A local educator's request to expand her home-based Montessori school was denied at city council Monday night.
The city planning department had previously recommended that council approve the zoning bylaw amendment proposed by Jennifer Burtch, for her property on Maple Street South.
She currently operates 'La Mosaic' with 5 students. She requested an additional 3.
The three additional youngsters were seen as too many for neighbours and several councillors to stomach.
Councillor Noella Rinaldo was the first to speak up, and made it clear she would be supporting the proposal.
“I know there's a lot of people out there that have patiently been waiting for this to come on the agenda. I think all of us have had calls 'for' or 'against' this particular item” said Rinaldo.
She inquired to Mark Jensen, Director of Development, if the amendment to the bylaw would be for the entire city, or just the one residence. Jensen replied it would be 'site specific'
Rinaldo put her support behind the amendment, saying that council can't make decisions for today based on fear of what may happen in the future.
One of the opposing arguments was that if the owners moved, the property could potentially become another home-based business. Rinaldo said that there are bylaws in place regarding home-based businesses as it stands.
Councillor Andrew Marks didn't approve.
The area in question lies within Ward 5, where he was re-elected last fall.
“I feel its one of my duties to protect the neighbourhood, so that's why I'm not voting for it,” he said.
Marks emphasized that he is in favour of education in all forms, but feels that it was a business decision by Burtch.
“They were in a viable business location that didn't impact any neighbourhood. Then I think they chose to see if they could save some money, they bought a home where they want to put a home business in,” said Marks.
“I don't believe there's gonna be major nuisance within the neighbourhood, but as a business decision these people who are running a business could have made other decisions, other than affecting this neighbourhood. So I would urge council not to support it,” he said.
After a seemingly irrelevant discussion on whether or not the location was 'accredited' as a Montessori school, Councillor Mike Doody made it clear he would also be voting against the amendment.
Doody says people expect their residential neighbourhoods to be just that, residential.
He mentioned other businesses which have caused disturbances in residential areas in the past, citing the area near the now defunct Pizzale Gardens.
“Nobody around this table has anything against so-called Montessori schools, it's just that people live in a residential area, and I think they had lived with the daycare centre that was there and they're nervous about what could possibly go on,” said Doody.
Mayor Steve Black re-iterated that daycare centres are everywhere in residential areas in Timmins already.
“I don't know of too many day-cares that are smack in the middle of commercial hubs or business hubs, they're usually in residential neighbourhoods,” he said.
Black called it a 'very dangerous precedent' for council to set in allowing a few complaints to stop development, citing many examples of recent years where locals opposed any form of change in their neighbourhoods.
When it was time for the vote, Councillors Rinaldo, Pat Bamford, Andre Grzela and Black voted in favour of the amendment.
Councillors Doody, Marks, Joe Campbell, Rick Dubeau, and Walter Wawrzaszek voted against. The motion was defeated.
Burtch will be allowed to continue to her operation, but only with the maximum of five students.
