Commercial districts included in this zoning ordinance are as follows:

1.

Zone C-P (Service and Professional). Zone C-P is established to provide areas for the development of certain business and professional offices and related uses in locations within or in close proximity to residential areas where such uses can conveniently serve the public. This zone would permit the development of light traffic generating uses to be located on heavily traveled highway frontages, or adjacent to commercial or industrial zones, in order to lessen the impact of the more dynamic uses on residential uses.

2.

Zone C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial). Zone C-1 is established to provide for restricted neighborhood commercial needs. Business and professional offices and limited retail stores are permitted. Provisions are included to allow public educational institutions and the establishment of necessary public service facilities. The standards of development in zone C-1 are designed to protect adjacent zones, promote orderly development and avoid the creation of traffic congestion within the neighborhood.

3.

Zone C-2 (Medium Commercial). Zone C-2 is established to provide for the majority of the city of Brawley's commercial needs. This zone would include the central business district where a wide range of retail and service establishments could be provided.

4.

Zone C-3 (Heavy Commercial). Zone C-3 is established to provide areas for intense commercial activity serving the commercial needs of not only the city of Brawley, but the region as well. This zone would permit the development of wholesale businesses and adult businesses that would be incompatible with professional offices and related uses in close proximity to residential areas, public educational institutions and necessary public service facilities, and limited or wide-ranging retail and service establishments allowed in the other commercial zones.

(Ord. No. 2008-04 § 1.)

The commercial zones are established to provide for areas where business may be conducted, goods sold and distributed, services rendered, government services offered, and such other activities as are related to the functioning of commercial areas. The several commercial zones are intended to fulfill the need for all shopping areas. The standards of development are designed to make the various commercial areas compatible with adjacent developments to the maximum extent possible.

(Ord. No. 2008-04 § 1.)

(a)

Permitted uses (uses permitted by right) in the commercial zoning districts are largely commercial service, retail, and wholesale oriented, but may include uses which are accessory to the commercial use, such as a public facility and other uses clearly recognized as necessary to the primary commercial use.

(b)

Certain uses may not be suitable in every location within commercial districts and therefore require planning director or planning commission discretionary review through the conditional permit process described in section 27.272 of this zoning ordinance. Table 27.82, Uses by Commercial Zoning District, lists those uses that are:

1.

Permitted by right;

2.

Permitted as accessory to the commercial use;

3.

Permitted as conditional uses; and

4.

Prohibited in the commercial zoning districts.

(c)

The planning commission may also permit other uses similar to the uses permitted by right in table 27.82 that the planning commission finds to fall within the intent and purpose of these zones, that will not be more obnoxious or materially detrimental to the public welfare or to property in the vicinity of said uses, and which the planning commission finds to be of a comparable nature and of the same class as the uses permitted by right in table 27.82.

(Ord. No. 2008-04 § 1.)

Table 27.82
Uses by Commercial Zoning District

Key:

P = Use permitted by right.

PI = Use permitted by right, indoors only.

P*= Use permitted subject to conditions outlined in zoning ordinance.

C = Use requires planning commission conditional use permit.

C*= Use requires planning director conditional use permit.

X = Use is prohibited.

A = Use permitted as accessory use only.

(Ord. No. 2012-05, § 1, 11-20-2012)

General development standards for the commercial zoning districts are provided in table 27.83. These standards include: (a) minimum lot size; (b) minimum lot width; (c) minimum lot depth; (d) minimum front yard setback; (e) minimum side yard setback; (f) minimum rear yard setback; (g) maximum building coverage; (h) maximum floor area ratio; (i) maximum height; (j) off-street parking; (k) signs; (l) landscape; (m) minimum building separation; and (n) accessory buildings. These provisions are intended to provide the minimum acceptable standards for development within the commercial districts necessary to ensure quality development. The development standards are supplemented by special development standards described in article XII of this zoning ordinance.

(Ord. No. 2008-04 § 1.)

Table 27.83
Commercial Development Standards

Notes:

(1) See article II for definitions of terms used for development standards.

(2) Development standard applies to proposed subdivisions of land.

(3) Adjacent to residential zone districts.

(4) "Net area" means that area of a lot or parcel of land exclusive of: public alleys, highways or streets; proposed public facilities such as alleys, highways, streets or other necessary public sites when included within a proposed development project; or other public or private easements when the owner of the servient tenement does not have the right to use the entire surface of the land.

(5) Refer to sections 27.161 through 27.164.

(6) Refer to section 27.165, Minimum lot width.

(7) Refer to section 27.169, Specialized front yard requirements.

(8) Refer to section 27.170, Specialized side yard requirements.

(9) Refer to section 27.171, Specialized rear yard adjoining an alley.

(10) In accordance with the building code.

(11) For residential use in the CP zone, apply development standards for R-1 or R-3 zones as applicable.

ft = feet; sf = square feet; S = story; DU = dwelling unit; R-O-W = right-of-way; n/a = development standard not applicable to zoning district

(a)

Outside Display. All display and storage in the C-P zone shall be located wholly within an enclosed building. All display and storage in the C-1 and C-2 zones shall be located wholly within an enclosed building except for the following:

1.

Automobile service station but excluding outside display of other than automobile tires, batteries and similar equipment and accessories or petroleum products; parking lots.

(b)

Outside Display C-3. All display and storage in zone C-3 shall be located wholly within an enclosed building except for the following:

1.

Automobile sales; automobile service station but excluding outside display of other than automobile tires, batteries and similar equipment and accessories or petroleum products;

2.

Boat sales; Christmas trees, wreaths; florist shops; nursery stock, plant material, only; parking lots; trailer sales.

(c)

Walls. Each lot or parcel of land in zones C-P, C-1, C-2, and C-3 which has a side or rear lot line adjoining property with a legal nonconforming residential use, or adjoining property in a residential zone (or agricultural zone for C-2 and C-3) shall have a solid masonry wall, not less than five feet in height nor more than six feet in height, established along said side and rear lot lines adjoining said properties or zones. Alternate walls instead of solid masonry walls will be allowed with the planning commission's approval.

(d)

Emergency Shelters. All emergency shelters in the C-1, C-2 and C-3 zones shall meet the objective requirements described below:

1.

Emergency shelters shall be limited to a maximum of thirty beds.

2.

Parking requirements shall be the same as for nursing homes and convalescent hospitals as described in section 27.143 of article XI.

3.

All waiting and intake areas shall be within an enclosed building and shall have a legal occupancy rating of eight people.

4.

Each emergency shelter shall accommodate a minimum daytime staff of one staff member per eight occupied beds (1—8 beds = 1 staff; 9—18 beds = 2 staff; etc.) and a minimum nighttime staff of one staff per twelve occupied beds (1—12 beds = 1 staff; 13—24 beds = 2 staff; etc.).

5.

No parcel with an emergency shelter use shall be established closer than three hundred feet from another parcel with an emergency shelter use.

6.

The length of stay within an emergency shelter shall be limited to a maximum of six months.

7.

The exterior lighting of the building housing the emergency shelter shall be provided to adequately illuminate all sides of the building to allow for security to monitor all sides of the structure.

8.

Security staff or electronic cameras with video monitors that can be viewed by nighttime staff shall be provided to monitor the exterior of the building housing the emergency shelter. The exterior of the building shall be monitored by security staff or electronic cameras between 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.

(Ord. No. 2008-04 § 1.)