MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On Monday, April 27th a request for a Special Use Permit and a Wetland Use Permit were brought before the Planning Commission.

The application for the Special Use Permit was a request to build Gilden Woods Daycare Center at 2172 and 2190 Association Drive. The Wetland Use Permit request would allow the building of the daycare to impact regulated wetlands at the same address. The decision for both requests were asked to be made the same night of the hearing.

However, after some discussion both permits were tabled until the next Planning Commission meeting on May 11th.

Planning Commissioner Richard Honicky said there were too many concerns about the traffic on Association Drive. It leads to Okemos Road, which already has high traffic density problems.

"There's already delays backing traffic up going on Okemos Road, and then when we consider winter conditions, it might have even more backup," says Honicky.

He voted no for the daycare project, because the builders wanted their project approved the same night the commissioners were seeing it for the first time. Not only would this shorten the time the commissioners would have to think about the project and to identify potential problems, but it would also involve them suspending their bylaws.

In addition to this, the builders would be working in flood plain, and the specifics on how they were going to do so were not clear.

There will be another public hearing, and the acceptance of the permit requests will be decided upon May 11th. Honicky said it looks like the permits will be approved.

The goal of the builders is to have the daycare built before the next school season begins.