‘We want to work with you’: Primrose School proposed in Vernon Hills

Vernon Hills’ attraction as a hot spot for early education and child care facilities continues with a proposal for what could be the 10th commercial operation in town.

Atlanta-based Primrose Schools has a letter of intent to buy a portion of an undeveloped lot at 1820 N. Milwaukee Ave., south of Menards along Gregg’s Parkway.

Primrose has 550 locations in 34 states and develops more than 40 new locations annually, according to information presented to the village.

In Vernon Hills, the proposal is for a 13,545-square-foot building and 3,600-square-foot playground for up to 194 children aged 6 weeks to 12 years.

To do that, a 1.8-acre site would be subdivided from an existing lot leaving two parcels for future development, according to village materials.

“This does involve subdivision of a lot and creating three parcels where this is one currently,” Andrew Jennings, community development director, explained during a recent informal discussion before the village board.

However, the plan comes with several considerations for village officials.

Although day cares are not restricted by village code, developing the parcel in that manner would require amending the plan in place for the overall commercial area.

And as a stand-alone, nonretail building, a conversion certificate would need to be submitted and reviewed before a public hearing was scheduled.

That will be a “threshold question” for village officials, according to Village Attorney James Ferolo.

“There are different entitlements needed for this day care than some of the others we’ve dealt with,” he said.

The uncertainty of private covenants prohibiting day cares, which is the case in the southern portion of the Gregg’s Landing shopping center, also needs to be investigated for the northern portion, according to Jennings.

And although exemptions have been granted, the proposed use of cement fiber board is contrary to the village requirement of masonry on four sides of new buildings.

“We want to work with you guys as much as possible,” said Marvin Wensman, representing Primrose Development. “We’ve been looking at this site the last six months.”

Mayor Thom Koch noted this would be the fourth new day care center to open in town within about 18 months. According to Jennings, there are nine commercial day cares in the village, not including those in homes and churches.

Wensman said there is great demand.

“We hear that a lot actually throughout the country,” Wensman said. “We are not worried about that.”

Besides making sure there are no restrictive covenants, the next step will be the retail conversion certificate and, if approved, a technical review of access points and configuration and other elements.