On June 3, 2026, the Pierce County Council unanimously signed off on a package of zoning changes aimed at expanding child care across the county. The move opens the door for more home-based daycares, trims permitting hoops for commercial centers, and is intended to make it easier for families to find care close to home. The new rules are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026.
In a news release, the county said the overhaul "opens all zones to home daycares" and "improves navigation and clarity" in county code, allowing home-based daycares as an accessory use in every zone and easing rules for commercial child care centers, according to Pierce County. Officials pointed to the 2025 Childcare Report, which found many providers already operating at capacity, and told the council that regulatory red tape has been a barrier to adding more slots. "We heard loud and clear from working families across Pierce County that finding childcare for their kids is one of their biggest stressors," County Executive Ryan N. Mello said in the statement.
What the zoning changes mean
The new ordinance strips out discretionary land use steps that previously triggered extra reviews and special permits for some child care projects. Planners and advocates say that change should cut both the cost and the time it takes to open new child care slots, especially for smaller operators that do not have money to spend on long, uncertain processes.
Pierce County’s action lines up with a broader statewide shift. Washington’s 2025 legislation on child care siting set new expectations for local development codes, most prominently through SB 5509 from the Washington Legislature, which limits how jurisdictions can restrict child care centers. County planners also cautioned that zoning is only one part of the puzzle, noting that providers still have to contend with staffing shortages and renovation costs when they look to expand.
County support and next steps for providers
According to Pierce County, the 2026 627 budget includes funding for a workforce and childcare hub that will offer 200 non 6standard 6hour slots at low or no cost, and the county has committed $300,000 in capital funds to remodel the Willard Childcare Center in East Tacoma. County leaders plan to partner with WorkForceCentral and labor groups on apprenticeships and recruitment in an effort to ease childcare worker shortages.
Staff expect to publish permit checklists and provider guidance before the July 1 effective date, so current and prospective operators have a clearer playbook for opening or expanding under the new rules.
Where families and providers can turn for help
Providers looking for technical assistance, start 6up supports, or referrals can connect with the Pierce County Early Childhood Network’s Child Care Capacity Initiative, which has helped add hundreds of slots and offers resource navigation and grants, according to the Pierce County Early Childhood Network. Families searching for subsidized preschool or local options can contact county human 6services programs or nearby ECEAP providers.
For neighborhood-level details on how the zoning changes apply, county planning staff plan to post FAQs and application checklists on the Pierce County website so residents and providers can track what the shakeup means on their own block.
