Kinhaven School is set to return to its original home on Fairfax Drive following the Arlington County Board’s approval of a childcare center permit.
Formerly housed within Central United Methodist Church in Ballston, Kinhaven moved in 2017 to St. George’s Episcopal Church at 915 N. Oakland Street in Ashton Heights after its original site was redeveloped into a 144-unit affordable housing complex. That complex, at 4201 Fairfax Drive in Ballston, officially opened earlier this year and includes a new space for the church and room for a childcare center.
While Kinhaven requested a permit for up to 110 students, county staff recommended a cap of 100 students, based on what was approved in the original redevelopment plan. The County Board endorsed and the Kinhaven agreed to the lower cap recommended by staff.
In April, the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) and the Central United Methodist Church celebrated the grand opening of $84 million low-income housing complex, dubbed Unity Homes, concluding a nearly seven-year project.
Kinhaven’s plan includes nine parking spaces for its childcare center, one space short of the county’s zoning requirement. To make up for the shortfall, Kinhaven will implement a transportation management plan, according to a county staff report.
The report noted that the site is located across from the Ballston Metro station, providing alternative transportation options. The County Board unanimously approved the use permit for Kinhaven at Monday night’s meeting.
Kinhaven was not the only childcare center under consideration this week. The County Board also approved a proposal for a childcare center on the third floor of the recently constructed Saint Timothy and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church in Green Valley.
That planned childcare center, proposed by the Armed Services YMCA, had drawn some concerns from residents and the Green Valley Civic Association about the new facility potentially causing traffic and noise.
