Southington Daycare Provider's New Site Approved By PZC

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A daycare provider that saw plans for a new site and expanded facility shot down by the town last month saw a new site and modified plan approved last week.

The Southington Planning and Zoning Commission July 18 voted 7-0 in favor of a site plan for C6 LLC to move "My Little Rascals" daycare from 445 N. Main St. to a site nearby at 318 N. Main St.

In June, the PZC shot down plans to move the daycare to a Queen Street address, with members expressing significant safety concerns about traffic in that particular parcel and how traffic would flow in that area.

In shooting down the application last month, the PZC urged the applicant and the daycare's owner, Matthew Pereira, to come back to the commission with a new site, which they did in time for the July 18 PZC meeting.

During both a public hearing and deliberations July 18, PZC members did not express the same kind of concerns expressed with the prior, denied application.

Representing the applicant last week was Severino Bovino, an engineer and vice president of Kratzer, Jones & Associates out of Southington.

According to Bovino, the site currently has two buildings with the daycare provider taking up one of the buildings at the site, which is zoned for business.

He said the daycare would be 3,800 square feet and also be served by a play area in the rear of the building.

During the meeting, Bovino went over how traffic would come and go at the site, which was an issue when the Queen Street location was sought.

PZC members and town officials, however, were satisfied the same issues brought up last month were rectified with the new proposal.

In stating support for the appliation during the hearing, Southington Economic Development Coordinator Louis Perillo said he was confident the new site and plans lent itself to much safer traffic patterns compared to the prior application.

"I had an opportunity to work with the applicant and we feel that after the last meeting's denial hopefully, you'll find this to be a more appropriate location," Perillo said. "We think its a little bit bigger and there won't be any queuing issues."

PZC members had no issues.

"I think this application is far superior to what we saw on the previous submission. From my perspective, it satisfies all of my requirements," said Southington PZC Vice Chairman Robert Salka.

"This is it. I value that you went and worked with our community on this one with both a great team and with our great team at the town," PZC member Christina Volpe said. "This is a lot safer location and I feel comfortable approving this and standing by it."

Prior to the final vote, the PZC also voted 7-0 in support of a waiver of the 25-pupil mandate for business zones, allowing for the daycare to serve 52 pupils.

"I just want to say, 'thank you' for listening and for doing it quickly," Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hammersley said, adding the need for such daycare services in a community that needs it.

For the minutes of the July 18 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For all application documents associated with 318 N. Main St., click on this link.