Planning commission recommends approval of Alma Florata daycare site and building plan

The Woodbury Planning Commission on Aug. 18 recommended approval of a conditional use permit, site and building plan for Alma Florata, a proposed Spanish-immersion daycare (project 05-2025-00583) near Bielenberg Drive and Tamarack Road. The recommendation, including added conditions that staff review final proof-of-parking calculations and that crash bollards be installed adjacent to the playground, will go to City Council on Aug. 27, 2025.

Staff explained the site is in the Gateway (GW) District and that the larger Tamarack PUD established architecture, parking and stormwater expectations for the area. Dan (staff) said the building would be 14,470 square feet and the ordinance being applied requires one parking stall per 200 square feet of building area, which yields a 73-stall requirement for this building. The applicant, Goldridge Companies, proposed to provide 61 striped stalls on site plus six stacking spaces and identified 14 additional spaces as proof-of-parking to be made available to the north through a future cross-parking agreement; staff recommended final proof-of-parking details be reviewed before land-disturbance permitting.

Brad Coats, project developer, described the operator as an established Spanish-immersion program seeking to relocate and expand from an existing, smaller Woodbury location. Coats said the operator has a documented waiting list at the current site and expects the new facility to increase capacity to about 220 children from an existing 105-child location.

Commissioners asked about stacking, pick-up/drop-off operations, playground shading and safety, landscaping, lighting and whether nearby roadways could handle peak arrival times. The applicant said drop-off and pick-up are managed by a stacking protocol designed for safe, rapid loading; the developer said staff parking and operational practices generally leave many striped spaces available and that trash-collection and large-vehicle maneuvers are timed for off-peak hours.

On landscaping and shading, the applicant said the play area will include professionally specified shade structures and play equipment that meet state licensing and safety guidelines; final equipment and shading details will be reviewed during building-permit review. Commissioners also requested, and staff agreed, that bollards be required adjacent to the playground to protect the fenced play area from a vehicle inadvertently driving onto the sidewalk or play zone. Staff suggested a prior-condition that the final parking plan (including the southwest turnaround area) be approved before a land-disturbance permit is issued.

After a motion that added a condition for staff review of proof-of-parking calculations prior to the land-disturbance permit and a requirement for crash bollards adjacent to the playground and western classrooms, the commission voted in favor and recommended approval. The item will be on the City Council public hearing agenda on Aug. 27, 2025.