Greece, NY Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Section 211-26, last amended April 15, 2021 by Local Law No. 1-2021, is built to keep a home business from changing how a residential property looks or functions. Subsection B bars any exterior alteration, colors, materials, construction or lighting, that would change the dwelling's residential character, and forbids running the business out of an attached or detached accessory structure; it also bars noxious or offensive impacts from hours of operation, traffic, noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odor, heat, humidity, glare, refuse or radiation. The floor-area cap is a hard percentage: 25% of the dwelling's gross floor area, excluding attached garages, or 500 square feet, whichever is smaller.

The code then splits home occupations into two tiers. A "major" home occupation is any one that trips at least one of six triggers: an outside non-resident employee, an identification sign, outdoor display or storage of goods, added traffic or parking demand, equipment not customarily found in a home, or advertising by address; only one major home occupation is allowed per dwelling unit. A "minor" home occupation must clear all six of a stricter set: no non-family workers, zero visible exterior evidence, no added traffic or parking need, only customary household equipment, no advertising by address, and the work conducted entirely inside the principal dwelling.

Regardless of tier, § 211-26E excludes restaurants, funeral homes and embalming establishments, nursing homes, stables, kennels or veterinary hospitals, clinics or hospitals, motor vehicle or small-engine repair shops, clubs, group instruction facilities, vehicle sales or rental, manufacturing uses, and any assembly use as defined under the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Codes.