Agenda - Council Work Session - 01/08/2008

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02- - CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Topic Report: Home Occupation Regulations By: Sylvia Frolik, Interim Community Development Director Background: Per City Council's request, the following is a summary of Ramsey's home occupation regulations. Basically, the home occupation regulations are divided into 3 categories: a) home businesses that are not subject to permit requirements; b) home businesses that are subject to permit requirements and are conducted within confines of dwelling, not in attached or detached garages or accessory buildings; c) home businesses that are subject to permit requirements conducted in attached or detached garages or accessory buildings. In the first category mentioned above, City Code does not require a Home Occupation Permit for low profile types of home businesses. These are defined as businesses conducted entirely by residents in the home with no outside employees; businesses that are conducted entirely by computer, mail, phone, and delivery service and the delivery service activity must be at a level generally expected in a residential neighborhood; and there is no evidence that a business is being conducted in the home. The second category is the Principal Dwelling Home Occupation which is conducted by only the residents of the home in an area not to exceed 20% of the floor area of the home, and does not include any attached or detached garages or accessory buildings. Again, there should be no exterior evidence that a business is being carried on in the home. This type of permit will allow the Permittee to invite clients and customers to the home provided off-street parking can be accommodated in the driveway. Retails sales are restricted to products that are accessory to the Home Occupation use: In January of 2004, City Code was amended to include the third home occupation category - Accessory Structure Home Occupations. This permit provide the opportunity to issue permits for home businesses to be conducted in garages or accessory buildings by more than just the residents of the home on the property. Some of the more significant conditions attached to this category include: 1) the parcel on which the home and accessory building are located must be at least 3 acres in size; 2) types of uses excluded are those which involve combustion engines, body shops, ammunition manufacturing, motor vehicle repair and sales, create a fire hazard or constitute a nuisance; 3) the number of non-resident employees allowed ranges from I to 3, based on parcel SlZe.