How Sandy Handles Home Business: A Practical Guide

Sandy maintains 131 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 Sandy falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Home Daycare

A Category I home daycare in Sandy tops out at eight children at a time and eight per day, counting the provider's own kids under six, plus required outdoor play space. Providers who need more must apply for a Category II conditional use permit, which can raise the cap to 16 children at once.

Key details: Category I cap: 8 children at once, 8 per day. Includes provider's kids: If under 6 years old. Outdoor play space: Required for all facilities. Category II ceiling: 16 at once, 18 per day (CUP). Group activity spacing: 300 ft between Category II uses.

Running a home day care beyond eight children at a time or eight per day without a Category II conditional use permit violates § 21-11-5's licensing standards and exposes the operator to license denial or revocation by the Business License Office. Operating an unlicensed or over-capacity home day care is also a Class B misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty sections, §§ 1-2-2 and 1-2-3, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail for an individual.

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

Every home occupation in Sandy must be licensed by the Business License Office unless a narrow exemption applies, and the city sorts businesses into a by-right Category I or a Planning Commission-reviewed Category II conditional use. The city can terminate a home occupation outright if the owner violates the standards.

Key details: Licensing office: Business License Office, Community Dev. Dept.. Residency rule: Owner lives on-site 183+ days/year. Nonresident employees: 1 max on-site at a time. Floor area cap: 25% of main floor or 50% of basement. Category II: Requires Planning Commission CUP.

Sandy can terminate a home occupation's license outright for violating § 21-11-5's standards, since the section's stated purpose is to "enforce and regulate" licensable home businesses and, if necessary, end them. Beyond license revocation, operating an unlicensed home occupation that should be licensed, or violating the Code generally, is a Class B misdemeanor under §§ 1-2-2 and 1-2-3, punishable by up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail for an individual.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sandy actively enforces its zoning & home occupation permits requirements.

Signage Rules

Sandy limits a home occupation to one unanimated, nonilluminated flat sign per street frontage, capped at one square foot, placed in a window or on the exterior wall of the home or its accessory structure. Putting up any exterior signage automatically triggers the home occupation licensing requirement.

Key details: Sign count: 1 per street frontage. Maximum sign area: 1 square foot. Illumination: Not allowed (nonilluminated only). Animation: Not allowed (unanimated only). Placement: Window, home wall, or accessory wall.

Posting a sign larger than one square foot, an illuminated or animated sign, or more than one sign per street frontage violates § 21-11-5's home occupation standards and can result in license denial or revocation by the Business License Office. Because the section's licensing-exemption list treats exterior signage as an automatic trigger for licensure, operating with a nonconforming sign while unlicensed exposes the owner to the Code's general Class B misdemeanor penalty under §§ 1-2-2 and 1-2-3, up to $1,000 and six months in jail for an individual.

Compared to other cities, Sandy takes a harder line on signage rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Customer Traffic Restrictions

Sandy caps a home occupation's client traffic at two business-related visitors per hour and eight per day, plus no more than two deliveries or pickups daily. Exceeding those numbers reclassifies the business as generating excessive traffic, requiring a Category II conditional use permit.

Key details: Visitors per hour: 2 maximum (Category I). Visitors per day: 8 maximum (Category I). Deliveries/pickups: 2 per day maximum. Category II ceiling: Up to 12 visitors/day with CUP. Delivery vehicle weight cap: 23,000 lbs GVWR.

A home occupation that draws more than two visitors an hour or eight a day without first securing a Category II conditional use permit is out of compliance with § 21-11-5 and can have its home occupation license denied or revoked by the Business License Office. Operating an unlicensed or noncompliant home business is also enforceable under the Code's general penalty, §§ 1-2-2 and 1-2-3, a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail for an individual.

The Bottom Line

Sandy is tougher than many cities when it comes to home business. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Sandy, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Sandy'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.