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Plan commission approves Little Rainbows to expand in‑home child care to 12 children
Summary
The Sheboygan City Plan Commission approved a conditional use permit allowing Little Rainbows, Inc. to operate an in‑home child care center for up to 12 children at 2406 North 28th Street, with a proposed start date of Aug. 1, 2026. Operator Elise Wagert said the center meets DCF space and staffing rules and has a long waiting list.
The Sheboygan City Plan Commission voted to approve Little Rainbows, Inc.’s application to operate an in‑home child care center for up to 12 children at 2406 North 28th Street.
Elise Wagert, who identified herself as an operator of Little Rainbows and a resident at the address, told the commission the center has operated in the community for decades and that the program is fully licensed. She said the Department of Children and Families (DCF) recently approved the site’s square footage and that the center meets required staff‑to‑child ratios, including having two qualified full‑time providers for the proposed capacity. “We’re actually booked in the infant category to the year 2029,” Wagert told commissioners, citing a long wait list for infant care and paid registrations.
Wagert described the center’s regulatory history to underscore compliance: she said the facility has had repeated inspections from DCF and the federal child nutrition program and reported no noncompliance findings in the last 18 years. She noted the center holds multiple five‑star ratings, including the state YoungStar quality rating.
Staff told the commission the applicant has operated family childcare centers in the city for more than 31 years and listed Aug. 1, 2026, as the proposed start date for the expanded enrollment. Commission members asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the decision phase.
The motion to approve the conditional use permit was moved and seconded and carried. The approval permits Little Rainbows to operate with the exceptions requested under the conditional‑use application; commissioners did not specify additional conditions on record.
Why it matters: Commissioners and the applicant framed the vote as an action to increase local childcare capacity amid a documented shortage of licensed infant care slots. The permit allows a licensed local provider to expand capacity within the city’s zoning framework, subject to routine building and licensing requirements.
What happens next: The applicant may proceed with preparations to reach the stated Aug. 1, 2026, start date and must maintain DCF licensing and any building‑inspection requirements. The commission did not require additional reporting steps on the record.
