Chapter 17.80 — HOME OCCUPATIONS

Home occupations as defined by § 17.04.309 shall include any business use customarily conducted entirely within a residential dwelling and permitted accessory structure and carried on by the inhabitants thereof. This would not include home hobbies which are not primarily conducted to generate income and not meet the requirements for a business license. The use shall be clearly incidental and secondary to the principal use as a residence. The provisions of this chapter are intended to preserve and protect the residential character of established neighborhoods. All home occupations shall be carried out in conformance with this chapter and shall be subject to code enforcement action if the city determines that the use is carried on in violation of this title. The following uses or similar uses shall be considered as home occupations, provided that such uses comply with the standards and criteria established by this chapter:

(A) Consultative professional or technical occupations, consisting of the rendering of a service that does not involve the dispensation of goods or products directly to the public;

(B) Secondary business offices, where the business has its principal office, staff and equipment located elsewhere;

(C) The home office of a salesperson or distribution business, when all sales are conducted off-premises or by correspondence with no commodities on display or available for direct sale on the premises;

(D) Educational services such as music, voice or dance instructors or others who provide specialized personal training to clients;

(E) Craft, artistic or cottage industry occupations which do not require the use of machinery, tools, equipment or materials that are not recognized as normal hobby or residential use or change the fire safety or occupancy classification of the premises;

(F) Contractors' offices, when the function at the home is limited to record keeping, communications, scheduling, ordering or billing and all physical activities and gathering of employees or subcontractors is off-premises. No storage of business equipment or materials shall be allowed at the home; and

(G) Large family day care homes as defined in § 17.04.250 and regulated by § 17.80.020(N).

(H) Cottage food operations, as defined in § 17.04.167.

(`78 Code, § 17.80.010.) (Ord. 3132 § 5 (part), 2013; Ord. 2910 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 2816 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2179 § 1, 1993; Ord. 2085 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1955 § 33, 1989; Ord. 1521 § 3, 1978.)

The following standards and criteria shall apply to the operation of all home occupations:

(A) There shall be no more than one full-time employee on-site other than the members of the resident family. Adequate off-street parking shall be provided for such nonresident employees.

(B) There shall be no use of material or mechanical equipment not recognized as being part of normal household or hobby uses. Explosive, flammable, toxic or extremely hazardous substances in such types and quantities to be determined by the Fire Department in conformance with the city's fire codes as unsafe for residential use shall not be permitted in the operation of any home occupation.

(C) There shall be no regular or permanent display or physical sales of products or rendering of services, such as but not limited to auto detailing, large equipment repair, auto repair on the premises. Notwithstanding the foregoing, cottage food operations may sell cottage food products directly to customers at the residential dwelling where the

cottage food operation is located so long as there is no regular or permanent display of cottage food products on the exterior of the residential dwelling.

(D) There shall be a maximum of five customers or patrons visiting the premises per day. Notwithstanding the foregoing, home occupations providing educational services, such as music, academic, or religious instruction, may have a maximum of three students at one time, provided that there are no more than six vehicles or nine customers visiting the premises per day.

(E) One commercially registered vehicle only may be parked or used in conjunction with the home occupation. The vehicle shall not be a tow truck and shall not exceed a one-ton capacity and the dimensions set forth in § 8.32.030(J).

(F) Delivery and shipment of goods and materials for the home occupation shall be by the U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service that is generally recognized to service residential neighborhoods. Deliveries or pick-up of goods or materials by commercial vehicles with three or more axles is prohibited.

(G) There shall be no signs or advertising structures other than those permitted in the zone per Chapter 17.74.

(H) There shall be no operations in connection with the home occupation that create excessive glare, dust, odor, vibration, noise or interference with any radio, television, or electrical equipment beyond the boundaries of the subject property. Music studios must comply with the noise standards promulgated in § 17.84.040 and may be subject to soundproofing.

(I) There shall be no modifications to the exterior of the home that would not be recognized as a residential improvement or cause the structure to be recognized as a nonresidential use.

(J) All aspects of the home occupation, both operation and storage, shall take place inside a permitted structure and not take up more than 20% of the residential structure's total square footage. Garage usage shall not encroach into the 18' by 20' dimensions required for a two-car garage or otherwise impact required off-street parking.

(K) No significant increase in pedestrian or vehicular traffic shall be generated by the home occupation.

(L) A home occupation shall have a valid city business license. A home hobby or business with sales that exceed $1,000 per year is considered a home occupation.

(M) The provisions of this section shall not apply to authorized businesses located in any dwelling developed under the mixed use land zoning designation.

(N) Large family day care homes shall be exempt from subsections (A), (D), (J), and (K) of § 17.80.020 and shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(1) The minimum indoor and outdoor play area per child shall be as required under California state law, including, but not limited to, Cal. Code of Regulations Title 22;

(2) The provider shall demonstrate that it is a licensed day care operator or that it is in the process of obtaining a license from the Riverside County Department of Public and Social Services;

(3) Outdoor play for children shall be limited to the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and shall be located in the rear yard of the residence;

(4) Adequate space for the parking of vehicles in the driveway or at curbside for the purposes of loading and unloading children shall be provided in order to minimize traffic hazards; and

(5) Compliance with the regulations of the State Fire Marshal for large family day care home pursuant to Cal. Code of Regulations Title 22; and

(6) Shall not be located within 1,000 feet of another large home family day care.

(`78 Code, § 17.80.020.) (Ord. 3132 § 5 (part), 2013; Ord. 2910 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 2816 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2085 § 2, 1991.)

17.80.030 Cottage food operation permit required.

(A) No cottage food operation shall be established unless and until a ministerial permit has been issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(B) An application for a cottage food operation permit shall be filed with the Zoning Administrator on forms approved by the Community Development Department, and shall be accompanied by a filing fee as established by City Council resolution.

(C) Within 30 days after the date on which the application is filed, the Zoning Administrator shall review the application to determine if the proposed cottage food operation meets the standards and criteria set forth in § 17.80.020. If it is determined that all such standards and criteria are met, the Zoning Administrator shall issue the cottage food operation permit. In addition to a cottage food operation permit required by this section, cottage food operations shall be required to obtain a registration or permit from Riverside County Environmental Health pursuant to § 8.16.050.

(D) The decision of the Zoning Administrator may be appealed pursuant to Chapter 17.95.

(E) A cottage food operation permit issued pursuant to this section shall be valid only as to the operation and residence for which it is issued. The permit shall be valid until revoked, except that the permit shall expire automatically if the cottage food operation for which the permit is issued is discontinued for a period of one year.

(F) Pursuant to § 17.99.120, a cottage food operation permit may be revoked by the Zoning Administrator for noncompliance with or violation of any of the standards and criteria set forth in § 17.80.020. (Ord. 3132 § 5 (part), 2013.)

The following uses or similar uses shall be prohibited as home occupations:

• (A) Cannabis storefront retailer.

• (B) Cannabis non-storefront retailer.

• (C) Cannabis manufacturing.

• (D) Cannabis distribution.

• (E) Cannabis testing laboratory.

• (F) Cannabis microbusiness.

• (G) Cannabis cultivation.

• (H) Any type of commercial cannabis activity.

• (Ord. 3323 § 3, 2020; Ord. 3223 § 36, 2016; Ord. 3220 § 35, 2015.)