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Committee grants variance allowing longtime Jacksonville daycare to operate despite local 2,500‑foot buffer
Summary
The City Council Land Use & Zoning Committee voted 6–0 to grant an appeal (ordinance 2025845) allowing a daycare that has operated in the neighborhood for about 20 years to continue operating roughly 1,980 feet from a registered predator, below the city's 2,500‑foot local buffer. Planning staff had recommended denial; councilmembers said neighborhood need and the record of safe operation weighed in favor of approval.
The City Council Land Use & Zoning Committee voted to grant an appeal on Jan. 6, approving ordinance 2025845 and allowing a daycare to operate at its existing location despite the city's 2,500‑foot separation requirement from registered predators.
Paul Harden, representing the daycare owner, told the committee the daycare "has historically operated as a day care center since records say early 2003" and asked the committee to reduce the local distance requirement to roughly 1,980 feet. Harden said the state minimum is 1,000 feet and argued the variance satisfies the legal criteria for a…
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