Child daycare facilities.

Assembly Member Ávila Farías proposes extending residential use protections and local fee exemptions to daycare centers colocated with multifamily housing or community amenities, mirroring existing provisions for family daycare homes under California law. The legislation classifies qualifying daycare centers as residential uses and grants them use-by-right status for local zoning purposes when operating within or alongside multifamily developments of five or more units or established community facilities like schools, parks, and religious institutions.

The measure prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing business licenses, fees, or taxes specifically on colocated daycare centers and exempts these facilities from California Environmental Quality Act requirements. While cities and counties retain authority over building standards, health and safety regulations, and nuisance abatement, any restrictions must apply equally to both the daycare center and its associated residential or community facility. The bill defines legally established community amenities to include civic centers, recreational facilities, schools, libraries, and places of worship located in residential zones.

Under current law, these protections apply only to small and large family daycare homes regulated by the State Department of Social Services. The proposed expansion would place colocated daycare centers under the same framework, limiting local government oversight while maintaining uniform building and safety standards across colocated uses. The measure requires a majority vote for passage and involves no direct state appropriations or fiscal committee review.