A. Purpose
To provide peace, quiet, and domestic tranquility within all residential neighborhoods within the City, and to guarantee to all residents freedom from excessive noise, traffic, nuisance, fire hazard, and other possible effects of commercial uses being conducted in residential areas. A home occupation shall be allowed in a bona fide dwelling unit subject to the requirements of this section.
B. No person other than those persons residing on the premises shall be engaged in such occupation and such person must have a valid business license issued by the City of Mexico Beach.
C. The use of the dwelling unit for the home occupation shall be clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes by its occupants, and shall under no circumstances change the residential character of the structure.
D. There shall be no change in the outside appearance of the building or premises, or other visible evidence of the conduct of such home occupation, other than one (1) sign not exceeding one (1) square foot in area, non-illuminated, mounted flat against the wall of the principal building at a position not more than two (2) feet from the main entrance of the residence.
E. No traffic shall be generated by such occupation in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood, and any need for parking generated by the conduct of such home occupation shall be met off the street and other than in a front yard required pursuant to this Code.
F. No equipment, tools, or process shall be used in such a home occupation which creates interference to neighboring properties due to noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors, or electrical interference. In the case of electrical interference, no equipment or process shall be used which creates visual or audible interference in any radio, telephone, or television receivers off the premises or causes fluctuations in line voltage off the premises.
G. Fabrication of articles commonly classified under the terms arts and handicrafts may be deemed a home occupation, subject to the other terms and conditions of this definition, and providing no retail sales are made at the home.
H. Outdoor storage of materials shall not be permitted.
I. The following shall not be considered home occupations, and shall be treated as commercial uses: band instrument instruction, studio for group instruction, public dining facility or tea room, antique or gift shops, outdoor repair, food processing, retail sales, nursery school, or kindergarten.
J. At no time shall any home occupation generate the need for more than two (2) parking spaces at once, in addition to the two (2) spaces required for a dwelling unit.
K. At no time shall any home occupation become a nuisance to neighboring properties through generation of noise, odor, fumes, vehicular traffic generation, eyesore, or any other manner.
L. The giving of individual instruction to one (1) person at a time such as an art or piano teacher, shall be deemed an acceptable home occupation; individual instruction as a home occupation for those activities listed in paragraph I above shall be prohibited.
M. Day care shall be considered a home occupation when limited to five (5) children at any given time and subject to the provisions of paragraph K above.
N. There shall be no entrance or exit way specifically provided in the dwelling or on the premises for the conduct of the home occupation thereon.
O. The owner(s) and other individual(s) primarily responsible for the home occupation shall live within the dwelling unit where said home occupation is located.
P. Deliveries from commercial suppliers may not be made more than once each week and the deliveries shall not restrict traffic circulation nor cause nuisances of any kind.
Q. The lists of home occupations that are allowed or prohibited in this section are by no means comprehensive, but instead are intended to serve as examples of acceptable and unacceptable home occupations.
R. A home occupation shall be subject to all applicable city/county occupational licensing requirements, fees, and other business taxes.
S. Any violation the standards and requirements set forth in this section may result in the permanent termination of the home occupation or for a period to be determined by the Mexico Beach City Council.
(Ord. 711, passed 2-5-2019)