FAIRFAX – Fairfax residents are vocal in their opposition to a proposed new daycare center on Sam Webb Road.
The business is proposed to be located in a non-residential building on Lot 5 of the Mossey Road Subdivision and will house a maximum of 52 people, of which 8-9 will be employees. Business hours are proposed to be from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sam Webb is a gravel road maintained by the city. At the Select Committee meeting on June 17, many residents spoke up and said they felt lost and left out of the process.
The Development Review Board will meet at 7 p.m. on July 9 to review a traffic analysis for the road after residents raised concerns ranging from increased use to the changing character of the road.
Maintenance, lighting, noise and, most importantly, traffic and safety issues have been at the forefront of complaints. Hopeful daycare director Hunter Mossey is working with the DRB to resolve these issues.
Fairfax Zoning Administrator Amber Soter said streets need to be adjusted to accommodate the city’s new population and the new plans will accommodate that.
“There will be teething issues with the roads and we are doing our best to make sure everyone is on the same page,” Soter said.
On April 9, the DRB sent out a notice announcing that it would hear the proposed site plan for a daycare center from Kirk and Catherine Mossey.
The site plan was prepared by Apex Engineering LLC under the direction of Peter Mazurak. During this meeting, the DRB expressed concerns about limited parking.
Mazurak said he is working through the concerns and issues brought to the attention of the DRB.
“I don’t think we’re working on all the issues, and none are more difficult than the other,” he said. “However, there are some concerns we want to communicate to the city.”
Three neighbors expressed their concerns via email during the April meeting. Many of their concerns were about potential noise levels above the 70 decibel requirement set forth in the Fairfax Development Regulations.
Other concerns included light pollution, an excessive increase in traffic on Sam Webb Road and a change in the character of the neighborhood – a yardstick the DRB uses to decide how much a commercial enterprise can alter the everyday appearance of the area.
At the second meeting on April 23, many questions were focused on traffic. Topics ranged from road maintenance to reckless drivers. All were answered by Mossey or Mazurak.
“I think as the city grows, everyone and traffic increases, that brings with it concerns about safety, noise and road maintenance,” she said. “It’s not just on this street.”
Jim Salamino, a resident of Sam Webb, said he was concerned about traffic from a commercial business in his blind driveway. He said people coming from work and trying to get to school before the daycare closes would lead to speeding.
Many people were concerned about the daycare’s water consumption, but Mazurak said the amount of water used was enough for about two houses and would not place a significant strain on the system.
Another resident of the street, Kim Harris, said she frequently walks down the street and has been pushed aside by reckless drivers. She said she has had many traffic problems before, but people are always in a rush to get to daycare centers, which makes the problem even worse.
Mossey responded that it was not fair to assume that the daycare’s customers were reckless drivers, adding that there were already parents on Sam Webb, meaning not everyone had to make the drive.
Mazurak said the concerns are not surprising for this type of proposal, but that is what a growing city wants.
“I think most of the things that came up were expected, nothing unusual,” he said. “The city allows this use, but doesn’t see it often because it’s probably one of the first daycares proposed in this zoning plan, but the city allows it and wants to see more daycares.”
Fairfax currently has 11 registered child care programs, including licensed providers and home care.
According to Let’s Grow Kids, a child care advocacy group, 3 out of 5 day care-age children in Vermont lack access to any place. In 2021, there were 1,439 infants and toddlers in need of care in Franklin and Grand Isle County, and an additional 955 infant and toddler care spots needed.
Because there were sufficient concerns, the DRB has scheduled a traffic analysis to determine the potential impacts of the proposed daycare center.
While citizens continue to share their opinions with city councilors, Soter said officials are working to accommodate Fairfax’s population growth.
“The motto is: As the city grows, city councils must work together to support our rapid growth,” she said.
The DRB is awaiting the traffic analysis report to discuss further at the July 9 meeting.
“The board will look at the updated traffic analysis information and we will then proceed with decision making,” Soter said.
