Neighborhood daycare centers may get larger after Agoura Hills complies with state law

By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

The city of Agoura Hills will amend a zoning ordinance to increase the number of children allowed in small and large family daycare homes. The planning commission last week adopted a draft ordinance to increase the number of children from six to eight in a small home daycare and from 12 to 14 in a large family daycare setting.

The city wasn’t in compliance with state health and safety codes. The new ordinance complies with a state requirement that was amended to meet increased demand throughout the state for children’s daycare.

According to the staff report, the increased number of children allowed in private daycare helps increase the availability of child care and provides a non-institutional atmosphere.

Although the city is complying with state law, other standards can also be imposed. "The city can establish reasonable standards, restrictions and requirements regarding separation and concentration, traffic control, parking and noise," the report said.

To be approved for daycare, applicants must pay a fee. Notice of the application must be distributed to neighbors residing within 100 feet of the applicant’s property.

To run an in-home daycare business, the applicant must be licensed through the California Department of Social Services. Other state, county and local regulations apply, according to the staff report.

A home-based daycare facility cannot be located within 300 linear feet of another large daycare home on the same street.

Melissa Lawton, a staff attorney for Public Counsel, a Los Angeles-based pro bono firm that focuses on child care, told commissioners that she was happy that they were complying with state law.

Sydney Kamlager-Santner, manager of public affairs for Crystal Stairs, Inc., a child advocacy firm, told commissioners that there’s a shortage of child daycare programs in California.

"Two hundred thousand (spots) are available for 1.5 million that is needed," she said. Daycare centers for kids in residential areas are good for the community and business, she said.