Alexandria, VA Home Business: Customer Traffic Restrictions (2026)

Section 7-301(D) of the zoning ordinance sets the client-traffic ceiling for every home occupation permitted under Section 7-300: a total of 12 patrons or students per day, with no more than two present at any single moment, and visiting hours confined to 7:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. daily. The rule sits alongside Section 7-301(F), which requires that all parking generated by the home business be accommodated in the lot's permissible driveway and garage areas, and Section 7-301(J), which bars adding any new parking space for the business or using a space that was not customarily used before the home occupation began. Because a home occupation is only a permitted accessory use, exceeding the 12-patron or two-at-a-time limits, or hosting visitors outside the 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window, takes the use outside what Section 7-300 authorizes for a residential dwelling.