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Mr. Zi~merman agreed that there is a difference of opinion when it oa~es to <br />home occupations. Re believes people need 1 or 2 years to get their <br />businesses up and running in their homes before they move into the <br />business district. If the concern is for commercial taxes, all home <br />occupations should be taxed c(m~ercially for that portion of the home used <br />for business purposes. P&Z has been very specific in h~me occupation terms <br />to be sure the business activity will not be visible outside of the b0me. <br /> <br />Mayor Reimann stated that there should ~e a set policy to discourage home <br />occupations because it is a real burden on the City to police home <br />occupations when they begin to violate nuisance ordinances. A few of the <br />hu~e occupations that can be handled within the h(~e are word processing, <br />tax accounting, etc. The problems arise when the business activity is <br />allowed to take place in garages. The City should establish a track record <br />of not all(~ing businesses in residential areas; residents should not be <br />subjected to the noise and traffic associated with business activity. <br /> <br />Mr. ~.i~merman stated that im~ople move to cities with larger lots to have <br />freedom for more activity; Council has denied home occupations that are <br />contained with/n the h~e. <br /> <br />Mayor Reimann replied that there has to be a 1/mit as to what people can do <br />on their property; denial of home occupations with no visible outside <br />activity was most likely due to the business bein~ a traffic attractant. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cox stated that there is a difference of opinion because P&Z <br />sees the People wanting home occupations and Council hears from the People <br />complaining about ~ occupation activities. Businesses operating out of <br />homes are drawing business away from those that are operating in <br />appropriate districts and paying commercial rates. <br /> <br />Councilmanber Pearson stated that he attended a government services seminar <br />in which it was mentioned that as long as a home occupation is not <br />disturbing the neighborhood, it cannot be stopped; h~me occupations can be <br />made ,~lattractive by increasing their taxes. <br /> <br />Mayor Reimann stated that the City has problems it has been dealing with <br />for 15 years as a result of home occupations; some cases take as long as 3 <br />years to settle. <br /> <br />Mr. Hendriksen stated that P&Z spent a lot of time writing zoning <br />regulations that could be enforced consistently but are not. (1~ January 27 <br />Mr. Dick Carson, in accordance with proper procedures and fees, approached <br />the Board of ~djustment for a variance to side yard setbacks; that same <br />evening another person (Mr-. Hickman) got a variance from Council through <br />channels that don't appear in Ramsey's regulations. When there is more <br />than one avenue to accomplish the same goal, it throws the whole system <br />off. <br /> <br />Counc~r Cox stated that the Hickman case did not come before P&Z <br />until after the building was built. <br /> <br />Joint City Council-Planning & Zoning/February 17, 1987 <br /> <br />Page 2 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br />