Members of the Farmville Town Council voted to approve a conditional use permit for a day care center at the home of Melanie Adams, located at 503 Milnwood Road.

Adams was the former clerk and payroll specialist with Prince Edward County Public Schools.

“This property is zoned Residential District R-1 and allows for day schools and kindergartens with a conditional use permit,” Town Manager Gerald Spates said during the hearing.

The packet cited that the day care center at this time will only serve four children that are not the children of the owner, up to eight children. Adams has four children. In the future, Adams said there is the potential for the day care to serve four more children, 12 in total.

The applicant cited a barrier of trees and a reserved 20 foot area to the right of the house that would protect adjacent landowners from potential noise.

During the hearing, Adams and a neighbor, Lorraine Smith, spoke.

Adams reiterated the application and conditions, and said per regulations from the Department of Social Services (DSS), her day care is considered a private in-home child care center.

This center could provide care for up to 12 children with a license. At-large council member Tom Pairet asked if the 12 would include Adams’ own children. Adams said it would.

“My center serves a need for child care within our community,” Adams said during the hearing. “Many parents prefer child care in a private home-like setting. My center will also serve as a Christian ministry.”

Adams said she operated the day care prior to the application, but had to file for a permit due to reaching the threshold of caring for four children in addition to her own.

Adams said DSS has two phases in its licensing process. The first is attaining zoning approval for the center. The second phase includes passing an inspection of the residence the center would be located.

In response to a question from a council member about parking, Adams said there was room for parking approximately four vehicles, and said there is potential to add additional parking by her basement door.

Smith, who lives to the right of Adams’ residence and asked about the hours the day care center would keep, and expressed concern about the potential for noise from the students that could affect neighbors surrounding the property. Smith said she has a barrier between her and Adams’ property, but said other neighbors do not have those barriers.

Adams said the hours would be from 6:30 a.m. to potentially 5:30 p.m. She said the center currently closes at 4 p.m.

Ward A council member Greg Cole said that the planning commission recommended two stipulations for the day care, including that the day care center be inspected by the Town’s Building Official to make sure “all the building code requirements for this type of use comply and have regular inspections, such as fire inspections, as any other commercial business of this type,” and that the day care follow the licensing guidelines of DSS.

The second condition is if Adams extends beyond four children not her own, she would need to be licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cole said that the second stipulation is already a provision with the Code of Virginia and DSS.

Following the hearing, members of the council voted unanimously to approve the day care.