Rancho Santa Margarita / South Orange County
Rancho Santa Margarita is small, with 11 licensed day care centers in the 92688 zip code. The larger licenses are Montessori at the Park (131), Country Village (120) and Everbrook Academy (117), and KinderCare holds a 64-child license on Santa Margarita Parkway. For tutoring and enrichment, Plaza Antonio is the proven center: the Westar tenant roster shows Mathnasium in 1,253 sq ft and United Self Defense Academy in 1,927 sq ft alongside Pavilions and CVS. Every one of these uses needs a conditional use permit in the city's commercial zones, so budget time for that wherever you land.
Population
46,990
Median HHI
$152,560
Median age
40.9
Homeownership
72.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Primary retail corridors
Santa Margarita Parkway · Antonio Parkway · Alma Aldea · Avenida de Las Flores
Specific shopping centers in Rancho Santa Margarita that already carry credible co-tenancy for this use. Listed in approximate order of fit.
22361–22451 Antonio Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: Pavilions, CVS Pharmacy, Wells Fargo
Size: 170,000 SF
Westar-owned neighborhood center at Antonio Pkwy / SR-241 with about 61,000 cars a day per the owner. Serves Rancho Santa Margarita plus Coto de Caza, Dove Canyon, Robinson Ranch, Las Flores, and northern Mission Viejo. The premium positioning node in town.
Existing operators are the most honest comp for whether a use can support Rancho Santa Margarita rents. These are publicly visible daycare and education space businesses currently trading in the market.
KinderCare Learning Center
30062 Santa Margarita Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
State-licensed day care center on Santa Margarita Parkway, capacity 64, ages 2 to 5, first licensed in 1998 (CDSS facility 304270484).
Everbrook Academy
30722 Richard Reese Way, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
State-licensed day care center, capacity 117, ages 2 to 6, licensee Tutor Time Learning Centers, LLC, first licensed in 2007 (CDSS facility 304370327).
Montessori at the Park
21742 Buena Suerte, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
State-licensed day care center, capacity 131 (108 preschool plus 23 toddler option), first licensed in 2006 (CDSS facility 304370269).
Country Village Preschool R.S.M.
21931 Avenida de los Fundadores, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
State-licensed day care center, capacity 120, ages 2 to 6, first licensed in 2006 (CDSS facility 304370249).
Cal Elite Kids Preschool Academy
22982 Avenida Empresa, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
State-licensed day care center, capacity 90, licensed to California Elite Sports Center for classrooms and a gym area, first licensed in 2009 (CDSS facility 304370485). A preschool paired with a youth sports facility.
Mathnasium of Rancho Santa Margarita
22431 Antonio Parkway, Suite B-140, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
Math tutoring center in Plaza Antonio, 1,253 sq ft per the landlord's tenant roster. The same roster shows United Self Defense Academy in Suite C-150 (1,927 sq ft).
01
Zoning: Table 9.03.4 in Municipal Code Section 9.03.080 lists Child day care centers as C (conditional use permit under Section 9.08.110) in both the Commercial General (CG) and Commercial Neighborhood (CN) districts. There is no by-right path in the commercial zones.
02
Tutoring and preschools: the same table puts tutoring centers, preschools, and art, craft and music schools under Schools (business, vocational, and professional schools not requiring outdoor facilities), also C in CG and CN. Yoga, martial arts, dance and similar classes fall under Commercial recreation (indoor), also C.
03
Business park space: in the Business Park district, child day care is allowed only as an accessory, employer-sponsored center for employers with more than 500 employees. Do not assume business park or flex space can take a new standalone preschool without checking the parcel's zoning with Planning.
04
Parking: Section 9.06.070 requires 1 space per 5 children at maximum occupancy, with a minimum of 5 spaces, for child day care centers, and 1 space per student at maximum occupancy for tutoring and similar schools. Shopping centers are parked at 1 per 200 sq ft, so a tutoring center with 20 students can need more than its pro rata share. Raise this in the CUP pre-application.
05
Recent code change: Ordinance No. 25-04 (adopted October 8, 2025, ZCA 25-002) amended Chapters 9.01, 9.03 and 9.04 on child day care centers. Ask Planning for the ordinance and confirm nothing in it changes the CUP findings or standards for your site.
06
State licensing: 35 sq ft of indoor activity space per child (22 CCR 101238.3), 75 sq ft of fenced outdoor space per child with a fence at least four feet high (22 CCR 101238.2), one toilet and sink per 15 children (22 CCR 101239), and a fire clearance (22 CCR 101171). KinderCare's 64-child license on Santa Margarita Parkway implies about 2,240 sq ft of activity rooms and 4,800 sq ft of yard.
Zoning, licensing, and demographic figures on this page come from the public records below. Codes and licenses change, so confirm with the city and the licensing agency before you sign.