Bill > HB1195

This bill modifies municipal zoning requirements for child care providers by establishing clear guidelines for both home-based and center-based child care facilities. The bill defines "child care center" to include various types of day care programs such as group centers, infant and toddler programs, night care programs, preschools, and school-age programs, while explicitly excluding family day care homes. Municipalities will now be required to allow child care centers by right on commercially zoned land, provided they comply with state licensing requirements from the department of health and human services. The legislation also provides zoning accommodations, such as exempting child care centers from certain setback, height, and frontage requirements when converting an existing building, and prevents municipalities from creating zoning ordinances that conflict with state child care regulations. Importantly, the bill does not override state fire, building, water supply, and sewage disposal requirements, and allows site plan review for centers over 5,000 square feet. The bill also clarifies that municipalities can restrict child care centers in industrial zones if the use would be incompatible with existing manufacturing activities. These provisions aim to streamline and standardize child care facility zoning across municipalities, with the changes set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1963&inflect=2