Seeking definitions on home businesses comes before FMPC
What constitutes a home business, and what is allowed to happen, left Farragut Municipal Planning Commissioners talking but taking no action during its meeting Thursday, April 17.
“There’s a lot to unpack here,” Commissioner Noah Myers said.
While applauding the staff’s and working committees’ efforts on the proposed ordinance, Commissioner Jon Greene observed, “My issues are people trying to comply with it and the Town trying to enforce it. … it gets pretty complicated.”
The Town staff initiated a discussion on home occupations during an Oct. 17, 2024, Planning Commission meeting in response to growing permitting issues and citizen complaints regarding the operation and conduct of home businesses — what FMPC members referred to as “home occupations” — in residential neighborhoods, according to assistant Community Development director Bart Hose.
“While the Town’s zoning ordinance does address ‘customary home occupations (attached)’, the permitting issues and citizen complaints raised questions regarding the application of the current regulations to the range of possible home occupations and the Town’s intent and preferences for regulating such uses,” Hose said.
In addition, he said the Town also was in the process of revamping and publicizing its Business Privilege License process, “which was likely to increase the number of applications for home occupation permits.”
During the October 2024 meeting, the Planning Commission asked staff to develop potential zoning amendments to better address the issue, which included the use of a five-member citizen working group to provide input on the issue and potential amendments.
Hose presented their findings and recommendations on Thursday, one idea of which included “allowing low-impact, predominantly office activity-based home occupations, as ‘by right’ uses that would not require a formal permit and broadening the list of business uses that can be considered as home occupations,” Hose said.
Several Commissioners said they would be in favor of the “as by right” conditions.
“A working draft of a zoning amendment has been developed to reflect these goals,” Hose said. “At this point, the Town staff thought it would be appropriate to update the Planning Commission on the project and ask for its input on both the overall approach and several issues that need to be resolved before a final draft is presented for consideration.
“The principal zoning issue with home occupations involves mitigating and balancing potential impacts on the residential character of a neighborhood,” he added.
“At what point do the activities and likely impacts associated with a home occupation go beyond what should be reasonably expected and accepted in a residential neighborhood?”
Draft regulations “would allow for a range of business activities as home occupations, provided various standards and conditions are met,” Hose said.
