Taxi business added as home occupation

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake City Council recently recognized a taxicab business would be allowed as a home occupation.

The taxi business can only be operated with a single car to qualify, according to city documents.

The ordinance amendment was passed unanimously by the city council.

The taxicab business ordinance amendment came after Moses Lake resident Gary Keno, who lives on West Peninsula Drive, expressed a desire to operate his own taxicab business. He plans to call his business Basin Taxi.

Keno said he would use his Nissan Xterra SUV to carry passengers and freight material within city limits.

Moses Lake home occupation ordinance 18.55 states that "there shall be no structural alteration to accommodate the occupation ... and no more than three individuals inside the home may be engaged in the occupations."

The ordinance also states that home occupations that cause a disturbance or inconvenience to nearby residencies will no longer qualify as a home occupation, but a primary business and cannot exist in a residential area.

Keno lives in a mobile home area and submitted to city council an approval letter from his landlord stating he was allowed to have a taxicab business on the premise.

"I ask councilmembers allow me to see this cab business off the ground and see where I can go with this," said Keno. He said he hopes to sustain a good income from the taxi business.

City council believed the ordinance amendment would satisfy Keno's request while the single-car taxi limit prevents individuals interested in running a larger-sized taxi business.

"This is the Keno amendment," said City Manager Joe Gavinski at the council meeting.

Other home occupations allowed in a single home dwelling include barbers, therapists, beauticians and custom florists.