Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

A. Purpose. It is the intent of this section to preclude incompatible home occupations from occurring in residential neighborhoods and to permit only those uses which conform to the standards of this section. Custom, tradition, and precedence are excluded as criteria for approval. In general, a home occupation shall be located and conducted such that the average neighbor, under normal circumstances, would be unaware of its presence. The standards applied are intended to insure compatibility with other permitted uses in residential areas and preserve the residential character of the neighborhood. The City Council favors home occupations that do not disrupt the neighborhood.

B. Permit Required. No activity subject to the provisions of this section shall be conducted without review by the Planning Division and the issuance of a home occupation permit. Said permit shall be a conditional permit, issued by the Director or a designated representative, acting as the Zoning Administrator. A limited period of approval may be imposed by the Zoning Administrator.

C. Application for Permit. Application for a home occupation permit shall be made to the Zoning Administrator (Director) on a form provided by the City of Petaluma.

D. Fee. The fee for a home occupation permit shall be established by resolution of the City Council from time to time hereinafter enacted.

E. Requirements and Conditions. The home occupation shall be subject to the following requirements and others as imposed by the Zoning Administrator to further the purposes of Section 7.050(A).

1. The use shall be conducted primarily within the main dwelling structure and shall not involve the use of any yard space or outside area. Accessory structures such as garages may be used but not in such a way as to preclude required vehicular parking.

2. The home occupation shall not be identifiable from the property line by any means including, but not limited to, sight, noise, light, smoke, odor, vibration, electrical interference, dust, glare, liquid or solid waste. A person standing on the boundary line of the property should not be aware of the home occupation.

3. Commercial vehicles excepting pick-up trucks of three-fourths (3/4) ton or less shall not be used in conjunction with the home occupation.

4. No internal or external alterations for the home occupation shall be made to the dwelling unit that are not customarily found in or to serve residences.

5. There shall be no outside storage of equipment or supplies.

6. Articles offered for sale shall be limited to those produced on the premises, except where the person conducting the home occupation serves as an agent or intermediary between off-site suppliers and off-site customers, in which case all articles, except samples, shall be received, stored and sold to customers at off-premises locations.

7. The home occupation shall not create pedestrian, automobile, or truck traffic or parking in residential neighborhoods in excess of that normally associated with residential use, with no more than two non-occupant vehicles present on the street at any given time.

8. No advertising shall be used which informs the public of the address of the home occupation (business cards and stationery letterhead excluded).

9. Residents and not more than two non-residents may work at a home occupation location.

10. A non-illuminated identification sign of not more than 1-1/2 square feet in area may be placed flat against an outside wall of the house to advertise the home occupation.

F. Examples of uses which will not be considered as home occupations. The uses specified below shall not be permitted as home occupations because by their nature they have one or more of the following characteristics: equipment or machinery of a type or quantity not typically found in the home; need for outside storage; parking needs greater than what can be provided on-site; need for special permits (e.g., health, ABC, Federal Firearm, etc.); need for extensive alteration to the residence or lot. The uses specified below shall not be permitted as home occupations:

1. Auto or vehicle repair, or tune-up.

2. Barber shop/beauty salon.

3. Card-reading astrological services.

4. Class instruction on premise with more than two students at any time.

5. On-site painting services (auto, boat, appliances, etc.).

6. Care, treatment, or boarding of animals for a fee.

7. Gun repair, sale of guns or ammunition (sale of five or fewer guns a year is exempt from this section).

8. Activities involving substantial amounts of dangerous or hazardous materials, including but not limited to pesticides, herbicides, poisons, and highly flammable materials.

9. Any food handling, processing, or packing, except for cottage food operations as defined in California Government Code section 113758 that must be permitted pursuant to the Cottage Food Act, California Government Code section 51035.

G. Advertising. There shall be no outside advertising of the use other than within the phone book and then no address of the premises shall be listed, only a telephone number.

H. Revocation of Permit. Upon receipt of a complaint regarding the operation of the home occupation or upon observation of a violation of City ordinances, the Director or a designated representative, shall determine whether the subject home occupation is in compliance with the provisions of this section. If the use is found not to be in full compliance with the Zoning Ordinance or conditions of approval, the Director shall have cause to suspend or revoke the zoning permit or amend operational conditions. Once a zoning permit for a home occupation has been revoked, continued practice of the home occupation at that location is no longer permitted and subsequent applications shall not be filed within one (1) year from the date of revocation.

I. Appeal. As prescribed in Section 24.090. (Ord. 2811 § 4, 2022.)