Proposal for Kresson Road child care center at busy intersection goes to zoning board on Thursday.

A developer's proposal for a 150-child day care center at the busy intersection of Kresson Road and Browning Lane in Cherry Hill is scheduled to go before the Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday night.

The 8,885-square-foot Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, a 3,500-square-foot fenced-in play area and 47 parking spaces would be constructed  by Philadelphia-based MIRA Properties on the approximately one acre of land where two single-family homes once stood. Twenty-two people would be employed at the center, according to the application.

Kiddie Academy is a Maryland-based company that sells franchises for its centers, with existing locations in South Jersey in Marlton, Runnemede, Delran and Swedesboro.

The application originally was to be heard in August, but it was rescheduled to this week's meeting, which begins with a caucus at 7 p.m. A copy of the agenda is here and details on how to join by Zoom are here. Documentation for the MIRA application is available on the board's website.

MIRA needs to secure a use variance for the property, located in a residential zone where child care is not a permitted use. The developer also seeks preliminary and final major site plan approvals.

The R2 zone is "intended for single-family detached dwellings in a low-density setting. Clustering of dwellings to promote the retention of open space is encouraged," according to a Township Community Development Department review letter of MIRA's plans.

MIRA is owned by Adam Zaken, who is listed as its president, along with Ilan Zaken and Irit Zaken.

Camden County property records show that Ilan Zaken purchased the 700 Kresson Road property in 2006 for $125,000 and the adjoining 498 Browning Lane property in 2007 for $175,000. Permits were issued by the Township to demolish the houses in 2007.

In 2012, a zoning permit was issued for one of the lots for a single-family home, but construction never began, according to the Township review letter of the Kiddie Academy application.

Besides the use variance, MIRA also seeks variances for the property's residential buffer and residential parking setback. The variances would be on the side of the site bordering Advocare Kressville Pediatrics on Kresson Road. The underlying zoning for the medical office property is residential, according to the Township review letter.

MIRA is requesting a three-foot residential buffer when a 25-foot one is required and a three-foot parking setback when 25 feet are required.

The Cherry Hill School District's Rosa International Middle School is across Browning Lane from the planned development.

Twenty-two trees would be removed and 26 shade, ornamental and evergreen trees and shrubs would be planted, according to the Township review letter. The Township told the applicant to provide details on the trees to be removed and "to the greatest extent possible, preserve healthy trees that are not within the footprint of the proposed site improvements."

A traffic study by the applicant estimates a total of 99 new in and out trips during the morning peak hour and 56 during afternoon peak hour. Driveways would be on both Kresson Road and Browning Lane, according to the plans.

The property was developed for agriculture before 1931 and remained in production until residential development in 1940, according to the developer's documentation. 

A new child care center must conduct an environmental review of a property before it can be licensed by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. 

ACER Associates LLC of West Berlin, an environmental consulting and remediation company, was hired by the developer to test the soil for pollutants.

ACER's borings in 2023 disclosed the presence of pesticides and lead in concentrations higher than New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection standards, according to the report filed by Theresa A. Eifert, ACER's assistant project manager.

Excavation and disposal of contaminated soil is required, according to the report.