MARQUETTE — To address a shortage of child care options in the region, the Marquette Township Planning Commission on Wednesday set a public hearing for May 10 in the township hall to discuss a proposed group day care home along Brookton Road.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Lysa Dawn Stockwell, who lives at 325 Brookton Road in a rural residential zoning district, has applied for a special-use permit for a group home day care center at her residence, using the name Little Cubs Learning Center.

In a Feb. 19 letter to the township, Stockwell said she was approached by the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency to open a home day care site to alleviate a need by employees, noting that the agency indicated that it is in danger of losing staff because of the lack of available day care in the Marquette area.

“I plan to make very minor changes to the home, as I will change some carpet to tile, create an outside play area, add a railing to the stairway and complete any work the fire inspector recommends,” Stockwell wrote. “Using this location makes my business plan affordable, conveniently located and creates the best space available for children.”

She also noted in her letter that waiting lists for child care in the Marquette Area are about two to three years long.

Marquette Township Staff Planner Erik Powers said at the Wednesday meeting, “It’s a high need in the community that this would be fulfilling.”

Stockwell, who is a retired fourth-grade teacher at downstate Wyoming Public Schools, spoke to the board on Wednesday, pointing out that Marquette and Marquette County are listed as a “day care desert.”

“It means for every one space you have available in day care, there are three children who need that space,” she said.

Stockwell said she will accept 12 youngsters for at least the first two years, with the day care home open from early August to early June except for several weeks off during the school year for holidays and spring break.

The home, she said, will serve infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children.

Commission Chairman Jim Johnson said, “It’s something that’s definitely needed in this area.”

Parcel rezoned

The Marquette Township Planning Commission also on Wednesday approved the rezoning of a parcel at 170 County Road 492 from general business to development district to facilitate a proposed residential development on the site.

The Marquette Township Board of Trustees on April 5 approved a one-year option agreement for a downstate developer interested in creating a workforce housing project there.

Renovare Development, based in Ypsilanti, has submitted a letter of interest for a 5-acre township-owned parcel next to Schwemwood Park. Renovare indicated that it would be suitable for a 48-unit project, and has proposed a $500,000 purchase price.

“While multi-family residential is allowed in the general business zoning district, some of the other land uses are not — for instance, duplex and single family,” said Jason McCarthy, township planning and zoning administrator. “So, in an effort to do what we can to facilitate the project and to make the property marketable, we are proposing to rezone that property to the development district, which does allow those specific land uses.”

He said the rezoning would cut through red tape and allow the development to happen without additional complexities.

McCarthy said that after the planning commission approves the rezoning, it would go to the Marquette County Planning Commission for its review and then to the township legal counsel for review. The Marquette Township Board of Trustees then would take formal action, being the only board that can change the zoning map.