Northridge : Appeal to Be Heard on Child-Care Center

A Los Angeles zoning panel on Tuesday will consider an appeal of a city zoning official’s decision denying an application for a city permit to operate a child-care center in a Northridge neighborhood.

Northridge homeowner Hyun Yun has asked for permission to run a child-care facility for 36 children at her home on Balboa Boulevard north of Lassen Street. Yun currently runs a smaller operation at her home under a state license that allows her to care for a maximum of 12 children.

In a June 19 written decision, Albert Landini, an associate zoning administrator, rejected Yun’s request, saying that her plan to route traffic using the child-care center would cause problems around the site. Yun proposes to direct cars into her driveway from an alley south of her property, and exit to an alley west of her lot, back to the south alley.

Landini also wrote that increased traffic using the alley could pose a danger to children who might wander off the property, and that the noise from playing children could disturb neighbors. Yun’s appeal will be heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals at 10:30 a.m. at 201 N. Figueroa St., Room 170, Downtown Los Angeles.

In her request for a hearing, Yun said her home is in a good location for a child-care center because it is on a major street and adjacent to commercial buildings. She added that there is a growing need in Northridge for bilingual child-care providers for Korean American children, some of whom are not fluent in English.

Yun submitted two petitions with a total of 24 signatures in support of her application for a conditional use permit, which is required to operate a school for more than 12 children in a residential zone.

However, 39 neighbors wrote letters or signed petitions opposing Yun’s application. They pointed out that 19 other properties have garages with access from the alley west of Yun’s property--which would be used by parents leaving the child-care center. In addition, they said, the project has inadequate parking.