Amelia County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIX
B-2 Shopping Center District
§ 325-19.1 Statement of intent.
This B-2 Shopping Center District is designed to permit the development of attractive and efficient retail shopping facilities of integrated design in appropriate locations to serve residential neighborhoods and the community.
§ 325-19.2 Permitted uses.
[Amended 2-21-2018]
A.
In the B-2 Shopping Center District, the uses permitted shall include retail commercial and service establishments serving the needs of the market area including those uses ordinarily accepted as shopping center uses to include wireless support structures up to 80 feet.
B.
Subdivisions.
[Added 2-17-2021 by Ord. No. 21-002]
C.
Microbreweries.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
§ 325-19.3 Prohibited uses.
The following uses are not allowed in the B-2 Shopping Center District zoned area:
A.
Mobile homes, travel trailers and recreational vehicles sale lots.
B.
Automobile, truck and motorcycle sale lots.
C.
Self-service car washes.
D.
Outdoor and drive-in theaters.
E.
Kennels and animal hospitals and clinics.
F.
Clubs, lodges and assembly halls.
G.
Funeral homes.
H.
Bulk storage facilities.
I.
Service stations and vehicle body repair shops.
J.
Churches.
§ 325-19.4 Required conditions.
A.
The minimum site area shall be three acres.
B.
The minimum distance from any street right-of-way to any building shall be 50 feet.
C.
The minimum distance from side and rear property lines to any building shall be 25 feet for any building under 35 feet in height. When adjacent to residential districts, it shall be 75 feet.
D.
For buildings over 35 feet in height, the minimum distance from side and rear property lines to any such building shall be an additional foot for each additional foot of building height over 35 feet.
E.
The minimum distance from a loading zone to the property line shall be 50 feet.
F.
The development shall front on a public street or road.
G.
The development shall have a minimum of 300 feet of road frontage.
§ 325-19.5 Building height.
[Amended 3-16-2011]
Thirty-five feet maximum for occupied structures.
§ 325-19.6 Utility requirements.
All building constructed in the Shopping Center District zoned area shall be served by underground utilities.
§ 325-19.7 Sign limitations.
One sign not exceeding 80 square feet in area and 35 feet in height and announcing only the name and the location of the shopping center and major stores shall be permitted. All individual business signs within the shopping center shall be attached to or made an integral part of the principal building.
§ 325-19.8 Off-street parking and loading.
A.
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required by § 325-3.6, Minimum off-street parking.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B.
Off-street loading spaces shall be provided with area, location and design appropriate to the needs of the shopping center. In the process of loading and unloading, no vehicle shall block the passage of other vehicles or extend into any public or private drive or street used for traffic circulation. No space designated as required off-street parking area for the general public shall be used as an off-street loading space.
§ 325-19.9 Screening and landscaping.
A.
Landscaping or other devices shall be used to screen surrounding residential districts from storage and loading operation within the shopping center.
B.
Any part of the shopping center area not used for buildings or other structures, parking, loading, pedestrian walks and accessways shall be landscaped with grass, trees and/or shrubs.
C.
The following requirements pertain to all shopping center parking lots and for all vehicular use areas that exceed 5,000 square feet in size:
(1)
Landscaping shall be done on at least 8% of the vehicular use areas.
(2)
Each individually landscaped island must be at least 100 square feet in area with sides measuring at least five feet in length.
(3)
One tree must be planted and maintained for every 100 square feet per island and three shrubs with a minimum height of two feet for each required tree.
(4)
The remainder of the area of the islands may be planted with low-growing vegetable ground cover and/or nonvegetative material.
(5)
All landscaping material and planting shall be maintained and replaced, if the material dies.
§ 325-19.10 Procedures for establishing Shopping Center District.
A.
Before submitting an application for a Shopping Center District, an applicant may confer with the Planning Commission to obtain information and guidance before entering into binding commitments or incurring substantial expense in the preparation of plans, surveys and other data.
B.
Application for a Shopping Center District shall be submitted as for other amendments under Article XXX of this chapter. Material submitted with the application or on subsequent request by the Planning Commission shall include all plans, maps, studies and reports which may reasonably be required to make the determinations called for in the particular case, with sufficient copies for necessary referrals and records. More specifically, all of the following shall be required. The development plan shall be clearly drawn to scale and shall show the following:
(1)
The proposed location and size of structures, indicating tenant uses and total square feet in buildings.
(2)
The proposed size, location and use of other portions of the tract, including landscaped parking, loading, service, maintenance and other areas or spaces.
(3)
The proposed provision for water, sanitary sewer and surface drainage facilities, including engineering feasibility studies or other evidence of reasonableness.
(4)
Potential population and area to be served by the proposed shopping center.
(5)
Evidence that the applicant has sufficient control over the land to effectuate the proposed development plan. Evidence of control includes property rights and the engineering feasibility data which may be necessary and the economic feasibility studies (market analysis or other data) justifying the proposed development.
C.
The plan for the Shopping Center District shall show the requirements set forth in this article and shall include the width of right-of-way and pavement of existing streets. The district shall be developed according to those requirements. In addition, it is hereby specified and required that:
(1)
The aggregate plan area of all buildings proposed shall not exceed 30% of the entire lot area of the project.
(2)
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided in the ratio required by § 325-3.6, Minimum off-street parking.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(3)
Service drives or other areas shall be provided for off-street loading, and in such a way that in the process of loading or unloading, no truck will block the passage of other vehicles on the service drive, or extend into any other public or private drive or street used for traffic circulation.
(4)
The drives, parking areas, loading areas, and walks shall be paved with hard, dust-free surface material.
(5)
Any part of the project area not used for buildings or other structures, loading and accessways or pedestrian walks shall be landscaped and maintained with grass, trees and shrubs.
(6)
The shopping center building shall be designed and built as a whole, unified and single project but may, however, be built in stages, in accordance with a construction timing schedule approved by the Zoning Administrator.
D.
The Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors may establish additional requirements, if, in its opinion, the inclusion of that requirement is essential to a proper decision on the project.
E.
Final plans and reports approved shall be binding on the applicant and any successors in interest as long as B-2 zoning applies.
F.
If required by the Board of Supervisors, a surety bond shall be filed for, or deposited in escrow with the County, a sum sufficient to ensure completion of special requirements as may be imposed by the Board of Supervisors.
