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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66725</law_id><section_number>15.2-2292</section_number><catch_line>Zoning provisions for family day homes</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="22">Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="7">Zoning</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> <span class="dictionary">Zoning</span> <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> for all purposes shall consider a family day home as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/22.1-289.02/">22.1-289.02</a>, serving one through four children, exclusive of the provider&#x2019;s own children and any children who reside in the home as residential occupancy by a single family. No conditions more restrictive than those imposed on residences occupied by persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption shall be imposed upon such a home. Nothing in this section shall apply to any <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> which is subject to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Regulation of child-care services and facilities in certain counties" href="/15.2-741/">15.2-741</a> or <a class="law" title="Regulation of child-care services and facilities in cities and certain counties" href="/15.2-914/">15.2-914</a>. <a id="paragraph-241969" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-2292/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> allow a <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> administrator to use an administrative process to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> permits for a family day home, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/22.1-289.02/">22.1-289.02</a>, serving five through 12 children, exclusive of the provider&#x2019;s own children and any children who reside in the home. The <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> may contain such standards as the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> deems appropriate and shall include a requirement that notification be sent by registered or certified letter to the last known address of each adjacent property owner. If the <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> administrator receives no written objection from a person so notified within 30 days of the date of sending the letter and determines that the family day home otherwise complies with the provisions of the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> and all other applicable local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>, the <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> administrator shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> the permit sought. If the <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> administrator receives a written objection from a person so notified within 30 days of the date of sending the letter and determines that the family day home otherwise complies with the provisions of the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, the <span class="dictionary">zoning</span> administrator shall consider such objection and may (i) <span class="dictionary">issue</span> or deny the permit sought or (ii) if required by the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, refer the permit to the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> for consideration. The <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall provide a process whereby an applicant for a family day home that is denied a permit through the administrative process may request that its application be considered after a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> following public notice as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Advertisement of plans, ordinances, etc.; joint public hearings; written notice of certain amendments" href="/15.2-2204/">15.2-2204</a>. Upon such <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> may, in its discretion, approve the permit, subject to such conditions as agreed upon by the applicant and the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, or deny the permit. The provisions of this subsection shall not prohibit a local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> from exercising its authority, if at all, under subdivision A 3 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Permitted provisions in zoning ordinances; amendments; applicant to pay delinquent taxes; penalties" href="/15.2-2286/">15.2-2286</a>. <a id="paragraph-241970" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-2292/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1994, cc. 781, 798, &#xA7; 15.1-486.5; 1997, c. 587; 2014, c. 771; 2015, cc. 758, 770; 2019, cc. 380, 442; 2020, cc. 860, 861.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
