Board directs staff to prepare ordinance approving Goddard School daycare at former village hall site

The Burr Ridge Village Board voted unanimously July 27 to direct staff to prepare an ordinance approving the Goddard School site plan and special‑use requests for 7660 County Line Road, the former village hall site.

Staff told trustees the plan commission had held a public hearing and recommended approval with conditions, including submission of a traffic study and landscaping requirements. Janine, the community development director, said the petitioner submitted a revised site plan addressing two plan‑commission conditions (removal of a dumpster and revised landscaping) and still needed to submit a traffic study.

Charles Smith, owner and president of Artay Design Studio and the petitioner’s representative, described the proposal: remodeling the interior to accommodate classrooms, adding an 840‑square‑foot classroom annex, and anticipating about 120–180 children and 20–30 staff. Smith said the firm will have a traffic consultant on site to collect counts and prepare an executive summary for the board, noting morning drop‑off and late‑afternoon pick‑up periods produce peak traffic. “We typically do a matrix as to the timeline of when students are picked up and dropped off,” Smith said, describing plans to mitigate queuing and headlight glare.

Trustees asked for fence material samples to ensure an appropriate appearance next to residences; Smith agreed to bring samples for staff review. Trustee comments ranged from appreciation for professional responses at the plan commission to questions about headlights at drop‑off times. After discussion, the board directed staff to prepare the ordinance to implement the approved site plan and special uses. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 5–0.

Staff will finalize conditions, review fence samples with the petitioner and integrate the traffic‑study findings into the ordinance packet before return to the board.