Ange Paone’s plan to put a daycare business into the now empty round structure on Route 209 close to Port Ben Road received a boost from the Wawarsing Town Board at its June 16 meeting. The building had once been home to a Christian school, which ceased operations there a few years ago.

At the June 2 meeting, Paone discussed her difficulties in getting necessary permits for her business venture, called “Speckled Frog Playcare.” The town board then looked into the issues involved.

They discovered that the daycare and nursery school facilities were not listed as a permitted use for the lot’s zoning district, which is RU. The rule in zoning is that if something is not listed, then it is not permitted, or at least may require a variance or a special use permit.

The town, therefore, intends to pass a local law amending Chapter 112 of the Zoning Code to add “daycare and nursery school facilities and schools” as a permitted use in the RU District.

The law has been referred to the Wawarsing Planning Board for comment and review. It has also been referred to the Ulster County Planning Board for their review. A public hearing on the issue will be held on July 21 at 7.05 p.m. at Town Hall. At its meeting on June 16, the Wawarsing Town Board declared that it would be lead agency for this action.

At that meeting, Paone expressed gratitude and a degree of surprise at the speed and flexibility shown by the town board over this matter.

She has previously noted the need for more daycare in our area. “There are 787 kids under five years old in Ellenville, according to the census,” she told the town board at the time. Speckled Frog Playcare would have room for 175 children, six weeks to 12 years old. She has also said that she believes firmly in having plenty of “play” in any daycare situation, one of the factors she feels has helped her existing business in Saugerties succeed. Paone is a graduate of Ellenville High School, Class of 1999, and grew up in the district.