Neighbors Against My Daycare

[mymomschoice]

Hi all,

We (child daycare providers) are required to obtain a use permit and business license prior to operating a large family home daycare in the state and city I live in.

My neighbors are against my daycare and they want the city to deny my application to operate a large family home daycare.

Here are some of my neighbors complaints:

1) Diminishing property values (I believe my daycare has nothing to do with this).

2) Noise - According to the Zoning Administrator, my play area is designed and located in an area to minimize noise impacts.

3) Traffic issues - The city traffic engineer determined that the volume was not significant for a residential street.

4) Parking spaces - I have a 3-car garage. Nine (9) cars can park in front my driveway.

5) One of the city & state's requirements is that the childcare provider should live in the home where care is provided. ~My neighbors do not believe that we live in this home.

They believe that my family and I do not live in this home because we are too quiet and they said that our lights are always off at night (Isn't that funny?)

They requested the city inspector to come to home just to make sure that we actually live in this home. ~Again, they failed because we live in this home and we love it!

The most annoying comment that will probably hate a lot of readers of this post is when my neighbor told me (at the hearing) in front of other people that he does not believe that I, the applicant, should be making a living in this country (Yeah... go figure!!! Of course, I'm a US citizen but, my color is not the same as my neighbor who said this).

After the inspection and 5 days of holding my breath, I finally got the use permit. However, I received an email from the inspector today and I found out that some of our neighbors would like to appeal the Zoning Administrator's decision.

I really don't know at this moment what is going to happen. I do know one thing though, my intentions are good. I would like to be friends with my neighbors but, I can't please everyone (mostly if it means lowering my income that can affect my family).

My question is, do childcare providers have some kind of protection against this kind of neighbors? They are well off and educated people but, it's just really sad how much they hate the kids and childcare providers like us.

[gbcc]

Gosh, it sounds more like a race issue. Just because of that one comment. I have some well off "aquantances" that can not stand to see someone of a different race doing well or making more money.

I would call your counties legal aid society and ask them to advocate for you.

Good luck!

[SilverSabre25]

Oh my! What an awful situation. I'm really sorry you're having to deal with this; some people are absolutely unbelievable. I don't have any advice, but it sounds like you've done everything right and hopefully your city will see these tattling whiners for what they are--spoiled children who want to have everything their way. Good luck; you shouldn't have to be dealing with all this stress!

[melskids]

Gosh, it sounds more like a race issue. Just because of that one comment. I have some well off "aquantances" that can not stand to see someone of a different race doing well or making more money.

I would call your counties legal aid society and ask them to advocate for you.

Good luck!

oh yeah...that was totally a racist remark. i would get a lawyer.

[boysx5]

that is awful we have serveral neighbors in my neighborhood who do daycare and I under my HOA we are allowed to do this now I know some HOA do not allowed any business being operated out of the home. Why do some people love to cause trouble good luck I hope you get this resolved

[missnikki]

With neighbors like that, I would be extra careful planning any events, even personal things without checking to see if a permit is needed. I would assume this guy will be a thorn in your side at all times, and go forward proudly but very carefully. Even on issues like parents parking on the street, toys in the yard, etc... Don't give this jerk any ammo.

[MommyMuffin]

I just wanted to include that if this is something that you really want to do then take their appeals and arguments and dont spend time thinking about them. Do what you need to do to get your license and dont look back (or next door:. Stay straight and narrow with all the rules. Good luck and I hope everything works out. Dont let them get to you!

[SilverSabre25]

With neighbors like that, I would be extra careful planning any events, even personal things without checking to see if a permit is needed. I would assume this guy will be a thorn in your side at all times, and go forward proudly but very carefully. Even on issues like parents parking on the street, toys in the yard, etc... Don't give this jerk any ammo.

That

Plus, if I were you I would also brace myself for calls to the licensing agency and/or to CPS to report you for the most petty and nonexistent of things, hoping they can shut you down. Sounds like a vindictive jerkwad who will do all he can to keep you from doing what you are perfectly within your rights to do.

