Chapter 19.31
CHILD AND ADULT DAY CARE SERVICES
Sections:
19.31.020 Family day care homes, children.
19.31.030 Child day care center.
19.31.040 Adult family homes and day cares.
19.31.010 Purpose.
Affordable, good quality, and licensed day care services for children and adults is critical to the well-being of parents and children in the community and is a needed community service. Further, it is the purpose of this chapter to facilitate locating licensed day care facilities in the city in a manner that simplifies the review and approval process while ensuring conformance with surrounding land uses. In reading the requirements of this chapter, the city should defer to the state licensing body. (Ord. 17-14 § 9, 2014).
19.31.020 Family day care homes, children.
Family day care homes shall be permitted by right in all zoning districts permitting residences and shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) Meet Washington State child day care licensing requirements including providing the state licensing agency documentation that immediately adjacent property owners were informed of the intent to locate and maintain the proposed day care family home;
(2) Obtain a city business license;
(3) Comply with all building, fire safety, health code, and business licensing requirements;
(4) Provide a home occupation checklist;
(5) Lot size, building size, setbacks, and lot coverage conform to the standards of the zoning district except if the structure is a legal nonconforming structure;
(6) A safe passenger loading area must be provided;
(7) Signs, if any, will conform to Chapter 19.30 BMC;
(8) No structural or decorative alteration shall be created that alters the single-family character of an existing or proposed residential structure or that makes the structure incompatible with its surrounding residences. (Ord. 17-14 § 9, 2014).
19.31.030 Child day care center.
Child day care centers may be allowed in the designated zoning districts as shown in the table at BMC 19.20.130.
(1) If a conditional use permit is required, it must meet the following requirements in addition to applicable conditional use permit requirements of Chapter 19.40 BMC.
(a) Meet Washington State child day care licensing requirements;
(b) Comply with all building, fire safety, health code, and business licensing requirements;
(c) Lot size, building size, setbacks and lot coverage conform to those applicable to the zoning district;
(d) Signs, if any, will conform to the requirements for the applicable zoning district;
(f) Parking requirements shall conform to Chapter 19.28 BMC;
(g) A fence at least four feet high must be installed around the play yard;
(h) The site must be landscaped in a manner compatible with adjacent residences;
(i) No structural or decorative alteration which will alter the residential character of an existing residential structure used for a child day care center is permitted. Any new or remodeled structure must be designed to be compatible with the residential character of the surrounding neighborhood.
(2) If a child day care center is permitted by right, it is must meet the following requirements:
(a) Meet Washington State child day care licensing requirements;
(b) Obtain a city business license;
(c) Comply with all building, fire safety, traffic safety, health code, and business licensing requirements;
(d) Setbacks, screening, landscaping, lot size, building size, and lot coverage shall conform to the pertinent portions of the zoning code;
(e) Parking requirements shall conform to Chapter 19.28 BMC;
(f) Sign requirements shall conform to Chapter 19.30 BMC;
(g) If a new structure is proposed, it must meet the requirements of Chapter 19.33 BMC.
(3) No child day care center shall be located in a private family residence unless the portion of the residence where the children have access is used exclusively for the children during the hours the center is in operation, or is separate from the usual living quarters of the family.
(4) A child day care center if sited on the premises of an operating community service facility shall be considered accessory to the principal use of the property concerned. (Ord. 17-14 § 9, 2014).
19.31.040 Adult family homes and day cares.
Adult family homes may be allowed in all zones of the city that allow single-family residences; adult day cares may be allowed in the designated zoning districts as shown in the table at BMC 19.20.130. Unless exempted by state law, adult family homes and adult day cares shall:
(1) Meet Washington State adult family home or day care licensing requirements;
(2) Obtain a city business license;
(3) Comply with all building, fire safety, health code, and business licensing requirements;
(4) Meet lot size, building size, setbacks, lot coverage, and conform to the standards of the zoning district except if the structure is a legal nonconforming structure;
(5) Provide a safe passenger loading area for day cares;
(6) Signs, if any, will conform to Chapter 19.30 BMC;
(7) No structural or decorative alteration shall be created that alters the single-family character of an existing or proposed residential structure or that makes the structure incompatible with its surrounding residences. (Ord. 17-14 § 9, 2014).