Planning commission approves special-use permit for childcare center at 403 Masky Street with conditions

The Petoskey Planning Commission on April 23 approved a special-condition use request to convert the former church at 403 Masky Street into a childcare center, Case No. 57-25, with conditions requiring a final parking and circulation plan, lighting review and other site changes.

City planner John said staff’s review found the application met most ordinance performance standards but flagged three primary concerns: trash storage, lighting and circulation, noting the alley behind the building is unimproved, narrow and a dead end.

Those concerns matter because the site’s existing parking and the unimproved alley limit safe drop-off and pick-up operations. “The alley is not in a condition to handle the amount of traffic that would be using the childcare center,” John told the commission, adding engineering recommended using the existing stormwater system so surface flows would not be routed beneath contaminated sites identified across the street.

Applicant representative Breeze said the applicant submitted a one-page amended drawing that addressed trash and lighting and described operational plans that will be refined after approval. “We haven’t completely figured out the staging of when people are going to be coming and going,” Breeze said, but added the group plans to stagger drop-off times and expects it will take about nine months to obtain state licensing.

Commission discussion focused on parking counts and circulation. Staff counted 15 functional on-site spaces; the commission noted childcare parking requirements total 23 spaces. The commission recommended approval conditioned on use of up to four shared parking spaces at the adjacent Flynn property (not to exceed four shared spaces) and that total parking for the site not exceed 23 spaces. Commissioners also required submission of a final parking and circulation plan to the city for review and a final lighting plan to be approved by staff.

Commissioner Charles (first name used in the record) and others said staggered drop-off windows and a plan that separates preschool drop-off at the front and infant/toddler drop-off at the rear could reduce conflicts. Applicant representatives agreed to return with a detailed circulation plan to be reviewed administratively by planning staff and public works.

The motion to approve the special-condition use with the conditions described carried on a voice vote; no opposition was recorded.

The commission’s approval includes these written conditions: final lighting plan to be reviewed by staff; shared parking with Flynn not to exceed four spaces and total parking not to exceed 23 spaces; final parking and circulation plan to be submitted to the City for review; trash storage to be two 96-gallon rolling cans (no dumpster) to avoid large truck access; and staged drop-off operations to be developed as part of the final circulation plan.

The applicant said they will return to staff with the final circulation plan and will come back to the commission only if they seek curb cuts or other changes that require commission approval.