Board OKs large in-home daycare at 1401 Preston, applicants cite neighborhood need

The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals granted a special exception May 1 to allow a large in-home daycare at 1401 Preston Drive, finding the application satisfied the code criteria for an in-home, large daycare use.

Neighbor Ally Ford, who lives at 1403 Preston, described the proposal and neighborhood need: "When we started the renovation on Jamie's house and built this addition... we could turn this into a space where my 2 kids and many of their friends... could come together and have a Montessori inspired learning space," she said. She told the board the addition is roughly a 1,000-square-foot apartment and that the plan would keep the program small; with licensure, staff and caregivers would be background checked and certified.

Applicant Jamie Schlink confirmed the daycare entrance and circulation: the right-hand back door of the addition would be the daycare entrance and would remain locked; the backyard play area is fenced and children would not be able to leave except through the addition. Ford said the driveway can accommodate multiple cars and the applicants anticipate rolling drop-off between 8:30 and 9 a.m. and pickup between 2:30 and 3 p.m.

A board member noted that state licensing imposes many day-to-day operational requirements, and that Metro staff sometimes coordinate with the state on compliance. After staff confirmed the application met zoning standards for a special exception — including lot size, frontage and fenced outdoor play area — a board member moved to approve. The motion carried by voice vote, and staff directed the applicant to follow up with codes and state licensing to complete required steps before operation.