Home Occupations
A home occupation is allowed to be conducted as an accessory use to a residence with some limitations to maintain compatibility with residential neighborhood character. Article 4-516(S) of the Boulder County Land Use Code describes this use and its limitations.
Definition:
- A home occupation is an accessory use consisting of a vocational activity conducted inside a dwelling unit or its accessory structures, and used only by the individuals who reside therein and one employee, provided that the home occupation:
- Does not result in noise or vibration, light, odor, dust, smoke, or other air pollution noticeable at or beyond the property line;
- Includes only the incidental sale of stocks, supplies, or products;
- Is clearly subordinate to the use of the lot for dwelling purposes and does not change the character of the lot;=
- Does not include the outside storage of goods, materials, or equipment;
- Has signage limited to a non-illuminated identification sign two square feet or less in size;
- Does not exceed one-half the total floor area of the dwelling including activities carried out in an accessory structure, with the exception of child care which may exceed this limit;
- Does not produce traffic volumes exceeding that produced by the dwelling unit by more than 16 average daily trips or a maximum of 30 trips during any 24-hour period; and
- Does not include nursing homes, restaurants, vehicle repair businesses, or boarding houses.
Additional Requirements
A home occupation must provide one off-street parking space in addition to the two spaces normally required for a residence.
In subdivisions, no more than one vehicle associated with the use, registered as a passenger vehicle, light truck, recreational truck, or farm truck may be parked outside the property.
The number or type of registration for vehicles associated with the use is not limited on properties located outside of a subdivision.
When calculating the number of traffic trips generated, keep in mind that one vehicle produces two trips-one when arriving and one when leaving. Therefore, an average of only eight cars can come to the property per day. Trips include those produced by the residents for any purpose related to conducting the= business, the one employee, clients, deliveries related to the business, etc.
The County does not have a licensing requirement for home occupations.
Uses That Do Not Qualify as Home Occupations Include:
- Nursing Homes
- Restaurants
- Vehicle Repair Businesses
- Boarding Houses
Send Us a Letter
If you would like to conduct a home occupation and believe that you can meet the criteria, you may submit a letter to the Land Use Department describing the use, so that we can verify that it would be permitted.
In addition to regular mail, you may send your letter via email to:
planner@bouldercounty.gov