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Commission recommends allowing preschools as a permitted use in general commercial zones
Summary
Parowan commissioners voted to recommend an amendment to the city’s use table to explicitly allow preschools (pre‑K) as a permitted use in the general commercial zone rather than treating them as daycare conditional uses.
The Parowan Planning and Zoning Commission voted Feb. 19 to recommend amending the city’s use regulations so that schools in general commercial zones explicitly read “pre‑K through 12” rather than “K through 12,” which would make preschools a permitted use.
Commissioners said the change clarifies the code distinction between preschools and day‑care (the latter remains a conditional use in some zones) and would remove a regulatory gap that currently prevents a commercial tenant from opening a preschool without a coding amendment or conditional‑use application.
Dan (city staff) explained options: the commission could broaden the definition of “day care” to include preschool and keep preschool as a conditional use, or change the school listing from K–12 to pre‑K–12 so preschools become permitted. Staff said no specific application had been filed yet for the strip‑mall tenant discussed in public comment; commissioners noted limited available commercial leasable space in town and that a prior conditional‑use daycare application had been filed for a nearby location years ago.
A motion to make a positive recommendation to Council to amend the Parowan City Municipal Code use table (PCMC 15.36.020) to allow preschools in the general commercial zone was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.
If City Council adopts the amendment, prospective preschool operators in commercial spaces would be able to open under the permitted‑use framework rather than apply for conditional‑use approval. Staff said any specific preschool would still need to comply with building, safety and licensing requirements at the time a business application is submitted.
