Hollister - The future of Sharon Sausedo's home business will soon be in the hands of the Hollister City Council, which will decide later this month whether she will be able to continue selling Avon products from her home.
"This is my livelihood," she said. "If I don't win this appeal I'll have to sell my house and move away from the town, away from my kids, away from my grandkids. That would be pretty sad."
After seven years of running the business out of her home on El Cerro Court, Sausedo's city-issued permit to run a home business was revoked last month by the city's Department of Development Services after constant complaints by a neighbor that her business was bringing too much traffic and noise into the neighborhood and that she was violating the conditions of her permit.
Sausedo appealed to the city planning commission last month. But despite the support of two commission members and many of her neighbors, Sausedo lost her appeal when the commission voted three to two to uphold the revocation.
The City Council will make the final decision whether Sausedo's permit will be reinstated.
Complaints by one of Sausedo's next door neighbors, David Foster, have been the driving force behind the revocation.
Foster declined to comment on the matter, but in a series of letters to the city - which include detailed logs of activity at Sausedo's home and pictures of people and cars in front of her house - he complained about increased traffic and noise.
In a letter dated March 8 he wrote: "February was very bad, like living at K-mart ... there are more discussions outside on the driveway and sidewalk about orders, deliveries, etc."
Home occupation permits, issued by the Department of Development Services, are necessary for a residents wanting to run some sort of business from home.
"The intention of the home occupation permit is to allow a resident in this community to conduct a business out of a house, if it meets specific requirements," Development Services Director Bill Avera said.
The conditions of the permit the DSD accused Sausedo of violating included having an Avon sign on her mailbox, making sales from her home, storing merchandise improperly, and causing increased traffic in the cul-de-sac.
Sausedo denied violating the terms of her permit. She said she doesn't make sales from her home, that she removed the sign, and that most of the traffic that comes to her house are visiting friends and family.
Sausedo's other immediate neighbor, Randy Acosta, said he has not noticed a lot of traffic resulting from Sausedo's business.
"They've been great neighbors," he said. "They're frivolous complaints. It's her living.
Commissioner David Huboi, who voted in Sausedo's favor during the planning commission hearing, said he thinks she should be able to continue her business.
"I didn't see anything that egregious, in my point of view. Several cars were friends and family," he said. "Sometimes I have to go with my gut feeling. These are hard-working people."
Many of Sausedo's other neighbors seem to share Huboi's feeling.
In a statement of support for Sausedo sent to the DSD, El Cerro Court residents Jess and Darcy Rodriguez wrote: "I am aware that she runs her Avon business out of her home ... we do not believe there is an excessive amount of traffic or noise created by her running this business."
The city council will likely set Oct. 17 as the date for Sausedo's public hearing.
Luke Roney covers local politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lroney@freelancenews.com
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