Where is a child care center allowed in Grass Valley?

Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Grass 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

Grass Valley's code calls this use “Day care - Child or adult day 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
OP Office Professional	Allowed	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
TC Town Core	Allowed — see note Note 2: Allowed only on second or upper floors, or behind ground floor use for that area on Mill Street between Neal and West Main Streets and on West Main Street from Church to South Auburn Streets.	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
R-E Residential Estate	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
R-1 Single Residential	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
R-2 Two-Family Residential	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
R-2A Medium Density Residential	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
R-3 Multiple Dwelling Residential	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
C-1 Community Business District	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
C-2 Central Business District	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
CBP Corporate Business Park	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
REC Recreation	Needs an use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
NC Neighborhood Center	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS
NC-Flex Neighborhood Center-Flex	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS

Zones where it is not allowed

C-3, M-1, M-2, OS, P.

What else applies

Standards for this use: § 17.44.060 (named in the table's Specific Use Regulations column).
Row is 'child or adult day care center'. Family day care homes (small, large) are separate rows. TC cell has note 2 (upper floors / behind ground-floor use).
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: SP (Specific Plan zone: uses are set by each adopted specific plan). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in Grass Valley

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a child care center in the R-E zone in Grass Valley?

Only with an use permit. Grass Valley's use table lists it that way in R-E (Residential Estate) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the C-3 zone in Grass Valley?

No. Grass Valley's use table does not allow it in C-3 (Heavy Commercial) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the OP zone in Grass Valley?

Yes. Grass Valley's use table lists it as allowed in OP (Office Professional) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND ZONE STANDARDS).

General information, not legal advice.