Small-time Oak Park bakers, fire up your ovens; the village has approved an ordinance that allows local entrepreneurs to use their home kitchens to produce baked goods and other items.
Mike Charley, interim director of the Oak Park Department of Public Health, says the state passed laws in 2011 and 2014, allowing some products to be made in residential kitchens with the approval of the municipality.
The so-called “Cupcake Bill” was signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in 2014 to allow entrepreneurs to make home goods in a domestic residence for direct sale. Gross sales for such products are limited to $1,000 per month, and a notice must be placed on the product stating that it was made in a home kitchen. Labels also must list potential allergens in the product.
The state also requires that goods produced under the Cupcake Bill legislation also must be sold directly to the consumer and stored at the residence where it was made.
“They are exempt from local health inspections unless there is a concern if something gets brought to our attention,” Charley said.
The other state law, signed by Gov. Quinn in 2011, known as the Cottage Food Law, allows small-batch producers to use a residential kitchen to make baked goods, jams and jellies, fruit butter, dried herbs and dried tea blends.
Charley noted in a summary of the proposed ordinance that the state law “created new opportunities for farmers to engage in value-added processing, while making it easier for aspiring entrepreneurs to start new local food businesses selling at one of Illinois’ 300-plus farmers markets.”
They can sell up to $36,000 worth of the homemade products per year, but the items can only be sold at farmer’s markets.
These operations must be registered with the Oak Park Department of Public Health and pay a $25 fee to the village’s Business Services Division. Charley said producers also must become certified to operate a “cottage food” operation by taking an 8-hour class offered by the state.
Charley said the village recommended the ordinance to the Oak Park Board of Trustees as a result of requests from local entrepreneurs.
“The goal of the village is to be more business friendly for small entrepreneurs,” Charley said in a telephone interview.
CONTACT: tim@oakpark.com
