Kiddie Academy of Cumming North

Building a Compliant and Efficient Daycare Facility in a Complex Jurisdiction

When Kiddie Academy set out to develop a new 10,000 SF childcare facility in Forsyth County, GA — one of the fastest-growing counties in the state — the franchisee owner knew the site presented both opportunity and risk.

Strategically located along GA-400 with immediate access for commuting parents, the parcel offered strong visibility but came with challenging topography, strict jurisdictional requirements, and unique design considerations specific to daycare operations. The site was subject to architectural, landscaping, and lighting standards beyond the typical county code due to the county’s overlay district.

Bohler stepped in to guide the client through every stage of the project, providing due diligence, civil engineering, site design, and permitting services, as well as survey coordination.

Navigating Jurisdictional Hurdles

Forsyth County is well-known among developers for its rigorous and often lengthy review processes. Lengthy checklists, stringent overlay requirements, and detailed stormwater requirements needed early strategy and proactive coordination.

Rather than rely solely on formal submittals, Bohler leveraged established relationships within the county to meet with reviewers individually between resubmittals. This approach shortened review cycles, clarified ambiguous requirements in real time, and kept the project on schedule with the permitting timeline initially promised to the client.

Tackling Topographic and Grading Challenges

Though marketed as a “pad-ready” outparcel, the site was far from straightforward. With elevation changes of 10–15 feet across the frontage and rear, the parcel required extensive grading analysis to balance cost and visibility. Bohler performed early earthwork takeoffs and cost estimates, helping the franchisee understand the financial impact of various building pad elevations.

By balancing the cut-and-fill quantities with potential retaining wall needs, Bohler identified an optimal building elevation that maximized site visibility from GA-400 while controlling construction costs. This proactive grading strategy prevented costly redesigns downstream and positioned the site for long-term functionality.

Designing for Daycare Operations

Unlike typical commercial projects, daycare facilities demand additional layers of safety, circulation, and amenity design. Bohler collaborated with the architect (Jarmel Kizel) and Kiddie Academy’s playground consultant to incorporate:

• Secured Play Areas: Playgrounds positioned away from public rights-of-way for privacy, fully enclosed with alarmed fencing and multiple controlled access points.
• Vehicular Safety Promotion: Installation of bollards along parking rows to prevent vehicle incursions into play areas.
• Traffic Flow Optimization: Driveway alignments coordinated with county requirements and fire apparatus circulation analysis to ensure life-safety compliance without constraining parent drop-off efficiency.

This integrated approach produced a site plan tailored to promote both safety and operational performance.

Creative Stormwater and Impervious Surface Solutions

Forsyth County imposed a maximum impervious coverage of 0.8 acres. While initial plans assumed natural turf for the playground, the client’s preference for synthetic turf triggered a classification as impervious, pushing the site over the threshold.

Bohler’s engineers introduced pervious pavers in strategic parking areas, offsetting the added impervious area and satisfying county thresholds without impacting the site program. This solution was a critical win for both compliance and cost management.

Meeting Overlay Standards

Located within the Coal Mountain Overlay District, the site was subject to architectural, landscaping, and lighting standards beyond the typical county code. In particular, masonry requirements were upgraded from thin brick to full brick veneer, substantially increasing costs. By identifying these requirements early and coordinating closely with the architect and owner, Bohler helped the team anticipate and budget for the impact of overlay standards, avoiding delays during the building permit phase.

About Kiddie Academy

Opening Summer 2026, Kiddie Academy of Cumming North brings a state-of-the-art, 10,000 SF childcare facility to one of Georgia’s fastest-growing communities. Engineered for safety, designed for learning, and built for Forsyth County families.

Location: 4715 Northerly Dr, Cumming, GA 30028

Conveniently located along GA-400

Website: www.kiddieacademy.com/cumming-north

Email: cummingnorth@kiddieacademy.com

Phone: (678) 940-6622