TOWN OF WELLS HOME BUSINESS APPLICATION PACKET

Transcription

1 TOWN OF WELLS HOME BUSINESS APPLICATION PACKET Attached you will find the information packet for a Home Business including Chapter 145, Section 51 that outlines the criteria you must fall into to be considered a home business. When applying for the permit you will need to include the following information: - A cover letter explaining your home business and how it meets the criteria, item by item (see attached Sample Letter); - A floor plan showing the dimensions and the specific area(s) of the dwelling the home business shall occupy (see attached example); - A plot plan of the property showing how the criteria of C shall be met (see attached example); - A completed checklist identifying the use and class proposed (see attached); - A copy of the property deed or right, title and interest; - If you do not own the property, a letter from the owner giving permission to conduct the specific home business you wish to conduct must be provided; - If the property is served by public water, a letter from the KKW Water District stating there is adequate capacity to serve the home business proposed, must be provided (call ); - If the property is served by public sewer, a letter from the Wells Sanitary District stating there is adequate capacity to serve the home business proposed, must be provided (call ); - If there are no structural changes, you simply fill out the attached Home Business Permit Application for a permit to establish a home business. If there is going to be structural modifications, you will also have to include those drawings, which must provide specific dimensions as well as stating all the materials to be used and their application in relationship to the Home Business; - A change of use means the Code Office is going to review this project to add an additional use to the property other than a dwelling space. If no structural changes proposed the Base Fee is $ If structural modifications proposed the Base Fee is $35.00 plus $.15 per square foot of structural change. After the Home Business Permit has been issued: If you are going to be doing structural work, then see the attached sample sheets with requirements to be supplied before you begin any work and follow those instructions, which are included in the Building Permit Packet. After you have received your Permit(s) and have set up the home business space, you must contact the Code Enforcement Office for your Certificate of Occupancy inspection. Once the inspection has been completed and the inspector issues the Certificate of Occupancy, you may come to the Code Enforcement Office and pick up the Certificate of Occupancy. The Certificate of Occupancy is a very important step in making your home business legal. At this point, you will need to apply at the Town Clerk s office for a business license.

2 SAMPLE LETTER Ms. Jodine Adams Code Enforcement Officer Town of Wells 208 Sanford Road Wells, ME Month/ Day/ Year Dear Ms. Adams, I am requesting a permit to allow me the use of my residence at 22 Yourstreet Street for a home business. I intend to serve as an (example: independent computer consultant, creating customized databases for athletic and educational organizations). In effect, my work will be computer programming, an acceptable home business listed under Section 51(B)(1) of Chapter 145 of the Land Use Code which is identified as a Business, Office use. The following is an explanation of how my home business meets the Class 1 standards listed under (A). See also the attached checklist prepared. a. My home business will be incidental to the residential use of the dwelling unit and shall be located within my home on the second floor. b. My home business shall not occupy more than 20% of habitable space (gross floor area of my home), not to exceed 500 square feet, as my home is 2,000 SF in size and the office space I propose is only 350 SF in size. c. I shall have only 1 employee for which 1 on-site parking space shall be provided. d. I shall have no outdoor activities or storage of materials on my property. e. I shall have adequate parking available for the residence and employee. I will have no customers visiting my home business. f. As there is no minimum lot size requirement, my 21,000 SF property is permitted to be a Class 1 home business. The attached floor plan and plot plan of my residence and property depicts how my home business shall comply with the standards of C. Based on the information provided, you can see that my home business is a secondary and incidental use of my residence. The external activity level and impact in negligible and in keeping with the residential character of the neighborhood. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely, Your Name Your Title

3 SAMPLE FLOOR PLAN

4 SAMPLE PLOT PLAN - You may obtain a print out from the Wells Planning Office of your property based on Web GIS tax map information and aerial imagery which can be printed out to scale.

5 Home Business Classification Lot Size Total Size of Space(s) in SF Gross Square Footage of Residence # of Employees (excluding home occupants) # of Home Occupants employed Total Square Footage of on-site outdoor activity or storage space Total # of onsite parking Off-site activity proposed (Y/N) Based on the above information my home business is considered a: (circle one) Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 (1) Class 1: (a) Located within the principal residential structure only. (b) Shall occupy up to 20% of habitable space, not to exceed 500 square feet. (c) Not more than one employee, other than the home s occupants, may work on-site at any time, and one additional on-site parking space shall be provided if there is such an employee. (d) No outdoor activity or storage of materials shall be permitted. (e) Adequate on-site parking shall be provided for the residence, customers and employees. (f) Minimum lot size: none. (2) Class 2: (a) May be located in the principal residential structure or an accessory structure. (b) Shall occupy 800 square feet or less of floor space. (c) Not more than two employees, other than the home s occupants, may work on-site at any time, and one on-site parking space shall be provided per employee, if there are such employees, in addition to on-site parking required for the residence and customers. (d) Outdoor activity or storage of materials shall be permitted in an area not to exceed 1,600 square feet, provided the area meets structure setbacks and the area is screened from roads and abutters. (e) To the extent a home business involves off-site activity (landscaper, carpenter, etc.), up to 3 additional workers may gather, prepare briefly, load vehicles, unload vehicles associated with the home business, provided that at least three quarters of the work day for these other workers is spent working off-site. Adequate on-site parking for workers shall be provided. (f) Minimum lot size: 20,000 square feet of net area. (3) Class 3: (a) May be located in the principal residential structure or an accessory structure (b) Shall occupy 1,600 square feet or less of floor space. (c) Not more than three employees, other than the home s occupants, may work on-site at any time, and one additional on-site parking space shall be provided per employee, if there are such employees, in addition to on-site parking required for the residence and customers. (d) Outdoor activity or storage of materials shall be permitted in an area not to exceed 4,400 square feet, provided the area meets structure setbacks and the area is screened from roads and abutters. (e) To the extent a home business involves off-site activity (landscaper, carpenter, etc.), up to 5 additional workers may gather, prepare briefly, load vehicles, unload vehicles associated with the home business, provided that at least three quarters of the work day for these other workers is spent working off-site. Adequate on-site parking for workers shall be provided. (f) Minimum lot size: 100,000 square feet of net area. Home Business Type (Check the one that applies to your Home Business) BUSINESS, RETAIL - A business engaged in the sale, rental or lease of goods to the ultimate consumer for his or her use or consumption and not for resale. So-called wholesale clubs at which members pay a yearly fee but are primarily ultimate consumers are considered retail uses. The

