Norwood Cottage Bakery – More Information

RE: Zoning information on home-based businesses…

From:	“Flynn, Rachel O’Dwyer – PDR”
To:	C WAYNE TAYLOR

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Just an FYI.  The e-mail below refers to Michael Greene as a zoning officer.  This is incorrect.  Mike was a Building Code Plan Reviewer in December 2009 (he is no longer with the City).  Mike only responded to inquiries regarding the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code USBC), not the City Zoning Ordinance.  He would have referred Toinette Waldon to the Zoning Division for any questions pertaining to allowable uses.  Hope this helps.  Rachel

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From: C WAYNE TAYLOR

For your information.
It appears that VDACS may have misunderstood the meaning of “food processing.”  They did not get a written explanation from the city.

From: “Lidholm, Elaine (VDACS)”
To: C WAYNE TAYLOR

This is the information I received from our Office of Food Safety and Inspection:

In December 2009, Food Safety Specialist Senior Toinette Waldon was made aware by an individual proposing to start a food processing business in their home in the City of Richmond that she had visited the Zoning Office.  She was told by Zoning that it was illegal to operate a food processing home operation in the City of Richmond . Toinette Waldon then visited the Zoning Office in the City of Richmond to get clarification on this subject. Toinette was informed by Michael Greene, zoning officer, as well as the administrative staff, that it is illegal for a person to process food from their home in the City of Richmond . They stated that their homes are zoned as residential and would not be authorized a business license. They stated that individuals may occupy a commercial kitchen for their food processing businesses that is zoned in the B district which meant they were not in a residential district.

After our office received this information from Toinette we informed our staff to let anyone who called our office to inquire about starting a food processing business in their home in the City of Richmond that they first needed to check with the Zoning Office to see if it was legal for them to operate this business in their homes.

As background information, we are happy, in fact we want to inspect home kitchens and we will be happy to do so in the City of Richmond as long as the people are licensed by the City to run such an operation out of their homes.  But until or unless the ordinance changes, we will advise people to check first with the Zoning Office to make sure they are operating legally.

I hope that answers your questions.  I am on leave tomorrow and Monday is a state holiday, but if you have additional questions, I will be happy to talk to you on Tuesday.  I am not going to be able to check messages tomorrow, but will do so over the weekend and a couple of times on Monday.

Elaine J. Lidholm
Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
102 Governor St.
Richmond, VA 23219
804.786.7686