Property location: 26 Macdonald Drive

Land Use Zone:  Residential Varied Density (RVD)

Proposed discretionary land use: A Home-Based Business – “Laurie Russell Counselling”
(“Home Based office for providing virtual counselling services”)

In accordance with Section 2.4.4 of the Town Development Regulations, the public is invited to submit written comments regarding this application. All input is public information and will be considered by Council when a decision is made about the application. Written comments must be received by the Town prior to June 24, 2026.

Provide comments to;

Provide comments to; Town of Happy Valley Goose Bay, PO Box 40, Stn B, A0P 1E0.

Email: muntech@townhvgb.com or drop off at the Town office, 212 Hamilton River Road. (For more information, contact the Engineering Technician at 709-896-3593).

Section 6.3.1 of the Development Regulations defines General Home Business as:

General home business means a subsidiary use of a dwelling or associated accessory building for commercial use involving the provision or sale of goods and/or services without detracting from the residential character of the neighborhood in terms of traffic, or any other nuisance. Examples may include, but not limited to:

1. Professions, such as an accountant, architect, auditor, engineer, realtor, insurance agent, planner, lawyer
2. Personal service that does not disrupt the residential character of the neighborhood, such as a hairdressing, tailor, photographer, pet groomer, caterer’s establishment, shoe repair, dressmaking, sewing repairs and tailor shop, small appliance, clock/watch, bicycle, ski and snowboard and computer repair, locksmiths, manicurists.
3. Care services, such as childcare, or home-care; and similar occupations or businesses.
4. Artisan and other home crafts;
5. Food preparation for catering services and baking;
6. Bed and Breakfasts;
7. Music and dance lessons and educational tutoring;
8. Telephone and mail order business;
9. Art gallery and framing shop;
10. Pet grooming services;
11. Furniture repair and upholstery;
12. Sale of bedding plants and trees grown on the same lot;
13. Any business applying for only a phone/fax/internet service is permitted;
14. Discretionary Uses as approved by the Authority.

Exclusions:

An accessory home-based business shall not include any business activity related to any of the following uses:

1. Occupations that discharge or emit odors, noxious or toxic matter or vapors; heat, glare, noise and/or radiation;
2. Manufacturing, welding or any other light industrial use;
3. The salvage, repair, maintenance or sales of motor vehicles, or motor vehicle engines or parts;
4. Tow truck operations
5. The use of mechanical or electrical equipment except as ordinarily utilized in purely domestic, household, recreational hobbies or a home office use;
6. The use of any motor vehicle exceeding 4,500 kg licensed gross vehicle weight, or a commercial vehicle unless such vehicle is completely enclosed within a building;
7. Materials and commodities that involve delivery to and from the home-based business residence in such bulk or quantity as to require regular or frequent delivery by a commercial vehicle or trailer;
8. Business that result in traffic congestion, on street parking overflow, electrical interference, fire hazards or health hazards;
9. Veterinary clinics, pet breeding and boarding kennels;
10. Orchestra and band training;
11. Office uses that generate regular daily visits by clients, as in a clinic;
12. Public gathering use;
13. Telephone or mail order sales of goods where customers enter the premises to inspect, purchase or take possession of goods;
14. The sale of any commodity not produced on the premises, except for personal service-related products;
15. Warehouse outlet;
16. Contractors Yards;
17. Adult Entertainment Uses; and,
18. Any other use that is not complimentary to the quiet enjoyment of a residential neighbourhood.

General Development Conditions for Home Businesses:

1. The use is clearly subsidiary to the residential use, does not alter the character of the property or detract from the residential character of the neighborhood. The primary use of the property remains residential, and the scope and intensity of the use classes is entirely compatible with the residential uses of the property and neighborhood.
2. The external appearance of the dwelling or accessory building shall not be changed by the home business.
3. Activities associated with the use are not hazardous, and are not a nuisance to the occupants of adjacent dwellings; no mechanical equipment is used except that is reasonably consistent with the use of a dwelling
4. No regular parking of commercial vehicles or trailers except for one vehicle with a gross weight of no greater than one tonne will be permitted.
5. The residence is occupied by the operator of the home business.
6. The business within the dwelling must be owned and operated by 1 (one) resident of the dwelling. The property owner must authorize an application for a home business by a resident who is not the owner of the property. Working within the residence, the home business is limited to 1 (one) employee or staff in addition to the owner/operator.
7. There shall be no wholesale or outdoor storage or display of goods or equipment.
8. There shall be no use or storage of hazardous or dangerous materials.
9. Any retail sales are incidental and subsidiary to the approved use; no wholesale or retail sale of goods is externally apparent, for example, if sale of crafts occurs, it does not occur through walk-in or drive-in trade. A home-based business is not a retail shop, nor for customer destination wholesale sales.
10. The residential lot has sufficient area to accommodate the parking and loading requirements of the dwelling unit and the home business. In addition to the two required parking spaces for a residential zone use, a home-based business shall provide one additional parking space for each non-resident employee working at such facility. The home base business applicant shall provide a site plan that indicates the parking space’s location and any landscape improvements related thereto at time of business license application.
11. The only home businesses that can be conducted outside the dwelling or accessory building are Nonfarm operation animal husbandry and market or home garden uses as defined under ‘Agriculture – Urban’ and Child Care.
12. A non-illuminated identification sign not exceeding 0.2 m2 in area shall be permitted provided that the sign is consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood.
13. The use must be carried out inside the dwelling unit or inside an accessory building located on the same lot; the home business will occupy:
    • A. no more than thirty percent (30%) of the total floor area of the dwelling unit to a maximum of 55 m2 can be used for the home occupation; and,
    • the home business can be housed all or in part in 1 accessory building.

14. Council may require fencing, screening, and/or a minimum buffer to protect the amenity of adjacent uses.

15. The home business will not create traffic safety or traffic congestion concerns. The use shall not generate traffic in excess of an average of 3 customer visits per hour and no home business will operate between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

16. Sufficient off-street parking must be provided; one dedicated parking spot is required if there is the allowed employee of the home business working in the dwelling (over and above the parking requirement of the primary use). If there will be customer visits, adequate parking should be provided to ensure no parking on the street by residents, staff, or customers from the property housing the home business. Parking should respect and maintain the residential character of the neighborhood and must be identified in the application.

17. The home business will adhere to all other conditions that Council considers necessary to protect the amenity of adjacent uses and the neighborhood.

18. The home business will not use water or generate sewage in excess of what is normal is the residential area and can be accommodated by the municipal water supply and sewage system.

See PDF copy of this Notice of an Application for a Discretionary Land Use ➡️ HERE