None of the City’s Business

No one wants a neighbor running a car repair business out of his home, and cities don’t want to miss out on sales tax revenue. But crackdowns on small, one-person businesses should be leavened with common sense, especially when the rules are changed on the homeowner-businessperson.

Three years ago, Laguna Hills annexed an area called Laguna Terrace. Before that, the small neighborhood was unincorporated territory, meaning it came under county jurisdiction. Laguna Hills is no stranger to county jurisdiction, since it’s only been 10 years since it became a city. But Laguna Hills is a substantial entity and carried clout with the county even before incorporation.

Since taking over Laguna Terrace, the city has been bringing home businesses into compliance with its codes. This year the city has taken action against three home-business owners, two of whom are working to make their operations conform with city ordinances.

It’s a bit more difficult for the third, Rebecca Apodaca. The city forbids garage businesses, but Apodaca already had transformed her garage into a workshop where she repairs musical instruments. In addition, she has four phone lines rather than the allowable two.

Apodaca has spent 23 years building her business. She should be allowed to keep it, so long as she complies with the codes in effect when the county ruled Laguna Terrace. That process is known as grandfathering. Make whoever lives in the house next conform to the city laws, but let Apodaca carry on.

Apodaca says her health prevents her from operating an office separate from her home. In addition, the city wants her to remove the Mayan figures near her front door. Each statue holds a rusty wind instrument. Apodaca repairs instruments. Thus, it’s advertising, says the city, and is prohibited. That’s absurd.

Cities should move carefully when they annex unincorporated land. Many residents choose to live there because of fewer regulations. That’s not anarchy, just a different lifestyle. It’s wrong to change the rules in the middle of the game.