5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Rock County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
In Rock County's unincorporated towns, a home occupation is allowed only as a conditional use that stays incidental to residential use and adds no external alteration changing the home's residential character. Cities and villages set their own home-business zoning.
Town of Union (Rock County) Zoning Ch. 17, Conditional Uses
Home occupation, when such operation is incidental to the residential use of the premises and does not involve any external alteration that would effect a substantial change in the residential character of the building.
Rock County town zoning ordinances tightly limit business signage. A home occupation, kept incidental to the residence, may not add external alterations changing residential character. Where a lighted sign is allowed for certain uses, town codes cap it around 24 square feet.
Town of Union (Rock County) Zoning Ch. 17 (definitions)
Sign: A structure or device on which advertising is displayed, or by which attention is directed to advertising on the same or any other structure, by any means visible to the eye.
Wisconsin lets home producers sell non-hazardous baked goods directly to consumers without a license (the 2017 Kivirist ruling), and sell home-canned high-acid pickles and preserves under the 'pickle bill' up to $5,000 a year at farmers' markets and community events.
Wis. Stat. 97.29 ("pickle bill")
A person is not required to obtain a license to sell at retail food products that the person prepares and cans at home if the food products are pickles or other processed vegetables or fruits with an equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower... and the person receives less than $5,000 per year from the sale of the food products.
Family child care is licensed or certified by the state (DCF), not Rock County. A home caring for 4 to 8 children needs a state license; 3 or fewer children can be certified. Local zoning in your town, city, or village governs whether the home use is allowed.
In Rock County's unincorporated towns a home occupation is a conditional use, so a conditional use permit from the Plan Commission and Town Board may be required. Cities and villages issue their own home-occupation approvals. The county administers town zoning under Wis. Stat. 59.69.
Town of Union (Rock County) Zoning Ch. 17, Conditional Uses
Home occupation, when such operation is incidental to the residential use of the premises and does not involve any external alteration that would effect a substantial change in the residential character of the building.
3 cities in Rock County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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