Home-Based Business Rules Under Review

Concerned that civic rules governing home-based businesses may be too strict, the City Council has formed a committee to review and possibly revise the regulations.

Council members Sandi Webb and Paul Miller will work with the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce and local entrepreneurs to consider changes to the city’s guidelines for businesses operated out of houses. The move came in response to entrepreneurs’ complaints that the rules contained too many restrictions.

The council Monday discussed a report comparing Simi Valley’s home business regulations with those in other Ventura County cities. Although the report found that most local cities took the same philosophical approach--trying to ensure that businesses did not become the primary use of residential buildings--they differed substantially on such details as how much of a house can be devoted to business storage space.

Miller said he disagreed with Simi Valley’s storage rules, which prohibit business owners from stashing business-related products or materials in their garages.

“If a person has a two-car garage, and both cars fit in the garage at night, why should we restrict storage in the garage?” he said.