Nash County, NC Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- A-1, residential, LI, GI districts
- Outdoor fence
- Minimum 4 ft, outside the road setback
- Large-site access
- Collector/thoroughfare road required over 3 acres
- Governing section
- UDO § 11-4.27
- Civil penalty
- $100 per day for uncorrected violation
Summary
A stand-alone child or adult day care center in unincorporated Nash County must fence any outdoor activity area with a security fence at least 4 feet high, kept outside the road setback, under the Unified Development Ordinance. A center sited on more than 3 acres must also have access to a collector or thoroughfare road.
11-4.27.Day Care Center, Child or Adult.(A)Where Required. A-1, all residential, LI, and GI districts.(B)Security Fencing. Outdoor activity area(s) for children shall be enclosed by a security fence at least 4 feet in height and located outside the road setback.(C)Location. Centers on a site greater than 3 acres shall have access to a collector or thoroughfare road.
Full Breakdown
38. Under (A) Where Required, a day care center is permitted in the A-1, all residential, LI and GI districts. Under (B) Security Fencing, any outdoor activity area for children must be enclosed by a security fence at least 4 feet in height, and that fence must sit outside the road setback rather than encroaching into it. Under (C) Location, a center built on a site greater than 3 acres must have access to a collector or thoroughfare road rather than a minor residential street, a standard intended to route the added drop-off and pickup traffic a larger center generates away from purely local roads. 27 itself, plus any site plan or permit review the Zoning Administrator requires before construction begins.
Violations & Fines
A day care center built or operated without the required 4-foot security fence, or without collector-road access on a site over 3 acres, is subject to a written Notice of Violation from the Zoning Administrator citing the section and required fix (Sec. 5-3.1), appealable to the Board of Adjustment within 30 days (Sec. 7-1). An uncorrected violation carries a civil penalty of $100 per day, with each additional day a separate offense (Sec. 5-5.1, 5-5.4), plus possible permit denial or revocation (Sec. 5-4.3, 5-4.5) and misdemeanor exposure under NCGS 14-4 (Sec. 5-4.6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a day care center need a fence around its playground?
Are there road requirements for a larger day care center?
Is a day care center the same as a home day care?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nash County
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