Home-business outlaws: archaic zoning laws prohibiting home businesses are finally changing - includes related article on Chicago's changing zoning laws - Watchdog

Home Office Computing, Feb, 1993 by Mary McAleer Vizard

Similarly, Los Angeles, often considered to be on the cutting edge of social and political issues, has been slow to condone home businesses. "Right now nothing is permitted, except doctors' offices on a part-time basis," said Patricia Ialongo, a Los Angeles city-planning associate. A proposal to change the ordinance "has been in the hands of upper management for some time," Ialongo says. "And it applies only to single-family zones. We left out multiple zones [those with apartment buildings] because we believe those areas are dense enough now."

TASTEFUL SIGNAGE

Many homeowner groups have opposed the proposal, believing it will turn neighborhoods into commercial zones. To prevent this, communities sometimes set standards on how a building's appearance can be altered. Some ordinances, such as those in Bellevue, Washington, and Mount Prospect, Illinois, forbid signs or any other indication that business is being conducted inside. Other municipalities, such as Eau Claire, Wisconsin, limit the owner to one sign, no bigger than one square foot, mounted flush against the wall or visible through a window. The sign may not be illuminated.

According to a report on home business by the American Planning Association, an ideal ordinance should be flexible enough to allow an owner to incubate a small business, but firm enough to push a full-fledged enterprise into a commercial zone. One way to accomplish this is to limit the percentage of space that can be dedicated to a business. The maximum is usually 25 percent.

Another common limit is on the amount and type of storage permitted. Mount Prospect, Illinois, allows storage of up to 100 cubic feet of inventory indoors, about enough to fill a closet. Bellevue, Washington, like many other communities, prohibits any outdoor storage of materials.

EMPLOYEES IN THE HOME

One of the most contentious issues in home-business zoning debates is the number of employees who can work in the home. Chicago's proposed ordinance limits employees to family members living within the home. "To me that makes no sense," said Gary J. Rovansek, president of Reliable Corp., a Chicago firm that markets office supplies to home-based businesses. He was asked by the city to critique the latest draft of its proposed ordinance. "Under that restriction, I couldn't employ my own daughter, because she doesn't live with me." He also didn't like the prohibition on retail sales from the home. "Does that include cosmetic and insurance salespeople?" he asked. "I could see not having a factory, but what impact does an insurance salesperson have.'?"

SPECIALLY ZONED SUBDIVISIONS

In some areas of the country, however, the idea of home business has been enthusiastically embraced. Whole subdivisions have sprung up where people live and work. Market Place, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, consists of 20 homes custom-built to accommodate home occupations ranging from dentistry to crafts. In Foresthill, California, a subdivision was designed to include a teleport containing a computer and modem. When the developer ran into money problems, the plans had to be scrapped. Nevertheless, such activity suggests that the opportunity to work from one's home is being viewed as an asset that can enhance the market value of a home. In fact, many people believe that zoning away the ability to work from one's home can impair property values.