By Sydney Devory
Sheena Herring runs a resale business from the garage of her home in Buena Vista, where
neighbors grew tired of the 18-wheelers that rolled up to her door to deliver goods she bought
that customers had returned to Amazon.
Herring’s neighbors in Racy Acres complained to the city about the deliveries and flow of
customers.
“It’s unfair,” she said.
“Why are they policing my business but not other businesses that are doing the same things?”
Push to change code
Officials say they are considering changes to the city code that spells out the rules for 104
officially registered in-home businesses operating in Buena Vista.
The code hasn’t been updated since 1986. BV officials have drafted proposed changes to the
regulations that are designed to:
• Address traffic by prohibiting drop-in customers.
• Limit the number of customers to no more than two at a time and no more than 12 per
day.
• Allow one additional employee who is a non-resident of the home to be on site.
• Create off-street parking spaces for business vehicles.
“One of the problems with the current code is that it’s vague,” said Tom Roberts, director of
community development. “It’s kind of hard for us to say, well, this is a violation and that’s not a
violation.”
City officials said they plan to seek input from in-home business owners and City Council before holding a public hearing on the proposed changes to the code. The Planning Commission will discuss the draft of the proposed changes at its meeting on Nov. 11.
Opening home businesses
Four years ago, Herring decided to quit her full-time job in hospice care and open her own
business. As the owner of S & Crew Live Sales, she buys products that people return to Amazon and resells them.
Herring tried to expand her business three years ago by relocating to a building in another part
of town. But she discovered that the building had black mold, and she was forced to move her
business back into her home.
Herring said the city tried to shut down her business last year, but she refused to stop.She said she has two other jobs — driving children to school and working as a caretaker. She
says even if her home business were shut down, she wouldn’t retire.
“I try to stay busy to keep peace of mind. I started doing this [business] after I lost my son.”
“Home occupation” is the term the city uses for “businesses, professions, trades, or similar
activities typically undertaken for gainful employment within residential zones,” according to
the current zoning regulation.
Artists, massage therapists, nail salons, fitness instructors, lawn care services, and even a man
who builds and sells wood stoves are examples of businesses in BV with home occupation
permits.
Current enforcement
Roberts said the city enforces the code on a complaint basis.
“I think that 90 percent of the time home occupations go just fine. Nobody knows it is
operating, and nobody cares,” he said. “If there were a complaint, then we would do what we
did with Sheena: Meet with her and talk about the issues.”
The permit now allows business operators to apply for a conditional use permit if they would
like to engage in activities that the code prohibits. City officials can make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
“I am always in favor of less control,” said Daniel De Souza, owner of the Blue Ridge Abbey Bed
and Breakfast on Chestnut Avenue. “I think the city should be more concerned case by case,
especially since many of the home businesses do different things.”
Home business activity
Some of the 104 registered businesses are more active than others. Some business operators
said they work part-time to make extra money, while others said they see it as a starting point
to achieve a larger goal of opening a storefront.
Ally Dransfield, owner of Vista Beauty, said operating her nail salon from her home allowed her
business to grow while she finished her education. She announced on Oct. 11 that she bought a
building on Main Street, where she plans to open Vista Beauty.
“When I first started, this was perfect,” she said. “But the ultimate goal was to end up
downtown.”
Community interaction
Dransfield said she has never had issues with clients parking outside of her house. She lives on a cul-de-sac and couldn’t see more than two clients at a time due to the nature of her business.
She said she would be affected by the proposed change that would allow only one non-resident employee. She hired her second employee in May.
Melissa Plogger, owner of Right at Home Bakery, said she does not anticipate the changes’ impacting her business. That’s because she already operates with scheduled pick-up times for her customers. She said she also does not have enough clients to reach the maximum of 12 per day that the city may set.
“Home-based businesses play a vital role in our local economy,” said Kristina Ramsey, director of economic development. “They often serve as a lower-risk entry point into entrepreneurship, allowing people to test ideas, build a customer base, and grow at their own pace.”
Roberts said the city wants to encourage the entrepreneurship spirit among residents. “The
purpose of regulating home occupations is to strike the right balance between a person being
able to run a business out of their home and keeping the residential character of the
neighborhood.”