City of Jackson OKs special use for day care, discusses Deerwood roundabout

The Jackson Board of Aldermen has approved, without objection, a special-use permit for Tot Spot Academy and Preschool at 1327 E. Main St., not far from the Main Street and Shawnee Boulevard roundabout.

Tot Spot's application was made by the day care's new owner, Stacey Bertrand-McIntosh of Millersville.

The property is zoned R-4 residential, and under previous ownership, the building was known as Just Kids LLC.

Bertrand-McIntosh, who told the board Tuesday she had 20 years of early-childhood experience, is remodeling the facility with her husband, Darren.

When asked for public input, five speakers spoke in favor of Tot Spot's application for the permit. No one spoke in opposition.

The special-use greenlighting comes after aldermen, in recent months, turned down special-use permits for two other proposed day cares. Little Buttercups LLC and Little Blessings Daycare were both proposed to be situated within single-family dwellings.

Tot Spot Academy will be in a building built for and used only for day care services.

Another day care proposal will soon be considered by the city.

Jackson's Planning & Zoning Commission will consider an in-home day care at 716 W. Washington St. during a public hearing scheduled at 6 p.m. March 9.

Other aldermanic business

• Electric line relocations were approved for 2024 Watson Drive, 1690 Woodland East and 1730 Woodland East. The first address is in Bent Creek Spring Lake Addition; the latter two are in Woodland Oaks subdivision.
• Joe Bob Baker, Tony Koeller, Harry Dryer, Janet Sanders and Rodney Bollinger were appointed to a steering committee for 2022's comprehensive plan update.
• Two public hearings were set for March 21. The first will consider rezoning 2.65 acres at 720 S. Old Orchard Road from R-1, single-family residential, to C-2, general commercial, proposed by Independence Self Storage LLC. The second hearing will consider a special-use permit for a bakery as a home operation in an R-2, single-family residential, district at 828 Eagle Drive, submitted by Darrell and Mandy Hatfield. Aldermen were told bakery items would be made in the home but sold elsewhere.

E. Deerwood roundabout

In study session, Mayor Dwain Hahs asked for a new draft of a city agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), to include a new "worst case scenario" provision permitting the municipality, if it chooses in the future, to opt out of the roundabout project at North High Street (U.S. 61) and East Deerwood Drive during the design phase. MoDOT officials told city attorney Curtis Poore they would agree to such a contract specification.

Chris Beard, engineer of Lochmueller Group, reminded aldermen of a 2020 traffic analysis his company did of the area.

Beard said a roundabout will cost $2 million in a cost-sharing arrangement between MoDOT and the city. Putting a traffic signal at the location will cost $300,000 to $350,000, Beard said, but added it was a moot point. MoDOT, he said, will not warrant, nor pay for, signalization in the location — only agreeing to help fund a roundabout.

Alderman Paul Sander asked, "Our choices, then, are either a roundabout or nothing?"

"Yes, that is my understanding," Beard replied.

Alderman Larry Cunningham inquired whether signaled intersections are considered a "thing of the past."

"Absolutely not," Beard replied. "There is a place for both signaled intersections and roundabouts," adding he personally thinks a roundabout at East Deerwood and U.S. 61 will be "safer and more efficient."

Assuming future aldermanic consent to what would be a third roundabout inside city limits, U.S. 61/East Deerwood would be on MoDOT's books for construction in 2024.