How West Valley City Handles Home Business: A Practical Guide

West Valley City maintains 122 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 West Valley City falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Signage Rules

West Valley City doesn't let a home business post a building or yard sign at all; the only lawful signage is mounted on the business vehicle or trailer. Municipal Code § 7-7-115(2)(g) caps a vehicle sign at four square feet, and § 7-7-115(2)(e)(iii) caps a trailer sign at the lesser of 24 square feet or 30 percent of its side panel.

Key details: Vehicle sign cap: 4 square feet, single sign. Trailer sign cap: Lesser of 24 sq ft or 30% of side panel. Vehicles allowed: One (two for licensed Home Child Care). Trailer size cap: 20 ft enclosed / 16 ft open, body length. Building or yard signage: Not permitted at all.

Posting a sign larger than the four-square-foot vehicle cap or the trailer's 24-square-foot/30-percent cap, or mounting any building or yard sign for the Home Occupation, is a Municipal Code violation. Section 1-1-109 makes an unspecified violation a Class B misdemeanor, and the Community and Economic Development or Community Preservation Departments can inspect the property under § 7-1-113. Appeals of a related staff decision go to the Board of Adjustment within 10 days under § 7-1-114.

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

West Valley City only lets a home run the kinds of businesses that would be allowed in its RB zone, plus Artist Studios and Neighborhood Service Establishments, under Municipal Code § 7-7-115(6). Financial Institutions and Veterinary Hospitals are expressly carved out even though both are otherwise RB-zone uses.

Key details: Allowed use test: Must be an RB-zone-permitted use. Excluded even from RB list: Financial Institutions, Veterinary Hospitals. Named exceptions: Artist Studios, Neighborhood Service Establishments. Accessory-building occupations: Conditional Use Permit required (7). Accessory building session cap: 6 students, 3 sessions per day.

Operating a Home Occupation outside the § 7-7-115(6) list, or in an accessory building without the Conditional Use Permit required by § 7-7-115(7), is a Municipal Code violation. Section 1-1-109 makes an unspecified violation a Class B misdemeanor, and the Community and Economic Development or Community Preservation Departments can inspect the property and pursue enforcement under § 7-1-113. Appeals of a staff decision or a Planning Commission Conditional Use denial go to the Board of Adjustment within 10 days under § 7-1-114.

Compared to other cities, West Valley City takes a harder line on zoning & home occupation permits. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Customer Traffic Restrictions

West Valley City caps home-based businesses at two customer visits per hour under Municipal Code § 7-7-115(1)(j). Operators who need more foot traffic can apply for a Conditional Use Permit through the Planning Commission, which raises the cap to six customers an hour, on top of every other Home Occupation standard.

Key details: Base customer limit: Two customers per hour, by right. With Conditional Use Permit: Up to six customers per hour. Operating hours: 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. only. Floor area cap: 25% of any floor, maximum. Enforcing agencies: Community & Economic Development, Community Preservation Depts..

Running a Home Occupation over the two-customer-per-hour cap without an approved Conditional Use Permit is a Municipal Code violation. Absent a more specific penalty, § 1-1-109 makes any Code violation a Class B misdemeanor. The Community and Economic Development Department or Community Preservation Department can inspect the property under § 7-1-113, and a substantiated violation can lead to denial, suspension, or revocation of the underlying business license. Appeals of a staff decision or a Planning Commission Conditional Use denial go to the Board of Adjustment within 10 days under § 7-1-114.

Home Daycare

West Valley City licenses home daycare as a Home Occupation: one Home Child Care license per dwelling under state capacity limits, or a Home Preschool capped at 10 children and four-hour sessions.

Key details: Home Child Care licenses: 1 per dwelling unit. Child care capacity: Set by state law. Home Preschool max children: 10 per session. Preschool session length: 4 hours max.

Operating home child care or preschool beyond these license, capacity, or session limits is a code violation, treated as a Class B misdemeanor under Section 1-1-109.

The Bottom Line

West Valley City's home business rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming West Valley City is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects West Valley City'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.