Bristol Township, PA Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Use B7 in § 205-16B(8) of the Bristol Township zoning chapter defines a day-care center as a facility in which out-of-home day care is provided to four or more children, disabled persons and/or elderly. In residential districts, the use must be conducted in a building designed to look like a single-family detached residence. An outdoor recreation area is required at a minimum of 200 square feet for each child and 100 square feet for each disabled or elderly person, located to the side or the rear of the lot and excluding any parking areas.

That play area must be fully enclosed by a four-foot-high fence and sufficiently screened and insulated to protect the neighborhood from inappropriate noise and other disturbance. Sufficient facilities for passenger loading and unloading are required, and the use can be permitted as accessory to a permitted nonresidential use. A license from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is required. Where a center can locate depends on the district use lists. It is a special exception authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board in R-1 (§ 205-22), R-2 (§ 205-25), R-3 (§ 205-28) and P-1 (§ 205-63).

It is a use permitted by right in the C Commercial District (§ 205-36), CN (§ 205-41), P-O (§ 205-44) and CS (§ 205-47), and a conditional use authorized by Council in the TC Town Center Overlay (§ 205-52). Smaller home-based care sits in Use G1e family day care and Use G1f group child day-care, which require a license or registration from the Department of Public Welfare before Zoning Hearing Board approval and a Zoning Officer permit.