- December 16, 2025
Palm Coast residents who want to sell home-baked goods could soon be in business.
At a workshop last month, members of the Palm Coast City Council instructed staff to provide a presentation on the 2011 legislative changes that took place in the cottage food industry.
The state's changes allow for home-baked food to be sold, up to $15,000 per year. No sales are allowed to be made from the Internet, mail order or wholesale. Foods must be labeled for content, including allergen information. Only products stored onsite may be sold.
At Tuesday’s workshop, members of the council discussed the pros and cons of allowing the cottage food industry to prosper in town. Economic development, food safety and code enforcement were three main areas that council members discussed.
According to city regulations, a home occupational license strictly prohibits food preparation, said Sara Lockhart, senior planner for the city.
City Councilmen Bill Lewis and Bill McGuire said Tuesday that they didn’t want city staff to pursue this issue any further.
“You’ll never convince me you can make serious bucks making brownies in your kitchen,” McGuire said.
Lewis agreed.
“I think we’d be insane to (permit this or even attempt to regulate it)," he said.
City Manager Jim Landon stressed that if the city were to relax the rules on the cottage food industry, the city staff wouldn’t be able to regulate every home-based food business.
“We are not capable of regulating this industry any different than how we regulate the current home occupancy industry,” Landon said.
City Councilmen Jason DeLorenzo and Frank Meeker, as well as Mayor Jon Netts, were interested in the city staff working on an ordinance that would allow these businesses to exist.
The City Council will discuss this issue at its next meeting.
For more coverage, see the Feb. 18 edition of the Palm Coast Observer.
