Chapter 18.52
CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Sections:
18.52.020 Family child care home.
18.52.040 Child care and mini child care centers.
18.52.010 Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:
A. 1. “Child care” means the provision of supplemental parental care and supervision:
a. For a nonrelated child or children;
b. On a regular basis;
c. For less than twenty-four hours a day; and
d. Under license by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
2. As used in this chapter, the term is not intended to include babysitting services of a casual, nonrecurring nature or in the child’s own home. Likewise, the term is not intended to include cooperative, reciprocative child care by a group of parents in their respective homes.
B. “Child care center” means a person or agency that provides care for thirteen or more children during part of the twenty-four-hour day.
C. “Child care facility” means a building or structure in which an agency, person, or persons regularly provide care for a group of children for periods of less than twenty-four hours a day. Child care facilities include family child care homes, mini child care centers, and child care centers regulated by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, as presently defined and hereafter amended. (Chapter 74.15 RCW, WAC 388-73-422.)
D. “Mini child care center” means a person or agency providing care during part of the twenty-four-hour day to twelve or fewer children in a facility other than the family abode of the person or persons under whose direct care the children are placed.
E. “Family child care home” means a facility in the family residence of the licensee providing regularly scheduled care for twelve or fewer children, with a birth through eleven-years-of-age range exclusively, for a period less than twenty-four hours.
(Ord. O2026-002, Amended, 05/05/2026; Amended during 2011 reformat; O95-035, Amended, 12/19/1995; Ord. 1288, Added, 06/04/1991)
18.52.020 Family child care home.
A family child care home shall be a permitted use in all zone districts permitting residences and shall be subject to the following requirements:
A. Meet Washington State child 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 the standards of the zone district except if the structure is a legal nonconforming structure;
D. Signage, if any, will conform to TMC Chapter 18.44;
E. No structural or decorative alteration which will alter the character of an existing or proposed residential structure or be incompatible with surrounding residences is permitted.
(Ord. O2026-002, Amended, 05/05/2026; Ord. O2025-011, Amended, 12/16/2025; Ord. O95-035, Amended, 12/19/1995; Ord. 1288, Added, 06/04/1991)
18.52.040 Child care and mini child care centers.
A child care center or a mini child care center may be allowed in the designated zone districts as follows:
A. A child care center or a mini child care center may be allowed in the HI heavy industrial zone district only upon issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to TMC Chapter 18.56 and subject to the following requirements:
1. Meet Washington State child care licensing requirements;
2. Install an approved fire sprinkler system;
3. Possess a valid child care business license from the city;
4. Be located so that access streets and parking and/or loading areas are sufficient to accommodate safely the number of vehicle trips associated with the child care use.
B. A child care center or a mini child care center may be allowed in RSR residential/sensitive resource, LDR low density residential, MDR medium density residential, HDR high density residential, and MHP manufactured home park zone districts subject to the following requirements:
1. Meet Washington State child care licensing requirements;
2. Install an approved fire sprinkler system;
3. Possess a valid child care business license from the city;
4. No structural or decorative alteration, which will alter the residential character of an existing residential structure used for a child care center or a mini child care center, is permitted. Any new or remodeled structure must be designed to be compatible with the residential character of the surrounding neighborhood;
5. Be located so that access streets and parking and/or loading areas are sufficient to accommodate safely the number of vehicle trips associated with the child care use.
C. A child care center or a mini child care center is a permitted use in TC town center, NC neighborhood commercial, MU mixed use, GC general commercial, CS community services, LI light industrial, HC historic commercial, and ARI airport related industry zone districts subject to the following requirements:
1. Meet Washington State child care licensing requirements;
2. Install an approved fire sprinkler system;
3. Possess a valid child care business license from the city.
D. Limitations in Use of a Family Residence. No child care center or mini child 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.
(Ord. O2026-002, Amended, 05/05/2026; Ord. O2025-011, Amended, 12/16/2025; Ord. O2017-017, Amended, 09/19/2017; Ord. O2017-006, Amended, 07/18/2017; Ord. O2001-020, Amended, 05/07/2002; Ord. O97-025, Amended, 12/02/1997; Ord. O95-035, Amended, 12/19/1995; Ord. 1288, Added, 06/04/1991)