A Gary woman is seeking permission to convert her garage into a day care facility, but municipal officials are skeptical of her proposal.
The Common Council’s planning committee on Wednesday reviewed the proposal by Luxury Bryant to operate a facility for about five to 10 children in the garage of her house in the 100 block of West 46th Avenue.
The structure is part of a residential property and not zoned for business. Bryant would require a special use permit from the city in order for the business to operate, and the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals previously recommended against the permit.
Council members on Wednesday indicated they were not in favor of the plan, in part because a half-dozen local residents testified before the Planning Committee against it.
Councilwoman LaVetta Sparks-Wade, D-6th, said she has received many telephone calls from people opposed to it. “I haven’t heard from one person in support of this,” she said.
A survey of residents by city zoning officials living within 300 feet of the house also found no supporters.
Several of those residents on Wednesday told the council they are concerned about having children in the neighborhood, and they also pointed out the house has a pool above ground pool in its backyard.
Council President Ronald Brewer said he thinks the pool is a legitimate concern in that young children could climb in and drown. “We could have a tragedy in our city,” Brewer said.
Bryant was unable to appear before the Planning Committee on Wednesday, although her mother, Debbie Agnew, appeared on her behalf with a letter to council members and also a plea to support the proposal.
The house falls within the Morningside Historic District, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2009.
Patricia Brower, who heads a district board, said local residents are concerned about maintaining the quality of the area.
“It is a charmed neighborhood, and we’d like to keep it that way,” she said.
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The measure will come before the full Common Council for a final vote when they meet again Tuesday. As to whether it could gain council approval, none of the council members present for Wednesday’s committee session were willing to say they’d support it.
“This is a historic district and has local resident opposition, that’s enough reason for me to oppose it,” Sparks-Wade said.
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.