Urgent: Stop New Home Occupation Rules Threatening Laramie County

Your property rights and home-based livelihood are under immediate threat. In just days, on August 5, 2025 at 3:30PM, Laramie County commissioners will vote on sweeping new Land Use Regulations that include onerous Home Occupation Permit requirements. These proposed rules were introduced with minimal public notice, meaning many landowners still have no idea their rights could drastically change overnight. This grassroots page aims to inform our community and mobilize opposition before it's too late.

Key Issues with the Proposed Regulations

• Permits required for all home businesses: Any economic activity on your property - from selling eggs or home-baked goods to hosting 4-H animal projects or even Tupperware parties - would require a county permit. This includes ventures already legal under the state's Wyoming Food Freedom Act, directly undermining that law's intent to free small producers from red tape.
• Invasive inspections & heavy fines: If these rules pass, officials could inspect your home business at any time to ensure "compliance". Violations would carry fines as high as $750 per day - an astronomical penalty that could crush families over minor infractions.
• Property re-zoning and tax hikes: Nearly every rural residential property is slated for re-zoning under the new plan. This rezoning not only adds use restrictions (for example, some "Urban Residential" zones would forbid agricultural activities) but could also raise your property taxes by changing your land's classification. Landowners chose county life for freedom - now that freedom is at risk.
• Threats to home-based livelihoods: The regulations impose new hurdles on home enterprises that have operated peacefully for years. Entrepreneurs worry that "free" permits will soon carry fees and open the door to bureaucratic meddling. If you comply with state law and aren't bothering anyone, why should you need a permission slip from the county?
• Rushed process, little public input: The county's planning office spent months crafting 150+ pages of rules but gave landowners only a few short weeks of notice. Most residents affected still don't know about the August 5 vote. This lack of transparency and outreach means the very people whose lives and property values are on the line have barely had a say in the matter.

Voices from the Community

"The proposed regulations require a permit for any home business activity… This is redundant and invasive. It's presented as 'deregulation,' but it’s just more red tape." - Denel Pugh, local home bakery owner

"We have a right to earn a living. I don't think we should have to get permission from the county to do that. Requiring a permit to work from home is an overreach and an infringement." - Julie Formby, Laramie County resident

"Let the people of Laramie County have the freedom to use their land for what they want without paying for some 'permit' all the time." - Dan Macoubrie, rural landowner

Take Action Now - Defend Your Rights

1. Attend the Public Meeting (Aug 5): Mark your calendar for Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 3:30PM. Join fellow citizens at the Laramie County Commissioners' meeting in the Board Room, 310 W 19th St, Cheyenne (Historic Courthouse). A strong turnout matters - show up and voice your opposition to these regulations. Many landowners are still unaware of this vote, so every person counts!

2. Email the County Commissioners: Send a respectful but firm message urging them to vote NO on the new home occupation permit rules. Email all commissioners at commissioners@laramiecountywy.gov and Please CC freelaramie@proton.me so we can track responses. Let them know how these changes would affect you, and that government overreach into our homes and businesses is unacceptable.

3. Spread the Word: Time is short. Share this information with neighbors and friends in Laramie County. Post on social media, text or email your HOA and community groups, talk to fellow small business owners. The more people know about this, the harder it will be for officials to push it through quietly. Our strength is in our numbers and our voices - let's use them!

Learn More & Get Informed

• Letter to the Editor: "Why Is Laramie County Undoing the Food Freedom Act?" - Cowboy State Daily (July 31, 2025). Opinion piece by a local home bakery owner detailing how the proposed rules undermine Wyoming's Food Freedom Act and small businesses.
• Laramie County Commissioners Meeting Agenda - Aug 5, 2025. Official meeting notice and agenda where the new Land Use Regulations (including home occupation permits) are up for adoption.
• Video: Public Hearing on Proposed Regulations (July 2025). Watch testimony from residents and discussion by officials during a recent hearing on the land use and home business rules.

Many landowners still don't know about these drastic changes - please share this page and help spread the word. Together, we can hold our leaders accountable and keep Laramie County free from overregulation.