All customary home occupations are subject to general standards including:

Size and Location:

• Home occupations are allowed as an accessory use to any allowed residential use.
• All activities and storage areas associated with home occupations must be conducted and located inside the principal dwelling unit, not in detached buildings or garages.
• A home occupation may not occupy more than 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit.

Number of Home Occupations:

• There is no limit on the number of home occupations, provided that the home occupations in cumulative comply with all the regulations of the UDO.

Employees:

The operator of a home occupation must be a full-time resident of the dwelling unit.

• A maximum of two (2) nonresident employee shall be allowed in conjunction with a home occupation.“Nonresident employee” includes an employee, business partner, co-owner, or other person affiliated with the home occupation, who does not live at the site, but who visits the site as part of the home occupation.

Customers:

• Customers may visit the site only during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• No more than six (6) customers or clients may visit the site in any single day.

Exterior Appearance:

• Visible evidence of the conduct of a home occupation when viewed from the street right-of-way or from an adjacent lot is prohibited.
• There may be no change in the exterior appearance of the dwelling unit that houses a home occupation or the site upon which it is conducted that will make the dwelling appear less residential in nature or function.
• Examples of the prohibited alterations include construction of parking lots or adding commercial-like exterior lighting.

Signs:

• Signs are not allowed (except Bed and Breakfast, see below).

Operational impacts:

• No home occupation or equipment used in conjunction with a home occupation may cause odor, vibration, noise, electrical interference, or fluctuation in voltage that is perceptible beyond the lot line of the lot upon which the home occupation is conducted.
• No hazardous substances may be used or stored in conjunction with a home occupation.

Deliveries:

• Deliveries or pickups of supplies or products associated with home occupations are allowed only between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Vehicles used for delivery and pickup are limited to those normally servicing residential neighborhoods.

Retail Sales and Display:

• No stock-in-trade shall be produced on the premises, except for the following:
• The hand-assembly or handcrafting of arts and crafts and the kiln-firing of hand-wrought or hand-painted ceramics.
• The hand-wrapping or finishing of gift baskets, variety packs, or other similar multi-content stock, wherein the component items have been manufactured elsewhere.
• No stock-in-trade shall be sold on the premises, except for the following:
• The trans-shipment or pre-arranged pickup of items specifically pre-ordered or pre-purchased by a customer, except for vehicles and large equipment and
• The direct shipment of items to a customer that were specifically pre-ordered or pre-purchased by the customer.

Home Day Care

Home day care for seven (7) or fewer individuals (or as permitted by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services) at any one time is considered “babysitting” and regulated as a customary home occupation

Bed and Breakfasts

Bed and breakfast operations are subject to the home occupation provisions of Subsection 151.113 (E) and the following standards, provided that the home occupation customer limits of subsection 151.113(E)(11) do not apply. In the event of conflict, the following standards shall apply.

• The Bed and Breakfast may not occupy more than 50% of the floor area of the residence.
• No more than five (5) bedrooms or guest rooms shall be rented per night.
• Lake County Health Department approval shall be required.
• An inspection by the Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department shall be required.
• No more than one (1) sign with a maximum area of one (1) square foot shall be displayed or posted.
• Occupancy by any guest shall not exceed seven (7) consecutive days. A permanent register shall be maintained to show the names and signatures of all guests.
• The bed and breakfast will comply with the requirements of the Illinois Bed and Breakfast Act (50 ILCS 820/1 et seq.)

Cottage Food Operations

Cottage food operations, which permits production of certain food items in the kitchen of a person’s primary residence for sale exclusively at farmer’s markets, are subject to the home occupation provisions of Subsection 151.113 (E) of the UDO.

• In addition, the operator must annually apply for a cottage food operation registration through the Lake County Health Department.
• The Illinois Cottage Food Operation Act, 41 ILCS 625, provides additional standards for the preparation and sale of food under a cottage food operation, including compliance with applicable health regulations.

Rural Home Occupation

The rural home occupation use was created to allow business activity of a greater intensity than that of a customary home occupation while still maintaining compatibility with the rural character of the surrounding area. Residents on larger lots located in rural areas may be able to conduct higher intensity uses with little or no effect on surrounding properties. The business activity shall be conducted within the dwelling or one accessory building. The use of the property for a rural home occupation must be clearly incidental and subordinate to the residential use. A zoning certificate must be issued by the County before a rural home occupation is to be established in a dwelling unit or accessory structure.

Please note: Agricultural uses on property of 200,000 square feet or greater are not regulated by the customary or rural home occupation standards. They are regulated by state statute and other provisions of the UDO.

Allowed Uses:

• The rural home occupation regulations establish performance standards rather than detailed lists of allowed rural home occupations.
• Uses that comply with all the standards will be allowed as rural home occupations unless they are specifically prohibited.
• The rural home occupation must be clearly incidental to the use of the dwelling as a residence.