GARDEN GROVE : Council May Ease Rules for Home Child Care

The City Council today will consider an ordinance that would simplify operating a baby-sitting or day-care business from home.

Under the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code, a use permit and public hearing on applications would no longer be required for so-called large-family day-care homes, which provide baby-sitting and after-school care for seven to 12 children.

The use permit is “redundant and ineffective” because cities do not regulate child-care businesses in residential areas, officials said. The state is responsible for licensing such enterprises.

“The state gives cities very little latitude,” said Mellie Summerlain, the city’s planning manager. “We were finding that our regulations were redundant and ineffective.”

In the past, she said, the city required a public hearing before a use permit was granted for a home-based child-care business. That gave neighbors an opportunity to raise objections if the business might cause noise, traffic problems and other adverse effects.

But because the city has no authority to impose conditions under state law, a public hearing was meaningless and was just an added cost to the city and the applicant, Summerlain said.

Eliminating the use permit requirement will encourage more residents to provide child-care services from their homes to meet a growing need, “which was the intent of the state law,” she said.

Operators of day-care homes, however, must obtain a license from the Orange County Social Services Department. In addition, the home must meet design standards for play areas, fences and activity rooms.

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposal after a public hearing March 23 at which no one spoke for or against it.

The council will consider the ordinance for final approval in May. If approved, it would take effect in June.