Plans to convert a house at 536 South Hyland Park Drive to a daycare facility that would care for just over 40 children have been scrapped.

Business owner Maggie Brown applied for a special use permit from the Glenwood Planning and Zoning Commission in January, but pulled the application last week.

The property is owned by Valley View Hospital.

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According to the application, Valley View Hospital had agreed to lease Brown the property, which would then be converted into a daycare facility for children of hospital employees.

“Unfortunately we’re having to withdraw the application from the city due to the hospital not being willing to rent us the building anymore,” Brown said Monday. “I’m still trying to find another space, but there’s not a lot of spaces available in Glenwood.”

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Brown said Valley View has been supportive of her goal to provide daycare services to Valley View employees, but did not want to face legal backlash from residents who live near the home.

“The neighbors were vehemently opposed to this. I think they eventually convinced the hospital they would sue them,” Brown said.

Valley View Hospital declined to comment.

Protective covenants recorded for the Hyland Park Addition prohibit any of the properties in that neighborhood from being used for commercial use. Amanda Maurer lives in the addition and wrote a letter opposing the special use permit to planning and zoning commissioners.

“When I purchased my home March 10, 2017, I relied upon Protective Covenants recorded for the Hyland Park Addition in the Garfield County land records at Reception No. 190440 that this is a single-family residential subdivision only allowing modification to the recorded Protective Covenants if a majority of owners consent to an amendment that would subsequently be recorded. No amendment has been recorded and the covenants are still in effect. I have reviewed a title commitment obtained for the two 536 South Hyland lots, and the same covenants apply to the subject property,” Maurer wrote.

Maurer cited her legal concerns in addition to safety concerns she had due to the increased traffic resulting from parents dropping off and picking up their children at the daycare.

Other letters of opposition from neighboring residents echoed Maurer’s comments.

The special use permit was discussed twice since January during two planning and zoning meetings.

Commissioners asked Brown if she could bring Valley View Hospital to the table during the March 23 meeting to see if the neighboring residents’ safety concerns could be addressed with parking, access and traffic control plans.

Now Brown is back at the drawing board and searching for a property to house her daycare.

Brown has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of her business venture.

smarvel@postindependent.com