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Board advances changes to home‑occupation rules to public hearing after staff presentation
Summary
Planning staff proposed revisions to Amherst County's home‑occupation ordinance to allow limited client visits by appointment, permit one nonresident worker to visit, expand size limits in dwellings and accessory structures, and restrict advertising that reveals residences; the board directed staff to advertise the ordinance for a public hearing on Dec. 16, 2025.
The Board of Supervisors held a first reading on proposed changes to the county's home‑occupation ordinance (Ordinance 2025‑7). Planning staff said the revisions were developed with input from surrounding localities and the economic development authority and aim to allow modest home‑based businesses while limiting neighborhood impacts.
Major proposed changes include permitting certain certified professions to operate by appointment, allowing one nonresident worker to come to a property for off‑premise service tasks, prohibiting outside advertising that calls attention to a residence’s address, restricting on‑site client visits to appointment basis and limiting in‑dwelling home occupations to 40% or 1,000 square feet (whichever is smaller), with expanded accessory‑structure allowances.
Board discussion and next steps Supervisors questioned the legal enforceability of prohibiting social‑media advertisements that reference a home address, debated whether limiting clients to a single appointment at a time was too restrictive for certain uses (e.g., beauty parlors), and clarified how the changes would apply in mixed‑use village or Old Town Madison Heights districts. The county attorney was asked to advise on the social‑media advertising restriction.
Supervisor Tom Martin moved to direct staff to advertise Ordinance 2025‑7 for a public hearing on Dec. 16, 2025; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff will bring the ordinance text to the public hearing for public comment and potential further amendment.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 1365, topfinish SEG 1636
Speakers quoted (first reference with role): Unidentified Staff (Creasy); Tom Martin (Supervisor).
