The Front Lines

The cities of Minneapolis and Austin, Texas, recently revised their home business zoning codes. The nine-month review of codes in Austin started as a move to overhaul the entire zoning system, but as various factions got involved, it was decided to simply amend the definition of a home business and add a list of prohibited businesses. Minneapolis amended and expanded its zoning code to clarify the definition of a home business and set standards on how a homebased business should operate. In both cities, officials took action in response to what they saw as the changing nature of the American workplace, as well as to find ways to resolve complaints. For more information on either code change, call the city's zoning commission.

This article was originally published in the September 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: The Front Lines.