Daycare and Education Space in Costa Mesa

What to diligence before LOI

1. 01

   Costa Mesa's Citywide Land Use Matrix (Table 13-30, Municipal Code Section 13-30) lists both 'Day care facilities (15 children or more)' and 'Nursery schools' as conditional use permit uses in every commercial zone (AP, CL, C1, C2, C1-S and TC). Plan for a public hearing in your schedule and in your lease contingency period.

2. 02

   The same matrix lists 'Studios: dance; martial arts; music, etc.' and 'Schools: trade and vocational' as permitted uses in the C1 and C2 zones. It has no separate row for tutoring, so ask the Planning Division in writing which row your program falls under.

3. 03

   Table 13-89 has no parking row for day care or nursery schools, and Section 13-90 lets the Planning Division set the requirement from comparable uses. Get that number early. The table's rate for 'Trade schools; business colleges; dancing and music academies' is 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet, against 4 per 1,000 for general retail, which can decide whether an inline suite works.

4. 04

   If you look at 17th Street or Newport Boulevard frontage, confirm the zone for the specific parcel (C1, C2, C1-S or TC), since the matrix treats studio and school uses differently by zone.

5. 05

   State licensing sets the floor plan before the city does: 22 CCR 101238.3 requires 35 square feet of indoor activity space per child (bathrooms, halls, offices, kitchens and storage do not count), 22 CCR 101238.2 requires 75 square feet of outdoor activity space per child with a fence at least four feet high and a shaded rest area, 22 CCR 101239 requires one toilet and one handwashing fixture for every 15 children, and 22 CCR 101171 requires a fire clearance. Size the suite and the play yard to your target licensed capacity before you negotiate.