Emmanuel Lewis,

former star of the hit television series "Webster," wants to

use a guest house on his 15-acre Fayetteville property as a music studio.

But Lewis and

the Fayette County government aren't singing from the same page.

"Help

me work within the system," Lewis asked the County Commission last

week after explaining that his plans don't jibe with county regulations

governing home occupations.

The law allows

people to conduct business at home, but only family members may be employed

at such businesses. Lewis said he may need to hire an engineer or a producer

if he decides to turn his recording studio into a business rather than

a hobby.

"I love

my family, but please don't make me work with them," Lewis joked.

But the law

is written "to protect a neighborhood," said Commissioner A.G.

VanLandingham.

"My neighbors

are the deer," said Lewis. "No one hears the music other than

those who are in the guest house."

He asked the

group to consider changing the law so that those with large enough properties

could have one or two employees on site.

"More

people are working in their homes," said Lewis. "Why not make

it a little more convenient?"

"To open

that door could be very difficult for us," said commission Chairman

Greg Dunn.

The law is

designed to allow small home occupations but to force full-fledged businesses

into areas zoned commercial or industrial, said Kathy Zeitler, zoning

director.

Commissioners

said they would consider Lewis' request and continue the dialogue, but

they didn't hold out much hope. "It would be impossible to write

an ordinance for every business," said VanLandingham.