2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 26.5 - EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES (§§ 26.5-1-101 — 26.5-6-103) › Article 5 - QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES (§§ 26.5-5-101 — 26.5-5-331) › Part 3 - CHILD CARE LICENSING (§§ 26.5-5-301 — 26.5-5-331) › Section 26.5-5-310 - Compliance with local government zoning regulations - notice to local governments - provisional licensure - rules

(1)
(a)
The department shall require any child care facility seeking licensure pursuant to section
26.5-5-309
to comply with any applicable zoning and land use development regulations of the municipality, city and county, or county where the facility is situated. Failure to comply with applicable zoning and land use regulations constitutes grounds for the denial of a license to a facility.
(b)
Notwithstanding subsection (1)(a) of this section to the contrary, the availability of safe, affordable, and licensed family child care homes is a matter of statewide concern. Therefore, permitting fragmented regulation among jurisdictions impedes and infringes upon the department's appropriate and consistent licensing and regulation of family child care homes throughout the state. Accordingly, local governing authorities shall treat family child care homes as residential property use in the application of local regulations, including zoning, land use development, fire and life safety, sanitation, and building codes. Local governing authorities shall not impose any additional regulations governing family child care homes that do not also apply to other residential properties, provided that the foregoing does not restrict an authority's ability to prohibit, on a case-by-case basis, the operation in immediately adjacent residences of two or more large family child care homes, as that term is defined by department rules that govern the operation of family child care homes, or to manage the flow of traffic and parking related to adjacent large family child care homes. Residential use of property for zoning purposes includes all forms of residential zoning and, specifically, although not exclusively, single-family residential zoning.
(2)
The department shall assure that timely written notice is provided to the municipality, city and county, or county where a child care facility is situated, including the address of the facility and the population and number of persons to be served by the facility, when any of the following occurs:
(a)
A person applies for a license to operate a child care facility pursuant to section
26.5-5-309
; or
(b)
A license is granted to operate a child care facility pursuant to section
26.5-5-309
.
(3)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the event of a zoning or other delay or dispute between a child care facility and the municipality, city and county, or county where the facility is situated, the department may grant a provisional license to the facility for up to six months pending resolution of the delay or dispute.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
26-6-104.5
(1) to (3) and amended by 2022 Ch. 123, §3, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 83, §55, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 213, §2, eff. 9/7/2021.
L. 2000: Entire section added, p. 1517, § 4, effective June 1. L. 2006: (4) amended, p. 520, § 3, effective April 18; (2) and (3) amended, p. 727, § 4, effective August 7. L. 2021: (1) amended, (HB 21-1222), ch. 1133, p. 1133, § 2, effective September 7; (4) amended, (HB 21 -1187), ch. 347, p. 347, § 55, effective 7/1/2024.
For the legislative declaration contained in the 2000 act enacting this section, see section 1 of chapter 319, Session Laws of Colorado 2000. For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1222, see section 1 of chapter 213, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.