INC NEWS - 2 things as neighborhoods meet this month

[pat carstensen]

THis is how UDO defines home occupation
Home Occupation: Any occupation conducted by the inhabitants of the 
dwelling, which is
secondary to the main use as a dwelling, and causes no change in the 
exterior of the
dwelling.

Which doesn't exactly answer the question since they don't define 
"occupation."

I think I was told that occupation == business ==> have customers, and 
telecommuting means you do it for an employer so don't have customers.

As I understand it, zoning is supposed to regulate what your use of your 
property does to your neighbors.  If your "telecommuting" is for different 
people to play music loudly in their homes while recording it over an 
Internet link (with background sound of neighbors pounding on doors to 
complain), or if your "working from home" involves keeping and using 
dangerous chemicals, we would want the regulation to cover that.  But 
classic "cell phone and computer office work" should have no effect on 
neighborhood so not be covered.


>From: Colin Crossman <lists at crc32.com>
>To: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>
>CC: inc-list at durhaminc.org
>Subject: Re: INC NEWS - 2 things as neighborhoods meet this month
>Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:40:49 -0500
>
>Does the "Home Occupation" rule cover telecommuters?
>
>-Colin Crossman
>Walltown
>
>RW Pickle wrote:
> > The first is an INC piece of business.
> >
> > Please mention this at your Jan. neighborhood meetings. This is the 
>first
> > year where we are starting our calendar dues year, to run with the
> > calendar year (Jan.-Dec.). So from here on out (unless we change it for
> > some unknown reason), INC dues will become due in Jan. for that 
>particular
> > year. This should make it easy for everyone to remember. Our dues are
> > still a bargain; $25 for the whole neighborhood organization! So send in
> > your dues for 2007! You can mail them to me (the Treasurer) at:
> >
> > Randy Pickle
> > 27 Beverly Dr.
> > Durham, 27707-2223
> >
> > Make checks payable to INC (or the Inter Neighborhood Council)
> >
> > The second item I'd like to get some feedback on relates to an upcoming
> > change in the UDO I have requested. The first week in Feb. (on the 7th),
> > the Joint City County Planning Committee meets to discuss the addition 
>of
> > a maximum square footage for "home occupations" as found within the UDO
> > regulations. For the last 20 or so years (in the City), it has been 400
> > square feet or less than 30% of the livable space. When we adopted the 
>new
> > UDO last year, we left off a maximum cap of square footage (like the 400
> > square feet it once was) and just left it at less than 30% of the 
>livable
> > space. Their meeting in Feb. will be to discuss adding a maximum cap to
> > the UDO (as it was in the past before the UDO was adopted). See if there
> > are any feeling one way or the other about how much square footage 
>should
> > be allowed from your groups. There are a number of options:
> >
> > * make it the 400 square feet that it always has been
> >
> > * increase the square footage to ???
> >
> > * leave it at 30% and allow any size cap as long as it meets this 
>requirement
> >
> > * or any other solution you might want
> >
> > This will just be the first meeting to discuss the change. If they 
>decide
> > to do so, there will be the usual public comment periods etc. as it 
>moves
> > through the system toward being adopted. Frank Duke asked me what we
> > wanted for a cap; I'm asking you if the 400 square feet it has always 
>been
> > will work? He said he wouldn't oppose the ammendment, he just wanted a
> > square footage figure that was thought to be the magic number.
> >
> > Just ask your neighborhood group and see what they think. Send any
> > comments you might have to me off the list server.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > RWP
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > INC-list mailing list
> > INC-list at rtpnet.org
> > http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list
> >
>_______________________________________________
>INC-list mailing list
>INC-list at rtpnet.org
>http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list

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