Daycares, Montessori expansion approved

Published 9:55 pm Monday, June 24, 2019

Following public hearings last week, Suffolk City Council approved a pair of new home daycare facilities and the expansion of the Montessori Academy in North Suffolk.

None of the three received opposition from the Planning Commission or the council, and staff reports for the projects recommended approval.

The Montessori Academy at 5805 Harbour View Blvd. had previously received unanimous approval from the commission for a conditional use permit to add a 3,420-square-foot building to its existing 9,998-square-foot building. The new building would house three classrooms and a bathroom.

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As part of the expansion, the Montessori Academy has received permission from TowneBank on Harbour View Boulevard to share six parking spaces between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Bianca Bland also received approval to operate a family day care for up to 12 children from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old on property at 201 Deanes Station Road from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It would use 600 of the home’s 2,322 square feet for the day care operation, as well as a fenced-in yard.

The home had already received a license through the Virginia Department of Social Services for a family day home to care for up to four children, and that license is still active, though she will still have to get a separate license to handle additional children, according to the staff report. Bland plans to hire an employee to help care for the children.

Wendy Paulino, too, got the council’s unanimous approval to operate a family day care. Paulino will run her daycare from 1013 Raven Hill Road and will operate from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and have up to 12 children from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. She plans to use converted garage space, as well as the home’s living room and kitchen, about 1,000 of the 3,016 square feet overall, according to the staff report. She has a fenced-in backyard to use as a play area, and plans to hire one full-time employee and one part-time employee.