To retain the residential character of our neighborhoods, home businesses:

• Must be incidental and subordinate to the home's residential use.
• Cannot alter the exterior of the property.
• Cannot be visible from the street.
• Cannot affect the residential character of the neighborhood.

In addition, home businesses must comply with these conditions:

• A registration of land use is required for any home occupation established after July 12, 2019, that has customers, students, or an employee coming to the site.
• The home occupation and structure housing the home occupation meets all applicable fire and building codes, as well as any other city, county, state, or federal regulations.
• The home occupation is clearly incidental and subordinate to the residential use of the property and does not change the character of the property.
• The floor area of the home occupation cannot exceed 25% of the total floor area of the principal dwelling unit. If a home occupation is conducted by the occupant of an accessory dwelling unit, then it is limited to 25% of the floor area of the accessory dwelling unit.
• Operation of the home occupation is not apparent from the public right-of-way.
• All material or equipment is stored within an enclosed structure.
• The home occupation does not produce nuisance noise, odors, smoke, heat, glare, vibration, or electrical interference beyond the residential lot occupied by the home occupation.
• One person who does not legally reside at the property may be employed at a home occupation. If there is a home occupation being conducted in both the primary dwelling and accessory dwelling unit, then only one of the two may have an employee that does not legally reside on the property.
• Persons do not come to the location of the home occupation to be dispatched to other locations, or to pick-up or drop-off equipment, materials, or supplies.
• Sale of products related to the home occupation is allowed with the following conditions:
  •  Products are shipped to and from the premises; or
  • Product sales occur off-site at a permissible location; or
  • Customers visit the premises by appointment only; or
  • Products are sold on the premises at garage sales as regulated by this chapter.
• No more than one non-illuminated wall sign up to two square feet in area is used to identify the home occupation.
• The home occupation does not include any of the following uses: auto body/painting, motor vehicle sales, motor vehicle service and repair, small engine repair, massage, medical/dental office, animal handling, restaurant, firearm sales, currency exchange, payday loan agency, sexually oriented business, or high-impact sexually oriented business.
• No portion of the home occupation is conducted within any attached or detached accessory building, except the occupants of an accessory dwelling unit may conduct a home occupation in the accessory dwelling unit.

These businesses cannot be operated as a home occupation:

• Auto body or vehicle painting
• Motor vehicle sales
• Motor vehicle service and repair
• Small engine repair
• Massage
• Medical and dental services
• Animal sale or handling (boarding, treatment or care)
• Restaurant
• Firearm sales
• Currency exchange
• Payday loan
• Sexually oriented business

Contact 

For more information, contact Zoning Administrator Gary Morrison at 952.924.2592 or gmorrison@stlouisparkmn.gov. 

Additional resources

Find more resources on our small business page.