Planning body sends church day care ordinance to council

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A proposed ordinance affecting church-based day cares was approved by Hartselle Planning Commission at a recent meeting and passed on to the city council with a recommendation for approval.
Its intent is to give the city limited control over day cares operated in churches inside the city. Its provisions include the following: the church sponsoring a day care must have tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service; it must be approved by the Alabama Department of Human Resources; it must meet city building and safety codes and; it must have a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustments, if the church is located in a zone that does not permit day cares.
The need for such an ordinance was addressed by the planning commission after The Pentecostal Church of Hartselle requested permission to operate a day care on its property at 1004 Eubanks Street.
Griffith said the proposed ordinance will be subject to a public hearing, probably at the city council’s Nov. 22 meeting, It will be advertised and presented to the council for introduction Nov. 8.