissioners that “staff is recommending approval of the request, subject to the conditions of approval as indicated in exhibit C‑1 and C‑2.” The zoning commission approved the recommendation on voice votes and will forward a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners, which will consider the application at a later public hearing.

Neighbors told the commission they oppose the daycare because of traffic, parking and safety concerns. Theresa Zabick, who identified herself as a Lakes of Sherbrooke resident, said, “the statistics show that last year, there were 32 crash related incidents at that intersection.” Richard Campbell, president of the Lakes of Sherbrooke Homeowners Association, described repeated neighborhood congestion during school drop‑off and pickup and said the area already includes multiple schools and daycares.

The applicant team said the daycare will produce fewer daily vehicle trips than the previously approved retail use. Zachary Todd, the project civil engineer and site planner, and traffic engineer Brian Kelly told the commission the proposed Primrose Schools building would be 13,794 square feet and that the approved retail scenario generated roughly 7,142 daily trips while the daycare is projected to generate about 1,171 daily trips. Kelly said the daycare’s arrival and dismissal patterns differ from traditional K‑12 schools: “The drop off and dismissal is very spread out. There is a window where you come in, and it’s normally over a couple of hours.” He added that the applicant’s counts included background traffic detected on Aquarius Boulevard and that the submitted traffic study met county code performance standards.

Project details in the record include an overall site acreage of 8.89 acres; the daycare parcel is 2.14 acres and the conditional‑use request is for 214 children. The applicant’s site plan shows 11 designated drop‑off spaces plus roughly 185 parking spaces and locates the outdoor playground at the rear of the building to reduce noise. The applicant said ingress and egress points will not be altered from the previously approved site configuration and that the plan adds landscaping buffers along Aquarius Boulevard.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged neighborhood concerns about existing school‑related queuing and enforcement on nearby streets. Quasi Bari from the county traffic division told commissioners that the Aquarius/Lantana location is close to an existing signal at Lantana and Lyons and that spacing and warrant standards make an additional signal unlikely. Staff said they would coordinate with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the school district to address reported roadside pickup and enforcement issues, but emphasized that enforcement and any changes at existing schools are separate from this zoning application.

The zoning commission’s recommendation is advisory; final action will be taken by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners at a later public hearing. The county staff memo and conditions are part of the record and were listed as exhibits C‑1 and C‑2.