1. Large Family Day Care 

The proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment simplifies the Fairfield Municipal Code by removing the distinction between Small and Large Family Day Care to create one category, Family Day Care, which allows, by right, in-home care of children for any number below 14 children in districts which permit residential uses. The proposed ordinance amendment also eliminates the requirement for a Conditional Use Permit for large family day care homes. As required by the state, the City will defer to state regulation to address health and safety issues.   

2. Garage Conversions

When the City adopted new regulations for ADUs, the amended Municipal Code eliminated the regulations pertaining to garage conversions because such regulations potentially conflicted with the new ADU requirements. This left the City with no regulations for the high percentage of garage conversions that are not ADUs. The recommended amendment reinstates the previous zoning language governing garage conversions with a specific clarification that the regulations do not apply to ADUs or Junior ADUs (JADUs). These regulations permit garage conversions subject to certain minimal standards pertaining to on site parking and the retention of or replacement of the existing garage door(s).  

Environmental Review 
Staff has determined that the proposed amendments to the text of the Zoning Ordinance are ministerial and exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, which categorically exempts operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing structures; Section 15303, which categorically exempts construction and location of new, small facilities or structures and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another with only minor modifications made to the exterior; Section 15305, which categorically exempts Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations; and under Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The text amendments make minor changes to clarify existing standards and requirements for existing structures under state law and regulate minor conversions to existing structures; these changes will not result in any new substantial physical change to the environment.