Will Your Daycare Be Downsizing?

Home day care providers in Fairfax County will find out Tuesday exactly how many children they’ll be legally allowed to care for under county code.

Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors is scheduled to decide at 4 p.m. Tuesday whether to increase from 10 to 12 the number of children providers can supervise with a special permit.

With a license from the Commonwealth of Virginia, a provider can care for up to 12 children. But Fairfax County ordinances only allow for seven children, unless the provider applies for the special permit for 10 children.

The county rarely enforced the law and many providers took on a dozen children, arguing state law granted them that option. But new requirements from the state that say daycare applicants must be in line with county zoning laws forced the county to revisit the issue.

Supervisors heard a string of passionate and emotional input from day care providers last month and deferred a decision.

Though many providers have urged officials to raise the by-right number from seven, officials haven't considered the option — they think the new number appeases both providers and their neighbors, who have to deal with traffic.

There are about 500 licensed day care providers in the county. County staff expects about 400 applications for the special permit, but the cost — anywhere from $400 to $1,100 — and complicated paperwork could make it difficult for some owners.

Providers who currently have the 12 children allowed by the state will be granted a grace period from enforcement while their application is pending.

Check back Tuesday afternoon for more on this vote.