Lynn council amends rules for home businesses

LYNN – A growing number of Lynn residents are operating businesses from their homes, in part because of technological advancements but mostly because of the soured economy.To streamline the process and trim costs to those entrepreneurs, the City Council on Tuesday voted for an ordinance under which the obtaining of a $350 special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals is no longer necessary to work from home.Instead, businesses operating from a residence must obtain a $50 occupancy permit, submit to a property inspection by code-enforcement officers from the Inspectional Services Department and buy a $35 business certificate at the city clerk’s office.”We think this ordinance is the perfect change at the right time,” said John Olson, president of the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC). “Lots of people are out of work and some are now working from home.”Olson told the Ordinance Committee that the new law is actually modeled after one in Swampscott and recommended by Councilor Paul Crowley. “It allows people to start a business if they like,” he said.According to Olson, business cards are frequently exchanged at meetings and other venues, the address providing a telltale that the business is being run from the person’s home. “Technically, that’s not legal,” he said. “This new ordinance gives them a way to obtain a business certificate, which they can then bring to the bank to open up a business account.”Although the ordinance allows business to operate from a home, it does not grant permission to entertain customers or clients, he said. For example, a psychologist might work as a consultant for the state, reading and reviewing reports or other documents on a computer, but bringing private patients to the home would be prohibited.The ordinance helps accountants, lawyers and other professionals, as well as tradesmen, said Olson, noting that the previous ordinance did not allow the parking of business vehicles on residential property. Under the new law, pickup trucks or SUVs emblazoned with the company name and used in the daily course of business can be parked at home.”We’re not talking about construction equipment or backhoes. This is for passenger-type vehicles only,” Olson said.Ron Mendes, chairman of the LACC Government Affairs Committee, also spoke in favor. “This is a great opportunity to help people who are unemployed,” he said.