The Gary Common Council’s planning committee spent time Wednesday reviewing ordinances filed on behalf of four women who plan to operate day care centers around the city.
Two of the proposals, for day cares to be operated at 425 E. 47th Place and at 3610 W. 11th Ave., have the recommendation of the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
While two others, for proposed day cares at 1987 Arthur St. and 520 Miami St., have the zoning officials recommending against the projects. The final decision is up to the full Common Council, which could rule in favor of permitting the day cares at the proposed locations.
All four proposals would require the council to issue special use permits, as the sites currently are zoned for residential use, while the care of children at the sites for commercial purposes would go beyond their official use.
In the case of the Arthur street location, zoning appeals secretary Sarah Kobetis said officials recommended against the project because there already are three other licensed day care centers operating within two blocks of the location. But Rinzer Williams, attorney for the Common Council, advised city officials that might not be sufficient grounds to justify rejecting the project.
“Over-saturation in and of itself is not reason to reject,” Williams said. “Rejecting it for that reason could be grounds for a legal challenge against the city.”
Diane Cardwell, of Gary, said her proposed day care center would differ from other such facilities because she would plan to be open on weekdays from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Having relatives in her family who work odd shifts at the Majestic Star Casino make her think there is a market for day care services beyond traditional daytime hours.
“Not everybody works 9 to 5,” she said, adding she also has experience dealing with children as she is helping to raise 13 grandchildren.
Resident James Nowacki said he thinks the problem is that city officials have been vague about indicating exactly what they expect of a day care business.
“It’s hit or miss,” he said of the proposals. “If we were upfront with people about what we expect, people would know better and be prepared with proposals that would be worthwhile.”
Planning Committee Chair Herb Smith, D-at large, said he agreed with Nowacki, while Kobetis said an ordinance likely will be introduced before the Common Council during July that would limit in-home businesses to no more than two per any single block, which she said would make clear restrictions on the number of day cares in a single area.
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