Action by River Forest officials at the Jan. 22 village board meeting moved operators of Mosaic Montessori Academy closer to their plan to open a second location in the village.
Calling the vote a “welcome decision,” Ranier Ramos, Mosaic business office administrator, said the action only “brings them to first base.”
The five trustees at the meeting voted unanimously to approve an ordinance amending the village code to allow child daycare centers to operate in the C-3 Central Commercial District as a special use. Bob O’Connell did not attend.
Before the vote, child daycare centers were prohibited from operating in every zoning district except for PRI, village administrator Matt Walsh explained in a memo to officials. In the PRI district child daycare centers are allowed as a special use, he added.
With passage of the ordinance, child daycare centers also will be allowed to operate in the C-3 central commercial district with a special use permit.
Ramos first approached the village board in November, explaining that Mosaic was considering opening a second center at 7777 Lake St., which is located in the C-3 district, where at that time, day care centers were not allowed. The 7777 Lake center would be in addition to the current location within the River Forest United Methodist Church at 7970 Lake St., where Mosaic has operated since 2007.
In November, officials referred the matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Economic Development Commission.
Following a public hearing in December, the zoning board voted unanimously to recommend approving the text amendment. However, on a split vote, the economic development commission voted against recommending approval.
Walsh explained that the three commission members who voted against recommendation were concerned about River Forest already having limited commercial space and felt that allowing this use could fill up the limited space with businesses that do not generate sales tax. The two members that voted in favor felt that the special use process would deter many daycare centers from coming to town and felt that they do provide a valuable service for residents, he added.
Ramos explained that Mosaic operates three classrooms in the church, two primary classrooms for 3- to 6-year-olds, and one toddler classroom for 2- to 3-year-olds. The center cannot expand in the church because of space limitations and has a growing waiting list, mainly for toddlers.
He said operators are hoping to lease space at 7777 Lake that would allow them to create two more toddler classrooms.
“We want to stay in River Forest,” Ramos said, noting that 95% of the center’s families are village residents.
Ramos was supported at the Jan. 22 meeting by Laura Maychruk, a parent of former Mosaic students, and Joey Szynal, a parent of a current Mosaic student. Maychruk also addressed the board in November.
“It makes all the sense in the world to fill a property that’s sat vacant for years,” Maychruk said of 7777 Lake.
Szynal explained that he has two children in day care, one at Mosaic and the other at another center, and expressed his desire to have both at Mosaic.
Citing the waiting list, Trustee Katie Brennan expressed support for the request, saying, “This is filling a need.”
The next step in the process is filing an application for a special use permit, which Ramos said the property owner will need to do. Ariel Pang, the Realtor for 7777 Lake, said at the November meeting that the property owner is “in full support” of the Montessori school.
Walsh explained that, in addition to the application, the special use process requires a public hearing and zoning board recommendation prior to village board consideration.
Ramos noted another step in the process will be obtaining licensing by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
“Assuming we’re lucky enough to get approval of the special use permit, we still will need DCFS approval,” he said. “Now the hard work begins.”