Thanks Juleskaye518, you are funny!! Norfolk is one of only a few cities here in Hampton Roads that doesn't allow it. I do want to stand up for myself but really have no idea what to say. Besides being a smart arce and telling them the ordinance is stupid. I could say how it would bring revenue to the city but thats about it. And I'd be really surprised if little ol' me would have a effect on them. I have no idea even were to start with doing something like that. Are you coming to the Hampton Roads area? I'd love all the help I can get!!!!!
Additional revenue is a big pro for the city, as is creating jobs. Usually these types of zoning rules are there to protect against increased traffic in residential areas, but if you emphasize the nature of your business as a custom-order, by appointment only shop with (for example) 1-2 orders per week they really can't argue that a few more cars a week would cause a problem. When they think "home bakery" they may instead be picturing a retail shop in your home with customers coming and going all day.
Bringing in officials from other towns that allow this type of activity in residential areas might also help, as they could speak to the lack of negative consequences in their towns.
Thanks Juleskaye518, you are funny!! Norfolk is one of only a few cities here in Hampton Roads that doesn't allow it. I do want to stand up for myself but really have no idea what to say. Besides being a smart arce and telling them the ordinance is stupid. I could say how it would bring revenue to the city but thats about it. And I'd be really surprised if little ol' me would have a effect on them. I have no idea even were to start with doing something like that. Are you coming to the Hampton Roads area? I'd love all the help I can get!!!!!
I am moving to Chesapeake at the very end of June from Hawaii. Would love to meet fellow cakers and make some new friends in a "foriegn land."
I just got my inspection done on Friday. I have two cats and a small dog. The inspector said that starting May 2011, all applications turned in would have to show that the kitchen has a door to block out any animals or the applicant would be denied. Thankfully we got ours into them in April so we just missed the deadline.
Obviously, he took a cookie sample to get tested in their lab. He was really nice, helpful and quite encouraging. I only sell gluten free items and he didn't believe me based on my sample. Too bad he couldn't try them, but that is considered a bribe.
He also said, you have to try REALLY hard to fail the inspection. My house has never been so clean!
I just got my inspection done on Friday. I have two cats and a small dog. The inspector said that starting May 2011, all applications turned in would have to show that the kitchen has a door to block out any animals or the applicant would be denied. Thankfully we got ours into them in April so we just missed the deadline.
Obviously, he took a cookie sample to get tested in their lab. He was really nice, helpful and quite encouraging. I only sell gluten free items and he didn't believe me based on my sample. Too bad he couldn't try them, but that is considered a bribe.
He also said, you have to try REALLY hard to fail the inspection. My house has never been so clean!
Considering that people can now sell baked good without an inspection if it's non-perishable, I foresee a lot of dog hair in farmer's market candy in the future. If you can sell without an inspection, and with an inspection you have to have a door to your kitchen, why would someone bother getting the inspection? It makes no sense. Other than maybe they're trying to cut down on the number of inspections they have to do!
I just confirmed with the VA Department of Dairy & Foods what was discussed about pets. I understand their concerns and because I have a dog (and cannot enclose my kitchen for financial and aesthetic reasons), I will have to put my plans on hold until we move into another house. 
Something told me to get my application in sooner but I wasted time fiddling around with my local zoning department because I knew it would take longer on their end. I feel so deflated
I will take this time to regroup, continue with recipe development and practice more with decorating. 
What is the $100 fee people are talking about?We just got inspected two weeks ago and there was no charge for the inspection.
What is the $100 fee people are talking about?We just got inspected two weeks ago and there was no charge for the inspection.
The bill is in the mail 
They send those out all at once once a year, usually after the beginning of the year.
I just sent for my licensing packet. But now reading about pets and kitchen doors has got me concerned. My kitchen has 3 walls and large opening into den. There is no way to put in a door, I would have to build entire wall! What about just having dog and all traces of him out of the house during inspection? He doesn't come in kitchen when I am working any way, he senses when I am busy and keeps his distance, but how would I prove that!?
I'm in the same boat as LeeBd.
I finally bought my first house last year and we've finally settled in. My kitchen opens up into the living room, and i would have to build another wall as well, and that just isn't going to work.
My dog does the same thing. He's never in the kitchen when i work, and only comes in there to eat his dinner and then he leaves again.
Was there some loophole about having a dog as a "guard dog"? My husband is a pilot and gone 90% of the time, and i look to my dog to be a safety for me and the house. (No one needs to know that the dog would probably lick whoever broke in).
Does anyone know about this?
I live in northern VA and just had my kitchen inspection last week. The inspector said that you used to be able to gate off the area while baking and then having a pet is ok. But recently (a few months or so ago I believe) he said it changed and there has to be a door blocking off the pet from the kitchen at all times. Luckily my cat stays in the basement and there is a door at the bottom of the stairs. The inspector said otherwise there would have been no way he could have approved my packet.
Also even though the cat is blocked by a door they still send out samples to a lab to check for hair/fur, and he said 9 out of 10 kitchens he inspects where there is a pet- they will find hair/fur in the samples- even if the pet never enters the kitchen. (air circulation and transfers from clothing etc). Hope that helps clarify.
Oh and I had also asked my inspector about farmers markets and if you needed the kitchen inspection, and he said that you did- if it's a government run farmers market you are now required to have the kitchen inspection as well. (which is weird since you are able to sell from non-inspected kitchens with the labeling that you aren't inspected)
As for the doorway- it doesn't have to block off the whole kitchen- I live in a townhouse and the kitchen is very open to the main and upper level, but since the cat is only downstairs the door only has to block off the downstairs area.
