Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Home Based Businesses topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Draft zoning distinguishes home occupation from home enterprise with 25%/50% thresholds
Summary
Consultants proposed two accessory home-based business categories: 'home occupation' limited to 25% of dwelling with resident-only employees, and 'home enterprise' allowing up to 50% of the dwelling, up to three employees (one resident), and requiring an administrative use permit.
S5/Presenter described two distinct accessory home-based uses in the draft code: a lower-intensity 'home occupation' and a higher-intensity 'home enterprise.'
Under the proposed thresholds, a home occupation would be limited to 25% of the dwelling and employees would have to be residents of the home, reflecting a low-intensity, largely invisible use. The step-up 'home enterprise' would allow up to 50% of the dwelling to be used for business activities, permit up to three employees (with at least one resident), and require an administrative use permit approved by the director.
"Home occupations...are allowed to have lower intensity business activities...We set a threshold of 25% of your dwelling...employees would have to be residents of the home," S5/Presenter said. For enterprises, the presenter noted that a modification to a use permit would not be required if the administrative permit is approved by the director, avoiding a full planning-commission hearing.
The draft aims to preserve residential character while providing a path for modest commercial activity on residential parcels; commissioners requested additional clarity on overlaps with the cottage food/cottage industry rules and on where daycare and regulated uses fit with separate state rules.
