Shoreline, WA Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Subsection B of § 20.40.320 sets the site-safety standards for Daycare II facilities, the larger childcare-center tier of Shoreline's Development Code, which can be sited either through a stand-alone conditional use permit in the NR3 and NR2 zones or as an accessory use inside an existing house of worship or school facility in those same zones. Unlike the smaller Daycare I tier, which only needs a 42-inch enclosure, a Daycare II outdoor play area must be completely enclosed with no openings other than gates and surrounded by a fence at least six feet tall, a height chosen to contain a larger number of children and buffer noise for adjacent homes.

The code adds a distinct separation requirement that Daycare I does not carry: outdoor play equipment, not just the fence line, must maintain a minimum distance of 20 feet from any property line adjoining a residential zone, protecting neighboring residential parcels from the noise and visual impact of climbing structures and similar equipment. As with the smaller tier, the City retains authority under subsection B(3) to restrict hours of operation to keep the use compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Because Daycare II requires a conditional use permit, the standards are reviewed and conditioned by the Hearing Examiner or Director through the permit procedures in Chapter 20.30 SMC before the center opens, giving the City a case-by-case check on fencing and setback compliance beyond the numeric floor set in the code.