20C.30.60 Home Business.

20C.30.60-010 Purpose.

The purpose of the home business regulations is to allow for limited commercial activity within residences while ensuring that all commercial activity remains incidental to the residential use and does not interfere with the residential character of the neighborhood through noise, traffic, safety hazards, or other public nuisances that may be generated by the commercial activity. (Ord. 1901)

20C.30.60-020 Applicability.

Home businesses are allowed in all residential zones of the City as an accessory use to an existing dwelling unit. A business license shall be required for all home businesses. The Planning Director shall act as the final approval authority for all home business license applications. In addition, the Planning Director may impose conditions to mitigate any potential adverse impacts on surrounding uses and may consider the need to limit the hours of operation of a home business. (Ord. 1901)

20C.30.60-030 Requirements.

The following standards shall apply to all home businesses. An applicant wishing to apply for a business license for a home business must demonstrate compliance with these standards prior to obtaining a business license.

(1) Location. A home business shall be carried on wholly within the principal building or within an accessory structure. No home business nor any storage of goods, materials, or products connected with a home business shall be allowed outside of the principal building or accessory structure, except as allowed for family day care providers. Where an accessory dwelling unit exists, a home business may be conducted in either the primary dwelling unit or the accessory dwelling unit but not both.

(2) Number. No more than one home business shall be permitted within any single dwelling unit, including an accessory dwelling unit and all accessory structures.

(3) Size. No more than 25 percent of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling unit may be used for the home business. In the case of home businesses being conducted within accessory structures or detached accessory dwelling units, there shall be no size restriction placed upon the usable area for the home business.

(4) Residency. A home business must be conducted by a family member who resides in the dwelling unit. Floor space in either the primary dwelling unit or an accessory structure may not be rented out to persons not residing within the primary dwelling unit or accessory dwelling unit for business purposes. No more than one person outside the family group that resides on the premises shall engage in the business and be located on the premises.

(5) Restricted Materials. No toxic, explosive, flammable, combustible, corrosive, etiologic, radioactive, or other restricted materials shall be used or stored on the site.

(6) Maintaining Residential Character. The business shall be conducted in a manner which will not alter the normal residential character of the premises by exterior alteration of the property, expansion of parking, construction, creation of a separate entrance, the use of color, materials, lighting, signs (other than on the applicant’s vehicle), exterior storage of materials, goods or merchandise, or by the emission of sound, electric interference, vibration, dust, glare, heat, smoke, odors or liquids.

(7) Business Traffic. Visitors, customers, deliveries or other business traffic shall be limited to two visitors per hour and eight per day, and shall not require additional parking spaces.

(8) Vehicles. Vehicles larger than 10,000 pounds gross weight shall not be operated out of the premises or park on the property or adjacent streets. No more than one vehicle used in the business may be parked on the premises or operated out of the premises.

(9) Parking. The home business shall not displace or impede the use of required parking spaces for primary or accessory dwelling units.

(10) Utility Demand. Utility demand (water, sewer, electricity, garbage or natural gas) shall not exceed normal residential levels.

(11) Applicable Codes. Structures must meet City building, construction, fire and land use regulations.

(12) Motor Vehicle Related Home Businesses.

(a) Office-only activities for motor-vehicle related uses may be allowed as home businesses provided all other requirements of this section are met.

(b) Office-only motor vehicle related home businesses and stock-in-trade within the residence may be allowed provided that the following activities related to the office use are performed at other locations: washing and waxing, paint striping and detail application, window repair or replacement and repairing and tuning of boats.

(c) Except as provided in RCDG 20C.30.60-030(9) and subsection (12)(b) above and for businesses legally licensed as such within the City of Redmond as of June 14, 1995, no motor vehicle related businesses shall be allowed as home businesses including, but not limited to: auto, truck, or heavy equipment repair; body work, welding, detailing, or painting; or taxicab, van shuttle, limousine, or other transportation services.

(13) Family Day Care Providers.

(a) Family Day Care Providers are permitted as home businesses. All other day care providers are prohibited in all residential zones except the R-20 and R-30 zones. The Family Day Care Provider shall not care for more than 12 children at any time.

(b) Family Day Care Providers may operate from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

(c) Family Day Care Providers shall comply with all Building, Fire, Safety, Health Codes, and all applicable development standards.

(d) Family Day Care Providers shall obtain a business license and maintain the use license as long as the use operates.

(e) Family Day Care Providers shall obtain all required State approvals.

(f) Before beginning operation, the State Department of Licensing shall certify that the proposed Family Day Care Provider will have a safe passenger loading area.

(g) The other requirements of this section shall not apply to Family Day Care Providers. (Ord. 1901)