Zoning Restrictions: Portland vs Troutdale

Can I run a business out of my Portland home?

Yes, under PCC 33.203 home occupation rules. A Type A occupation (no customers, no employees) is allowed by right. A Type B (limited customers and 1 employee) needs a Home Occupation Permit from BDS.

What can't I run from a Portland home?

PCC 33.203 prohibits retail sales, manufacturing, vehicle repair, restaurants, kennels, contracting yards, and any business creating noise, odor, traffic, or signage detectable off-site. The home must continue to look like a dwelling.

Can I run a business from my home in Troutdale?

Yes, if it qualifies as a home occupation under Troutdale Development Code (TDC) Chapter 5.100. The occupation must be carried on by a resident of the dwelling, be secondary to the residential use of the property, be conducted inside the dwelling (or an accessory structure where specifically allowed), generate no detectable off-site impacts (noise, traffic, signage, odor, glare), and retain the outward residential appearance of the property. You must also obtain a Troutdale business license under Title 5 of the City Code ($80/year) through the City Recorder, separate from the zoning approval. Community Development at 503-674-7230 administers TDC 5.100.

What home businesses are not allowed in Troutdale residential districts?

TDC Chapter 5.100 is designed to keep home occupations indistinguishable from residential use, so uses that cannot satisfy the no-off-site-impact standard are categorically incompatible: vehicle repair or body work, restaurants and food service open to the public, commercial kennels or boarding, and similar high-traffic, high-impact commercial uses. These uses must operate in a Troutdale commercial or industrial district where they are permitted as a principal use. Cottage food production and family day-care homes are layered uses that may qualify under TDC 5.100 standards but require separate state licensing through the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care.

Do I need both a zoning approval and a business license for a Troutdale home business?

Yes. TDC Chapter 5.100 governs the zoning approval (the question of whether the home occupation is allowed at the address as a residential accessory use) and is administered by Community Development. The Troutdale business license under Title 5 of the City Code is administered by the City Recorder, costs $80 per year on a calendar-year cycle (with a $25 late fee after January 31), and is required of any person conducting business in the city regardless of the zoning approval. The two approvals run in parallel and both must be in place before the home occupation begins.