Lewes panel recommends home-based business regs

Sarah Prieto and Stephen Matthews have reached the six-month mark in their quest to open a dog grooming business in their rowhome at 405 Savannah Road in Lewes.

They first approached mayor and city council last summer after the city denied them a business license. Dog grooming is not on the city’s list of approved at-home businesses.

Matthews attended a Feb. 3 meeting of the home occupation subcommittee, the panel formed to take a broad look at all home-based businesses in the city.

Prieto joined the meeting online from Washington, D.C. She is now back to working at her old dog grooming job five days a week while she waits for a decision about her future in Lewes.

Prieto, who has been a licensed groomer for 17 years, wants to open her own businesses in the basement of her historic rowhome.

But, her home is in the middle of the row and neighbors on both sides have come out in opposition to having dogs just a wall away.

The neighbors cite odor, noise and the lack of parking for clients as reasons why council should deny the application.

Prieto and Matthews said they have safeguards in place like the separate basement entrance, sound-proofing in the walls and no kennels or boarding.

Matthews said they have set up cameras to monitor traffic and parking in front of their home. He said evidence shows there would be ample parking for clients dropping off and picking up dogs.

The subcommittee finished its work on a draft ordinance that creates three levels of at-home businesses. It also creates an administrative process for application and appeal.

Tier A - No impact: No nonresident employees, no outdoor storage, nor would they be dependent on customers.

Tier B - Low impact: No more than two nonresident employees, parking demands not inconsistent with the character of the neighborhood, some off-street parking may be required, no more than one client at a time by appointment only, except for daycares.

Tier C - Potential impact: No more than four nonresident employees, dedicated off-street parking would be required, clients by appointment only, no commercial vehicles over 18 feet permitted on the property.

Tiers B and C would restrict business hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Both tiers would also trigger an administrative process that requires an application and a fee, to be determined by mayor and city council.

Under the proposed process, an applicant would be required to send a letter to adjacent property owners with details of their proposed business. If the city planning department does not receive an objection within 30 days, the home occupation would be approved.

If there is an objection, the city planner would meet with all interested parties, then decide whether to approve or deny the application.

If the city planner cannot resolve neighbors’ concerns, the applicant could file a conditional-use application for review by the Lewes Planning Commission, and mayor and city council.

“I don’t think just the objection from neighbors should be sufficient enough to say you can’t do your own business at home,” said Commissioner Bill Wolff, who is a member of the subcommittee.

The panel also added that any business working with animals would trigger the administrative process.

Matthews disagreed with that provision.

“Your neighbors don’t have to come to you if they want to adopt four dogs and have them at their home all day, every day. I would say that’s a higher impact than an appointment-only business,” Matthews said.

Prieto and Matthews are the only full-time homeowners in that row of four homes.

Prieto said the city should take that into consideration.

“I don’t believe that neighbors who are not full-time Lewes residents should dictate what full-time Lewes residents can or cannot do in their own homes,” she said.

The subcommittee left the current list of prohibited home businesses intact. Those include adult entertainment establishments, restaurants and bars, kennels and stables, and automotive repair.

The panel is expected to present the home occupation draft ordinance to the planning commission at its Wednesday, Feb. 19 meeting.