Planning commission recommends city council approve Head Start and child-care CUP for 202 Fifth St. SE

KASSON CITY — The Kasson City Planning Commission voted to recommend that the city council approve a conditional use permit to allow SEMAC, a local community action agency, to operate a Head Start and accessory child-care services at 202 Fifth Street SE.

Senak, a staff member who presented the item, said the request follows a recently approved zoning text amendment that now allows accessory child care facilities in several commercial and industrial zoning districts, including I1. Senak said the proposed facility would consolidate Head Start, senior dining, outreach, a food shelf and related social services under one roof and that only minimal site changes are proposed.

"They've got 1,440 square feet of outdoor play area, plus another 375 square feet of hard surface," Senak said, noting a pick-up and drop-off loop set well back from the street and 20 painted parking spaces with room for additional parking if needed. Senak reviewed six standard conditions staff recommends for the CUP, including that drop-off areas not interfere with pedestrian or vehicle movements and that the outdoor play area meet or exceed state licensing minimums.

Jen Hangel, SEMAC's executive director, told the commission SEMAC operates outreach centers in seven counties and that the project will make it easier for Head Start families to access services. "We are licensed for 18 children, but we never have more than 15," Hangel said, adding the Head Start schedule generally runs September through early June, Monday through Thursday, and that SEMAC plans to coordinate times with local school schedules.

Hangel said Head Start performance standards require roughly 75 square feet of outdoor space per child and that SEMAC is providing more than the city's code minimum. She also said the deputy fire marshal had already inspected the building and that SEMAC understands the wiring, smoke and CO detector upgrades needed for licensing and fire-safety compliance.

A nearby resident, Neil Whitell, spoke in support of the project and described the building's controlled access: "Only people with the fobs get in ... staff are right there to guard those doors," Whitell said, adding that staffing ratios and existing procedures make the site secure for children.

After public comment and a brief discussion — including a suggestion that staff coordinate a follow-up fire inspection after renovations — a commissioner moved and another seconded a recommendation to approve the CUP. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote and will forward the permit to the city council for final action.

The CUP would allow SEMAC to operate Head Start (anticipated enrollment of about 15 children at this site) in combination with other social services at 202 Fifth Street SE, subject to the licensing, safety and site conditions outlined by staff. The city council will consider the recommendation at a future meeting; no final city action occurred at the Planning Commission meeting.