(A) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to specify requirements for the establishment and operation of home occupations to ensure that home occupations are compatible with the neighborhood in which they are located.
(B) Classification of Home Occupations. A home occupation shall be considered an accessory use to any residential dwelling unit and permitted subject to the following regulations. For the purpose of this chapter, home occupations shall be further classified as either a minor, major or prohibited home occupation. Home occupations complying with the general requirements and the standards established in subsection (D) below shall be considered minor in character and permitted by right with no further approval required. Home occupations that are considered major home occupations shall be permitted by right in all non-residential zoning districts, but shall require a special use permit in a residential zoning district.
(C) General Requirements. All home occupations shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) The home occupation shall be clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for dwelling purposes.
(2) The home occupation shall be operated and contained entirely within the interior of the dwelling unit or other accessory buildings and there shall be no outside storage or display of material used in conjunction with the home occupation on the premises.
(3) The appearance of the dwelling shall not be altered nor the home occupation be conducted in a manner which would cause the premises to differ from its residential character.
(4) No highly explosive or combustible material shall be used or stored on the premises.
(5) No activity shall be allowed which would interfere with radio or television transmission in the area, nor shall there be any offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat or glare noticeable at or beyond the lot line.
(6) There shall not be conducted on the premises the business of selling stocks of merchandise, supplies, or products, provided that orders previously made by telephone or at a sales party may be filled on the premises, i.e., direct sales of products off display shelves or racks is not allowed, but a person may pick up an order placed earlier as described above; and incidental retail sales may be made in connection with the home occupation; e.g., a single-chair beauty parlor would be allowed to sell combs, hair spray, and other miscellaneous items to their customers. However, a dressmaker would be required to do only custom work for specific clients, and would not be allowed to develop stocks of dresses for sale to the general public on-site.
(7) Deliveries from commercial suppliers shall not be received more than once a week and the deliveries shall not be made by semi-trailer trucks.
(8) Deliveries to or from the residence shall not be made between the hours of 8:00 pm and 6:00 am.
(9) No more than one business vehicle used in conjunction with the home occupation may be parked on the premises or an abutting street at any time.
(10) Pedestrian and vehicular traffic generated by clients or customers of a home occupation shall be prohibited on the premises between the hours of 8:00 pm and 6:00 am.
(11) Additional parking spaces shall be made available to compensate for parking needs generated by providing one additional space for each 300 square feet of floor area used for the home occupation.
(D) Minor Home Occupations. Any activity that meets but does not exceed the following standards shall be classified as a minor home occupation:
(1) No person who is not a resident of the dwelling unit may be employed on the lot in connection with the home occupation.
(2) No customers or clients shall be permitted on the lot in connection with the home occupation.
(3) No more than one room of the dwelling unit may be used for the home occupation.
(4) There shall be no advertising, display, or other indications of a home occupation on the premises.
(5) Permitted minor home occupations may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: artists and sculptors; authors and composers; home crafts for sale off-site; office facility of minister, rabbi, or priest; office facility of a salesperson, sales representative, or manufacturer's representative, provided that no transactions are made in person on the premises; telephone solicitation work.
(6) Prohibited minor home occupations shall include those activities listed in subsection (F) below.
(E) Major Home Occupations. Any activity that exceeds the standards set forth above for minor home occupations but does not exceed the following standards shall be classified as a major home occupation:
(1) No more than one person, who is not a member of the immediate family that resides in the dwelling unit, shall be employed on the lot and engaged in the home occupation.
(2) No more than four customers or clients of the home occupation shall be allowed in the dwelling unit or on the premises during any 60 minute period nor more than 10 in any given 24 hour period.
(3) Vehicular traffic associated with the home occupation shall not exceed two vehicles on the lot at any one time.
(4) The total floor area used for the home occupation (including storage) shall not exceed 25% of the gross floor area of the dwelling unit.
(5) No signs shall be present on the lot except for one wall sign, not to exceed one square foot, indicating the occupant's name and occupation, e.g., "John Doe, Accountant".
(6) Permitted major home occupations may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: single-chair beauty parlors and barber shops; organized classes; small engine repairs, excluding automobile, motorcycle, and snowmobile engines.
(F) Prohibited Home Occupations. Any activity that would exceed the standards for a major home occupation shall be prohibited as a home occupation. In addition, the following activities, by the nature of the investment or operation, have a pronounced tendency once started to rapidly increase beyond the limits permitted for home occupations and thereby impair the use of and devalue a neighborhood for residential purposes and therefore shall be prohibited as home occupations: minor or major auto repair; painting of vehicles, trailers, or boats; funeral chapel or home; gift shops; medical or dental clinics; rental businesses; catering businesses; welding or machining work; residence-based scavenger/salvage operations; animal kennels; private clubs.
(G) Exceptions. Family day care homes, as defined in this chapter and which are licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, shall be classified as minor home occupations and permitted by right in any zoning district where minor home occupations are permitted, even if a particular family day care home exceeds the criteria as set forth in this Ordinance for minor home occupations.
(Ord. 8612, passed 12-2-08)