5.80.050 General operating standards

5.80.050 General operating standards.

A. All home occupations must comply with the following standards and qualifications:

1. Code Compliance. There shall be complete conformity with fire, building, plumbing, electrical and all other City, county, State and federal codes.

2. Area. The home occupation activity shall be conducted entirely within the home of the applicant or an enclosed garage if said structure is located on the premises of the applicant. The total permissible square footage to be used for the home occupation shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total ground floor square footage of the house, or one room, whichever is greater. Where an accessory building or a screened rear yard is used, no more than twenty-five percent of the total ground floor square footage of the house or six hundred square feet in area, whichever is less, shall be devoted to the home occupation.

3. Yard. No home businesses are allowed to operate outside of an enclosed structure, unless otherwise approved by the City Manager for outside activities. The home occupation shall not involve the use of any yard space for storage or display of supplies, inventory, or equipment, unless specifically stored within trailers or accessory structures. Any screened area or accessory structure used for the home occupation must be located in either the side or rear yard areas.

4. Internal or external alterations shall not be made to the dwelling or yard area that will change its residential character or the character of the neighborhood.

5. A home occupation shall not involve the installation of machinery or additional equipment other than that customary to normal household operations.

6. Signs. A person who engages in a home occupation shall not use advertisements, signs, window displays, or displays on or off the premises; provided, however, that this shall not be construed to regulate signage attached to vehicles.

7. Customers and Clients. A home occupation shall not involve or result in the presence of more than two customers or clients on the premises at one time.

8. Noise. A home occupation shall not generate loud or raucous noise, or utilize mechanical, electrical or other equipment or items that produce noise, electrical or magnetic interference, vibration, heat, glare, smoke, dust, odor or other nuisance outside the residential building.

9. Equipment and Explosives. A home occupation shall not involve the visible storage of equipment or materials, or the presence of highly explosive or combustible equipment.

10. Employees. At the discretion of staff and based upon site-specific considerations, home occupations may be permitted up to two employees who are not residents of the primary dwelling.

a. A home occupation shall not generate more traffic than the typical or average dwelling unit in a residential zone, with the exception of child day cares and preschools.

b. The home occupation shall not involve the use of commercial vehicles, other than a taxi, a shuttle, or a standard delivery vehicle for delivery of materials to or from the premises. Each licensee is permitted to use and park on the licensed premises one commercial vehicle that has a rated capacity not to exceed one ton.

c. No heavy equipment, heavy machinery, or vehicle having a gross weight of two thousand pounds (one ton) or more may be stored outside a residence in connection with a home occupation.

d. Parking spaces shall be provided for the dwelling and the home occupation in accordance with the specifications in Section 17.09.220, Off-street parking and loading--Number of spaces. The licensee shall provide developed off-street parking for the commercial vehicle used in the business and all employee vehicles. This provision excludes stops made by delivery vehicles.

e. The home occupation shall not occupy any area required to satisfy off-street parking requirements.

f. One trailer may be used in association with the home occupation, provided it meets the following criteria:

i. An open or enclosed trailer with a body length of twenty feet or less, excluding the tongue;

ii. Materials/equipment shall not be stored outside of the trailer;

iii. The trailer shall be parked in the side or rear yard, on an off-street parking area, or garaged on the property, and shall not be parked on the street in front of the house. If the home is located on a corner lot, the trailer shall not be stored on the side street of the house unless it is out of the required front yard setback. If the topography of the lot prohibits the parking of the trailer on the side or rear yard, the trailer must be stored off site; and

iv. The trailer must be well maintained, and must not present negative impacts for adjacent neighbors, including but not limited to: odors, dust, parking location, or driving visibility on the street.

B. Businesses that engage in some form of manufacturing or production shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for compatibility with adjacent properties and the neighborhood.

C. The City may place additional restrictions on a home occupation relating to hours of operation, parking, traffic or other matters as it deems necessary to mitigate impacts on the neighborhood and the City in general.

D. The City retains the right to inspect any and all premises licensed for home occupation during reasonable hours to determine compliance with the provisions of this title. (Ord. 18-15, 2018)