ALLENTOWN, Pa. — An Allentown day care operator is set to move her business about a half-mile away after getting city zoning officials’ approval Monday.
And offices near Center City soon could house several familles.
Maria De La Cruz has run De La Cruz Family Day Care at 644 N. 16th St. for the past eight years.
The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board unanimously approved De La Cruz’s application, but she must expand the property’s driveway to create more space for parking.
But on Monday she sought — and received — Allentown Zoning Hearing Board’s permission to relocate that day care to her new home in the 1300 block of West Greenleaf Street.
The North 16th Street day care serves six children at a time; De La Cruz told zoning officials she hopes to double that at her new location.
De La Cruz Family Day Care is set to operate 24/7 on West Greenleaf Street, but most children will be there between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. while their parents are working, De La Cruz said Monday through an interpreter.
De La Cruz told officials she operates the day care, where her mother and husband also work.
Several residents on West Greenleaf Street raised concerns about the day care’s hours and parking at the property.
Edward Whitehead Jr. questioned the need for another day care in the area as he listed several others nearby.
“I live in a residential area, and I don’t need a day care next to where I live,” Whitehead said. He called traffic in the area “a disaster.”
Must meet conditions
But Zoning Hearing Board member Alan Salinger said Allentown ordinances allow De La Cruz to run a group child care home for up to a dozen kids as long as she follows conditions set by the board.
City ordinances also require operators of group child care homes live at the property, forcing De La Cruz’s request to move the day care to West Greenleaf Street where she now lives, he said.
The Zoning Hearing Board unanimously approved De La Cruz’s application to reopen at her new home, but she must expand the property’s driveway to create more space for parking.
Allentown zoning officials on Monday also approved a project to convert offices at 457 Linden St. into three apartments.
MAVA Investments sought zoning approval to build four apartments, but the Zoning Hearing Board balked at that request.
Members unanimously approved the proposal after the developer reduced its request to three apartments.
