Sunday, March 11, 2001
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Sunday, March 11, 2001 |
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Day care for Market now more likely By MONROE ROARK
Things are looking up again in Fayette Christian School's quest to obtain the use of the old A&T Market property in downtown Fayetteville. The school expressed a desire last month to use the building and grounds for a kindergarten and day care facility, citing the fact that its existing campus on the northern edge of the city does not have sufficient space to meet its needs. The Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the school's variance request and revised elevations at Tuesday night's workshop meeting, but school administrator N. Phillip Woods said then that the issue might be moot. Negotiations with the property's owners, the Meier family of Marietta, were not going well, Woods said at the workshop, as some conditions he termed "unreasonable" resulted in a lease price that was roughly double what had been previously discussed. But Woods told The Citizen Thursday that school leaders had met again with the owners and a much more reasonable offer had been discussed. "It looks much better now," he said. As far as the city is concerned, the school does not appear to have any problems. The variance request is for a reduction in the required square footage of outdoor play area per child, so that the 4,697 square feet available next to the Market building can accommodate the 138 children that could be housed in a building that size. These figures already meet state Department of Human Resources regulations, Woods said. The school has proposed to construct a 24-by-24-foot canopy in front of the building, to meet city codes, for dropoff and pickup of children. Some chain link and cedar fencing would also be raised so that the outdoor play area is completely fenced in. A door would be installed on the west side of the building to allow direct access to the playground. As for the unfinished clock tower on the southeast corner of the property, city officials have made no secret of the fact that they would love to see it torn down. But the city is not holding the school responsible for that, and Woods said Tuesday night that the school wants the property owners to take care of it. City staff recommended approval of the variance and elevations provided all agreed conditions are met prior to the March 27 regular P&Z meeting.
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