Snohomish County Councilmembers Nate Nehring and Jared Mead introduced an ordinance this week aimed at improving access to child care across the county. The proposed legislation would reduce local regulatory barriers for child care providers and allow child care facilities in more locations throughout Snohomish County, according to a news release.

The ordinance creates a more simplified and cohesive permit process for day care centers in various zoning areas, the news release said. By allowing child care centers in more circumstances through flexible zoning requirements, the ordinance will help address a documented shortage of child care services.

“Access to quality child care is one of the most significant challenges our communities face,” said Nehring, who serves as County Council chair. “By reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, this ordinance makes it easier for providers to open and operate child care facilities, which are desperately needed in Snohomish County.”

“As Snohomish County continues to grow at a rapid rate and families continue to move here, our child care industry has not been able to keep up with demand,” Mead said. “In fact, we’re referred to as a child care desert by the state. If we want Snohomish County to be able to continue attracting the incredible workforce that we are known for, we need to ensure our community is one that encourages and supports working families and a large part of that is growing our child care capacity.”

To better understand the challenges facing child care providers, the Snohomish County Council will host a panel discussion with industry experts from across the county to provide feedback relating to the ordinance. The panel will present at the County Council’s Administrative Session at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 18. The public can observe the meeting in person or via Zoom at this link. To learn more about the meeting, visit the County Council meeting web page.

The date for the public hearing will be announced soon. If you are interested in providing public testimony, you can testify during the public hearing or email contact.council@snoco.org. The full ordinance and staff report can be found here.

For more information about the ordinance or to be added to the distribution list for the public hearing once it is scheduled, contact Russell Wiita (Russell.wiita@snoco.org) or Angela Ewert (Angela.Ewert@snoco.org).