How Ridgecrest Handles Home Business: A Practical Guide
Ridgecrest maintains 74 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with home business. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Ridgecrest falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Ridgecrest lets home-based businesses invite customers and clients to the residence, but only up to the level of traffic normally expected from an ordinary residential use.
Key details: Governing section: § 106-31(a)(4), Home occupations. Standard: Traffic capped at normal residential level. Clients allowed: Yes, for purchases or services. Enforced by: City planning department, via permit.
Exceeding normal residential traffic levels breaches the home occupation permit conditions under Sec. 106-31; the planning director can find noncompliance and the city council may revoke the home occupation permit after notice and a hearing.
Signage Rules
Ridgecrest bars home occupations from using any sign beyond what's already allowed in the residential zone, effectively ruling out dedicated business signage at a home-based business.
Key details: Governing section: § 106-31(a)(1), Home occupations. Signs allowed: Only what's permitted in R zones. Advertising: Home address can't be used. Result: No dedicated business signage.
Installing an unauthorized business sign at a home occupation violates § 106-31(a)(1); the planning director can move to modify or revoke the home occupation permit, and the sign is subject to removal as a code violation.
Compared to other cities, Ridgecrest takes a harder line on signage rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Ridgecrest permits home occupations by right in its single-family and multifamily residential zones, from R-1 through R-4, plus its rural residential-agriculture and estate districts.
Key details: Governing section: § 106-318(b)(4), R-1 permitted uses. Allowed zones: R-1 through R-4, RA, CEH, CHA, E-1–E-3. Use type: By-right permitted use, not conditional. Excluded zones: PA and UR agricultural districts. Separate requirement: Still needs § 106-31 operating permit.
Running a home occupation in a zone where it isn't a listed permitted use, or without the § 106-31 permit, is a zoning violation enforceable as an infraction under § 106-64, with possible legal action to abate the use.
Ridgecrest is more permissive than most cities when it comes to zoning & home occupation permits. That said, there are still limits.
Home Daycare
Ridgecrest allows small family day care homes (eight or fewer children) and large family day care homes (seven to 14 children) in any residential zone under Kern County, California, following state Health and Safety Code standards.
Key details: Small family day care: 8 or fewer children, by right. Large family day care: 7 to 14 children, state-regulated. Zoning: Allowed in any residential zone. Governing statute: Health & Safety Code § 1597.30.
Family day care homes that don't meet the state licensing or fire/safety requirements incorporated by § 106-35 are subject to the same zoning enforcement Ridgecrest applies citywide under City Code § 106-63, including correction orders.
Ridgecrest is more permissive than most cities when it comes to home daycare. That said, there are still limits.
The Bottom Line
Compared to many U.S. cities, Ridgecrest gives residents more room on home business. 2 of the 4 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.
All of the above reflects Ridgecrest's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.