Discretionary Use Proposal 

A Discretionary Use application has been submitted by Kristina Vainer (Happy Mouse Daycare) requesting approval to develop a Day care with a capacity for 200 children and 50 employees at any given time in Unit 201 at 1359 Fletcher Road in the Southwest Industrial neighbourhood.

The proposed Day Care will be located in the central portion of the existing building and will occupy an area of approximately 1,536 square meters (m²) (16,533 square feet) (ft²). A 1,400 m² (15,069 ft²) fenced on-site outdoor play area along with exterior and interior renovations are proposed as part of this application.

This site is zoned IL1 – General Light Industrial District under Bylaw No. 8770, The City of Saskatoon Zoning Bylaw. The purpose of the IL1 District is to facilitate economic development through a wide variety of light industrial activities and related businesses that do not create land use conflicts or nuisance conditions during the normal course of operations. Day cares are considered a Discretionary Use in the IL1 District. 

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What is a Discretionary Use? 

All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation.  Within each zoning designation, specific land uses are either permitted, prohibited, or discretionary.  A Discretionary Use is a land use that is generally consistent with the permitted uses in a zoning district.  As per Section 4.7.2(1) of the Zoning Bylaw, a Discretionary Use may be allowed either at the discretion of City Council or City Administration.  Either approving authority can approve, approve with conditions, or deny a Discretionary Use application.  Approval for Day Cares in the IL1 District is delegated to City Administration.

The Planning and Development Department evaluates Discretionary Use applications on a case-by-case basis considering the site itself, as well the surrounding context including nearby land uses.

A Discretionary Use approval is applied to a specific site, not the applicant.  Any change in size or intensity of the use approved would require a new Discretionary Use application.

What is a Day Care? 

The Zoning Bylaw defines a Day care as "means an establishment providing for the care, supervision, protection, or support of individuals of any age who require care or support on a regular, periodic, or temporary basis, and includes child care centres as defined by The Child Care Act, 2014, but does not include the provision of overnight supervision."

Process for Reviewing and Approving a Discretionary Use Application

When a Discretionary Use application is received by the Planning and Development Department, it is circulated to internal Civic Departments to identify conformance or conflict with the Official Community Plan, the Zoning Bylaw, and any other applicable policies and regulations.  Departments that review the application include Planning and Development, Transportation & Construction, Environment & Utilities, Fire & Protective Services, and Building Standards.

Once the application has been reviewed by internal Civic Departments, public consultation on the application is undertaken.  Registered property owners typically within 75 to 150 metres of the subject site and the Ward Councillor are notified of the proposed Discretionary Use application as per the City’s Public Notice Policy.  When considered necessary, a public information meeting may be held to provide information to area residents on the Discretionary Use application, answer questions, and receive feedback.

Information collected from the internal review and public consultation processes will be considered by City Administration.  The application may then be approved, approved with conditions, or denied.