Madera, CA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

201. The Commission's view of what conduct qualifies is not written into the zoning text itself; instead it is set out in a resolution the Commission adopts, kept on file in the Planning Director's office, so a resident checking whether a specific business activity qualifies needs to check that resolution rather than the ordinance alone. If a dispute arises over whether a particular use of a property is or is not a home occupation, the Planning Director refers the matter to the Commission for a hearing, and the Commission's determination on that question is final and conclusive, with no further appeal built into this section.

At that hearing, the Commission can attach conditions to the property's use to make sure the limits in the chapter and in its own resolutions are met, for example capping customer traffic, signage, employees, or noise so the use stays accessory to the residence rather than becoming a standalone commercial operation. Regardless of how a specific activity is classified, every home occupation in the city must be registered with the Planning Director; there is no exemption in the text for smaller or informal home-based work.