Home-based gun dealers, taxidermists, massage therapists and animal boarders can no longer operate out of Johns Creek residences after the City Council approved a revised Home Occupation Code on Monday, July 13.

The updated ordinance, designated A-26-002, lists 20 business types now explicitly banned from residential properties. The prohibited list also includes automotive repair shops, bed-and-breakfasts, food trucks, junk and salvage operations, towing services, funeral homes, and any activity involving explosive or hazardous materials, according to the draft ordinance filed with the city.

Digital businesses get a pass. The ordinance explicitly permits e-commerce sellers, remote IT consultants, social media-based ventures and other low-impact digital operations. Council discussion noted significant growth in that sector as a reason to protect those uses.

The ordinance caps client visits at two people on-site at a time, restricts hours to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and limits business space to 25% of a home's floor area or 750 square feet, whichever is smaller. No more than two home occupation licenses may be issued per dwelling. Businesses cannot build a separate entrance solely for commercial use.

The city has not announced when the ordinance takes effect or whether existing home businesses will receive a grace period.

Nevenka Marx, owner of Custom Mark Studios, a Johns Creek business that creates personalized shirts and water bottles for corporate clients, said she launched from home about a year ago to avoid costly storefront rent. Marx uses printing equipment but told the council her operation is hardly noticeable to neighbors. The ordinance does not explicitly list custom printing among its 20 prohibited categories, though the Community Development Director retains authority to prohibit unlisted uses deemed incompatible with residential character.

Dramane Dabo, owner of DaboTek IT, an information technology consulting firm he runs remotely from his Johns Creek home, said his neighbors wouldn't know he operates a business unless he told them.

"We can operate with our clients without disturbing anyone, without really affecting what they're trying to accomplish with this," Dabo said at the July 13 meeting.

Bob Stevens, a Johns Creek resident who served as president of his homeowners association for 20 years, acknowledged both sides. Stevens said HOA rules can regulate home business activity but cannot be more permissive than city law. He urged the council to consider that many home businesses have little to no impact on their neighbors.

The ordinance carves out narrow exceptions. A federally licensed firearms collector who does not engage in regular commercial sales and receives no client traffic may continue to operate from home. Online-only FFL holders may also qualify, provided they obtain notarized approval from their property owner and any applicable HOA. Cottage food operators selling non-hazardous homemade goods at nonprofit events remain exempt.

The approval capped months of review. The Johns Creek Planning Commission considered the proposal on Tuesday, April 14, followed by a City Council public hearing on Monday, April 20 and a work session on Monday, June 1.

Residents with questions about how the new rules apply to their operations can contact the city's Community Development Department at City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive.