Are You in the ZONE?

By Joanie Ogg, CTC, MCC
President, NACTA

Some home based businesses fail to give attention to getting permits and licenses. It is one of those things that we think will never be a necessity. How likely will it be that a neighbor or someone else will report a home based business to the authorities? Sadly, it happens all too often and it is prudent to be in the know about your local zoning and permit requirements. The law may require you to file the necessary paperwork, etc. for your business. Do your homework before you start your agency. Check with your local government to know what permits and licenses are needed. Your business may be required to have one or more of the following licenses or permits.

A Business License. Such things as parking permits if customers will be coming to your home office and maybe even sign permits may be required. Permits are often based on the type of business you operate and generally a travel business is considered what is termed a low-impact business. This would be a home business that has very little impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Examples of typical business practices would be use of a telephone, computer modem or high-speed access, mail and use of a fax. Clients or customers rarely come to the place of business and deliveries to the business are not frequent.

Zoning Permits. This is a very important area to check as a number of residential areas have zoning regulations that do not allow a home based business to operate in the community. This is rare but we have seen examples where agents have been faced with this dilemma so be sure to check it out. Local governments may not bother with you if you work quietly from home. Again, this is an easy thing to check with your county or city government.

Be sure that before you hire a contractor to add on office space to your home, you call your zoning board or the planning department to request a copy of the applicable ordinance. This information should be available at your local library, as well. It is always better to be on the safe side, especially when it pertains to your business’s success’s and future.

Some other interesting general provisions are contained in a great book called “The Complete Home Office: Planning Your Workspace for Maximum Efficiency” by Alvin Rosenbaum. Here are some examples of interesting and important facts to be found in his book:
• No traffic will be generated by such home occupations in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood;
• No equipment or process will be used by such home occupation that creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, or electrical interference detectable to the normal senses off the lot. (We should be OK on this one unless the neighbors complain when we hoot and holler after booking a world cruise!);
• There can be no change in the outside appearance, other than a small sign (this may not be allowed, so check on this) not exceeding one square foot in the area, non-illuminated and mounted flat against the wall of the principal building;
• The use of the home for the business should be clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes;
• Only family members residing on the premises may be engaged in the business. Some jurisdictions even state that no more than one or two persons other than a family member may be employed! (I think some might want to be cautious about this, since I know many home based agencies have folks working with them in their home business.)
So before you start up your home based business, get the blessings of your local government. “Better safe than sorry” is the motto to follow to assure the success of your home based travel business!