Pomona Customer Traffic Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Pomona's home occupation provisions under Title 18 address customer and visitor traffic through a residential compatibility standard rather than a specific numerical limit. The underlying requirement is that all aspects of the home-based business, including the traffic it generates, must be consistent with the normal residential character of the neighborhood. A home occupation that creates a pattern of clients arriving on a predictable schedule, vehicles queuing at the curb, or strangers regularly entering and exiting the property throughout the day will be deemed to exceed the residential standard even if the total daily count remains relatively modest.

The code prohibits any physical accommodation of commercial traffic at the residence. No area of the property or adjacent street may be designated, signed, or informally reserved as client parking. No portion of the front porch, entryway, garage, or yard may be configured as a client waiting area or reception space. The prohibition reflects the principle that business visitors should be so infrequent and unobtrusive that neighbors would not be able to distinguish business traffic from ordinary social visits. Practically, this limits most home occupations to businesses conducted primarily by phone, internet, or mail, with only occasional in-person client meetings.

Delivery and shipping activity is evaluated under the same residential compatibility standard. Receiving occasional packages from USPS, UPS, or FedEx is normal for any residence and does not raise compliance concerns. However, daily commercial freight pickups, recurring pallet deliveries, or the regular presence of delivery trucks at the curb transforms the property's traffic profile from residential to commercial in character. Home occupation operators whose business model depends on high-volume shipping should use a commercial mailbox service or operate from a light-industrial or commercial location.

Pomona's enforcement of traffic conditions is primarily complaint-driven. Neighbors who observe patterns of commercial traffic at a residential address may file complaints with Code Enforcement, which will investigate and determine whether the home occupation is operating within its permit conditions. Businesses that consistently generate traffic complaints face progressive enforcement, including permit revocation if the traffic pattern cannot be reduced to residential levels. The city recognizes that many Pomona residents operate small consulting, tutoring, and creative services businesses from home, and the moderate approach aims to accommodate these low-traffic uses while preventing higher-impact operations from degrading neighborhood quality of life.