Committee hears proposal for daycare at 943 Springdale Street

Planning staff told the Planning and Economic Development Committee that a petitioner is seeking a conditional-use permit to establish a small daycare business center — identified in the presentation as "Kids Space" — inside a community center at 943 Springdale Street.

"The petitioner is requesting permission to establish a daycare business center within the community center," planning staff said, adding that the center would lease roughly 1,000 square feet of an existing 5,000 square-foot community building and use a fenced play area to the south of the building. The presentation described staffing of two to three adults caring for approximately 10 to 15 preschool-age children and operating Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"The planning staff is of the opinion that this community center is a logical location for a daycare business center," the presenter (Jim, planning staff) said, and both planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval. The presenter noted a history of similar programming in city-owned housing developments and said the proposed use would align with the city’s goals to expand access to high-quality early childhood care.

At the podium, Hannah Hrigan, who identified herself as an employee of the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, confirmed the four-day schedule and said the Friday closure is intended for staff professional development. "Fridays would be allocated to professional development for the staff that are hired for the center," Hrigan said.

Council members asked about hours, parking and neighborhood impacts; planning staff said the plan meets code standards and that the community center’s history of hosting early-learning programs supported the proposal. The committee did not take a vote on the conditional-use request at the afternoon session; the item will be repeated at 5:00 p.m. for possible committee recommendation to full council.