The Pierce County Council has unanimously approved new zoning regulations to expand access to child care countywide.
The move aims to help working families find reliable, affordable child care and to make it easier for providers to navigate zoning barriers, permit costs, and costly renovation requirements, according to a county news release.
The changes, effective July 1, now allow child care centers, both home-based and commercial, to operate in more areas across the county. Specifically, per the release:
- Home-based day cares are now permitted as an accessory use in all zones countywide;
- Commercial day care facilities face less red tape in most urban zones; and
- Improved navigation and clarity in the Pierce County Code to ease the path for prospective child care operators.
“We heard loud and clear from working families across Pierce County that finding child care for their kids is one of their biggest stressors,” said Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello in the release. “One major barrier has been zoning that restricts where child care facilities can be located. These updated zoning regulations now allow child care countywide and pave the way for hundreds more families to find close, affordable options they can afford.”…