Carbondale’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to allow child care in parts of town zoned for “industrial uses.”
The trustees are amending zoning to allow child care as a special use in the town’s industrial zone. Approvals would only happen on a case-by-case basis.
Trustee Marty Silverstein was hesitant, although he ultimately voted for the change. He said he didn’t like the idea of having a childcare next to something like an auto-body shop, or places where trucks are constantly coming and going.
Angela Lourey, who’s on the board of Blue Lake Preschool, spoke during public comment in favor of the change.
"Eliminating industrial as a viable location for childcare eliminates some of the easiest developable land for childcare in Carbondale," she said.
Trustees also changed the minimum distance required between marijuana facilities and places like schools within the industrial zone. Typically, grow operations and pot shops can’t be closer than 500 feet from a school or daycare.
The trustees did away with the requirement to avoid hurting the town’s marijuana industry.
