Childcare Facilities and Day Care Centers in the City of Arlington
In the City of Arlington, Day Care Centers are allowed by-right in most commercial, office, and mixed-use districts, as well as the high-density Residential Multi-Family 22 (RMF-22) district. Several lower-density residential districts and industrial-related districts like Business Park (BP) require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for this use. Regardless of the district, no day care center or its associated playground may be located within 300 feet of an existing gas wellhead or an approved drilling zone [Section 3.1.5, Section 3.2.3.L].
Permitted and Conditional Zoning Districts
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code classifies "Day care center" under the "Personal Services" category. The following table outlines the specific permissions for this use across the various City of Arlington zoning districts.
| District Group | Zoning District Name | Permission Level |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | Residential Estate (RE) | Specific Use Permit* |
| Residential Single-Family 20 (RS-20) | Prohibited | |
| Residential Single-Family 15 (RS-15) | Prohibited | |
| Residential Single-Family 7.2 (RS-7.2) | Specific Use Permit* | |
| Residential Single-Family 5 (RS-5) | Specific Use Permit* | |
| Residential Medium-Density 12 (RM-12) | Specific Use Permit* | |
| Residential Multi-Family 22 (RMF-22) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Village on the Green (VG) | Prohibited | |
| Non-Residential | Limited Office (LO) | Permitted By-Right* |
| Office Commercial (OC) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Neighborhood Commercial (NC) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Community Commercial (CC) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| General Commercial (GC) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Highway Commercial (HC) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Business Park (BP) | Specific Use Permit* | |
| Light Industrial (LI) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Industrial Manufacturing (IM) | Prohibited | |
| Mixed-Use | Downtown Business (DB) | Permitted By-Right* |
| Flex Hybrid (FH) | Specific Use Permit* | |
| Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU) | Permitted By-Right* | |
| Regional Mixed-Use (RMU) | Permitted By-Right* |
*Note: Indicates that Supplemental Use Standards apply [Section 3.1.2].
Supplemental Use Standards
Childcare facilities in the City of Arlington are subject to specific safety and location requirements.
Gas Well Setbacks
In all City of Arlington districts, no day care center, including its outside playground area, is permitted within 300 feet of an existing gas wellhead or a City Council approved drilling zone [Section 3.2.3.L].
Fencing and Screening
- Playground Fencing: While chain link fencing is generally prohibited for non-residential uses, the Zoning Administrator may approve the use of chain link for playground areas associated with day care centers [Section 5.3.4.B.1.c].
- Residential Screening: Day care centers are specifically exempted from certain "Residential Screening Across a Street" requirements that would otherwise require 6-to-8-foot high masonry or wood screens when facing single-family or two-family dwellings [Section 5.3.2.F].
Development Standards
Childcare facilities must adhere to the City of Arlington's off-street parking and signage standards.
Off-Street Parking Requirements
Parking is calculated based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the facility.
| Use Type | Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Day care center | 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
[Source: Section 5.4.3]
Temporary Signage
Day care centers that are considered institutional uses are granted an exception regarding "Banner Signs." Unlike most non-residential uses, institutional day care centers are allowed to display banner signs even if the property is located on a local street [Section 7.10.1].
Definitions
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code defines a "Day Care Center" as a facility or area licensed, certified, or registered by the State of Texas to provide daytime care, training, education, custody, treatment, or supervision to more than six children, adults, or elderly persons in a family setting for less than 24 hours a day. This definition specifically excludes kindergartens and schools [Section 12.3.3.H.2].
Sections Cited
- Section 3.1.2, Explanation of Table Abbreviations
- Section 3.1.5, Table of Allowed Uses
- Section 3.2.3, Commercial Uses (Supplemental Standards)
- Section 5.3.2, Mechanical and Utility Equipment Screening
- Section 5.3.4, Fences
- Section 5.4.3, Off-Street Parking Standards
- Section 7.10.1, Temporary Sign Standards
- Section 12.3.3, Commercial Uses (Definitions)