New rules ease process for opening a home-based, small business

The Troy City Council unanimously approved a zoning ordinance that would simplify the steps for opening a small home business.

Businesses will now be classified into one of three tiers, based on the impact they will have on their neighborhood.

“We feel that this ordinance will strengthen our neighborhoods going forward and ensure the integrity of our residential neighborhoods,” said Melissa Sanders, Troy’s city planner. “The city is broken up into different zoning districts.”

Sanders explained the tiers to the council during a work session before the group’s meeting on Monday.

Any business classified as a tier one business will no longer have to go before the board of adjustments before obtaining a business license. The city clerk and zoning administrator will approve the license.

A tier one business is one that has no impact on the neighborhood. Impact would include the amount of traffic generated, the noise it would make, signage and equipment that would be stored in the yard. A tier one business would not increase traffic in the neighborhood.

“The business is incidental and secondary to the home,” Sanders explained.

Tier two businesses would have a low impact on the neighborhood and tier three would have the greatest impact. Sanders cited daycares as an example of a tier three business. It would increase traffic during drop-offs and pick-ups. Tier two and tier three businesses would have to go before the board of adjustments.

“Our zoning ordinance was adopted in 1986 and since 1986 we have worked to strengthen the ordinance. It’s been amended several times,” Sanders said. “Anyone with questions can always call me at 670-6058, or 311.”

In other business, the City Council:

• Rejected all of the bids for elevator maintenance and kept the current provider, KONE Inc., at a rate of $650 a month;

• Approved the purchase of two inspection vehicles, a .75-ton truck for $37,681.62 and a half-ton truck for $19,671.08, from the sole bidder, Ken Cox Ford;

• Approved the purchase of a rescue truck for $97,043 to be split with the county;

• Approved the renaming of the city’s utility annex the “Grady Homer Reeves Utility Complex”; and

• Approved phase two of the Alabama Department of Transportation agreement that would widen County Road 3360 (Enzor Road) from County Road 3304 to State Road 87 and resurface County Road 2290 (Henderson Highway) from County Road 2221 to KW Drive.

The Troy City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, at Troy City Hall.

 

Meetings are held at 5 p.m.