A Cochrane day home operator is calling for changes to development bylaws after a last-minute appeal to her business permit application left her clients without care. Claire Daoud, who has been operating a day home from a rental property in GlenEagles for nearly a year, decided to re-locate to another rental property in the community of Riversong. She said she and her fiance, Jacques Sauve, decided to move to give them some extra space - he also works from home - and put them in a more family-oriented neighborhood. Daoud said the number of young families and children in the area made her believe their development application would easily pass the appeal stage after the town approved the application. However, on May 30, the day before the deadline, Daoud was informed an appeal had been filed citing concerns over possible traffic disruption and noise. Daoud, who had negotiated to keep her GlenEagles property open through the month of May, said the appeal has left her families scrambling for care or has forced parents to take time off work, adding the concerns are without merit. According to the appeal form, the appellants listed traffic and noise as reasons for their opposition. Now, the matter will go to the Subdivision Development Appeal Board for a decision. As of Wednesday morning, a date for the appeal had not been set. Once the case is heard, the board will then have 15 days to render a decision. As part of the hearing, the board must give the development authority, the appellant, any other person given notice of the hearing and any other person who claims to be affected by the appeal the opportunity to be heard. Ron Weedmark, a neighbour of the proposed day home who has been cited in other news coverage, declined to comment on the issues due to the media attention the issue has garnered opting to leave the matter to the appeals process. "This is a matter that should be left for the Appeal Process to adjudicate not the court of public opinion," he said. Daoud, whose facility is approved and licensed by the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area's Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority sanctioned Play Days, said presently her client list consists of six children - two part time - between the ages of two and six. "The idea of six cars showing up at the same time and creating havoc is quite absurd," she said, saying her clients usually arrived staggered and even on the rare occasion that they might arrive simultaneously, there is adequate parking. As for noise, she said it is hard to believe people could take issue with the sound of children playing. "Our bylaws need to be changed," Daoud said, specifying that day homes should not be a discretionary use subject to appeal considering the need that exists for childcare. "We are doing our best to help the community grow and provide an important service," Daoud said. Play Days program co-ordinator, Maureen Topp, said, “There is an extreme shortage of day home spaces for families seeking care within our agency, particularly for children under the age of three.”
