Grand Terrace Municipal Code Ch. 5.06 Home Occupation Permits

Footnotes:

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Prior ordinance history: Ord. 105.

A. Home occupation permits are intended to provide for "commercial uses" associated with a residence in those cases where that use will clearly not alter the character or the appearance of the residential environment.

B. "Commercial uses" referred to in this context consist of those home "businesses" for which a city business license is required (please refer to Chapter 5.04 on business license taxes Sections 5.04.020, 5.04.040 and 5.04.080). City business licenses are required for businesses with gross receipts greater than one thousand dollars per year. Telecommuters do not require business license. Business owners having the house as a second location are subject to business license, provided the second location is an office with stationery with a different address, direct telephone line, office equipment and accounting functions.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The following home occupations shall be permitted provided they do not violate any of the provisions of this Chapter:

A. Office uses, such as contracting and consulting, when the residence is used for purposes of receiving mail, telephone calls and bookkeeping;

B. Crafts and hobby uses, such as photography, artwork and home crafts;

C. Services, such as gardening, janitorial, typing and day care;

D. Office use for off-premises sales and vending, such as import/export, product distribution and swap meet vendors;

E. Office uses for professional occupations, such as real estate, insurance, law and medical, when the residence is used only for bookkeeping and all business activities with personal contact with clients and or patients are done at different location;

F. Other similar nature businesses found compatible with the residential character of the neighborhood as determined by the community development director.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The following home occupations are expressly prohibited in any residential zone:

A. Beauty shops, massage parlors, private clubs, dance studios and dating services;

B. The repair or construction of motor vehicles and appliances, machine shops and cabinet shops;

C. On-premises sales and vending; and

D. Art and music classes.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

"Type I HOP" means home occupations with no employees, subcontractors or subconsultants.

"Type II HOP" means home occupations with employees, subcontractors and/or subconsultants who do not work in the authorized premises.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The community development director or his/her designee shall review and act upon requests for home occupation permits.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

Items to be submitted for a home occupation permit shall include all information appropriate to evaluate application and its potential impact on the neighborhood as prescribed by the community development director. Application to contain certification that applicant follows requirements or conditions of approval of permit.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

Prior to approving a request for a home occupation permit, the community development director or his/her designee shall find that the proposed use meets the following criteria:

A. Only those members of the household who also reside on the premises may perform work at the subject home occupation premises. Nonresidents associated with the subject HOP may not perform any duties or services on the premises subject to the home occupation permit.

B. There shall be no direct sales of products or merchandise.

C. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be limited to that normally associated with residential districts, within the vehicle policy criteria formally adopted by the planning commission.

D. The home occupation shall not involve the use of commercial vehicles for the delivery of materials to or from the premises beyond those commercial vehicles normally associated with residential uses or allowed within the vehicle policy for home occupations.

E. Up to twenty-five percent of the living space or two hundred fifty square feet, whichever is greater, of the residence may be used for storage of materials and supplies related to the home occupation.

F. There shall be no outdoor storage of materials or equipment, nor shall merchandise be visible from outside the residence.

G. The home occupation shall be confined within the main residential building. A detached garage shall be considered as part of the main residential building.

H. The appearance of the structure shall not be altered nor shall the occupation within the residence be conducted in a manner which shall cause the premises to differ from its residential character either by the use of colors, materials, construction, lighting, signs or the emission of sounds, noises and vibrations.

I. The use of utilities and community facilities shall be limited to that normally associated with the use of the property for residential purposes.

J. There shall be no public advertising of the business address which is the subject of a home occupation permit. Only the services provided and phone number can be subjects of advertising. In case applicant desires to include the HOP mailing address in his/her advertisement it may not include the physical address of HOP. A post office box or other mail collection system shall be used instead. Advertising signs on the subject property shall be prohibited.

K. Type II HOPs shall be reevaluated at the end of the first year of operation. No further fee is required. In the event that the community development director or his/her designee determines, based upon evidence presented, and after hearing with the permittee, that there are significant negative impacts on the neighborhood, the home occupation permit shall be revoked.

L. The community development director may add other criteria according to specific circumstances to avoid potential negative impacts in the neighborhood.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The Community Development Director or their designee shall review a Home Occupation Permit. If it meets the criteria set forth in this Chapter, the Home Occupation Permit shall be approved. If it does not meet the criteria set forth in this Chapter, the Home Occupation Permit request shall be denied, or they can provide notice to all owners of contiguous property, seeking their support or opposition to the Home Occupation Permit. The notice shall make contiguous property owners aware of the character and scope of the proposed Home Occupation Permit and request their support or opposition to the Home Occupation Permit:

A. "Contiguous property," for the purposes of this Chapter, is defined as those properties which touch property lines of any parcel that is the subject of a request for a home occupation permit, including those properties which touch the property lines of the subject parcel when projected across public or private rights-of-way or easements.

B. Notice shall be given by first class mail or delivery to all contiguous property owners for home occupation permits.

C. Notice may be given in such other manner as is deemed necessary or desirable by the community development director in order to achieve sufficient notice.

D. Notice shall include all necessary information to give those receiving the notice a reasonable opportunity to evaluate the implications of the proposal and to participate in the decision-making process.

(Ord. No. 366, § 4, 5-13-2025; Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

Within ten days after receiving a compliant application, the Community Development Director or their designee shall review the initial findings and notify the applicant if they are compliant and approved. Within 14 days after giving notice to contiguous property owners of an application that does not meet one or more of the criteria listed in this Chapter, the Community Development Director or their designee shall review the initial findings and notify the applicant and contiguous property owners of their decision to approve or deny the Home Occupation Permit.

(Ord. No. 366, § 4, 5-13-2025; Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The community development director or his/her designee may revoke any home occupation permit for noncompliance with the conditions set forth in approving the permit, and shall give notice of such action to the permittee.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)

The decision of the community development director or his/her designee may be appealed by the applicant/permittee or affected property owner to the planning commission. Such an appeal shall be filed with the community development department within ten days after notice of the decision to deny or grant the application for the home occupation permit or revoke an existing home occupation permit. Upon the receipt of such an appeal, the community development director shall place the matter for consideration on the planning commission agenda of the next regular meeting of the planning commission. The commission shall either approve the application with conditions or deny the application based on its findings. The decision of the planning commission shall be final.

(Ord. 159 (part), 1995)