General commercial districts, hereinafter designated as C-2 districts, are established to provide locations for relatively large areas containing facilities for a wide variety of business and commercial activities needed to serve the community, and to provide a place for the business uses excluded from the C-1 districts and to protect these areas from unsuitable activities of an industrial character.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.0)

The following principal uses are permitted in a C-2 district:

A.

Any principal use permitted in a C-O district, pursuant to Section 17.34.020, or a C-1 district pursuant to Section 17.38.020;

B.

Wholesale business, storage of household goods, storage garage;

C.

Contractor's office for businesses that are characterized by the installation of materials or equipment on the property of the purchaser; including interior storage of equipment and materials;

D.

Retail service shops, including cabinet shop, furniture repair and refinishing; upholstering of furniture and automobiles; residential appliance repair; business machine repair; small mechanical equipment and component parts repair and service; bicycle, motorcycle, lawnmower and locksmith shops; auto repair garage and tire recapping;

E.

Ambulance service; automobile rental; clinic, catering, job printing; interior decorating, tailoring, laboratory;

F.

In Castro Valley (areas within the Castro Valley Urbanized Area), in addition to uses listed above, the following are also permitted:

1.

Artisan/maker space.

(Ord. 2006-33 § 4 (part): Prior gen. code § 8-49.1)

(Ord. No. 2020-66, § 11, 12-15-20)

In addition to the uses listed in Sections 17.52.480 and 17.52.580, the following are conditional uses in C-2 districts and shall be permitted only if approved by the board of zoning adjustments as provided in Section 17.54.130:

A.

Animal hospital, kennel;

B.

Mortuary;

C.

Community facility;

D.

Drive-in theater, drive-in business; recreation facility;

E.

Service station, Type A and Type B;

F.

Automobile, camper, boat and trailer sales, storage or rental lot;

G.

Plant nursery including the sale of landscaping materials, excluding wet-mix concrete sales, providing all equipment supplies and merchandise other than plant materials are kept within a completely enclosed building;

H.

Auto sales and service agency;

I.

Advertising sign, provided that no single sign shall exceed three hundred (300) feet in area and no sign shall be flashing or intermittent, contain moving parts or be located so as to be directed towards lands in any adjacent R district, except pursuant to Section 17.52.515(A)(3) and in conformance with Section 17.54.226;

J.

Tavern;

K.

In-patient and out-patient health facilities as licensed by the State Department of Health Services;

L.

Tattoo studio;

M.

Alcohol outlets;

N.

Firearms sales;

O.

Trade school;

P.

Unattended collection box(es) placed in conjunction with an approved community facility as defined in Section 17.04.010;

Q.

Cannabis retailer, subject to and in compliance with Chapter 6.108 of this code;

R.

Combined cannabis operation, subject to and in compliance with Chapter 6.109 of this code.

(Ord. 2006-33 § 4 (part): Ord. 2002-60 (part); Ord. 2000-53 § 1 (part); Ord. 98-53 § 1 (part); Ord. 96-15 § 1 (part): Ord. 94-41 § 1 (part): prior gen. code § 8-48.2)

(Ord. No. 2010-49, § 7, 9-14-10; Ord. No. 2010-71, § 58, 12-21-10; Ord. No. 2013-26, § 9, 7-16-13; Ord. No. 2017-35, § 2, 9-12-17; Ord. No. 2018-23, § 2, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 2019-23, § 2, 6-18-19)

The following are conditional uses and shall be permitted in a C-2 district only if approved by the planning commission, sitting as a board of zoning adjustments, as provided in Sections 17.54.135 and 17.40.010:

A.

Hospital;

B.

Adult entertainment activity provided, however, that no adult entertainment activity shall be located closer than one thousand (1,000) feet to the boundary of any residential zone or closer than one thousand (1,000) feet to any other adult entertainment activity.

C.

Superstore.

(Ord. 2006-18 § 2 (part); Ord. 2000-53 § 1 (part))

Any structure one thousand (1,000) square feet or more or any construction aggregating one thousand (1,000) square feet or more placed since July 9, 1977, shall be subject to site development review pursuant to Section 17.54.210; unless zoning approval is granted upon the determination that the construction constitutes a minor project and that the building permit plans are in accord with the intent and objectives of the site development review procedure.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.3)

Wherever a C-2 district terminates at the boundary of an R district or of any other C district except a C-2 district in the same block, the depth of front yard in that block shall be not less than is required in such abutting district.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.4)

On the street side of a corner lot in a C-2 district which abuts a key lot in any R district or in any other C district except a C-1 district, the width of the side yard shall be not less than one-half the depth of the front yard required on such key lot. Where the side lot line of a lot in a C-2 district abuts a lot in any R district, there shall be provided a side yard along that line having a width not less than that required on such abutting lot. Where the rear lot line of a lot in a C-2 district abuts a lot in any R district, then there shall be provided a rear yard having a depth not less than six feet.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.5)

In a C-2 district, no building or structure shall have a height in excess of forty-five (45) feet, except as otherwise provided in Section 17.52.090.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6)

Business signs are permitted subject to Sections 17.52.520 and 17.38.100.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6.1)

A low profile sign is permitted in accordance with Section 17.38.110.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6.2)

Shopping center master identification sign(s) are permitted subject to Section 17.52.520 and Section 17.38.110.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6.3)

Office building master identification signs are permitted subject to Section 17.38.120.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6.4)

A service station sign display structure in accordance with Section 17.36.080 is permitted on a service station site in lieu of the low profile sign otherwise permitted.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.6.5)

(Ord. No. 2010-71, § 63, 12-21-10)

A.

All uses in C-2 districts shall conform to the performance standards of this title for M-P districts as set forth in Section 17.42.020.

B.

All principal uses in C-2 districts and all fabricating, processing or repair uses accessory thereto shall be conducted within a building, except an advertising sign, an automobile sales lot, the outdoor storage necessary and incidental to the uses described in Section 17.40.030(G), a parking lot, drive-in facility or a recreation facility. Except as a temporary use regulated by Section 17.52.480, use of a mobilehome is not permitted.

(Prior gen. code § 8-49.7)