CITY TAKES NEW LOOK AT HOME BUSINESS RULES.Byline: Ann-Marie Sanchez Daily News Staff Writer City officials are looking at how surrounding Ventura County cities regulate their home-based businesses as they consider whether to change the rules for Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. entrepreneurs who work out of their homes. Using the codes from Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , Camarillo, Oxnard and Fillmore as a guide, City Council members will discuss a wide range of issues, from storage, to types of enterprises run out of homes, to what portion of a dwelling can be used for a business. More than 3,000 home occupation permits have been issued to local entrepreneurs throughout Simi Valley, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. city officials. ``I think the first thing we should do is go out to the community and find out about what they need, then put something together that will work for everyone,'' said Councilwoman Sandi Webb, who runs her building design business out of her home. The current code limitations on home-based businesses include: No business signs outside the residence. No more than one room, not to exceed 10 percent of the floor area of the home, can be used for the business and the room cannot have an exterior entrance. No garage, carport CARPORT Cardiology A clinical trial–Coronary Artery Restenosis Prevention on Repeated Thromboxane-Antagonism Study that evaluated thromboxane A2-receptor blockade in preventing restenosis after PCTA in Pts with CAD. or accessory accessory, in criminal law, a person who, though not present at the commission of a crime, becomes a participator in the crime either before or after the fact of commission. building may be used for storage for the business. No commercial deliveries with the exception of parcel service and U.S. mail are allowed. No excessive foot or car traffic or equipment that disturbs neighborhood. Councilwoman Barbara Williamson said Friday she believes the current regulations need some work, including allowing greater flexibility on garage storage, so long as business owners can still park their car and neatly store materials that don't pose a threat to public safety. ``I understand we have rules and regulations and this is a good time to go back and review the ordinances,'' said Williamson. There is no plan to ease the ban on auto repair shops and restaurants in local neighborhoods, nor are there plans to allow animal training and breeding, healing arts, appliance repair and any business using explosives or highly combustible com·bus·ti·ble adj. Capable of igniting and burning. n. A substance that ignites and burns readily. materials in residential areas, officials said. ``There's always limitations because we don't want some guy working on cars with oil dripping dripping 1. continuous discharge of an exudate or secretion. 2. rendered beef fat. down his driveway into the street,'' said Williamson. ``I'm just hoping to see some reasonableness to it.'' Nationwide, about 34 million people now work at home as changes in the workplace - from downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing to new technology - offer new ways to earn a living, according to the March 1996 edition of Money Magazine. The publication estimated that 20 percent of the home businesses grossed between $100,000 and $500,000 annually in enterprises ranging from custom gift basket A gift basket, or fruit basket is typically a gift that is delivered to the recipient at their home or workplace. There are different varieties of gift baskets, some which have fruit only, some with dry/canned goods only (such as tea, crackers and jam) although the standard designs to real estate services. Benefits such as cheaper start-off costs, reduced traffic and closer families are being cited as reasons for the increase in home-based businesses, officials said. ``The fact is more and more of us are looking to work at home,'' said Webb, who started her business at home almost nine years ago. ``It's a primary freedom in this country for anyone to start a business and many of these people need to be allowed in the home.'' However, not all the council members agree that the current regulations need overhauling. Councilman Bill Davis For the artist, animator, creative director, see . For the baseball player, see .
``I think our home occupation codes have been working over years and when you have something that works well and isn't broken, why fix it?,'' Davis said. Although Davis believes a few changes are necessary such as specifics about the size of one room for a business, he doesn't want to see sweeping alterations. ``There are a few issues that need to be massaged out,'' said Davis. ``But when you start talking about such things as storage, you have to be careful with these changes or you can open up a can of worms Worms (vôrms), city (1994 pop. 79,155), Rhineland-Palatinate, SW Germany, on the Rhine River. It is an industrial city and a leading wine trade center. .'' |
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