BV Leaders Had Worked On Issue Since 2024
Revisions to rules governing Buena Vista’s home occupations are now on the books. City Council unanimously approved an overhaul of the rules this past Thursday, March 5, completing a process that’s taken about a year-and-a-half.
Council members expressed some qualms about new restrictions that limit the number of customers showing up at a home occupation residence to a dozen per day and three at any given time.
Stephanie Noel-Branch questioned the “12-3” rule, saying she’d heard some businesses would be adversely affected. She acknowledged that there’s a provision that allows for appeals of specific restrictions as they’re applied to particular businesses. She asked how long the appeals process would take.
Tom Roberts, director of community development and zoning administrator, said the Board of Zoning Appeals would have 30 days to render a decision from when an appeal is filed. The BZA would consider the “intent” of the rules when deciding whether or not to grant an exception.
Amy Gilliam alluded to an Airbnb in which six different guests are allowed to lease short-term rentals within a residential district at any given time. Why should a home occupation business be limited to having only three customers at any given time, Gilliam asked.
Roberts explained that each of these scenarios is governed by different sections of the city code. The numbers may be somewhat ambiguous but each particular home occupation needs to be considered on its individual merits, he suggested.
Kristina Ramsey, director of economic development, urged Council to approve the new rules as presented. She said there are two main objectives the city is hoping to achieve – protecting the residential nature of neighborhoods and allowing an important sector of the local economy to flourish.
“I’ve wrestled with the numbers as well,” interjected Ron Cash, but added that the 12-3 rule was arrived at through a consensus of Council. “We need to quit kicking this down the road” and go ahead and approve the amended ordinance, he said.
Cash made a motion to that effect that was seconded by Noel-Branch and approved 6-0, with new member William Kerr, taking his seat on Council for the first time, abstaining.
The approval followed a second reading of the ordinance, which had been postponed from the previous Feb. 19 meeting when Mayor Jesse Lineberry was absent.
The revised rules, Roberts noted in an earlier meeting, are an attempt at bringing clarity to the ordinance and to “strike the right balance between allowing residents to conduct business activity from their homes while minimizing negative impacts on the neighborhood.”
Complaints about a home occupation business in the Racy Acres residential neighborhood in the summer of 2024 prompted the Planning Commission and City Council to initiate a process that ultimately led to last week’s enactment of the amended ordinance.
