Title
Consideration of Home Based Businesses Code Amendments Recommendation
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation
Planning Commission recommends denial of the proposed amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code for Home Based Businesses.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to accept the proposed amendments to the Olympia Code for Home Based Businesses.
or
Remand the proposed amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code for Home Based Businesses back to the Planning Commission for further consideration.
Report
Issue:
Whether to accept the proposed amendments to the Olympia Code for Home Based Businesses or remand the proposed amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code for Home Based Businesses back to the Planning Commission for further consideration.
Staff Contact:
David Ginther, Senior Planner, Community Development, 360.753.8335
Nicole Floyd, Planning Director, Community Development, 360.570.3768
Presenter(s):
David Ginther, Senior Planner, Community Development
Background and Analysis:
Home Occupation Definition: “A commercial use within a residential dwelling unit which is clearly incidental and accessory to the residential use of the property and complies with applicable provisions of this Title.” [OMC 18.02.180.H.]
The City of Olympia has regulated home based businesses (home occupations) since 1962 with the primary intent of allowing home offices, childcare, in home hair salons and other businesses so long as there is almost no outward appearance of the business. These regulations have been occasionally updated, but retain the fundamental purpose as was written in the 1960s. Today’s home occupation regulations continue to focus on avoiding increased impacts to the surrounding residences by limiting the size and scale of the business within the residence. One of the primary ways this has been accomplished has been through requiring that only those who live in the residence can work in the home based business. Other limitations such as those relate...
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