I am thinking about how start my business. I live in a neighborhood with a difficult HOA. I know I can not run a business out of my home, but if I converted my second story into a commercial kitchen and rented an office downtown to meet with clients, show displays, allow cusomters to pickup cakes would that work? My home kitchen would be my "home office space" and my rental location would be my business location. Any thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks!
You would need to check with the Health Department. I know that here you can not have a commercial kitchen that is accessed through your house. But every state is different. It would be something to look into.
First you need to talk to your code enforcement office, and tell them your plan that you will not be seeing customers in your home, you might have to attend a meeting with the board members.(that's what I had to do.)then talk to the HD and let him or her know the same plan, no customers at the house. and then go from there.
The HOA is a pain!! I'm in SC as well, and I've thought of the SAME thing as far as either building a commercial kitchen on my property or renting space from someone near and having a small office for consults only. I'm even thinking of moving to NC (since it's legal in your home) and having an office there to only meet my clients. Decisions...decisions! 
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