Revised day care plan to be considered in Vernon Hills
A revised proposal for a 14-classroom child care center at a cleared former bank site in Vernon Hills will be considered Tuesday by village trustees.
Tennessee-based Gardner School is pursuing approvals to allow for a 16,055-square-foot building and outdoor play area for a maximum of 206 infants, toddlers and pre-K students. It would be built at 2 E. Phillip Road, the former PNC Bank site south and east of Route 60 and Deerpath Drive.
Because the location is zoned for office and research uses, a day care facility requires a special use permit. Gardner also is seeking parking and other variations.
The village board in September heard a preliminary pitch and gave Gardner informal approval to proceed with the concept.
Detailed plans subsequently were reviewed by staff, and the village's advisory planning and zoning commission held a public hearing Jan. 8.
The commission voted only to recommend a site and landscape plan. Requests for the special use to permit a day care facility; variations for the lot size, number of parking spaces, setbacks and fence height; and, architectural drawings were not recommended for approval.
Among the observations were that the site is tight with respect to building coverage and the building presented a bland color pallette.
Also, a submitted traffic study was done during the summer when numbers typically are lower, and the impact from a new kindergarten building being built nearby by Hawthorn Elementary District 73 was not considered, the commission noted.
Commissioners also said a needs study in response to Gardner statements that its programs differentiated it from other providers wasn't presented.
The Vernon Hills Park District, Christ Lutheran Church and the Goddard School, and Kinder-Care spoke against the proposal at the public hearing.
In a follow up in late January, Gardner said it had selected different colors and revised the design of building gables and parapets, lowered a fence height and increased the number of parking spaces.
According to the company, a market study for Vernon Hills shows the demographics and demand align with the company's top performing schools.
Trustees will consider its support for the revised proposal at its informal committee of the whole session after the regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m. at village hall, 290 Evergreen Drive.
If the village board overrides the planning and zoning commission and agrees the request is appropriate, an ordinance allowing for the special use and variations, site plan and landscaping would be drafted for official approval at a future meeting.
In Illinois, Gardner has three locations in Chicago, as well as Schaumburg, Lincolnshire, Naperville, Northbrook and Oak Brook.