Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/28/2021 - Work Session

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Home Occupation Ordinance (21-20) Research Research for Home Occupation Amendment in the City of Ramsey By: Bria Raines This research is an analysis of peer community codes regarding the definition and standards of a home occupation. Staff discovered that the City's existing definition of a home occupation does not reference secondary uses on residential properties that occurs outside of structures. The following home occupation definition and ordinances recommendations were made from analyzing peer city Codes. Definition Recommendation Recent code enforcement cases, have identified that the Ramsey City Code does not have a definition that encumbers all home occupations that are seen on Ramsey properties. The purpose of revising the Home Occupation definition is to clarify that all business or commercial activities on a residential property is a home occupation. The existing Ramsey City Code defines a home occupation in Section 117-1, stating a "Home occupation means any business or commercial activity that is conducted or petitioned to be conducted from the principal or an accessory structure on the property that is zoned for residential use, by persons residing on the property". The following recommendations for the Home Occupation definitions come reom researching peer communities. i. Home occupation means any business or commercial activity that is conducted or petitioned to be conducted from the property that is zoned for residential use, by persons residing on the property. ii. Any gainful business, occupation, profession, or commercial activity conducted by a resident of that property as an incidental and accessory use of the dwelling as a residence. iii. Any gainful business, occupation, profession, or commercial activity conducted by a resident of that property as secondary or an accessory use to the residential use. The definitions determine a home occupation can occur anywhere on the property, are required to be operated by a resident of the property, and that the home occupation is secondary to the primary residential use. These criteria have not changed, but is meant to be clearly defined in the revised definition.