Planning commission recommends denying expansion of Little Seedlings Berkley home daycare at 1818 Mortensen

The Berkley Planning Commission voted 4–2 on Dec. 17 to recommend denial of PSU 0324, an application to expand a home day care at 1818 Mortensen from its current licensed 1–6 children to 7–12 children under special land use rules.

Staff opened the public hearing by calling PSU 0324 a new application and noting two applicant-proposed conditions: limiting pick-ups and drop-offs to Princeton and requiring that six of the 12 children be walkers. Kristen, a city planner who presented the staff report, told the commission that staff reviewed the standards for special land use approval and recommended the request, adding that Michigan law treats 7–12 child home day cares as residential uses permitted in neighborhoods.

Attorney Richard Rassell, representing applicant Little Seedlings, told the commission the applicant had revised the…