[DanceMom]

That

Plus, if I were you I would also brace myself for calls to the licensing agency and/or to CPS to report you for the most petty and nonexistent of things, hoping they can shut you down. Sounds like a vindictive jerkwad who will do all he can to keep you from doing what you are perfectly within your rights to do.

Thats what I was going to say, make sure you are on your toes in every second of the day your daycare is open. Im betting they will report you for the slightest thing to get you shut down.

What a drag, I know my neighbors arent thrilled with me having a daycare..but its too bad. I try and be resepectful of them though - keeping kids inside in the mornings, fenced in my yard to keep the kids out of theirs etc..

[MarinaVanessa]

Wow good luck to you. I agree that I would just take the appeals in stride and move on. Yes they are troublesome, yes they are time-consuming but from what you have said officials have already stated that their reasons are not sufficiemt to deny you a permit for daycare. That being said, if they appeal this decision I agree that you should get legal advice on this subject. Getting your own lawyer can be costly so I like the above poster's idea that you should contact your local legal aid foundation and ask them for help. They won't always represent you but they will give you great advice and help you with the process. If the appeal overturns the first decision you should be prepared with the minutes and a manuscript of the 1st hearing, along with a witness of this comment about how you should not be making a living here (or a notarized letter) so that you can mention that you believe that at least one of the neighbors has something against you based on your race.

I was reading one of Tom Copeland's books about marketing and there's a section in there about neighbors. You could talk to your neighbors in person to discuss their issues and maybe once they actually meet you and see that you are being professional about it and will work with contracts, policies and within regulations and not just housing 20 wild screaming kids they'll give you and your daycare a chance.

You can also mail them flyers or letters introducing yourself and your daycare in a businesslike and professional manner. Include a list of their concerns that they made at the hearing and find a way to turn it around in their favor. For example:

Noise:
Will not be a problem because you have a maximum capacity of how many kids you will have and any time. List the maximum numbers and your daycare hours so that they can see that you won't have clients after 6pm or before 5am etc. If you decide to open at 6am (most cities have a noice ordinance prohibiting excessive noise before 7am) reassure them that you will have policies in place that will keep these early clients from making noise in the morning and if they fail to follow the policies you would appreciate to be notified (respectfully of course) and that action will be taken and if needed they can be terminated. You can also include loud music, slamming of doors, and honking during normal daytime hours too.

Parking: Repeat what you have already told us about how many parking spots you have available for your clients. You can mention that clients will not be staying long anyway and will only be there to pick-up and drop off and that they will only park in designated areas and will not block driveways, red zones or sidewalks. You can also mention how if you care for more than 1 child in a family that would mean even fewer cars.

Safety: Include information about how you have very strict safety and other regulations to ensure the safety of the children that you are required to follow. If your regulations include announced and/or unanounced visits from licensing or other include this also. You could briefly describe how your home and property has to be maintained and in good condition on a regular basis to keep it a safe place to play and learn. If you are planning on getting liability insurance mention this as well.

Property Values: Mention how you will be home everyday and how you can keep an eye out for suspicious activities/people keeping the neighborhood safer. Tom's book says that there is little evidence that running a daycare form a home lowers propert values and that you can contact your property tax office or real estate agent for more info on this.

Appearance of Property: You can keep the outdoor play activities in the back-yard and mention how there will be no toys or equipment left in the front yard at all.


Good luck with everything and I hope your neighbors come around.

[Unregistered]

Another point of view

While I agree that this might be a racist situation, allow me to present another point of view. I live in a neighborhood with a home daycare. It is right on the corner of a busy street and our residential street. The curbs near the daycare are painted red (no stopping any time) because the turns are blind - you can't see around the houses. The "customers" never park in the driveway, they park on the red-painted curb. You come around the corner and there is an SUV illregally parked that you nearly rear-ended, with a person standing on the street side putting their kid in the car. Yikes! The city just posted 5 "NO U-TURN" signs on my residential street and painted a double yellow line up the street, and put up a NO OUTLET sign, yet I was nearly hit today by a daycare customer U-turner. The day-care operator doesn't think this is her problem at all. Someone is going to get hit, maybe killed. And since it is her given right to earn a living out of her home, all we can do is call the police and get the day care customers ticketed for illegal parking, turning and driving.

