Area plan commission recommends rezoning to allow United Way childcare at Jefferson church

The Clinton County Area Plan Commission voted 4-0 to recommend that the county commissioners rezone a five-acre parcel west of Mulberry Jefferson Road so United Way of Clinton County can operate a Class 3 childcare center in the lower level of an existing church.

Planning staff presented the request as a petition by United Way of Clinton County to rezone the site from agricultural to B-1 (Neighborhood Business). Planning staff said the site — home to Cornerstone Assembly of God — is just over a mile north of the unincorporated town of Jefferson and that the proposed daycare would lease the lower level of the existing church while the congregation would continue to use the upper level.

Staff emphasized the rezoning to B-1 was recommended because that district limits the range of commercial uses on the site; the change would still require a subsequent special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals for a daycare. Planning staff said the rezoning would be consistent with the county’s 2012 comprehensive plan goal encouraging necessary childcare services and with surrounding uses, and noted reusing an existing building avoids taking more agricultural land out of production.

A representative for United Way corrected an error in the staff report, saying United Way is a nonprofit organization rather than a for-profit operator. The representative said this request is phase one of a multi-phase effort to increase childcare capacity near the industrial corridor and to free up workforce capacity for nearby employers.

Commission member Walt Minnick moved to approve a recommendation to the county commissioners to rezone the parcel from agricultural to B-1; Jeff Chenoweth seconded the motion. In a roll call, members Jen Sheets, Walt Minnick, Jeff Chenoweth and Chad Colby voted yes. The commission’s action is a recommendation; the county commissioners are the final decision makers and the item is expected to appear on the commissioners’ agenda in two weeks.

Staff noted that if the rezoning is approved by the commissioners, the applicant will still need to obtain any state approvals and a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals before the daycare may operate. The planning staff presentation described the proposed daycare as a Class 3 facility under the county ordinance — the largest category for commercial childcare centers — and said operations would be limited to indoor renovations with no exterior changes proposed.

The commission’s recommendation concludes the Area Plan Commission’s review phase and forwards the rezoning application and staff report to the Clinton County Commissioners for a final decision.