Crockett updates zoning to allow 'no-impact' home-based businesses under state law

The Crockett City Council adopted an ordinance amending the city’s zoning code to conform with House Bill 2464, the 89th Legislature law that limits municipal regulation of no-impact home-based businesses.

City staff explained the change replaces the former “home occupation” provisions in Appendix A, Article 3 of the city code with a substituted section, “Home Based Business and Garage Sales,” and that the change is intended to avoid conflict with state law while preserving the city’s ability to enforce health, fire and life-safety codes.

Staff member: “House Bill 2464 … specifically prohibits the governing body or municipality from adopting or enforcing an ordinance that prohibits a no-impact home based business. Basically, what we are doing is adapting our ordinance to meet state law,” staff said. Planning and Zoning held a public hearing and recommended the code change.

Under the amended code as explained at the meeting, a no-impact home-based business that is compatible with residential use and is secondary to the property’s primary residential use may operate by right. The ordinance also retains a local limit on garage sales (staff said in the meeting they remain limited to two per year) and continues the city’s authority to ensure compliance with safety and health rules. The ordinance prohibits signage advertising a home business at the property and keeps a number of other local limits consistent with state guidance.

A motion to adopt the zoning amendment was moved and seconded and the council voted to approve the ordinance. Staff noted this is one of several expected code updates to conform local regulations with recent state legislation.

What’s next: the city will publish the ordinance change and implement the updated code language; staff said similar ordinance updates will be brought forward to ensure local code matches state requirements.