SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As part of its meeting on Monday, the South Hutchinson City Council will consider the zoning change request from Open Arms Daycare.
According to agenda documents, Open Arms Daycare (OAD) seeks to rezone their property from commercial to residential as a prerequisite to re-establishing eligibility for a federal government program that reimburses the costs of meals provided by the facility.
OAD participated in this program for several years until recent changes in the bureaucratic interpretation of the regulations resulted in a determination that the facility was no longer eligible.
The owner has worked with city staff, federal officials, and others to determine a path forward as the loss of these funds presents a significant financial hardship. Depending on attendance, daycare owner Kelly Willis told Hutch Post back in December that it can cost upwards of $1000 a month if the reimbursement is not there.
These discussions resulted in the understanding that rezoning the property from commercial to residential would allow OAD to regain eligibility.
The owner maintains that approximately 65% of her enrolled students either live in South Hutchinson or have parents that work in the city.
There is currently a dearth of daycare options available for parents in the region and throughout the state. Reno County and the City of Hutchinson identified this need and allocated ARPA funds to tackle this problem.
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-2 to recommend approval of OAD’s zoning amendment application.
If rezoned to residential, the city would lose about $400 in taxes, but if the business couldn't stay open because they can't get the federal food reimbursement, that obviously could cost a lot more money.
The South Hutchinson City Council meets at 6:00 p.m. Monday at City Hall at 2 South Main.
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