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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-5 Letter from Elaine Estacio -- 8 8 5/5/98 Dear Planning and Zoning Commissioners: I, Elaine Estacio, would like to dispute the facts as I know them, against the letter in which you received from Jennifer Williams, at 250 South Outfield Way, Meridian, objecting to my application for a zoning permit for the use of a in-home daycare at my home at 232 South Outfield Way, Meridian. When I started to do daycare in my home I put up an extra fence between us to make sure I would not disturb Mrs. Williams, in her back yard, because she had a chain link fence, so I added a 6' cedar beside it for privacy. I also went to her and asked her if at anytime the kids were disturbing her, and she said NO that she could hardly tell they were there, and besides they're just kids!! After that, she asked if she could bring her daughter to me to watch, which I did for a short time, but I started to have problems with Mrs. Williams attitude towards me and my helper, The last day she brought her daughter, her daughter became very sick, so I had to call Mrs. Williams to come and pick her up because she was vomiting, Mrs. Williams was very mad that she had to leave work to come and get her daughter just because she was ill. Became extremely rude to me, so I asked her to please seek other daycare arrangements. I know she has other versions of this but I had a helper working that day that can verify the problems which I was having with Mrs. Williams. Of course I was wonderful and extremely convenient to the William's until I asked her not to bring her daughter over anymore!!! As for her comments in her attached letter, Yes I have 2 children and am currently volunteering as a fosterparent for 3 school age girls (sisters) until they go home this June to they're mother. They are not home all day, but in school. Yes, I have been temporarily licensed for several months by the Ada County daycare licensing for 6-12 children in my daycare and have been trying several things to either get a variance to the zoning restrictions for in-home daycares in R4 zoning, or to get this changed. I have had meetings and/or conversations about this with Dean Ehlert, Shari Stiles, the City Attourney, Wayne Crookston, Ada County Daycare Licensor Deanna Rich, and our Mayor Robert Corrie. Until I can get this resolved, I have asked for an accessory use permit so I can atleast get my fire inspection and begin my licensing. Mrs. Williams said in her letter that my kids are always outside early in the morning playing and making a lot of noise and that they are coming from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., which is not true, for one thing, it's been to cold (before the time she wrote this letter) to even consider going out in the mornings, I personally don't even get up in the mornings until 6:00 a.m., and I don't even unlock my doors most mornings until 7:00 a.m., most of my kids come between 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. I serve breakfast every morning for these kids at 8:00 a.m., at 9:00 -10:00 a.m. we have learning, computer time and preschool activities everyday. Unless we are doing an art project like painting, we are not outside until after 10:00 a.m., and never before 9:00 8 8 , a. m. at 11: 15 approx. we have lunch and then immediately after lunch is nap time until 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Yes if the weather permits we are outside off and on after 3:00 p.m. and everyone is gone by 6:00 p.m. Monday through friday. As you can see they are outside in the morning very little if at all and never left unsupervised as she states. I do not have rocks in my back yard and nor did I have a garden before the time she wrote this letter, I did plant a few vegetables along the fence April 26th, which is only 2' wide. I really don't know how the kids could ever get bark into they're backyard when it's 6' tall and 2 fences thick. Besides the William's have 3 dogs in which the kids are afraid of if they are outside so they actually stay away from that side of the yard. I have never been in the William's back yard except for once when I asked her if she would help me get my cat which was trapped in her chain link fence. I am afraid of her dogs and would never consider going into that yard with out her present. Mrs. Williams says in her letter I am incapable to run a decent daycare, but I was wonderful to her as long as I aloud her to bring over her daughter, and if I was so bad why do I have such loyal parents that bring they're children to me. As for parking, know one has ever blocked her driveway, a few times my niece was parking along the road between our properties (mostly towards my side) Mrs. Williams told her she could not park there anymore so she doesn't, but at no time did she block her driveway. I have 3 parking spaces in my driveway and atleast 3 spaces in front of my home, to the best of my knowledge, know one from the daycare has ever parked near they're home. Mrs. Williams says I have no respect for my neighbors, if this was really true why is she the only one complaining, in fact I'm very good friends with a lot of my neighbors and on good terms with them all. In my opinion her complaints have nothing to do with me working at home, but a vendetta against me personally. Thank you r!Þ~ ~ Elaine Estacio