Ken Lawrence is torn between two different communities. Neighbors along Hilltop Road in Merrifield say that the Wonder Kids Child Care causes problems in their neighborhood with too much traffic and other nuisances. These residents are against the center’s plan to double its enrollment.
But parents with young children need day care — a service they say is in short supply in Fairfax County. “This is a difficult balance to strike,” Lawrence said during the Jan. 25 meeting of the Planning Commission.
The child care center is located at 8615 Hilltop Road in Merrifield. The 2,230 square foot, split-level house sits on about three-fourths of an acre.
Its current permits allow the center to have up to 12 children, aged six months to four years, at the center at any one time. The owner, Gloria Fuentes, wants to double that to 24 at a time, with a staggered pick-up and drop-off schedule.
Fuentes would also increase in staff from five to six and open at 6:30 a.m., a half hour earlier than she can currently.
Department of Planning and Zoning staff think the current site is too small to accommodate the expanded enrollment, said Andrew Hushour of the department. He also said that the site is not in compliance with its current plan, since it has too much parking and has not done the required landscaping.
Keith Martin, attorney for Fuentes, said that the extra parking was a paving error that pre-dates the preschool and will be corrected. He said he did not realize the landscaping was a problem, but vowed to correct it, as well.
“It will be done and then some,” Martin said.
Neighbors on Hilltop Road are opposed to the plan. They say that the current operation generates too much traffic and that doubling enrollment would make it worse.
“This would result in creating an even greater commercial intrusion,” said Laura Harrington.
Some say the intrusion is balanced by the need for child care. Alexi Papandon does not live in the neighborhood, but has children who attend the center.
He praised Fuentes for providing a nurturing environment that provides quality care for children. “This is something we should support in our community,” Papandon said.
Commissioners were hesitant about the proposal, noting the violations of past approvals.
“It bothers me when people say, ‘yes, there are violations, but if you just approve this we’ll straighten things out,’” said Commissioner Ron Koch (Sully). “That doesn’t fly with me.”
Lawrence said he was having a difficult time weighing the options. He agreed that the proposal asked for too much, but did not want to reject it outright. “I’m loathe to deny it because this is a service that’s really needed,” he said.
Lawrence hinted he may be willing to recommend increasing the enrollment to 15 children, but would need some time to consider it. The Planning Commission deferred its decision until Feb. 15.