Ramsey Resident - 2008 - March/April

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Efwfmpqnfou City to Consider Revisions to the Home Occupation Permit Requirements Permit to those applicants who meet all parcels at least three acres in Currently, home occupation of the established criteria for a home size to have a home business regulations are divided into 3 catego- business. Any application that does not in garages or accessory build- ries: meet all of the criteria would be subject ings. This category also has 1) City Code does not require a to a public hearing and review by Plan- provisions for employees that Home Occupation Permit for ning Commission and City Council. do not live in the home on the low proﬁ le types of home busi- In addition, the proposed ordi- property. The number of non- nesses that are conducted en- nance would eliminate the three-acre resident employees allowed tirely by residents living in the requirement for employing persons that ranges from one to three, based home utilizing computer, mail, do not reside in the home. Proposed on parcel size. phone, and delivery service. amendments would allow the business In an effort to produce a more 2) The second category is Princi- to employ one non-resident employee hospitable environment for small pal Dwelling Home Occupa- on parcels less than three acres in size businesses, the Council has expressed tion, which requires a permit. and two non-resident employees on a desire to simplify the permitting This type of home business is parcels larger than three acres in size. procedures and eliminate the 3-acre conducted by only the residents A public hearing will be held parcel size threshold for businesses of the home in an area not to regarding the proposed ordinance proposed to be conducted in garages exceed 20% of the ﬂ oor area of amendment at the regular Planning or accessory buildings. the home, and does not in- Commission meeting on Thursday, Currently, applications for clude any attached or detached April 3, 2008 at 7:00 pm. Staff antici- home occupation permits are subject garages or accessory buildings. pates having a draft ordinance avail- to a public hearing conducted by the This type of permit will allow able for review by mid-March. Please Planning Commission. The Planning the permittee to invite clients contact the JoAnn Shaw, Community Commission makes a recommenda- and customers to the home. Development Department Secretary, tion to City Council to approve or 3) The third category is Acces- Planning Division at 763-433-9824 deny the application. sory Structure Home Occupa- or jshaw@ci.ramsey.mn.us, for more In the proposed ordinance tions, which also requires a information. amendment, city staff may adminis- Permit. This category provides tratively issue a Home Occupation the opportunity for owners of City Council Adopts Revisions to Sign Code the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, Other minor changes have been imple- The City Council adopted the any references to sign deﬁ nitions that mented as well, and city staff encour- revised Sign Ordinance on February rely on the sign’s message or owner ages any businesses or residents who 12. This ordinance will be published have been eliminated, including real utilize temporary signs to obtain a copy for public comment for 30 days after estate, garage sale, or construction of the new Sign Ordinance. Council adoption, and the ordinance signs, signs erected by non-proﬁ ts or The ordinance is available on will subsequently become effective in governments, public event signs, and the city’s website at www.ci.ramsey. March. business signs. Once effective, this mn.us/departments/Community/II.asp, The purpose of the ordinance ordinance will standardize the regula-click on Sign Regulations (9.12), or by is to change the sign regulations tions for all temporary signs, regard-contacting JoAnn Shaw, Community to be in compliance with the legal less of their message or owner. Development Department Secretary, opinion forwarded by the courts The sign ordinance has been Planning Division, at 763-433-9824 or which considers content-based and revised to eliminate all permits and jshaw@ci.ramsey.mn.us. owner-speciﬁ ed regulation of signs fee requirements for temporary signs. a violation of the 1st Amendment of 4 www.ci.ramsey.mn.us