Home Based Business/Home Occupations

Houses

No Impact Home-Based Businesses and Home Occupations are permitted in all residential zoning districts of Ferguson Township. Please refer to Chapter 27 - Zoning for complete regulations regarding Home-Based Businesses and Home Occupations operating in the Township.

Interested in applying for, or renewing, a Home-Based Business or Home Occupation Permit?  Click here.

No Impact Home-Based Businesses

No-impact home based businesses shall be permitted in all the residential districts upon application for and receipt of a permit from the Township. To obtain a permit, information must be provided by the applicant to the Township that identifies that the no-impact home based business meets the following requirements:

(1) The business activity shall be compatible with the residential use of the property and surrounding residential uses.

(2) The business shall employ no employees other than family members residing in the dwelling.

(3) There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stock piling or inventory of a substantial nature.

(4) There shall be no outside appearance of a business use including, but not limited to, parking, signs or lights.

(5) The business activity may not use any equipment or process which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical interference with radio or television reception, which is detectable in the neighborhood.

(6) The business activity may not generate any solid waste or sewage discharge, in volume or type, which is not normally associated with residential use in the neighborhood.

(7) The business activity shall be conducted only within the dwelling and may not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.

(8) The business may not include any illegal activity.

(9) Prior to use of a residence for a no-impact home based business, an applicant shall apply for a permit with the Zoning Administrator and pay the required fee. Within 14 days of said application, the Zoning Administrator shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the denial of the permit, and shall state the provisions of this Part with which the application does not comply. Failure of the Zoning Administrator to properly grant or deny a permit in the manner and time period stipulated above shall constitute an approval of the application for the permit, and the residence may be used as a no-impact home based business so long as the use complies with this Part.

(10) After a permit has been granted, the applicant must annually apply for a renewal, said application to be made annually before September 1 of each year and said permit to be reissued, if all conditions of this Part are met, on or before September 30 of each year. There shall be no fee required for the annual renewal.

Home Occupations

Home occupations shall be permitted in the residential districts upon application for and receipt of a permit from the Township for such home occupation so long as the home occupation meets the following requirements:

(1) The home occupation shall include, but not be limited to, the professional practice of medicine and dentistry, architecture, engineering, law, teaching (limited to not more than seven students at any one time), accounting, real estate and insurance, artists, writers, barbers, beauticians, seamstresses, lawn care and/or snow removal services, building, electrical and plumbing contractors and offices for small businesses. [Ord. 703]

(2) The home occupation shall be carried on completely within the dwelling unit except for lawn care and/or snow removal services and building, electrical and plumbing contractors if their main work or activity is not carried on at the residence. [Ord. 703]

(3) The home occupation shall be carried on only by members of the immediate family residing in the dwelling unit plus not more than one additional employee working in the home. For lawn care and/or snow removal services and building, electrical and plumbing contractors, additional employees may work off-site. The additional off-site employees shall not report to the home office on a daily basis for supervision, dispatch, meetings, or personnel matters and will essentially be directed in their daily work at their assigned work location. [Ord. 703]

(4) Not more than 25% of the floor area of the dwelling or 500 square feet, whichever is the lesser, shall be devoted to home occupations.

(5) Articles sold or offered for sale shall be limited to those produced on the premises.

(6) No repetitive servicing by truck for supplies and materials shall be required by the home occupation.

(7) There shall be no use of show windows or displays or advertising visible outside the premises to attract customers or clients other than a single sign identifying the home occupation, of a face are as specified by the Sign Ordinance [Chapter 19] and there shall be no exterior storage of materials.

(8) No exterior alterations, additions or changes to the residential character of the dwelling unit shall be permitted in order to accommodate or facilitate a home occupation.

(9) All parking shall be off street and two off street spaces shall be provided in addition to that required of the residence unit.

(10) Any maintenance and servicing of lawn care or snow removal equipment must be completed in an enclosed building so as not to create objectionable noise, fumes, dust or electrical interference. [Ord. 703]

(11) One home occupation only may be carried on in a residence.

(12) Prior to use of a residence as a home occupation, an applicant shall apply for a permit with the Zoning Administrator and pay the required fee. Within 14 days of said application, the Zoning Administrator shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the denial of the permit, and shall state the provisions of this Part with which the application does not comply. Failure of the Zoning Administrator to properly grant or deny a permit in the manner and time period stipulated above shall constitute an approval of the application for the permit, and the residence may be used as a home occupation so long as the use complies with this Part. [Ord. 820]

(13) After a permit has been granted, the applicant must apply for and pay the permit fee on an annual basis, said application to be made annually before September 1 of each year and said permit to be reissued, if all conditions of this Part are met, on or before September 30 of each year.

(14) Any storage of equipment and supplies by any person engaged in a home occupation under this subsection must be in an enclosed building. [Ord. 703]