Lathrop · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Lathrop?
In Lathrop, a child care center is needs a conditional use permit (planning commission, chapter 17.112) in 2 (P/QP and RM) and not allowed in 2 (Lathrop use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: P/QP and RM
- Not allowed: RCO and UR
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Lathrop 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
Lathrop's code calls this use “Day care centers (P/QP); state authorized licensed day care center for 13 or more children (RM)”. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| P/QP Public/Quasi Public | Needs a conditional use permit (planning commission, chapter 17.112) | § 17.23.030 |
| RM Multifamily Residential | Needs a conditional use permit (planning commission, chapter 17.112) | § 17.36.040 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- R is left out: it lists small and large family day care homes (permitted) and, as conditional, 'nursery schools' (S13 A), but no day care center. Family day care homes are a residential use and are not used.
- 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: Commercial and industrial base districts (CN, CC, CS, CH, IL, IG): chapters 17.40-17.52 use lists are not in the packet; All specific-plan districts (River Islands 17.61-17.63, Mossdale Landing 17.57, Mossdale Village, Lathrop Gateway, South Lathrop, Central Lathrop 17.58-17.59): treated as non-base per the brief; they hold much of the city's land; Definitions chapter 17.04 (not in the packet). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Lathrop
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the P/QP zone in Lathrop?
Only with a conditional use permit (planning commission, chapter 17.112). Lathrop's use table lists it that way in P/QP (Public/Quasi Public) (§ 17.23.030).
Can I have a child care center in the RCO zone in Lathrop?
No. Lathrop's use table does not allow it in RCO (Resource Conservation and Open Space) (§ 17.20.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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