Homestead moves to bar new daycare centers from commercial and mixed‑use districts

The City of Homestead advanced an ordinance that would remove daycare centers as a permitted use in several commercial and mixed‑use zoning districts, including the B‑1 and B‑2 commercial categories and parts of the Southwest Planned Urban Neighborhood. The proposal was presented to the Local Planning Agency and was forwarded to the council; the council then advanced the ordinance on first reading.

Staff said the text removes daycare centers from the lists of permitted or special‑exception uses in multiple sections of Chapter 30 of the city code while leaving in place family daycares within residences as protected by state law. Industrial zoning districts retain a path to allow on‑site childcare where tied to specific industrial uses. Staff said existing daycare facilities would be allowed to continue so long as the use has not been abandoned or inactive for more than 90 days; a sale of a business could preserve the use if the use was active at the time of transfer.

Board members at the Local Planning Agency and council members asked questions about where daycares might locate if they cannot operate in the removed categories, about industrial exceptions and about the practical effect on existing providers. One councilor recused themself from LPA deliberations and voting—consistent with the transcript—and discussion emphasized that the ordinance affects future uses rather than closing operating businesses.

The Local Planning Agency voted to forward the ordinance and the council then advanced the item on first reading. Staff will return for the required second reading; staff also said they would compile a list of any existing daycares in the affected zones for council reference.

Votes at a glance: LPA and council recorded votes were in favor of advancing the ordinance; the vote counts were recorded in the meeting roll calls.