BuildUp San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council conducted a survey of local planning departments to compile a list of local land use policies and planning procedures related to the development of early childhood care and education facilities in San Mateo County. The resulting report, Child Care Land Use Study, provides zoning and permitting information for 21 San Mateo County cities.
Key takeaways from the study include:
The average cost to apply for a child care center permit in San Mateo County is approximately $4,000.
In most San Mateo County cities, the permitting process takes 4-7 months.
Most SMC cities do not have incentives for developers to include child care in their projects. The most common incentive was a Density Bonus, which permits an increase to the maximum allowable development in exchange for amenities that serve a public interest.
The report authors noted:
“Child care is essential community infrastructure, and when our children have affordable quality child care, they can achieve their full potential. We look forward to working with all municipalities to support Child Care Providers in sustaining, expanding, and improving their facilities.”
The study and its executive summary can be found here.
