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Anacortes debates allowing child care in industrial zones; commissioners split on conditional use
Summary
Staff briefed the commission on SB 5509 requirements and a docketed request to allow child care in industrial zones; some commissioners supported outright allowance while others wanted conditional‑use limits tied to safety and design standards.
City staff told the Planning Commission on Sept. 10 that recent state law (SB 5509) requires local codes to permit child‑care facilities as an outright use in all zones except that industrial zones must at least provide for conditional use approval; staff noted the statute’s full implementation deadline is 2027.
Planning Manager Libby Grama summarized the docketed request from a property owner to permit day‑care centers in industrial zones and then identified SB 5509’s requirement: permit child‑care facilities in all zones as an outright use, and in industrial zones provide at least conditional use approval except near high‑hazard facilities. Grama said the city could adopt design standards addressing drop‑off/pick‑up, fencing and separation from traffic but that state licensing also imposes detailed safety requirements.
Commission discussion was split. Commissioners Mills and others spoke in favor of permitting child care outright to expand access for working families; several other commissioners said they preferred requiring conditional use review for industrial settings to ensure safety and site design (fencing, separation from heavy operations) and to allow case‑by‑case conditions. One commissioner noted potential port or employer concerns about land‑use compatibility.
Grama said staff will research specific zone‑based use standards, state licensing rules for child care (fencing and outdoor area requirements were mentioned), and potential design standards to mitigate noise, proximity to heavy equipment and traffic hazards. She will return recommended code language and an analysis of where conditional use versus outright allowance is appropriate.
No regulatory changes were adopted Sept. 10; staff will bring back more detailed recommendations and draft code text.
Why it matters: allowing child care in employment and industrial areas can increase access for workers but raises safety and compatibility questions that cities may address with development standards or conditional‑use review.
Next steps: staff to return zone‑specific standards, a summary of state licensing requirements that affect child‑care siting (fencing, outdoor area), and recommended code language for the commission’s further review.
