Daycare plan withdrawn amid noise, traffic concerns from Brookhaven neighbors

An application to build out a national daycare franchise on Apple Valley Road was withdrawn at the Brookhaven City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26 after neighbors spoke out about variances they said would remove trees, increase noise, and invite traffic to the dead end street.

A total of eight variances were requested by Harsh Goyal, the owner of Kiddie Academy in Midtown, to allow exceptions for land development in the overlay district. City staff recommended approval of seven of the eight variances.

Mark Robinson of All Day Retail said he’d been working with Launch Properties to develop the property at 2614 Apple Valley Rd. for a year.

“[I] feel like we’ve worked cohesively with everyone in the comments, [and we] are kind of feeling like we’ve met everything we need to meet,” Robinson said.

Isabel Moultrie, a 10-year resident of the street, spoke on behalf of the Apple Valley Homeowners group. She said neighbors had been meeting with the developer, city staff, and Council Member Jennifer Owens for months “to point out the complexities of this interior street that are not visible are immediately apparent, unless you live here.”

Moultrie said the developer reached out to the neighborhood group to hear concerns, and were “very forthcoming and transparent.” However, she claimed the proximity of the daycare building, light spillage, tree removal, and noise levels from two proposed playgrounds would negatively impact neighbors.

The land formerly housed a pesticide company, and neighbors requested a yearly compliance report to be filed with the city and the Environmental Protection Agency. Otherwise, Moultrie said, they wouldn’t have any idea if there’s been damage to the remediated area.

“Regarding the environment, we don’t feel that our concerns and the conditions we submitted have been incorporated into the storm water variance,” Moultrie said. “We ask for a higher level of oversight between city inspectors and the developer during construction, post construction, and for all future landowners.”

Brie Murray, a 12-year Apple Valley Road resident, said the trees buffer noise from the train and construction. “I don’t think I need to lecture you all on the environmental benefits [of retaining trees in the area],” Murray said.

Harsh Goyal, Kiddie Academy’s Midtown owner, said the development team has been in touch with the EPA regarding environmental disturbances.

Owens acknowledged that access to quality childcare “is a huge need in our state” and commended Kiddie Academy but ultimately could not vote in favor of the development.

“The number of variances that are being requested, in particular asking us to exempt out of the public open space which is supposed to be a public benefit for the Apple Valley corridor … I just don’t feel good about the current site design,” said Owens, adding that she’s open to collaborating on a different plan.

The Peachtree overlay district was the culmination of public hearings and community input. Council Member John Funny said adding several variances to the property detracts from the special character area and overlay.

“I commend you for offering the childcare to this community, but when you look at a lot like this … it’s a tough fit,” Funny said.

Goyal withdrew the application.

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