Public Hearing Scheduled for Home Childcare Zoning Ordinance

By Adam Swift

The City Council is holding a public hearing on a proposed zoning amendment that will make it easier for home childcare businesses to operate in the city at its April 24 meeting.

“The purpose of this amendment is to make more affordable childcare options for residents throughout Revere by reducing zoning barriers and helping to develop more childcare businesses,” said Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito. “Currently, the city ordinance limits home childcare businesses to no more than four children per business and requires a special permit by the City Council. Under this amendment, the home daycares would be more in check with the state level to operate by right in 12 of the 19 zoning districts.”

In 2021, the city led efforts to create a workforce development plan, and one of the things that plan highlighted was the need to expand childcare availability throughout the city.

“I’m speaking both as a community development professional and a father of three young children of the importance of quality affordable childcare as a key component of workforce development,” said Planning and Community Development Director Tom Skwierawski. 

The city’s workforce development plan specifically called for reforming the local zoning ordinance to better align with state regulations for childcare businesses. 

“We moved forward with a community strategy to reform our local zoning ordinance,” Skwierawski said. “We worked with an advisory committee, multiple focus groups and had multiple community meetings. The end result was a zoning ordinance change.”

Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri noted that the city’s state legislative delegation is also working on potential changes that could make childcare more affordable both for businesses and residents.

“We do have to look at some of this stuff to create better jobs and more affordable care for those in our city,” said Silvestri.

Under the proposed amendment, the home daycares would be able to operate by right in 12 of the city’s 19 zoning districts. In addition, it would increase the limit for the businesses from four to 10 children, provided there is a second, certified childcare assistant at any business with seven or more children.

The revised ordinance would allow home-based childcare by right without having to go before the city council for a special permit. The one exception would be if there was a proposal for a home-based childcare business within 300 feet of another similar business. In that case, a special permit would need to be approved by the council.