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Decatur City board grants home‑based machine‑shop permit at 621 North 10th with conditions
Summary
The Decatur City Board of Zoning Appeals granted a special exception allowing Cody Rydell to operate a small machine shop in his detached garage at 621 North 10th, and approved a waiver of an additional parking-space requirement. The board attached the applicant’s stated hours, equipment and noise conditions and reminded him to obtain permits and comply with inspections.
Chair (S1) called the Board of Zoning Appeals to order and the board considered a pair of petitions from Cody Rydell to operate a home occupation machine shop at 621 North 10th and to waive the extra parking-space requirement typically required for such a use.
Rydell (S2), who identified himself as living at 611 North 10th Street, told the board he would run the business from his detached two‑car garage. "So in my detached 2 car garage, I would like to run a small business, a machine shop," he said, adding the shop is mostly dry machining, the garage is air‑conditioned and doors would be closed most of the time. He said he has been operating similar work at the house for about a year and would move to a commercial site if he grew beyond the garage.
Board members and staff questioned traffic, noise, equipment and waste handling. A board member noted the application estimated noise around "60 or 62 decibels," and observed that residential nuisance thresholds are commonly around 75 decibels. Staff asked whether new equipment such as air compressors would be used and whether such equipment would operate inside the proposed hours. Rydell said the new equipment would be quieter than current tools and that he would follow the limits specified in his application.
The board discussed attaching the petitioner’s written conditions (hours, equipment types, noise levels, and product types) to any approval and how complaints would be handled. Chair and staff said that complaints could prompt inspections and require the applicant to return to the board for further review. Rydell said he would abide by the listed restrictions.
After reading the required findings of fact under the zoning chapter (including impacts on health, safety, property values, traffic and utilities, and compliance with code 150.263), the board voted to grant the special exception for the home occupation at 621 North 10th and to attach the petitioner’s stated conditions to the approval. The board also granted Rydell’s variance to waive the additional required parking space. The board record notes the approvals were granted by voice vote with affirmative responses from board members present.
The chair told Rydell he should coordinate with permitting staff, including "Kurt's team," to secure any necessary permits and inspections before proceeding and urged him to "be a good neighbor."