6 maximum size of retail businesses in the General Business District shall not exceed 40,000 square feet. [Amended ] BUSINESS, OFFICE - A business which provides administrative, professional or clerical services (e.g., lawyer, insurance agent, accountant, surveyor, planner, engineer, etc.). The term "business office" excludes medical and doctors' offices. BUSINESS, PERSONAL SERVICE - A business engaged in the provision of personal services, such as but not limited to a doctor, hairdresser, barber, beautician, masseuse or tanning salon. BUSINESS, SERVICE - A business engaged in the provision of an actual service on the premises, such as but not limited to cleaning or repairing personal property, training or teaching people, a small animal veterinary practice, pet grooming, the redemption of beverage containers or a funeral home. Service businesses does not include a self-storage facility. [Amended ] BUSINESS, CONTRACTOR - A business engaged in the provision of a service off premises but which has an office and equipment/materials stored on the premises. BUSINESS, WHOLESALE - A business engaged in the sale of merchandise to retailers and not to the ultimate consumer. MANUFACTURING - A business of making goods and articles by hand or machinery. Manufacturing shall include assembling, fabricating, finishing, packaging, or processing. [Amended ] Home Business Types Permitted by Class (circle your Home Business Type & Class) Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Business, Retail no no yes Business, Office yes yes yes Business, Personal Service yes yes yes Business, Service yes yes yes Business, Contractor yes yes yes Business, Wholesale yes yes yes Manufacturing yes yes yes NOTE: Home businesses shall not include funeral homes or the redemption of beverage containers (C). General Standards. HOME BUSINESS INFORMATION The following shall apply to all home businesses: (1) Visual appearance. A home business shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes any adverse visual impact on the neighborhood. The structure shall not be altered in a manner inconsistent with its residential character. Outdoor illumination shall be limited to that normal and

7 customary for single family housing (such as a customary porch light, garage light or walkway light). Existing and Proposed lighting locations: Shall be shown on the plot plan (2) Signs. A home business shall comply with Existing and Proposed signs: There will be no visible exterior evidence of a home business on the premises, except one sign as regulated in D. The sign location shall be shown on the plot plan. A separate Sign Permit shall be filed with the Code Enforcement Office. (3) All home businesses shall be permitted on-site retail activity that is incidental and subordinate to the Home Business uses (e.g. a music teacher selling sheet music to one of the students or a hair dresser selling hair product to a client). All retail activity and sales of merchandise shall be located within an enclosed structure. Retail Activity: On-site retail activity incidental to the Home Business proposed includes: _ (4) Class 2 and Class 3 home businesses may include the selling of products, the major portion of which is raised or produced on the premises. Selling of on premise raised or produced products: _ (5) Traffic. All home business related traffic shall not exceed the maximum number of peak hour trips based on Class 1 not exceeding 4 peak hour trips, Class 2 not exceeding 8 peak hour trips, and Class 3 not exceeding 12 peak hour trips. Customer traffic shall be limited to daytime hours only. Traffic: The required parking based on peak hour trips is:. Home Business hours of operation are:. (6) Screening. All home businesses shall be screened in accordance with Screening: Shall be shown on the plot plan. (7) Impact limits. Home businesses shall limit their generation of vibrations, smoke, dust, heat, glare or odor such that they do not create a nuisance or an unreasonable adverse impact perceptible beyond its lot lines. Storage or use of hazardous or toxic materials shall be in compliance with the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Home businesses shall provide for the disposal of all solid and liquid wastes on a timely basis and in an environmentally safe manner. Home businesses shall make adequate provisions for access by fire-fighting equipment and personnel. Impact Limits: Machinery or devices that may product noise, smoke, glare, odor to be shown on the plot plan; storage of fuels or hazardous materials to be identified on plot plan; how will refuse be disposed of?. If a dumpster is proposed, it shall be identified on the plot plan with appropriate screening and setbacks provided. (8) Water quality. No home business shall cause any liquid, gaseous, or solid materials to run-off, seep, percolate, or

8 wash into surface or ground waters such that any pollutant or constituent or derivative thereof attains a concentration in ground or surface water above current public health drinking water standards for Maine. (9) Parking. Parking spaces and safe vehicular access shall be configured on the property to prevent the need to back out onto roads or streets. Parking: Parking spaces and turnaround areas shall be shown on the plot plan. (10) Water supply and sewage disposal. Home businesses shall demonstrate the availability of adequate water supply for fire protection and consumption needs and shall provide for the safe disposal of all wastewaters for the home business and residence. Water & Sewer services: Plot plan to identify location of private well and/or septic system. A new subsurface wastewater disposal system application may be required if the home business proposed triggers greater consumption needs. Plot plan to identify nearest fire hydrant or fire pond location/ distance.