COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — City leaders in Colorado Springs are considering zoning changes that could make it easier for child and adult care facilities to open and operate across the city. The public can weigh in at the City Council meeting on May 26.
The proposal is a list of amendments to the city's Unified Development Code, which was implemented in June of 2023. Since then, child and adult care centers have faced obstacles navigating the existing rules.
City Senior Planner Allison Stocker said the goal is to shift decision-making power to providers.
"Putting the impetus on daycare providers to select locations that make sense for them rather than the city always saying where the best locations are," said Stocker.
One of the key changes would make it easier for daycare providers to co-locate with churches or office buildings by cutting through bureaucratic hurdles.
"Because of zoning that was really challenging and it was requiring a lot of daycare providers to go through application processes that would require them to do public notice and really expensive applications and take many months out of their whole licensing procedure just to get approval," said Stocker.
City Council Member Nancy Henjum, who represents District 5, said expanding access to child care is a priority.
"We really have to do what we can to make childcare accessible and affordable in our city," said Henjum.
On February 3, a community open house was held to discuss plans to update residential zoning. Historic neighborhoods were a major point of discussion,with some residents expressing concern about the character of their communities.
- Watch News5's coverage of the open house below:
"Worried about will we plop a giant, you know, commercial industrial day care in the middle of an old historic neighborhood and I just do not see that happening," said Henjum.
If a day care provider wants to be in a current residential zone, they can ask for it to be changed to a civil zone. But there is enough notice for those who live in the residential zone.
“That development plan process gives room for not only staff to, to make sure that the site is able to meet all of the code requirements it also gives room for public notice to go out for the public to engage and if necessary appeals can be made," said Stocker.
Since that meeting, one revision was removed from the proposal. It would have reduced the number of required parking spaces for child and adult daycare facilities from one per 400 square feet to one per 600 square feet.
The removal drew push back from some residents, although officials from the City of Colorado Springs say other residents' concerns were the reason for the removal.
"I'm fine with lowering it even though neighbors are perhaps not as favorable to that because you're dropping people off. You're not staying there all day to park," said Henjum.
A viewer reached out to News5 with concern about the parking revision being removed, and was not alone in questioning that decision.
"They reached out to me as well, and I reached out to the planning director and said, let's put that back in there and we can have that discussion on the dais if we need to, but I'm hoping that we reverse it back to a lower amount," said Henjum.
The parking change would have a direct impact on providers like Early Connections in Central Springs. Liz Denson, President and CEO of Early Connections, addressed the issue in a statement.
"The proposed change related to reducing parking requirements would create additional flexibility for providers developing or renovating facilities,particularly in areas where land is limited or costly… Without that change,parking and site requirements may continue to limit where facilities can be located and increase costs tied to expansion and development," said Denson.
But the proposed changes are something Denson is looking forward to.
"For child care providers like Early Connections, zoning and land use policies directly impact our ability to expand access to care within growing communities. These decisions influence where facilities can be located, how affordable projects are to develop, and whether providers can operate closer to the neighborhoods and residential areas where families actually live.
As Colorado Springs continues to grow, creating pathways for child care facilities to exist within or near residential areas is incredibly important. In addition to backfilling child care into areas where families already live and work. It helps reduce transportation barriers for families, supports working parents, and makes care more accessible and connected to the community."
The City Council meeting is scheduled for May 26, and News5 plans to be there.
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