A local business that helps children with autism learn important life skills will be able to keep its doors open, after city council voted unanimously on Monday to grant the business a rezoning.
Parents of children who go to T&K Behavioural Interventionists Ltd. spoke out at the public hearing on Monday to tell city council why they should approve the rezone, despite the opposition of city staff. City staff had recommended denying the rezoning application by T&K, located in a converted house at 788 Preston Rd., because of potential conflicts with the surrounding neighbourhood and the broader implications for the city's residential zoning policies.
Matthew and Melissa Calvert said the therapists at T&K helped their son Gavin learn to communicate and function in society. The homelike setting at T&K is key for autistic children, Matthew said, who need help learning many basic household tasks and often struggle dealing with large groups of people.
"I couldn't imagine T&K being in the Phoenix Medical Building. I couldn't take my autistic child to an office building and learn what he needs to live in a house," he said. "It's a fantastic locale for what they do."
Melissa said if T&K is forced to relocate and rent commercial office space, the company's overhead will increase and there will be less left for providing services to the children.
"The funding comes from the government and it is very limited," she said. "If you put them downtown, you'll be taking away the therapy they need."
Melissa said that autistic children struggle with changes to their routines, and she - perhaps more than most -understands the importance of good planning.
"(But) you can't be so rigid in planning that you can't be flexible," she said.
Meggan Maurer said for her family living in the Hart, T&K's central location is perfect.
"I have two children with autism, so I use T&K every single day. Where they are located now, I can at least go back home for a little bit," Maurer said. "When you have a child with autism, it is really difficult to spend two hours in town."
Having T&K on a quiet, residential street could literally save lives, she added.
"My youngest son tends to bolt. If I didn't have that stretch of driveway to catch up to him, I don't want to think about what could happen," she said. "If T&K doesn't get this rezoning, I'm concerned they'd be forced to close for awhile. That would be really hard for my family."
When her son started therapy at T&K he was nonverbal, she said. In only a few months he is already using 10 words and Maurer said she wants to see that improvement continue.
That sentiment was echoed in a letter to council by parents Justin Lane and Sarah Richards.
"(Autistic) children have an extremely difficult time with changes in their life, to the point it can set them back significantly. We do not have time to waste with our children's therapies. Every day counts, please remember that when making your final decision," Lane and Richards wrote.
In his report to council, city general manager of planning and development Ian Wells wrote that allowing the rezoning would "fragment the residential uses in the area and would lead to undue traffic within a local neighbourhood street."
"We're concerned about spot zoning," Wells said on Monday. "This could be precedent setting."
In addition, Wells said, once rezoned the property would retain its C8: Commercial Conversion zoning even if the current business closed and was sold - potentially allowing other businesses to move into the converted home.
However, councillors Jillian Merrick and Garth Frizzell both pointed out the existing mix of land uses on Preston Road -which includes Cedars Christian school, commercial businesses, multi-family dwellings and some single-family homes.
"Preston doesn't have that compelling reason to hold onto that residential zoning," Frizzell said.
Coun. Susan Scott said sometimes the city has to be flexible and "step outside of the box and accommodate that higher need."
T&K started operations in 2004 in founder Kalma Arnett's basement office in College Heights, and moved to Preston Road in 2016 after receiving a one-year temporary use permit for the property on Feb. 1, 2016.
Arnett said the move from a home-based business to a business based in a former home has allowed her to expand her client base to 60 children -from 22 months old to 19 years old - and employ 11 therapists.
She said she spent five to six months looking for a location that was appropriately zoned and would meet the program's needs.
"We've been operating at Preston Road for nine months now, and there haven't been any concerns expressed about traffic, noise, etc." she said. "We've had neighbours stop me and compliment me on how nice it looks now. The layout of the house is really ideal."
Arnett said she was touched by the support of the community for the work she and her team do.
"It certainly makes me proud," she said.
