Most will be unaffected

By Bridgette L. Rallo
On September 14, Norfolk Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members voted to change one section out of three that regulate the use of a private home for business purposes. The section in question, 180-34.1, deals with residents who provide professional service from an office in the home and who receive clients on the property. Residents who use a part of their homes for business purposes but who do not receive clients on the property, display a business sign, employ non-family members, impact parking or make audible noise are unaffected by the changes.
The changes made by P&Z members pertain to educational tutors, including music teachers and school curriculum tutors. Under the old code section, tutors could instruct only one education or music student at a time. The new regulation adds language that permits up to six students per day on three days per week, provided that there are no amplified musical instruments being used as part of the instruction.
Commission members began thinking about re-writing the code section after receiving requests from resident teachers to increase the allowed number of students. According to P&Z Chairman Bill Riiska, two of the concerns commission members had when drafting the new version of the regulation included increased noise from musical instruction classes and parking problems.
Professions covered under the code still include accountants, architects, artists, authors, composers, attorneys, consultants, engineers, interior designers, clergy, real estate brokers, salesmen, sales representatives, manufacturer’s representatives, stockbrokers and surveyors. All of these uses require a zoning permit for the home office unless, as stated above, the resident does not provide services to clients on the premises, have employees or display a sign.

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