Graham’s city council has approved conditional business rezoning for .22 acres at 602 Washington Street to allow for the operation of a behavioral therapy center.
The property, which was previously zoned for neighborhood business, consists of a one-story, 1,435-square foot retail building that was built in 1955, according to the county’s tax records.
The property at 602 Washington Street is owned by Nomadic View, LLC, which is registered to Graham artist Janet Ecklebarger, according to Alamance County tax records and the Secretary of State’s office.
The building that will house the behavioral therapy center is also located in front of a one-story apartment building at 403-415 College Street and beside a former manufacturing facility at Washington and Border Street, both of which are also owned by Ecklebarger.
“Our use of the building will be low-intensity, similar to a medical office, for educational purposes,” Brianna Hutchinson of Mebane, who owns Peachtree Learning Collaborative, told Graham’s city council earlier this month.
Peachtree Learning Collaborative specializes in applied behavioral analysis. The center along Washington Street will serve children with autism and other developmental disabilities, according to the materials that were provided for the city council’s discussion. The center will offer one-on-one therapy and small-group instruction for ages two through 18, as well as family-centered services.
In addition to direct therapy for children and teens, the center will also provide training for families who currently face long wait times and travel long distances for such services, Hutchinson told the council.
“[Applied behavioral analysis] therapy is a clinically-recognized treatment for children and young adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as autism, ADHD, etcetera,” she said. “We like to focus on teaching communication, daily living skills, social skills, emotional regulation, and positive behavior support. The demand for these services has increased significantly in recent years, and many families in our community are struggling to find support close to their home.”
The center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment only on weekends.
Peachtree Learning Collaborative anticipates having no more than three to seven staff members on-site at any time, creating minimal traffic impact, based on the rezoning application. Peachtree intends to serve four to six clients per day, with appointments staggered throughout the day to minimize traffic and avoid congestion.
There will be no medical procedures or overnight stays, two of the conditions that Peachtree Learning Collaborative agreed to as part of the conditional rezoning. Peachtree also agreed to have its outdoor play area screened from adjacent properties and to stagger appointments for clients in order to minimize traffic.
The outdoor play/therapy area is to be located at the back of the building and will be surrounded by a six-foot fence. The outdoor play area will be used for supervised activities during daytime hours, according to the rezoning application. Any lighting will be “downward-facing,” and any signage will be limited to “monument or wall-mounted” signs in keeping with the city’s ordinance.
Graham’s planning board had voted unanimously, 7-0, at its February 16 meeting to recommend approval of the conditional rezoning, with the conditions related to fencing, lighting, and hours of operation. No therapy related to substance abuse will be permitted at Peachtree Learning Collaborative.
The city’s planning staff concluded that the rezoning would be consistent with Graham’s comprehensive land-use plan and development ordinance. Surrounding properties are zoned for high-density residential, multi-family dwellings, and light industrial, according to a staff report presented to the council earlier this month.
The council voted 5-0 to rezone the property for conditional business, with the conditions that Graham’s planning board had recommended.
