The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Caregiver
means a person at least 18 years old and able to care for children in a registered family home in accordance with state and/or city requirements.
Child care staff
means any person whose primary duty includes direct care, supervision and guidance of children in a child care center.
Diet
means the food in the registered family home which is nutritious and served in variety and amounts adequate to ensure growth and development.
Health requirements
means immunization as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DPT), poliomyelitis and measles, mumps and rubella, and necessary documentation required by the city health department and/or state.
Infant
means any child 17 months of age and under.
Permit
means a complete document issued to the approved applicant of a registered family home authorizing operation at a specified location in accordance with the provisions of this article.
Registered family home
means a private residence permitted by the city as an operation that regularly provides care for children in a private residence.
Toddler
means any child between 18 and 24 months of age.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 1, adopted 7/17/09)
Except as stated otherwise, violations of this article are punishable as provided in section 1.01.009.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 2, adopted 7/17/09)
The director of health or designated representative shall have the authority and responsibility to enforce the provisions of this article and the state statutes when applicable regarding registered family homes, which are hereby adopted.
(a) 
Authority to inspect or visit.
The director of health or designated representative shall have the authority to inspect or visit all such registered family homes at all reasonable times and as he determines necessary to ascertain if same are being conducted in conformity with this article or if any conditions exist therein which require correction. An inspection shall be made at least once each year.
(b) 
Authority to give notice of violation or requirements to comply.
The director of health shall have the authority to give written notice, on the premises, to the operator of a registered family home, pertaining to violation of and/or requirements to comply with the provisions of this article.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 3, adopted 7/17/09)
The applicant for a permit under this article is responsible for complying with all zoning, building, fire and health ordinances of the city.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 4, adopted 7/17/09)
(a) 
The maximum number of children that a family home may provide care for in the caregiver's own residence is not more than six children under 14 years of age, including the caregiver's own children, and after school hours two additional elementary school siblings of the children given care, but the total number of children, including the caregiver's own, does not exceed six during school hours and does not exceed eight at any other given time, unless otherwise issued a special permit as set forth in this article.
(b) 
In determining how many children, according to age, [are] cared for in the family home at one time, all children are counted including the caregiver's own. The number of children that may be cared for at one time is shown by the following chart:
Preschoolers
School Age Children 5 - 13 years
Maximum Allowed
0 - 17 months
18 months - 4 years
4
0
2
6
4
1
1
6
4
2
0
6
3
0
4
7
3
1
3
7
3
2
2
7
3
3
1
7
2
0
6
8
2
1
5
8
2
2
4
8
2
3
3
8
2
4
2
8
1
5
2
8
0
6
2
8
0
0
8
8
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 5, adopted 7/17/09)
No person shall operate a registered family home without a permit issued under this article.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 6, adopted 7/17/09)
(a) 
Any person desiring to operate a registered family home operation within the city shall submit a written application provided by the director of health or designated representative.
(b) 
The application shall state the name, address and telephone number of the operator. A general statement as to past experience in child care activities shall be provided by the applicant.
(c) 
In addition to submission of an application to the director of health or his designated representative, any person desiring to operate a registered family home that regularly provides care in the caregiver's own residence for more than eight children, but not more than 12 children, under 14 years of age, including the caregiver's own children, shall make application for a special permit from the city council. The city council shall conduct a public hearing and, before such hearing, send written notice of the special permit application to each owner, as indicated by the most recently approved municipal tax roll, of real property within 200 feet of the property for which the special permit applies. The decision of the city council as to the issuance of a special permit hereunder shall be final. A special permit issued hereunder shall be subject to the enforcement section of this article.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 7, adopted 7/17/09)
The permit fee for a registered family home shall be as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code and shall be due and payable at the time such permit is issued and annually thereafter. The fee shall be paid to the department of environmental health of the city. No refund of any permit fee paid hereunder shall be made by the city for any cause.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 8, adopted 7/17/09; Ordinance adopting Code)
No permit issued under this division shall be deemed to grant a vested or property right, but such permit shall remain subject to the terms and provisions of this article and subject to such future regulations as shall be promulgated by the city council by ordinance and any investment made by an applicant or permittee shall be made subject to this article.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 9, adopted 7/17/09)
All permits, when granted and issued under this division, shall be displayed in a place readily accessible for the inspection by any city official.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 10, adopted 7/17/09)
Permits issued under this division shall be deemed personal to the permittee and shall not be assignable and may not be transferred from one location or from one place of business to another.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 11, adopted 7/17/09)
The director of health shall have the authority after giving written notice to suspend any permit if he ascertains violations of immediate danger regarding the premises, toilet facilities, sanitation, food preparation, storage and handling, storage of chemicals or any harmful solution, child neglect, potential for injury or death, infectious diseases, hazards with outdoor play areas, and failure to comply with applicable city ordinances. Suspension of the permit shall require the operator to cease all activities immediately and to bring the registered family home into compliance with directives from the environmental health department within a prescribed time period. Failure to rectify designated problems shall lead to revocation of the permit.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 12, adopted 7/17/09)
(a) 
Procedure.
The director of health shall have the authority to revoke any permit if he ascertains failure to comply with the provisions of this article by the permittee, provided that the following procedure is followed:
(1) 
The director of health, in writing, by certified mail, shall call to the attention of the permittee the failure to comply with the provisions of this article and shall specify a reasonable time, not to exceed one year, by which it is probable that the permittee can remedy such failure.
(2) 
If the permittee fails to comply with the provisions of this article within the time specified, such director shall give notice in writing to the operator, permittee, manager or other persons in control of registered family home that the permit issued is revoked.
(b) 
Appeals.
The notice of revocation of a permit shall become final after the expiration of ten days from the date of service upon the permittee, operator, manager or other person in charge of the registered family home, unless on or before the expiration of ten calendar days the permittee shall file with the city secretary a written appeal addressed to the city administrator or designated representative in which it is requested that the city administrator or designated representative grant the permittee a hearing upon the question of whether or not the permit shall be revoked. Such appeal, if made and filed as prescribed in this section, shall stay the revocation of the permit until such time as the city administrator or designated representative shall grant a hearing and make a final adjudication. Such a hearing shall be held within ten calendar days after the date of filing of such appeal, and such action and judgment of the city administrator or designated representative, after hearing all the evidence and facts, shall be final and conclusive as to all parties.
(Ordinance 2007-10-125, sec. 13, adopted 7/17/09; Ordinance adopting Code)