Butte County · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Butte County?
In Butte County, a child care center is allowed in 1 base zone (RBP, it with a condition), needs a permit in 14 (FR, RR, VLDR, LDR, MDR and 9 more) and not allowed in 13 (Butte County use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Allowed: RBP
- Needs a permit: FR, RR, VLDR, LDR, MDR, MHDR, HDR, VHDR and 6 more
- Not allowed: AG, AS, TM, TPZ, RC, FCR, RCR, VLDCR and 5 more
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Butte County Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a child care center can go
Butte County's code calls this use “Child Care Center”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| RBP | Allowed — see note Note 4: Square footage shall not exceed one (1) percent of the floor area of a parcel or the total floor area of the entire research and business park. Uses may be developed only after twenty-five (25) percent of the approved research and business park floor area is built out, unless the use is operated by and included in the building of a primary permitted use. | § 24-29 |
| FR Foothill Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| RR Rural Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| VLDR Very Low Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| LDR Low Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| MDR Medium Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| MHDR Medium High Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| HDR High Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| VHDR Very High Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-19 |
| GC General Commercial | Needs a minor use permit | § 24-22 |
| NC Neighborhood Commercial | Needs a minor use permit | § 24-22 |
| CC Community Commercial | Needs a minor use permit | § 24-22 |
| REC Recreation Commercial | Needs a minor use permit | § 24-22 |
| MU Mixed Use | Needs a minor use permit | § 24-22 |
| PB | Needs a conditional use permit | § 24-29 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Standards for this use: Section 24-159 Child care facilities.
- Family Daycare Home, Small/Large are separate rows (P in most zones that allow housing).
- State law: A licensed family child care home in a house is a residential use under state law (Health and Safety Code § 1597.45); this page covers child care centers only.
- Not covered here: PD (Planned Development) zone: follows General Plan designation, no use table; Overlay zones such as the Unique Agriculture Overlay Zone (named in S3 note 11). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Butte County
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the FR zone in Butte County?
Only with a conditional use permit. Butte County's use table lists it that way in FR (Foothill Residential) (§ 24-19).
Can I have a child care center in the AG zone in Butte County?
No. Butte County's use table does not allow it in AG (Agriculture) (§ 24-13).
Can I have a child care center in the RBP zone in Butte County?
Yes, with a condition. Butte County's use table lists it as allowed in RBP (§ 24-29). The code adds a condition: “Square footage shall not exceed one (1) percent of the floor area of a parcel or the total floor area of the entire research and business park. Uses may be developed only after twenty-five (25) percent of the…”
General information, not legal advice.
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