So my question is - do we get to go to THEIR neighborhoods and drive in such a way as to endanger their familes? Or do we simply wait for someone to get killed? Wondering if today will be the day isn't the most restful way to spend your down time at home. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and someone will just get hurt (not killed), and then SOMETHING might finally happen to create a safe situation.

Good neighbors go two ways. Tell your customers to respect your neighbors and your neighborhood, park legally, drive legally and carefully. Enforce it. Don't let them park, even for minute, in or in front of your neighbors driveway, trash cans or mailbox. Ask them to park in your driveway first, and then legally on the curb if no space in the driveway is available. Don't let them park in the red zones or in front of fire hydrants with their emergency blinkers going. Don't let them throw their car trash on your street (yes, amazing that this happens). While you might have the right to have a home day care, your neighbors shouldn't have to suffer for it.

[DaycareMama]

I had a very similar issue. My neighbors are the town bullies for a lack of better word. They have an issue with anything and everything and will take anything to the higher power to fight it.
When I first moved in and they found out my daycare was following me it turned into a nightmare. They constantly bad mouthed me, my personal life and my children. Funny part is that this is a couple that worked with my father and respected my family. Until they decided that a daycare was not right for there neighborhood. Some complaints they had before I even opened were traffic, noise, the "type" of people I would be taking and what toys would look like in my yard. They didn't want to see any of it. They considered toys an eye sore.
Come to find out the only reason they were fighting my daycare was because the villiage would not let the husband park his commercial business trucks in his driveway. They couldn't have a business and I shouldn't either.
This woman faught dirty. I have a (at the time) 10 year old son who along with the other kids in the neighborhood played outside. I don't allow my dck's outside without me. We also live within feet to all our local schools. Meaning my son and neighborhood kids have to walk and are not offered a bus.
This woman in a nasty attempt to shut me down called CPS and my state registar and told them that I allowed my dck's outside alone unsupervised. Resulting in 2 toddlers almost getting hit by a passing bus. So the state came, investigated and saw I only had 2 infants unable to even walk went out to my yard and saw clearly by the lack of grass that when I did have kids they were safely away from the road and that I had barriers set so they couldn't pass. Oh I forgot to mention the day this went down we had gotten in an altercation. She knocked on my door during business hours and she was cursing me out in front of the kids for running a business in my home. I told her in the nicest words I could at the time where to go. I DID call my registars office b4 she did and warned them that I thought she would be up to something.
The outcome was I was found not guilty she got in trouble for reporting false claims and a couple months later she was on me for something else.
NOW 6 years later they compliment me on what a great business I run and how she never hears the kids. I still don't trust her by any means but somethings I do to "avoid problems" are

Ask parents not to turn around in her driveway
when I do have the kids outside we never scream
If they do we go inside
If a baby has a cranky day and is crying alot i will close my windows and use the ac instead
I do make sure to clean the yard up at night

Oh and finally I painted the side of my house that they see an ugly color so maybe they would stop looking over

Good luck and do not let them get to you. You have every right to run your daycare. Hopefully over time they will adjust like my crabby butts did!

[MARSTELAC]

Any updates? I hope you are going through with your plan. You have a right to have your business! My neighbors love my daycare kids! We are complemented all of the time. They bring us treats at least every other week, more like weekly. The kids are polite to the residents and the residents are polite to the daycare children. Good luck to you :-)

[Unregistered]

daycares

I too have had a licensed daycare... in the past. I was very careful not to annoy my neighbors, but that is not the rule of thumb with most. I am currently living next to a daycare and as I write this note I can hear all of her unruley loud rude children screaming in their pool!!! She as always is in her house or wherever! I live in a very nice neighborhood and I hate this daycare next door. I should be able to lay next to my pool and enjoy peace and quiet... but I can't!!! My summers are spent listening to her loud rude children while she stays in her air conditioned home or barely pays attention to the noise!!! So just be aware that your daycare can affect more than just you!!!

[momofsix]

It's something about kids in pools...they just tend to be loud If she is truly in the house while the kids are in the pool unsupervised that is dangerous and you should report her today!