BUSINESS RIGHTS

 

Many residents in Aberdeen have recently expressed concern at receiving notices from the municipality demanding that they change the zoning on their properties. These are mostly residents who the municipality deems to be running businesses from their homes, thus needing to rezone the property to business, or to apply for departure use.

Some of the people concerned do indeed run very profitable businesses from their homes, but the vast majority consists of pensioners who supplement their income by for example baking, sewing, typing, and craft work. A very small percentage of their home is used for business purposes, and thus it seems unnecessarily harsh to compare them with regular businesses. The rezoning impacts on the rates payable, and the water and electricity tariffs charged – business premises pay at a higher rate for all theses services.

When approached for comment by The Advertiser, town planner Oko Mpekula was prepared to look again at this matter, as the impact on other services had not been considered. She is keen to have a public meeting in Aberdeen, to explain all the relevant regulations to those affected, but in the meantime has assured those who are only operating “pocket-money” businesses that they are not the intended target of this crack-down.  However those businesses such as illegal abattoirs, corner shops and scrap metal dealers, which are operating in residential areas, are warned that they must comply with the municipal regulations. It is hoped that this will in fact be enforced, as many of these illegal operations cause considerable inconvenience and disturbance to residents. Many complaints have been laid in this regard to the municipal manager over a long period, but as yet the illegal businesses seem to be able to carry on without any penalty.