Sonoma Municipal Code §19.50.040 allows home occupations only with an Administrative Permit (or, for higher-impact uses, a Conditional Use Permit) plus a City business license, and confines the activity to no more than one room or 20% of the main dwelling's gross floor area.
SMC §19.50.040 (Home Occupations), part of Chapter 19.50 (Special Use Standards) of the City of Sonoma Development Code, treats a home occupation as an accessory use to a primary residential use. A City business license is required, and the home occupation must be authorized through either an Administrative Permit or a Conditional Use Permit. Basic operating standards under §19.50.040(B) require that the home occupation be confined completely to the residential dwelling unit (not within an accessory structure such as a detached garage or shed), occupy no more than one room or 20% of the gross floor area of the main floor, and be accessed only from within the main residential dwelling unit. The use must be clearly secondary to the residential use and must not change the residential character or outside appearance of the dwelling through colors, materials, lighting, noise, or signs. Any change in ownership or tenancy voids the permit. Home occupations that would be inconsistent with the General Plan, threaten public health or safety, or clearly conflict with the normal residential quality of the surrounding neighborhood are prohibited. Note: This City regulation applies only inside Sonoma city limits — properties in unincorporated Sonoma County are governed instead by Sonoma County Code Chapter 26 (Zoning) Article 88 home-occupation standards administered by Permit Sonoma (PJR-048).
Operating a home occupation without the required Administrative Permit or business license is a Sonoma Municipal Code violation subject to administrative citation under SMC Chapter 1.28 (administrative enforcement). Typical citation amounts are $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second within 12 months, and $500 for each additional violation, plus abatement of the unpermitted use. Violations may also be charged as infractions or misdemeanors under SMC §1.12.010 (General Penalty), and the City may revoke the home occupation permit if conditions are not met.
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