A proposed daycare site in Colwood has evoked opposition and concerns from neighbouring residents.
Alphabet Zoo Early Learning Centre wants to relocate from Langford to 3322 Fulton Rd. in Colwood, but has not been approved for a P-6 zoning by Colwood council. Residents who neighbour the property are concerned about the potential daycare site.
Ryan Landa, who lives next door on Fulton Road, said he was never notified about the initial application to rezone the property, and does not want to see a daycare move in next door.
Colwood staff said the applicant did address council on Feb. 11, but the topic was not on the agenda. If committee moves the proposal forward to council and a public hearing were scheduled, neighbours would be notified.
Landa is concerned with the amount of noise and traffic that a daycare would bring to the area.
“I am happy for a daycare to come to Colwood, but this is not the place for it,” said Landa. “We don’t want it rezoned. It’s too quiet of a spot to have 40 children being dropped off in the morning.”
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Another neighbour, Selene Winchester, agreed saying the location is “completely inappropriate” for a daycare.
“It is ridiculous. It is a single family home,” said Winchester. “I didn’t buy my house and say ‘I’m going to open a Canadian Tire here,’ it’s not realistic. It’s not a commercial zone, it’s a quiet little neighbourhood.”
Winchester added that since the new owners purchased the property in August, there has been “non-stop noise from construction.”
“She says all this stuff about children and nature, yet she has cut down a bunch of trees,” said Winchester. “This hasn’t been fair to anyone. One person’s wants shouldn’t override the wants of a neighbourhood, or the planning and zoning process. If council approves this then it’s the wild west, and anyone can do anything they want.”
Some of the reasons the property has not been approved for a P6 zoning is because the location is not connected to sewer, and is a panhandle lot in a residential neighbourhood. The lease on the current daycare location runs out in March, and staff at Alphabet Zoo hope council will approve a rezoning and allow the new site to open by April.
“They knew as long ago as June or July of 2020 that their current lease was up and decided on their own to try and cram their business into an R1-zoned space. There appears to be plenty of appropriately zoned spaces in Colwood and surrounding municipalities already that they could have chosen,” said Landa. “They’ve made all of this mess on their own and now they’re feeling the pressure of time.”
City staff said mayor and council have received correspondences from residents regarding this rezoning application, which “is included in their reading file for consideration as this matter comes before them.”
The rezoning application for the proposed daycare is set to come before council on March 15.
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Alphabet Zoo Early Learning Centre wants to relocate from Langford to 3322 Fulton Rd. in Colwood, but has not been approved for a P-6 zoning by Colwood council. Residents who neighbour the property, have expressed concern to the Goldstream Gazette regarding the potential daycare site. Neighbours Ryan Landa and Selene Winchester said the noise of construction has been disruptive to the area, and the property is not suitable for a daycare. (Photo contributed/Ryan Landa)
Alphabet Zoo Early Learning Centre wants to relocate from Langford to 3322 Fulton Rd. in Colwood, but has not been approved for a P-6 zoning by Colwood council. Residents who neighbour the property, have expressed concern to the Goldstream Gazette regarding the potential daycare site. Neighbours Ryan Landa and Selene Winchester said the noise of construction has been disruptive to the area, and the property is not suitable for a daycare. (Photo contributed/Ryan Landa)
