Planning Board Approves Preschool Permit After Call for Review

On September 23, the Planning Board held a hearing to consider Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer’s Call for Review of a Zoning Administrator’s approval of the Small Size Big Minds preschool and after school program at 3100 Central Avenue, where a church with daycare previously operated. The Call for Review argued that the environmental review of the project’s effect on traffic, noise, and safety was inadequate, among other objections. After robust public comment and discussion, the Planning Board upheld the use permit with conditions, affirming the project’s categorical exemption from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.

Background

The property is a single-story, 2,600-square-foot former church built in 1924. Most recently, it was used by the Alameda Baptist Church. Aside from worship services, the church held evening classes and operated a daycare center for up to 12 children. The building is currently vacant.

In June, Malyka Chop, who operates three Small Size Big Minds preschools in Alameda, applied for a permit to operate a childcare center. The request sought to use the facility for a preschool with an after-school program, including six classrooms for children ages 0 to 6, operating Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The facility would employ two shifts, with a maximum of six employees on site. Student capacity would be limited to 50, with the outdoor play area proposed to be used by 18 children at a time on a rotating basis.

The applicant proposed implementing an appointment-based drop-off and pickup system to minimize customers arriving simultaneously. No change would be made to the building’s exterior. However, he proposed installing a four-foot fence facing Central Avenue and following the side property lines to create a play yard, removing nonconforming on-site parking spaces and associated driveway, restoring the curb to create a new on-street parking space, and installing bicycle parking. The property is adjacent to a home and a school playground, with most play space adjacent to the playground and public sidewalk.

On August 19, Planning Manager Steven Buckley, acting as Zoning Administrator, held a hearing , approving the use permit. On August 27, Councilmember Herrera Spencer filed a Call for Review (link downloads document) on behalf of 12 neighbors living in eight households on Fountain Street and Central Avenue, alleging that:

• The Zoning Administrator did not properly conduct a hearing.
• The approval did not comply with CEQA.
• The project is not consistent with the General Plan .
• The Zoning Administrator’s findings and conditions of approval were inadequate.

Public comment

Approximately 90% of more than 100 emails submitted favored approving the permit. However, more than half of the 26 people commenting in person opposed it, primarily objecting to the project’s scale and citing noise, traffic, and safety concerns. Some argued the facility’s size would cause an “oversaturation of childcare.”

Speaker Lindsay opined that a 50-student preschool operating daily on weekdays was a substantial elevation of use from a church operating primarily on Sundays with a small weekday daycare. Another speaker agreed, arguing that the noise from 18 children in the yard would far exceed that of the 12 children who were there before.

Angelique said the proposed preschool would increase congestion and risk on nearby High Street. Matthew voiced concern about additional traffic on Central Avenue, a high-injury corridor . Carolyn said the only acceptable use for a building in an R-1 zoned area was as a church, a single-family home, or a home daycare. Shelby called for historic preservation review.

Supporters cited a critical need for high-quality aftercare and preschool services, calling the location ideal for East End families. Megan said the site was ideal because it “is within walking distance of Otis and Edison Elementary Schools, perfect for aftercare services.” She noted its central location, encouraging families to bike or walk their children to the facility.

Pastor Cindy of First Presbyterian Church noted that Small Size Big Minds leased space from her church and called them an ideal tenant. “The parents are respectful of the property and the neighborhood. We have only a small parking lot, yet parents navigate it carefully and without incident. Many arrive on foot or by bicycle, demonstrating the service this provides to the neighborhood.”

Smriti called concerns about traffic and noise “overblown,” echoing others who noted that daycare pickups and drop-offs spread out over hours, and parents come and go quickly.

Board discussion

Boardmember Asheshh Saheba voiced concern about the vacant building becoming derelict, thereby changing the neighborhood’s character. He acknowledged safety concerns and called on the applicant to create a designated pickup/drop-off zone. He also wanted to eliminate fencing along Fountain Street past the entry, deeming it not in keeping with the neighborhood’s character.

Boardmember Andy Wang asked the applicant if he would have a sufficient outdoor play area if the fence were reduced. Mr. Chop affirmed he could make the reduced space work through a rotating play schedule and creative use of adjacent park space.

Boardmember Hanson Hom said no historic preservation review was required because no exterior building changes were planned. He added that despite some comments, he had “no doubt” of a need for more childcare. He supported modest-size neighborhood childcare centers like this one to reduce parents driving across town to large facilities. To reduce noise, he stipulated a decrease in the maximum number of children playing in the yard from 18 to 14, the number allowed for home daycares. He wanted a one-year review to verify that the staggered pickups/drop-offs were working and to address other unforeseen issues.

Boardmember Teresa Ruiz verified that the owner would provide employees with complimentary transit passes to help reduce traffic. She also affirmed the need for more childcare, calling on the community to support a better city for everyone. She cautioned against discouraging future small businesses by overburdening applicants.

Boardmember Sunny Tsou said that although he agreed that traffic mitigation is needed, he didn’t want to burden one small project with solving the area’s traffic issues. Planning Manager Buckley pointed out that the City is working to address the entire corridor.

City Attorney Cara Silver said that regarding traffic impacts, CEQA only looks at Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). Tsou agreed, noting that an Office of Planning and Research Advisory says that small projects, defined as up to 20 housing units or 10,000 square feet of non-residential use, are presumed not worth studying for VMT impacts.

Tsou deemed the project categorically exempt from CEQA review under guidelines relating to minor alteration of existing structures and small structures up to 10,000 square feet going from one use to another.

Final motion and vote

Boardmember Hom motioned to approve the use permit with CEQA exemption findings and with the following conditions:

• Pull the fence back to align with the building so it doesn’t extend down to Fountain Street.
• Work with the City to determine the feasibility of a loading zone.
• Reduce the maximum number of outdoor children from 18 to 14.
• Hold a one-year compliance review.

This motion passed by a vote of five to one, with Board President Xiomara Cisneros, newly installed at the last meeting, voting against it.

Cisneros motioned to reconsider the decision, saying she wanted to request additional impact studies, arguing they would strengthen the project given concerns expressed during public comment. Her motion failed for lack of a second.

Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post . Contact her via karin@alamedapost.com . Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen .

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