Royal Oak Township, MI Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Section 32-388 of the Charter Township of Royal Oak code lists family child care homes among the principal permitted uses in the R-1A and R-1B districts, alongside state licensed residential facilities for six or fewer persons, subject to the regulations in section 206 of Public Act No. 110 of 2006 (MCL 125.3206). The R-M multiple-family district repeats the same permission in § 32-408(a)(7). Under § 32-389(a), family child care homes are exempt from the planning commission site plan review that applies to other uses in the one-family districts.

The code separates two sizes. A family child care home is a private home in which one but fewer than seven minor children are received for care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day, attended by other than a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption. A group child care home is a private home in which more than six but not more than 12 minor children are given care on the same terms. Both definitions count a home that gives care to an unrelated minor child for more than four weeks during the calendar year.

Group child care homes are a special land use under § 32-388(b)(4), and § 32-408 lists them among its special land uses too. They must satisfy § 32-765(g), which also covers child care centers, nursery schools, day nurseries, and preschools. All child care facilities must be registered with or licensed by the state department of human services and meet its minimum standards. At least 150 square feet of outdoor play area must be provided and maintained per child, and the overall play area cannot be less than 5,000 square feet. The play area must be suitably fenced and screened from abutting residentially zoned or used land by a greenbelt. Child care centers need a minimum side yard setback of at least 25 feet.

Special land use applications follow § 32-105: planning commission public hearing and decision, then optional Township Board review within 30 calendar days.