Dan Strauss’ ‘Childcare Near You’ passes in city council, easing land-use rules on childcare centers

Meghan Walker Ballard

Seattle City Council has approved a proposal that would allow childcare centers to open in neighborhoods zoned for single-family development.

The ordinance—known as ‘Childcare Near You’—was sponsored by Councilmember Dan Strauss, who hopes it will pave the way for more affordable and accessible childcare.

“Childcare touches on so many different issues: from the affordability of our city, to how equitable our neighborhoods are, to how we support working parents, and particularly working moms, who disproportionately bear the impact of our childcare shortage,” Dan Strauss said in a statement about the ordinance.”

Under the legislation, childcare centers will be a permitted use in all zones in Seattle, and dispersion requirements will be removed, allowing childcare facilities to be closer to one another. Additionally, childcare centers will be exempted from floor area limits in multifamily and commercial zones, which is meant to incentivize developers to include them in more new facilities.

Mayor Jenny Durkan is expected to sign the bill into law; to read the legislation in full, click here.

Photo: Councilmember Dan Strauss on Facebook

25 thoughts to “Dan Strauss’ ‘Childcare Near You’ passes in city council, easing land-use rules on childcare centers”

  2. Why does the city council think anyone want to raise a child in this city given their actions including but not limited to turning our streets, parks and green spaces over to the homeless, essentially legalizing hard drugs, and significantly reducing public safety with low police staffing levels. If I had kids we would be outta here.

    2. Because the vast majority of Seattle residents don’t have a dystopian, delusional outlook on the City like you and your “Safe” Seattle ilk seem to do?

      How someone can hate Seattle so much, that they need to make up false narratives to support their preconceived biases, yet still choose to live here, boggles my mind.

    1. Yep! Those adorable little moppets will be jumping rope and repeating the same sing-song rhymes, over and over again. I’m sure you’re up for it! It might brighten your life!

  6. We can’t allow kids to just gather anywhere! We need government to tell us where to put them and who to watch them. Parents should not be the decision makers for things like this. What happens when one parent chooses a childcare house that is next to another childcare house. Oh the humanity…

  7. This would be a good use of commercial space in apartment buildings that have gone vacant or never filled. Not so sure about turning single family homes into day care centers. So a family working from home sends their child to someone else’s home so they can work in peace, meanwhile the neighbors of the new “childcare house” are disrupted?

    Probably a mute point anyway, I’m assuming that there is a pretty tight license requirement for childcare centers that would preclude anyone from starting the business from scratch…

  8. Is this supposed to make me feel good like the city council actually cares about us, while they hack away mindlessly at the police budget without a plan?

  9. A great news indeed. I would suggest anyone to be in the working moms shoes to understand why this is going to be a great news for them. Personally, I’m working as a full time nanny in a family being part of a homeschooling and home care facility. I’m taking care of two kids there and both the parents are full time workers. From my own experiences, I can easily evaluate how the working moms will struggle to find time for everything if there is no childcare or homeschooling services available near them.

    So, it’s a right move from the side of the authority to share some peaceful moments to those parents who are eagerly looking for it.

    Cheers,
    Janet Adams

    1. Although my first comment was rather negative, and I do stand by it, I have to agree with Janet as I have a Daughter and daughter-in-law, both working mom’s, and they truly need all the help and assistance they can get.

    2. We already pay plenty for people’s choice to add to the massive problem of overpopulation (both environmentally and by paying for the education, healthcare, etc. of other’s children). We should not have pay further by having peace at home disrupted (which is what having a child care center next to one’s home would do for most). Having children is a lifestyle choice that is thrust on others in a myriad of ways.

      1. If I remember correctly, you live on a stay healthy street. Have any of your apocalyptic predictions about frisbees hitting your car, loud children, or strangers visiting your neighborhood come true?

        I only ask because you seem to dislike any change but I wonder if you still feel that way after your become more used to things.

        1. I was walking up 17th Ave NW yesterday and was nearly decapitated by a barrage of frisbees. But it was the Hula-Hoopers who truly made me think I was facing certain death. That’s it for me. I’m staying locked indoors until there’s a vaccine.

        2. There have been gatherings of unmasked people, around thirty in one instance. That would not have happened without the streets being “closed”. Strange people stop and chat in front of my home, including late at night. Plenty of loud children. It is definitely louder, at least from people noise, and definitely plenty of new unmasked faces, a great increase in loitering. Came home late last night to some strange guy just hanging out in front of my home. Yea, it’s been a pleasure.

          1. I’d be happy to organize a group of people to stand outside your house so that no strange guys think they have license to do so.

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