Anyone out there have experience in dealing with city planning and development in regard to shaping at home? Here’s the scenario, I’ve built in a really nice shaping room and shop in an existing permited workshop on my property. I did not pull the permits for my added electrical and the structural divisions that make up my shaping room inside the workshop. I want my business to be legitimate and my goal is to work from home. We are doing a remodel on our house and the city is going to come out and inspect the property. No doubt they will see my modifications to the interior of the workshop. Should I clean up the dust and claim that I am an artist? My fear is that they will have an issue with the noise (although very minimal) and dust (completely contained internally in the room through internal collection systems). Any pointers or cautions before I go before the city (Costa Mesa, CA) and come clean?
Artist is a good call. Craftsman. Hobbyist. Whatever. It sort of depends on if you’re going to go business license, permits, taxes etc. or not. If not, keep it casual. If you are, you might have a zoning issue. Its not so much how the structure is built, but the intended commercial use may not be permitted in your neighborhood. They might consider you light manufacturing or something and require a conditional use permit. That means public notices, a hearing with the Planning Commission, and a bunch of regulations. If you can get the use at all.
The good side to going legit is that you can deduct your expenses - even the portion of your mortgage, property tax, utilities, etc. - that you can show goes into the enterprise. But be prepared for your City to nickel & dime you with fees & even a ‘gross receipts tax’ (basically a local sales tax paid by the vendor) on everything you sell - that’s very popular in California where most traditional sales tax goes to State & County…
As for the Building Dept, make sure they come out & see your whole place before you start any of the new work that you’re pulling a permit for. They can’t (unless you really piss them off) make you pull a retroactive permit for the work you already did on your shop. If its out of code, they’ll label it “Existing, non-conforming”. You’ll only need permits for the next stuff you’re doing. If they say it looks like you just finished it, remember you don’t need permits for non-bearing walls (call them “partitions”), paint, flooring & lighting and you can probably point to those things as being the only new ones. Don’t mention the electrical - no harm, no foul.
i would not mention the word surfboard because it brings up the images of poly resin and glass shops. use artist, craftsman, etc. clean the place up spotless before the inspector shows up. i’d put the planer out of sight giving the idea that you only use hand tools and won’t be making much noise… take all your ding repair resins and chemicals out, mount some fire extinguishers. Mainly make it look clean and safe. What more can you do?
Thanks guys for the info, it is very helpful. I am going to fight my battle with the city and hopefully come out only slightly battered. I have gone the official route as far as setting up the business, seller permit and such. Where I am stuck now is getting the Business License for the city. Since I want to work at home they have conditions that state you must conduct business inside the principal dwelling. They are trying to keep people out of their garages so that cars don’t end up on the street I suppose. I have a perfectly good workshop with a permit so to me it seems the most logical to have the business there (I’m sure the wife would love me shaping in the bedroom Anyhow, I’ll post what transpires for those in a similar situation.
The building inspector should only be concerned with the scope covered in the remodel permit. Unless you are replacing the electrical system and/or plumbing system, and that structure is affected, he may not even glance at it.
That said, business licensing, permitting may envolve multiple inspections depending on what you contend you are producing. After the initial flurry, it will be the neighbors who decide if you should stay or go…be a good neighbor. Good luck, Gil
Anyhow, I’ll post what transpires for those in a similar situation.