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Commission postpones daycare rezoning at 2933 Deansbridge Road for more staff review
Summary
A proposed rezoning to allow a daycare at 2933 Deansbridge Road was postponed to June after neighbors raised traffic and parking concerns and commissioners requested staff and the applicant to clarify capacity, parking compliance and access issues.
The Augusta Planning Commission voted to postpone consideration of a rezoning that would allow a daycare at 2933 Deansbridge Road so the applicant can work with staff to resolve outstanding questions about parking, traffic mitigation and the facility’s anticipated capacity.
Planner Amanda Cruz summarized the request to rezone 0.57 acres from R‑1A single‑family residential to B‑1 neighborhood business for a daycare serving children from about 3 months to 6 years. Cruz said the submitted concept plan shows 10 off‑street parking spaces, a fenced playground, a detention pond and two one‑way access points, but noted four of the shown spaces obstruct the required drive aisle and must be relocated. Traffic engineering suggested investigating a right‑turn lane on Dean’s Bridge Road.
Applicant Quanesia Pokam told commissioners she is “passionate about working with children,” described efforts to canvass nearby residences and said she expects to serve roughly 20 children, though final licensed capacity will be set by the state after site plan and licensing review. She said pickups and drop‑offs would be staggered and that parking would be located in the rear.
Neighbor Keith Wells, who said he lives adjacent to the site, opposed the rezoning citing safety concerns. He told the commission Dean’s Bridge Road is a high‑traffic corridor and said, “This is not a need here in the neighborhood,” noting multiple existing daycares within a mile and recounting observed crashes near his driveway.
Commissioners asked for concrete data on licensing capacity, clarified that zoning itself does not set hours or licensing limits (those come during site plan and licensing), and raised the prospect of requiring a traffic study or engineering mitigation. Staff indicated current compliant parking would allow a maximum of about 24 children if spaces are reconfigured to meet access standards; final capacity depends on site plan layout and state licensing.
Given the outstanding questions about parking, setbacks and traffic mitigation, the commission moved to postpone Z‑2607 to the June planning commission meeting to give staff and the applicant time to address the concerns. The motion carried on roll call (majority yes; Commissioner Owens recorded a no vote).
