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Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit in the Neighborhood/Village Trade (C1) district at 7754 Harwood Avenue to establish a day care, Michael Stefan, applicant
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Submitted by:
Art Piñon
Department:
Development
A. Background/Options
The applicant is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to operate a daycare facility at 7754 Harwood Avenue, located in the Neighborhood/Village Trade (C1) zoning district.
The facility will serve up to 148 children, ranging from infancy to five years of age. Interior day care space is 11,400 square feet and a 3,100 square foot outdoor play area is proposed at the rear of the property. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Attached to this report are project plans, project description, site survey, traffic impact analysis, and parking study.
The required public hearing for this item occurred at the October 28, 2025 Common Council meeting. The applicants appeared at the meeting and spoke in favor of the proposal. No one spoke in opposition. The council meeting video is attached.
B. Staff Comments
Planning/Zoning Division
See parking recommendations in Engineering section of this report. Bike parking is required since the use of the building is changing.
Building Division
Design Review Board approval is required for any exterior changes. Architectural supervision, plan review, and all applicable building permits are also required. A final occupancy inspection and approval must be obtained prior to occupancy.
City Assessor’s Office
Provide detailed costs of any alterations and/or new construction as well as income and expense information as requested by the Assessor’s Office
City Clerk’s Office
No comments
Public Works Department
No comments
Engineering Division
Site plans subject to approval by the Engineering Division.
Per City Code 13.30.030, any building project in excess of $100,000 shall have the sanitary sewer lateral replaced or inspected and pressure tested per BPW requirements. If the existing sanitary sewer lateral is to be re-used, a televised report of the existing lateral from the building to the City main must be provided to Engineering. If Engineering identifies any defects in the existing lateral, the defects must be corrected and another televised report provided to Engineering to verify results. Note that if the existing lateral is made out of clay, the lateral must be lined. This requirement must be met prior to final building occupancy.
Applicant shall work with Engineering in establishing a water main easement for the existing onsite water main. The water main easement must be recorded prior to final building occupancy.
A playground, gate and fence are proposed to be located within the future easement area. An encroachment agreement is subject to approval by the Board of Public Works and Common Council.
A traffic impact and parking study has been included in the application. The study was prepared to determine the number of trips generated by the proposed use and their distribution. The study also analyzes existing parking demand and occupancy. Staff has reviewed the study and agrees with the following recommendations:
• Provide a 15-minute parking zone from 7:30-8:30 AM along the southeast side of Harwood Avenue from Dewey Avenue to Hart’s Mill Lot to minimize long term parking and promote in-and-out parking for both St. John’s Lutheran School, Early Elementary Center, and the Proposed Daycare. This proposed parking zone is subject to approval by the Transportation Affairs Committee.
• Reconstruct the existing driveway at the west corner of the proposed daycare to provide an additional parking space on the north side of Harwood Avenue.
• All staff shall be required to park in the Red Store Lot where there are no parking time restrictions and amply capacity.
Street parking on the north side of Harwood Avenue, adjacent to the proposed day care, is currently posted as three-hour time limit, between the hours of 9 am to 6 pm. Staff recommends that the parking regulations should be changed to 15-minute parking, similar to what is recommended for the south side of the road. Changes to parking regulations are subject to approval by the Transportation Affairs Committee.
Fire Department
No comments.
Health Department
No comments.
Police Department
No comments.
C. Recommendation
Staff recommends approval subject to:
1. Compliance with all conditions and recommendations in the Engineering section of this report.
2. Establishing hours of operation.
3. Short- and long-term bike parking must be provided in compliance with WMC 24.11.080.
4. Per WMC 24.12.040.A.2, roof-mounted mechanical equipment (e.g., air conditioning, heating, cooling, ventilation, exhaust and similar equipment, but not solar panels, wind energy or similar renewable energy devices) over 30 inches in height must be screened from ground-level view of all R- and C-zoned properties.
5. Per WMC 24.12.040.A.1, all ground-mounted mechanical equipment over 30 inches in height, other than air conditioning units, solar panels, wind-energy or similar renewable energy devices, is subject to principal building setbacks and much be screened from view of all R- and C-zoned properties by a solid fence, solid wall, dense hedge, or combination of such features. The hedge, fence, or wall must be tall enough to screen the equipment.
6. Providing detailed costs of any alterations and/or new construction, as well as income & expense as requested by the Assessor's office.
7. Under WMC 24.16.040I., a Conditional Use will lapse and have no further effect one year after it is approved by the Common Council, unless a building permit has been issued (if required); the use or structure has been lawfully established; or unless a different lapse of approval period or point of expiration has been expressly established by the Common Council.
8. Obtaining other required licenses, permits, and approvals. This includes but is not limited to Design Review Board approval, plan review, site plan approval, building permits and DSPS plan approvals, and Final Occupancy inspection and approval.