Mill Valley · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Mill Valley?
In Mill Valley, a child care center is needs a permit in 11 (RS, R-P, RM-3.5, RM-B, RM-M and 6 more, 5 with a condition) and not allowed in 1 (Mill Valley use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: RS, R-P, RM-3.5, RM-B, RM-M, RM-PA, RM-P, DR and 3 more
- Not allowed: C-L
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Mill Valley 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
Mill Valley's code calls this use “Day care centers”. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| RS RS Districts (single family) | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note A: The term "day care center," as used in this section, means any institution, boarding home, day nursery or other place required to obtain a license under the provisions of Division 9, Part 4, Chapter 1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California | § 20.16.030 |
| R-P R-P Districts | Needs a planned development approval — see note Note S4 intro: all uses other than dwellings shall be distinctly secondary and accessory to the residential use of the R-P District and surrounding property and shall not change the basic residential character of the R-P District. | § 20.18.050 |
| RM-3.5 RM-3.5 Multiple Family | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.24.020 |
| RM-B Bayfront (En. Knolls/Shelter Ridge) | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.24.030 |
| RM-M Miller Ave Marsh | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.24.030 |
| RM-PA Miller Ave Passage | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.24.030 |
| RM-P Miller Ave Parkway | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.24.030 |
| DR Downtown Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | § 20.26.020 |
| C-G General Commercial | Needs an administrative use permit — see note Note Specific Use Regulations: § 20.08.069.25 : Day care center CA Health and Safety Code § 1597.22 : no use permit when co-located with multifamily housing | § 20.40.020 |
| C-N Neighborhood Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note Specific Use Regulations: § 20.08.069.25 : Day care center CA Health and Safety Code § 1597.22 : no use permit when co-located with multifamily housing | § 20.40.020 |
| C-D Downtown Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note Specific Use Regulations: § 20.08.069.25 : Day care center CA Health and Safety Code § 1597.22 : no use permit when co-located with multifamily housing | § 20.40.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
C-L.
What else applies
- Family day care serving up to 14 children is a separate row (P in commercial zones). RS and R-P list day care centers inside 'Schools, ... including kindergartens, nursery schools and day care centers'.
- 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: C-R (S12: planned unit development list only), C-F (S14: every use needs a CUP except public schools; § 20.55.025 prohibited uses not in packet) and U (S17: all uses need a CUP): no per-use cells used. Chapter 20.24 RM-3.5 prohibitions beyond the lists are not stated.. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Mill Valley
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the RS zone in Mill Valley?
Only with a conditional use permit. Mill Valley's use table lists it that way in RS (RS Districts (single family)) (§ 20.16.030). The code adds a condition: “The term "day care center," as used in this section, means any institution, boarding home, day nursery or other place required to obtain a license under the provisions of Division 9, Part 4, Chapter 1 of the Welfare…”
Can I have a child care center in the C-L zone in Mill Valley?
No. Mill Valley's use table does not allow it in C-L (Limited Commercial) (§ 20.40.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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