BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

A new child development center will soon be making its way to Independence Township.
At the September 9 meeting of the planning commission, construction of a new Goddard School, which specializes in child care and preschool, was unanimously approved to go in on the nearly two-acre parcel of land at the northwest corner of Citation Drive and Lorac Drive.
“Essentially, this is a simple site plan,” said Township Planning and Zoning Director Brian Oppmann. “We really had almost no concerns with this site plan whatsoever. In terms of the arrangement and the layout of this property, this is a perfect use for it.
“The package is clean from a planning perspective.”
The school will utilize shared parking from the Karlstrom Cooney attorney’s office next door.
Tim Storey is the civil engineer for the applicant, Marini Properties, based in Troy.
“Looking forward to putting these plans together,” Storey said. “I don’t foresee any issues with the state review as the state requires 1,200 square feet for a playground and we far exceed that. I don’t see any issues outside, although there may be some things inside the building from an architectural standpoint that may change, but nothing outside.”
The plans call for 22 employees with a total capacity limit of 152 inside the building at one time.