My biggest gripe is that you can't have anyone come to your house,like someone earlier stated- because they don't want a traffic congestion issue in residential areas- but if you have one or two cakes a week- that's not fair to still be under that rule. I was told that you are still to technically abide by it- but if you only have a handful of people stopping by a week- then no-one will really notice.
It doesn't give any of this information in the packet- you would have to email them or call to find out. So it's a bit frustrating when trying to find answers- luckily there are forums like these though!
Petiterouge,
is it even worth applying then? does it vary in Manassas (is that Prince William Co?) vs. Loudoun?
Should we just expect to not pass the inspection if we keep the animal? Are we to just throw in the towel and realize that we can't have an inspected home bakery if we want to have an animal?
This is quite discouraging now.
if it's a government run farmers market you are now required to have the kitchen inspection as well. (which is weird since you are able to sell from non-inspected kitchens with the labeling that you aren't inspected)
!
What the heck is a "government run farmer's market?" The ones that I know of are all private businesses, so what qualifies one as government run?
That also makes no sense about selling without an inspection from a farmer's market, but not a lot of the regulations that they have in place now make any sense when you put them all together anyway.
It is frustrating because the way you have to go about anything to get licensed it strange and doesn't make sense. Like getting the business license before your inspection. You get a bit of the run around no matter how much you try to prepare. I was told that most farmers markets are government run- like it it's arranged by the county or town then it's considered government run.
No- definitely don't get discouraged- if it's something you really want to do- it's not a fun process but in my opinion it's worth it. But they won't pass you for sure unless you get the pet situation taken care of. I know it has to be some sort of door closing off the space though- I did ask if curtains or something like that would work because at first I thought he was asking the whole kitchen to be blocked off- which was thankfully not the case- just to block off the area the pet resides from the kitchen. I was worried because I would never get rid of my pet- but I do want the baking to be a full time job at some point. I would email and ask what your options are. the inspector I spoke to is Shayne Clinton his email is: [email protected] He does inspections for several counties- the rules may vary slightly but I think the pet thing is for all counties that are ok with home bakeries.
petiterouge thank you so much for the information and contact person. I am EXACTLY in the same position as you, and I can't see giving up my dog. I want it to be full-time as well, but i can't get rid of him.
I admit, i did have a bit of a breakdown yesterday when i heard of the change. It's so tricky! It's almost like, why get the business license if they're not going to pass you anyways? It's almost a waste... I'll try to contact him and get some more info...thank you!
I hope you can find a way to make it work! It took me about two months to pass everything and get all the paperwork because I was getting the run around. I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to throw in the towel, just hang in there. And I thought that too, you would still have your business license even if you couldn't pass your inspection, it does seem like a waste of a lot of time and effort. Best of luck to you, keep me posted on your progress!
Just wanted to add that the lady at the county office mentioned that if you plan to do business that is under $4000 a year, then you don't pay anything for the business license. The zoning was also easy, I submitted the online form and got back the approval by email the next day so that was a breeze. HTH!
if it's a government run farmers market you are now required to have the kitchen inspection as well. (which is weird since you are able to sell from non-inspected kitchens with the labeling that you aren't inspected)
!
What the heck is a "government run farmer's market?" The ones that I know of are all private businesses, so what qualifies one as government run?
That also makes no sense about selling without an inspection from a farmer's market, but not a lot of the regulations that they have in place now make any sense when you put them all together anyway.
Not all are. Fairfax County runs farmer's markets across the county, a different one every day (Sometimes more than one on a day). You have to have an inspected kitchen to sell there.
Does anyone know if you can apply for your license without having exact location of business?
I may need to rent a kitchen because I have a pet that I am NOT getting rid of and there's no way to close in my kitchen without changing the flow of my house! It seems you can obtain a license before any inspections are done. Could I just put my home as location for now until I find a place? I wanted to start the licensing process so that I can advertise more and see what type of response I get.
@PJ22...what "on line" form are you referring to? Can you post the website?
@CutieMcCakes...I received my Business packet from VDACS the other day. It says if you do not have a "hinged door that can be latched/closed shut" to keep pets out of food processing area, incl any areas where ingreds and finished products are stored then you will not get approved. They also added: *"Placing pets in closed rooms in the other areas of the home will NOT satisfy this requirement." : (
No I wouldn't recommend getting your business license for a location that you won't be doing business out of- because you will have to re-submit it with the proper address of the kitchen you will be working out of anyway- they do still ask for your address on the business license.
Yes the zoning paperwork was easy once they sent me to the right office haha.
Just wanted to add that the lady at the county office mentioned that if you plan to do business that is under $4000 a year, then you don't pay anything for the business license. The zoning was also easy, I submitted the online form and got back the approval by email the next day so that was a breeze. HTH!
Do you have a link for the online form?
You have to have the exact location of the business for the business license.
To find out about zoning, you need to contact the local city or county in which you live. You can Google Prince William County for example and get to their website to access Planning and Zoning. Every jurisdiction's forms and policies are going to be different regarding zoning and business licensing, so if a CC member here lives in a different county then the forms they post may not help you (unless of course you live in the same county). VDACS forms are not posted on the internet to my knowledge. I had to contact the lady at the office and she emailed the information to me.
I too have decided not to go into business because of the pet situation. It's fine though because I have a full time job already. Being a hobby baker gives me creative reign over what I do, and I can bake on my own time which is also nice.
Annie
This is the link for the Zoning Approval in Frederick county: http://www.co.frederick.va.us/planning/ZoningReviewBizLicenseForm/zoning_review.aspx
As Anni said, search for your county and the Planning and Zoning page.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%