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Legislation to watch:
Victory in rezoning neighborhood schools and childcare
From Councilwoman Boigon's website:
New Child Care Ordinances Gain Overwhelming Support
On June 5, 2006, Denver City Council voted 10-2 to support both of my proposed ordinances to make child care centers and preschools more accessible in residential neighborhoods. Some neighborhood child care centers were vulnerable to closure because our zoning code was not clear about permitting child care centers in low-density, residential neighborhoods. I am pleased to say that these ordinances received overwhelming support from Denver residents, child care professionals and Denver City Council.
With the passage of these two ordinances, Denver’s zoning code will now permit child care centers in all residential districts. Child care centers include preschools, before and after-care at schools and many summer programs. Although many neighborhoods already have these types of programs, the zoning code did not previously protect them as a permitted use. This gap in the zoning code put existing programs at risk and made it difficult to start new programs. Now child care centers will be permitted in any existing, non-residential structure with the proper setbacks from residential homes. This supports neighborhood-based child care programs while preserving the overall mix of residential and non-residential structures in the neighborhood.