Where is a child care center allowed in Windsor?

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

Windsor's code calls this use “Child Day Care Facility”. 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
RR Rural Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
ER Estate Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
SR Surrounding Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
VR Village Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
MDR Medium Density Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
CR Compact Residential	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
NCMU Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
CC Community Commercial	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
TC Town Center Mixed-Use	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
BMU Boulevard Mixed-Use	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
BPI Business Park/Industrial	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
LI Light Industrial	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
PI Public/Institution	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
REC Recreation	Needs a minor use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Zones where it is not allowed

SC, GC, RC, HI, OS.

What else applies

Standards for this use: 17.40.080 (Child Day Care Facility).
"Child Day Care Home" row is P in RR, ER, SR, VR, MDR, CR.
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): uses set by rezoning, 17.16.030.F; Windsor Station Area/Downtown Specific Plan area (own standards); Overlay zones -AS, -FH, -HO. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in Windsor

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a child care center in the RR zone in Windsor?

Only with a conditional use permit. Windsor's use table lists it that way in RR (Rural Residential) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the SC zone in Windsor?

No. Windsor's use table does not allow it in SC (Service Commercial) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).

General information, not legal advice.