Valleywide : City to Revisit Issue of Home Businesses

A city panel will consider a proposed ordinance Tuesday that would legalize home-based businesses, including accounting and law practices.

The City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee will consider a report by the city Building and Safety Department that suggests a sliding scale of fines for people who violate the law, according to Ken Bernstein, planning aide to Councilwoman Laura Chick, a member of the committee. Violations would include posting signs and hiring outside workers.

The committee in June put off a vote on the legislation, saying details--including the enforcement issue--still needed to be worked out. Bernstein said chances are good the proposed law will be approved by the committee Tuesday and sent to the City Council for final approval.

Most home-based businesses are currently outlawed under city law, although the ordinance is rarely enforced. The proposed ordinance would legalize more than two dozen home-based occupations, including engineers, composers, architects and computer programmers.

Opponents contend that home businesses could bring traffic and noise to residential areas, while supporters say the businesses provide jobs for thousands of city residents. Chick’s effort to get the law passed is the latest in a series of campaigns during the past 10 years.

The meeting begins at 1 p.m. in City Council chambers.