Home Kitchen In Georgia?

Business By Sara_Bee Updated 21 Jul 2011 , 11:48am by Danicmeyer

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Sara_Bee Posted 26 May 2011 , 1:12am
post #1 of 21

Hey y'all! I was just wondering if anyone here has a home kitchen in Georgia. I'm still mainly doing cakes for friends, but would love to expand into a LEGAL home bakery.
I've spoken to people at the Dept. of Agriculture and the Secretary of State and they've given me incredibly long forms and regulations and all that jazz.
So I know what needs to be done, I'm just having a heck of a time finding anyone who's actually DONE it already to kinda help guide me along. My husband and I are already planning for a second kitchen in our next house (2-3 years away). I'm practically chomping at the bit to move--right now I make all my cakes in a tiny galley kitchen.
Anyway, was just hoping for some sage advice from someone who's already jumped through all the hoops.
Thanks in advance! icon_smile.gif

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2xMiMi Posted 26 May 2011 , 11:47am
post #2 of 21

Sara_Bee - there is another post where it was discussed trying to get the cottage law passed so that those of us in GA don't have to have separate kitchen. I work fulltime so I don't have the time to work on this but am willing to sign any petition that is needed. Do a search and you should be able to find the other post and that might help you? Thanks in advance for anything you do to get something passed.

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MadMillie Posted 26 May 2011 , 12:38pm
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MadMillie Posted 26 May 2011 , 12:38pm
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Sara_Bee Posted 26 May 2011 , 2:49pm
post #5 of 21

Thank you! I jumped in over there.

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brenda549 Posted 26 May 2011 , 2:55pm
post #6 of 21

It all depends on your county in Georgia. I live in Gwinnett and unless you are grandfathered in from many years ago, they WILL NOT approve a separate home kitchen, regardless. The state of Georgia allows its counties to accept/reject these types of policies. So even with a possible cottage food law, if the county you live in does not approve it, you are out of luck. Talk to someone at the county first (or the county you are moving into).

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Kpow Posted 26 May 2011 , 5:31pm
post #7 of 21

Sara_Bee, what county do you live in?

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Sara_Bee Posted 26 May 2011 , 7:03pm
post #8 of 21

I'm in Cobb.

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Kpow Posted 26 May 2011 , 8:36pm
post #9 of 21

I live in Cobb as well, and I have been told by the county that they do not allow home baking, even out of a second kitchen.

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Sara_Bee Posted 26 May 2011 , 8:39pm
post #10 of 21

That's what I've heard as well. I'm just wondering what it would take to change that?

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Kpow Posted 26 May 2011 , 8:45pm
post #11 of 21

It would take someone with the time and energy to lead a movement to petition the Georgia legislature to change the laws....or in our case in Cobb, someone to petition the Cobb County government to change the laws. And unfortunately, while there are a lot of us willing to help once such a movement gets started, no one has yet volunteered to be the coordinator of such a project. I'm sure every one of us wishes we could be that person, but just don't have the extra time and energy to lead the cause right now. I know I don't, though I definitely wish I could.

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Sara_Bee Posted 26 May 2011 , 8:50pm
post #12 of 21

I would be willing to help organize. I want to pursue this dream, but I don't want to have to move out of this county to make it happen. The only place I'd be willing to move is Cherokee, and I'm not even sure if it's possible there either.
In the town I live, there's not any kind of specialty cake shop. The one that did open, closed within six months. So I'm obivously very gunshy about trying to open a storefront.

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CreativeCakesbyMichelle Posted 26 May 2011 , 9:55pm
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I'm located in Valdosta in Lowndes county. I'd be glad to help but I really don't know how the process works or how to get started. I'm in an accelerated nursing school program right now so I don't have an abundance of time but I do tend to be pretty good at writing and have a friend that's a lawyer in Arkansas that may be able to read over documents for us once they're written.

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Sara_Bee Posted 27 May 2011 , 1:39am
post #14 of 21

If I were to start with a petition to get the ball rolling, how should it read? Georgia should enact cottage laws? Something along those lines?
Good grief where's a legislator when you need one?

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brenda549 Posted 27 May 2011 , 1:55pm
post #15 of 21

Regardless of a petition, the cottage food act would have to include a statement in it that says no local government can deny the act to it residents. Otherwise, regardless of what Georgia allows, the counties can still deny homebaking.

I have no idea how the wording would need to be written on a petition to include everything needed.

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Sara_Bee Posted 27 May 2011 , 2:05pm
post #16 of 21

I think the value of the petition will be in how many people we can get to sign it to show that there's a need/desire for a change.
The language itself is not necessarily as important, but as much should be included as possible. I'll work on this and as soon as I can get it up, I'll let you know!

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Sara_Bee Posted 31 May 2011 , 5:45pm
post #17 of 21

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that I've spoken with folks at Dept. of Agriculture and Cobb Co. Planning and Zoning.
It looks as though a home kitchen in Cobb Co. IS allowed, provided you can get a Temporary Land Zoning Permit approved. (Which of course means having the second kitchen in order)
Once that is approved at the County level, then you move on to the Dept. of Agriculture for licensing.
A lot of steps, sure, but I'm just relieved to see that it IS possible in this county. Anyway, just wanted to pass that info along.

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Kpow Posted 1 Jun 2011 , 6:24pm
post #18 of 21

Sara, did you get the names of the people you spoke with at each of those agencies? Because I have always gotten different people every time I call any of them, and they all give different versions of "no". But if you can give me the names of who you spoke to, I'll try to confirm with them and see if this is truly a possibility. I'd hate for you to go to all the trouble of setting up a kitchen, only to have other people at the same agencies tell you no. But if we have specific contacts in the agencies, it will help us work with each of the other governmental hoops we'll have to jump through.

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Sara_Bee Posted 1 Jun 2011 , 6:32pm
post #19 of 21

I do have their names. I'll PM them to you.
I did get further clarification, and the guy at zoning and planning told me that the temporary land use permit had to be approved before any sort of construction started.

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Kpow Posted 1 Jun 2011 , 6:47pm
post #20 of 21

That would be great. Thanks Sara!

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Danicmeyer Posted 21 Jul 2011 , 11:48am
post #21 of 21

Hey all,

Just quickly was looking into this for future plans and found these threads to be the most helpful. Coming from the west coast this is a sore disappointment to learn about.

Found this page on how to start a Cottage Food Law including samples and thought it could help whoever has the time currently to jump start this movement. Would love to help as I can but first baby is due soon and I can't spearhead it this time.

http://homebasedbaking.com/uncategorized/starting-a-cottage-food-law-movement/

Dani

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