Gardena, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Section 18.04.010 of the Gardena Municipal Code defines a small family day care home as one serving eight or fewer children, including children under ten who live at the home, under Health and Safety Code Section 1597.44; the code makes it a permitted residential use in every zone that allows housing, no discretionary review required. A large family day care home, seven to fourteen children under Health and Safety Code Section 1597.465, is permitted in all residential zones only after the community development director approves a home occupation permit under Chapter 18.56.

Section 18.56.020(E) sets five mandatory conditions: one off-street parking space for every employee who drives to the site and needs one, no location within three hundred linear feet of an existing large family day care home unless the applicant shows that home is at full capacity or an unmet service need exists, compliance with the noise element of the general plan, current state licensing, and compliance with State Fire Marshal and local building and fire code requirements for large family day care homes. Section 18.56.030 separately bars uses like beauty shops and vehicle repair from qualifying as home occupations, and Section 18.56.070 lets the director revoke a permit for noncompliance after ten days' written notice, with appeal to the planning commission and then the council under Chapter 18.72.