(A) Intent. The purpose of these home occupation standards is to establish minimum requirements for home-based businesses in order to protect the residential character of Hancock County's residential areas, preserve property values, and prevent the hazards to persons and property that can result from residential-commercial land use conflicts.
(B) General home occupation standards applicable to the single-family residential, multi-family residential, and manufactured home zoning districts. A home occupation may be permitted, subject to Board of Zoning Appeals approval of a special exception, as an incidental use to any dwelling unit. In order to be considered a permitted home occupation, the use shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) Activities. The face-to-face wholesale/retail sale of stocked inventories is not permitted, except for incidental sales that do not exceed 25% of total home occupation sales. Mail-order/telephone/internet sales, as well as distribution of sold merchandise is permitted. Manufacturing activities are not permitted.
(2) Effects of operation. There shall be no equipment or process used in the home occupation that creates noise, vibration, glare, smoke, fumes, odors, or electrical interference that is detectable, without the aid of instruments, off the premises (as determined by the Planning Director). There shall be no electrical or mechanical equipment utilized in the home occupation that will create any visual or audible interference with radio or television reception.
(3) Owner/operator. At least one person residing within the dwelling must be the primary operator of the home occupation.
(4) Employees. The home occupation may not involve the on-site employment or regular on-site gathering of any more than one person, other than those residing at the location of the home occupation.
(5) Outdoor storage/display. Their shall be no exterior storage of products, equipment or materials that are related to the home occupation.
(6) Business area. The home occupation may be located within the dwelling, but shall not exceed a total area of 500 square feet. The home occupation must utilize no more than 25% of the total floor area of the dwelling.
(7) Structural alterations. The home occupation must not require any structural or aesthetic alterations to the dwelling that change its residential character as described below:
(a) Dwelling appearance. The dwelling shall not be altered in its appearance and the home occupation shall not be conducted in such a manner as to differentiate the dwelling from the residential character of the area by the use of colors, materials, construction, or lighting.
(b) Entrances. The home occupation shall not require any additional entrances to the dwelling.
(c) Utility service. The home occupation shall not require increasing or enhancing the size, capacity, or flow of the water, gas, waste treatment, or electrical systems beyond what is standard for a residence.
(d) Interior alterations. There shall be no alterations to the interior of the dwelling to accommodate the home occupation that would render the structure undesirable for residential use.
(8) Parking and business vehicles. The home occupation shall not involve on-site customers, employees, meetings, or other events that necessitate the installation of any off-street parking spaces in addition to those required by this chapter for the dwelling unit. The on-site storage of business vehicles shall meet the requirements of § 156.069.
(9) Deliveries. The home occupation must not require the regular use of commercial vehicles for pickup and deliveries, other than those from the U.S. Postal Service or other small package carriers.
(10) Signs. No signs of any type shall be used, other than those permitted in the applicable zoning district by §§ 156.085 et seq.
(Ord. 2007-1B, passed 2-5-07; Am. Ord. 2010-9B, passed 9-20-10)