Planning commission flags parking and safety concerns for proposed Apple Montessori daycare

Peggy Driscoll, speaking for the Planning Commission, reported that the commission reviewed a sketch plan and conditional‑use request to convert the Rite Aid at Goodnoog Corner Shopping Center into an Apple Montessori childcare facility at 1 Ice Cream Alley. The proposal would remove the pharmacy drive‑through for an outdoor play area, add parallel parking on the west side of the building and include an instructional swimming pool for enrolled students only. The applicant said the facility would serve up to 154 children with 21 employees at peak hours.

Commission members expressed concerns about loss of parking (despite plans to add parallel spaces), potential queuing and traffic backup during morning drop‑off and high‑use pickup times coinciding with restaurant traffic, and the appropriateness of a pool in that zoning district. Driscoll said the commission requested a formal written response to consultant review letters, traffic studies and Buck County Planning Commission comments before advancing to land development or offering a formal recommendation. "We have a lot of issues that we need to work through," Driscoll said.