New Zoning Studied for Home Businesses

Prompted by the traffic problems after the Northridge quake, a Los Angeles City Council panel instructed city planners Tuesday to study ways to revise zoning laws that prohibit businesses operating out of homes.

To help city officials draft regulations to permit home-based businesses, the council’s Planning and Land Use Committee asked city planners to draft a report on how other cities in the region permit and regulate such businesses.

An effort to develop regulations for home-based businesses has been bogged down since 1985 amid debate by planning officials over what types of business to allow in residential areas and how to regulate those businesses.

City Councilwoman Laura Chick--a member of the committee--said she feels strongly about legalizing home-based businesses because the city is “losing untold amounts of revenue” from fees that could be charged to such businesses. She said many such business now operate illegally.

She said the traffic problems after the quake signaled the need for flexible zoning laws that permit some business to operate from residential areas without disrupting the character of the neighborhoods.

The City Council also backed a motion by Chick on Tuesday to support state legislation that would require cities in Los Angeles County to adopt zoning laws that permit home-based businesses.