Lehi resident urges code changes after anonymous complaint, council asks staff to study licensing and zoning split

Brianne Bextrom, a Lehi resident and small-business owner, told the Lehi City Council on Jan. 14 that an anonymous complaint about her home business left her feeling violated and prompted her to pursue a code amendment to protect other home-based enterprises.

Bextrom said she mailed a notice in November 2024 to more than 500 registered home-occupation holders after receiving an accusation of illegal activity. "Our business was registered and we had a business license laminated and hung on the wall in my office," she said. She said city staff questioned her for weeks and concluded the home occupation could not be made compliant under current code language.

City staff and council members described the issue as two separate problems: the development code that governs uses such as home occupations and the business-licensing process that tracks and renews permits. Kim Struthers (staff) said the draft amendment submitted by the resident went to the Development Review Committee (DRC), where some comments showed portions of the draft dealt with licensing rather than zoning. Struthers said staff and legal are reviewing the material and will separate zoning changes from business-licensing revisions.

"They did submit a proposed amendment that it went to the DRC," Struthers said. "There were some comments ... that dealt more with the business licensing. So we were trying to separate those from the zoning issues that should go in the development code." She told Bextrom the city would either carry the DRC amendment forward or let the applicant resubmit a repurposed amendment.

Council members repeatedly said they rely on staff to work through operational details. The mayor noted the city's role is typically to approve ordinances and resolutions and to direct staff to work out implementation specifics. One council member said the council has revised codes in the past in response to changing circumstances, and members expressed interest in balancing property-owner rights with neighborhood protections.

Staff identified several practical matters that need addressing if the council pursues changes: how to verify ongoing compliance at renewal, the role of inspections by fire and police, and practical enforcement for properties that may be operating outside permitted uses. A staff member noted Craig in the legal department is reviewing information about how many home occupations might be in apparent violation.

Several residents offered support and volunteered to help. Andrew Jackson identified himself as someone with a home-occupation permit who may be in violation and said he has reached out to Marlon (staff) and is willing to serve on an informal sounding board. Bextrom said she moved her company into a commercial space while pursuing changes to avoid recurring anonymous complaints.

Council outcome and next steps: No ordinance or formal policy was adopted at the meeting. Council members asked staff to continue parsing the DRC comments, separate zoning and licensing issues, and work with the resident on the submitted amendment. Staff also said they will explore options for renewal/inspection processes that could confirm continued compliance for existing home-occupation permits.

"We do recognize that there are some issues that we need to address. It's gonna take some time for us to work through those types of things," a staff member said.

Ending: Bextrom said she expects a timely response and support and encouraged the council to consider grandfathering or other remedies for existing home occupations. City staff and council members said they will continue to work with the applicant and review the DRC comments before any ordinance change is drafted for council action.