Bellflower, CA Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

Bellflower addresses cottage food directly in Section 17.16.190 of the SF Single Family zone, and references it as a permitted accessory use in other residential zones (such as the A-E Agricultural Estate zone). A cottage food operation is an enterprise at a private home where certain non-potentially-hazardous foods are prepared or packaged for sale to consumers, consistent with 'cottage food operation' as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 113758. Under the city's standards, no cottage food operation may operate without first securing all required permits and approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the city. Only the kitchen and one additional room inside the private home that have been registered or permitted with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health may be used for the operation, including storage. The operation must not change the appearance of the residence: in no way may the appearance of any structure or the operations within it be such that any portion of the premises may reasonably be recognized as serving a nonresidential use. The city also caps labor consistent with state law - not more than one full-time employee (paid or voluntary), not counting an immediate family member or household member of the cottage food operator, may be employed by the operation. These provisions track California's Homemade Food Act (HSC 113758, added by AB 1616), which limits how much cities can restrict registered cottage food operations; the food-safety registration (Class A) or permit (Class B) is administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.