A reader reached out to us on July 21 to ask the City of Waynesboro about a second business operating out of the 601 Alphin Ave. address that we know as Mimosa Farm, which is the subject of a request for a conditional use permit to allow an already operating events business to continue hosting weddings, festivals and other public events.
The second business, M.E.G. Esthetics, is owned by Mya Garcia, the daughter of Jill Wallace, the owner of Mimosa Farm, both the event business and the 8.3-acre property doing business in what was a quiet residential neighborhood.
ICYMI
- Waynesboro: City siding with venue that has been violating zoning laws for years
- Waynesboro: Is the city review of the Mimosa Farm permit request just a formality?
- Waynesboro: Mayor tips city’s hand on where things are going on Mimosa Farm request
- Waynesboro: Mimosa Farm neighbors note ‘hardship’ caused by residential business
- Waynesboro City Council takes step toward approving Mimosa Farm permit
- Waynesboro citizens group prepared for fight with city over Mimosa Farm
What we learned, upon our initial investigation, is that M.E.G. Esthetics operates at Mimosa Farm under the terms of a home occupation permit from the city.
The potential issue here: when we started looking into the M.E.G. Esthetics business, the website for the business reported that Garcia lived at an address in Staunton, and information for the business on file with the Virginia State Corporation Commission listed the same Staunton address as the registered office address.
One other indicator pointing to Garcia being a resident of Staunton: her esthetician license from the Virginia Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation lists a Staunton address.
We presented this information to the city on July 21 to inquire how someone could run a business at a location under a home occupation permit who doesn’t live at the address, with no response.
We followed up on Wednesday, directing the question to the city manager, Mike Hamp, who gave us this answer:
Yes, the home occupation requires the applicant to reside at the address associated with the permit. Our staff have verified Ms. Garcia’s domicile when the discrepancy was identified.
So, word is, they’re saying they looked into it, and “verified” that everything is on the up-and-up.
To that point: the M.E.G. Esthetics website has been updated to reflect that Garcia “resides in Waynesboro.”
Hamp also forwarded me a copy of the permit, which, helpfully, lists the requirements in the city code for the issuance of a home occupation permit.
Those requirements:
- The business must be clearly incidental to the home use (the primary use of the home or apartment is as a residence).
- Work activities must be carried on wholly inside the main residence or in a fully enclosed accessory building.
- The only employees working in the home are members of the family who reside in the home.
- There will be no group instruction conducted at the residence.
- There will be no sign or exterior advertising.
- There will be no visible display or storage of materials.
- No additional noise or traffic will be generated than what would normally be expected with a home.
Under “additional comments,” the permit granted to Garcia notes that “(c)lients are allowed to come to the residence. Two to three people. Four days a week. If we receive feedback/complaints from the neighbors that the traffic is increased significantly, we will revisit the approval.”
I have a sense here that Mimosa Farm’s neighbors are going to be paying closer attention to the esthetics business in addition to the events business going forward.
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Chris Graham
