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Commission backs conditional use permit to continue longstanding daycare at West Street properties
Summary
The planning commission recommended approval of a conditional use permit allowing a childcare center to continue operating at 4959 and 4965 West Street (serving ages 6 weeks–12 years) with conditions on parking, site conformance and regulatory compliance; staff said the use has operated there for over 30 years and the CUP stays with the property owner.
The Forest Park Planning Commission on April 16 recommended approval of a conditional use permit (case CU 2026-02) to allow continued operation of a childcare center at 4959 and 4965 West Street.
Staff told commissioners the two adjacent parcels (Parcels 1351 DA067 and 1351D066, approximately 0.43 and 0.26 acres) have housed a child-care use for more than 30 years. The request would formalize the ongoing use by tying a conditional use permit to the property owner, Lauren Davis, rather than to an individual tenant. Staff described the program layout: one building would serve infants and toddlers and the other would serve preschool and school-age children enrolled in after-school care. Proposed hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Staff noted the parking lot was repaved and restriped to meet prior mayor-and-council conditions and emphasized that approval is based on the existing site layout and operational characteristics; any expansion, increased enrollment, extended hours or site modification would require further review. Staff recommended approval with conditions requiring compliance with the city’s parking standards (section 8-890), adherence to the submitted site layout, and compliance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations, including licensing for child-care facilities.
Commissioners asked whether the CUP would remain tied to the property owner in future transactions; staff clarified that the CUP stays with the property so long as the owner remains the same, which prevents repeated tenant-specific CUP applications. With no public speakers, commissioners moved and approved the CUP with the staff conditions. Staff said the planning commission’s approval will be forwarded to the mayor and council and is scheduled for the May 4, 2026 mayor-and-council meeting for final action.
The commission recorded the approval but did not provide detailed roll-call vote tallies in the meeting transcript.
