County in California makes it almost illegal to repair your car at home

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Residents of Sacramento County may be in a bit of a bind the next time they elect to take on a car repair in their own garage. At issue are the county’s zoning codes, some of which are worded with a vagueness that would make a politician proud.

First expounded upon at the Grassroots Motorsports forum and brought into the mainstream consciousness by the gearheads at Jalopnik, the lawmakers have cleaved the activity of “auto repair” into two buckets: minor and major.

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“Minor automotive repair” is listed as including brake part replacement, minor tune-ups, change of oil and filter, repair of flat tires, lubrication and “other similar operations.”

“Major repairs” are considered anything outside that scope, plus body or painting work of vehicles or vehicle parts. This is presumably meant to ward off ne’er-do-wells from setting up a chop shop or paint booth in their backyard.

Here’s the sticky part, though. The zoning law goes on to state it is unlawful to engage in even minor repair under the following circumstances:

1. If using tools not normally found in a residence;
2. When conducted on vehicles registered to persons not currently residing on the lot or parcel;
3. Conducted outside a fully enclosed garage and resulting in any vehicle being inoperable for a period in excess of twenty-four hours.

Number one on that list has a few people up in arms. What constitutes “tools not normally found in a residence”? Is it a welder? Air tools? Torque wrench? All of those reside in your author’s suburban garage and see weekly use.

The code goes on to say that “The chemicals involved in major automobile repair can pollute our neighborhoods and endanger the health and wellbeing of our residents.” Fair enough, as no one would want a person pouring motor oil or gallons of DuPont Hot Hues down the sewer drain.

But it’s easy to see how haphazard enforcement of this code can get out of hand, especially when it goes on to say that “this kind of activity increases vehicle traffic and the visual impact can negatively impact property values.​” Until the long arm of The Man comes knocking on my garage door, I’ll continue giving my tools a workout.