Bloomington, IN Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO Section 20.03.030(c)(3)
- Spacing rule
- 500 feet from another day care center
- Licensing proof
- Required with Conditional Use petition
- Overnight stays
- Prohibited for clients
- Buffer required
- Level 3 buffer along home lot lines
- Approval path
- Conditional Use, Board of Zoning Appeals
Summary
In the City of Bloomington, an adult or child day care center sited in a Residential zoning district cannot open within five hundred feet of another day care center, must submit proof of state licensing or an exemption with its Conditional Use petition, cannot house clients overnight, and must install a buffer along adjoining single-family and duplex lots.
(3)Day Care Center, Adult or Child.(A)When located in a Residential zoning district, an adult or child day care center shall not be located closer than five hundred feet to any other adult or child day care center.(B)When a license is required by the state, proof of licensing shall be presented with the petition for the Conditional Use Approval. Day care centers exempt from state licensing requirements shall provide proof of exemption.(C)The operation of the facility shall not include overnight occupancy by the clients.(D)A level 3 buffer pursuant to Section 20.04.080(g)(3) (Buffer Yard Types), shall be established along the property line(s) separating a day-care center and any single-family detached, duplex, triplex, or fourplex dwellings.
Full Breakdown
030(c)(3), and Table 03-1 (Allowed Use Table) requires Conditional Use Approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals for the use in several zoning districts across the City of Bloomington. Four use-specific standards apply on top of that Conditional Use process. 030(c)(3)(A) bars it from locating closer than five hundred feet to any other adult or child day care center. 030(c)(3)(B) makes state licensing status part of the local record: an operator who needs a state license must present proof of it with the Conditional Use petition, and a facility exempt from state licensing must instead document that exemption.
030(c)(3)(C) forbids overnight occupancy by clients outright, which keeps day care center approvals from doubling as group-home or residential-care approvals. 080(g)(3), along any property line that separates the day care center from an adjoining single-family detached, duplex, triplex, or fourplex dwelling. The Planning and Transportation Department reviews the Conditional Use petition, licensing documentation, and buffer plan together before the Board of Zoning Appeals acts, and the certificate of zoning compliance issued afterward is what authorizes the center to open.
Violations & Fines
Operating a day care center without the required Conditional Use Approval is an illegal land use under UDO Section 20.06.100(b), carrying up to a $2,500 fine under Table 06-3, while failing to comply with an approved Conditional Use's conditions, such as the buffer or spacing standard, draws a $250 fine that doubles for a repeat violation of the same provision within three years, per Section 20.06.100(d)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a day care center need special zoning approval in Bloomington?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomington
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