SE-2025-005: Dasari Real Estate II LLC Special Exception for Daycare (September 30, 2026)

A hybrid zoning hearing was held before Hearing Examiner Warren Mickens on September 30, 2026, to consider a special exception application by Dasari Real Estate II, LLC to construct and operate a Kiddie Academy childcare center at 1550 Robert Crain Highway in Bowie, MD. The proposed facility would serve up to 154 children, include a 5,086-square-foot outdoor play area, and operate from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The applicant presented testimony from corporate representatives, the owner, a land use planning expert, and an engineer. No members of the public spoke in opposition. The hearing was adjourned with the record left open for staff input on one contested condition.

Discussion Items

• Project Overview: The applicant seeks a special exception for a daycare center in the CGO (Commercial, General and Office) zone on a 1.55-acre vacant parcel at the southwest intersection of Crain Highway (US 301) and Fife Way. The facility will employ approximately 35 staff and provide 48 parking spaces (16 required).
• Corporate Testimony: Jenna Albers, Development Approvals Manager for Kiddie Academy Corporate, stated the franchise system includes over 382 locations in 40 states and that the site was approved by their site committee. She confirmed the franchisee (Mamatha Dasari) will own and operate the center independently.
• Owner Testimony: Mamatha Dasari testified she has 15 years of experience operating two other Kiddie Academy locations in Prince George's County (Lanham) and Baltimore County. She stated the outdoor play area will be limited to 77 children at one time with separate zones for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. She agreed to staff-recommended conditions limiting playground use to 7 a.m.–5 p.m. and daylight hours, and extinguishing exterior lighting by 11 p.m.
• Land Use Expert Testimony: Eduardo Diaz Campbell, admitted as an expert in land use planning, testified that the proposal meets all eight general criteria for special exception approval under Section 27-3604E, as well as specific daycare standards in Section 27-5402X. He stated the technical staff report concurred that all criteria are met, subject to conditions (pages 11–14 of staff report).
• Contested Condition – Sidewalk: The applicant objected to staff condition 3C requiring a 5-foot sidewalk along the entire property frontage on Adamson Way and Fife Way. Diaz Campbell argued that Adamson Way is properly classified as an alley under the zoning ordinance, making it exempt from the sidewalk requirement under condition 9A of the 2020 preliminary plan of subdivision. He further stated that placing a sidewalk on the subject property would require removal of existing trees, light poles, and landscaping, and would narrow a 10-foot buffer to 5 feet. The applicant’s engineer, Mr. Milkovich, confirmed that constructing a sidewalk on-site would require easements, relocation of utilities, and reduce usable space for parking or the playground.
• Staff Conditions – Deletions: The applicant requested deletion of several staff conditions (3E, 3F, 3G, 3J, 3N, 3R, and part of 3J) on the grounds that corrections (e.g., tree canopy calculations, outdoor play area hours note, subdivision name, north arrow, lighting note, photometric plan details) had already been incorporated into revised plans (Exhibits 40, 41, 44). The examiner noted that condition 3C would be referred back to staff for comment.
• Objection to Expert Testimony: People's Zoning Council (Mr. Brown) initially objected to Mr. Diaz Campbell adopting the attorney-drafted statement of justification as his own, arguing an expert cannot adopt the conclusions of the hiring attorney. The objection was resolved when the applicant agreed to submit an independent expert report under Mr. Diaz Campbell’s signature.

Key Outcomes

• No final decision was made. The hearing examiner kept the record open to allow the technical staff an opportunity to provide input on condition 3C (sidewalk on Adamson Way).
• The examiner noted that the applicant's proposed deletions of other conditions (3E, 3F, 3G, 3J, 3N, 3R) appeared to be resolved by plan revisions, but final approval awaits resolution of the sidewalk issue.
• The applicant agreed to all other staff-recommended conditions, including those related to playground hours, lighting, fencing details, and bicycle racks.
• The record will remain open for an unspecified period pending staff comments.