Riverton planning commission approves Firefly Roasters home-occupation permit with odor-control condition

The Riverton City Planning Commission on Thursday approved a conditional use permit allowing Firefly Roasters to operate a home-based coffee roasting business at 3726 West Merced Circle, with conditions requiring filtration to limit outdoor odors and other standard home-occupation limits.

The permit, filed as PLZ 20‑5‑2017, was approved unanimously after staff described the proposal and commissioners heard from the applicant and two nearby neighbors who had attended a demonstration of the proposed roaster.

Staff planner Lisa (last name not specified) told the commission the property is about 0.36 acres and that the applicant proposes to use up to 50% of a detached garage for business — the maximum accessory-building business use allowed by the city’s home‑occupation code. She said the code’s fixed standards prohibit home occupations that produce odors, smoke, dust or heat unless conditions can mitigate impacts.

“The home occupation shall not create or be associated with or produce odors, smoke, dust, heat fumes,” Lisa said, repeating the code language to underline the commission’s discretion to impose conditions. She added the particular roaster Mr. Henry plans to use is a specialty model designed for small shops and includes a filtration system; staff proposed a sample condition requiring equipment with filtration that prevents odors from reaching neighboring properties.

Applicant Jeremy Henry said the proposal is intended to fund a charity that provides free surgeries in other countries. “This is all being done to support the charity,” Henry said. He told commissioners he had run the roaster for several small experimental batches, invited neighbors to a demonstration and said he and attendees could not detect an odor outside the garage during those tests.

Two neighbors who live adjacent to or near the property addressed the commission during the public hearing. Brenda Hook, who identified her address as 3713 Shasta Circle, said she and her family spend time in their backyard and that her husband is sensitive to coffee aromas, but she said she attended the demonstration and did not detect roasting odors. “I attended the other evening for his demonstration, [and] I could not smell even the slightest hint of any of it,” Hook said.

Amy Goodrich, who said she lives directly next door, also said she attended the demonstration and did not detect an odor. “I was really impressed with how it was,” Goodrich said.

Commissioners discussed enforcement and remedies if neighbors later complain. Commissioner Cannon noted code-enforcement would investigate complaints and, if necessary, the matter could be brought back to the planning commission for further action. Lisa confirmed that is the typical enforcement path.

Commissioner Mathison made the motion to approve PLZ 20‑5‑2017 with conditions 1–8 (including a condition requiring use of roasting equipment with filtration that prevents odors from leaving the building). Commissioner Rushden seconded. The commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit. The commission’s vote authorizes the home‑occupation permit under the cited conditions; the applicant must still comply with state and county health and agricultural requirements referenced by staff if retail food handling or shipping regulations apply.

Mr. Henry said he would be willing to further upgrade filtration or add additional enclosure measures if complaints occur. “I would absolutely be fine with doing everything I could to make that happen,” he told commissioners.

The commission noted the applicant’s outreach to neighbors and the demonstration he conducted. Staff will finalize the permit language and the applicant must pursue any required health‑department approvals before commencing retail operations that involve food handling or shipping.

Votes at a glance: PLZ 20‑5‑2017 Firefly Roasters — approved unanimously (motion: Commissioner Mathison; second: Commissioner Rushden).