A home occupation in Phoenix must be a secondary use of a residential dwelling that does not alter the home's exterior or the residential character of the neighborhood; it may use no more than 25% of the roofed area on the site, may not emit odor, dust, gas, noise, vibration, smoke, heat, or glare beyond the lot, and may operate only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
City of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance Section 608.C.9 defines a home occupation as a professional activity or use that is clearly a secondary use of a residential dwelling unit and that does not alter the exterior of the property or affect the residential character of the neighborhood. The ordinance imposes objective standards: no off-site emission of odor, dust, gas, noise, vibration, smoke, heat, or glare beyond any lot boundary; activity limited to 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; no mechanical equipment beyond what is normally used for domestic, hobby, standard office, or household purposes; no more than 25% of the total area under roof on the site used for the home occupation; and any incidental parking provided on site. Certain uses are categorically excluded even with a permit, including barber shops and beauty parlors, massage parlors, restaurants, veterinary hospitals and offices, commercial kennels, commercial stables, and dog grooming. The City's zoning FAQ notes the full text of home occupation rules appears in Sections 605-608 and 649 of the Zoning Ordinance.
A home occupation that exceeds these zoning standards (for example, exceeding the 25% floor-area cap, emitting off-site impacts, or operating outside permitted hours) is an unlawful use subject to a notice of violation, abatement, and civil penalties through Phoenix code enforcement.
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