The Soldotna City Council met on Wednesday, January 24th to discuss an ordinance that could make life a bit easier for potential daycares.
The ordinance (2024-002) would amend a Single Family/ Two-Family Residential District section to allow daycare centers for city uses.
The Soldotna Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the proposed changes that would allow for the timely review and processing of permit applications for daycares.
In the city of Soldotna, there are currently only two daycares, which makes it difficult for parents seeking care for their children when they must go to work or school. It’s also difficult to access affordable childcare for many families.
This would allow more daycares, help families escape poverty, and improve our local economy.
In a memo written to the council, Soldotna Planning and Zoning requires daycare centers to obtain a conditional use permit to operate in the Rural Residential and Single-Family/Two-Family zoning districts.
In the Multi-Family, Limited Commercial, Commercial, and Institutional zoning districts, daycares are considered principal uses and do not require a conditional use permit or Planning
Commission approval.
Staff members recognize the importance of quality daycare to parents, their children, and the city’s workforce, and our economic well-being.
If the council were to approve this ordinance, it would mean that it would allow for quicker processing of permits, reduce the cost to prospective daycare operators, and it would maintain the current standards that are listed in the code (e.g., be state-licensed, and screen outdoor play areas).
John Czarnezki, Director of Economic Development & Planning explained how if this passed, day cares within that zoning district would only need an administrative permit.
“Under our current code for daycare centers, [it requires daycare centers] to obtain a conditional use permit in the rural residential Single Family to Family zoning districts. And to date, we have not had any issues with those daycares in those districts. And so, we were questioning the need to require them to go before the Planning Commission and incur a $250 fee and then a one to two-month waiting period to get their permitting, when in fact, again, we haven’t had issues in the other zoning districts that allow daycares. They don’t require a conditional use permit. They just require an administrative permit. And what we’re proposing here is that all those zoning districts that allow daycares just obtain an administrative permit rather than a conditional use permit,” said Czarnezki.
After a vote, all 6 council members were in favor of the ordinance.