The NC zone is intended to protect and enhance neighborhood commercial areas by promoting the concentration of businesses that provide convenience goods and services used frequently by local residents. This zone provides for a scale and character of development that is consistent with pedestrian-orientation and which tends to attract and promote a walk-in clientele. Development within this zone should maximize human scale elements while providing a sensitive transition between these uses and neighboring residences, including the provision of adequate and properly-sited parking facilities. Additionally, the NC zone encourages residential mixed use to further enhance the transition between neighborhood commercial and adjacent residential uses, consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the city’s general plan.

There are no permitted uses in the NC zone.

Conditional uses in the NC zone are as follows:

1. Neighborhood Mixed Use;
2. Commercial recreation;
3. Reception center;
4. Convenience store;
5. Grocery store, foodstuffs, retailing, or delicatessen with a maximum gross floor area of no more than 7,500 square feet on any one floor and 15,000 gross occupiable square feet;
6. Convenience store/fast food combination without gasoline;
7. Medical, optical, dental offices and clinics for health professionals, with the exception of after-hours care, overnight care or traditional medical retail stores, with a maximum gross floor area of no more than 7,500 square feet on any one floor and 15,000 gross occupiable square feet;
8. Administrative, general or professional offices containing no more than 7,500 square feet on any one floor and 15,000 gross occupiable square feet;
9. Studios for an artist, designer, writer, photographer, sculptor or musician;
10. Restaurant or bar establishment;
11. Retail / small commercial;
12. Churches;
13. Child day-care/preschool;
14. Parks, playgrounds or community recreation;
15. Public and private utility buildings or facilities;
16. Adult day care facilities;
17. Schools.

1. Neighborhood Mixed-Use is a single building containing more than one type of land use at least one of which may be residential, or a single development of more than one building and use, one of which is residential, where the different types of land uses are in close proximity, planned as a unified complementary whole, and functionally integrated to the use of shared vehicular and pedestrian access and parking areas.
2. All Neighborhood Commercial development standards relevant to a proposed Neighborhood Mixed-Use development, such as maximum building heights, minimum setbacks, minimum lot size, etc. shall apply.
3. The mix of uses shall be consistent with the permitted and conditional uses listed in the Neighborhood Commercial chapter.
4. The non-residential portion of a Neighborhood Mixed Use project shall constitute a minimum of 25% of the total gross floor area of the entire unit or project square footage. At least 50% of the unit or project frontage at ground level along a public right-of-way shall be dedicated to the non-residential portion of the project.

The following conditions and limitations shall apply in the NC zone:

1. The maximum floor area of each separate use confined within enclosing walls shall be limited to 7,500 square feet on the first story. Below-grade square footage (i.e., basements) shall not be included in the maximum floor area so long as the area below grade is not occupiable space.
2. The maximum floor area for schools shall be decided on case-by-case basis by the planning commission pursuant to Chapter 19.84 (Conditional Uses) of this title.
3. All business, service, repair, processing, and storage, including refuse and garbage storage, shall be conducted wholly within enclosed buildings except the display of plants and off-street parking and loading.
4. Items produced or wares and merchandise handled shall be limited to those sold at retail on the premises.

The setbacks and yard requirements in the NC zone are as follows:

1. The minimum yard along a street shall equal the front yard required in the least restricted adjacent residential zone.
2. Minimum side and rear yards of 25 feet shall be required for those portions of a lot in an NC zone abutting a residential zone. For lots adjacent to a non-residential use the minimum setback shall be ten feet for side and rear yards.
3. The minimum front, rear, and side yard setbacks for two-story buildings with commercial activity occurring on the second floor for property located in non-mixed use designated areas shall be at least one-half of the height of the principal structure.
4. Also see chart 19.37.140 for more setback information for the NC zone.

Provided that all other standards in this chapter are met, there is no minimum lot size or dimensional requirements for developed in the Neighborhood Commercial zone.

1. For uses where the slope of the original ground surface is greater than 15%, or if a slope stability hazard is present on site, the maximum structure height shall be 30 feet.
2. All other properties shall not exceed a height of 35 feet.

The maximum lot coverage in the NC zone is 50%, including all structures, except portions of those properties also located in the Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone, for which the maximum lot coverage shall be 30% including all structures and impervious surfaces.

Developments in the NC zone will be required to comply with a master development plan approved by the planning commission.

1. All trash or refuse receptacle areas shall be completely screened from surrounding properties by a masonry wall or screening that is a minimum of six feet high with visually obscuring painted metal gates, or shall be enclosed within a building. Any trash or refuse receptacle area shall be a minimum of 50 feet from any residential zone boundary or property containing a residential use.
2. All ground-mounted mechanical equipment (including, without limitation, heating and air conditioning units) shall be completely screened from surrounding properties by a masonry wall or shall be enclosed within a building.
3. The use of roof appurtenances is discouraged. If roof appurtenances (including, without limitation, air conditioning units and mechanical equipment) are used, they shall be placed within an enclosure at least as high as the roof appurtenances that reflects the architectural design scheme of the project and complies with the requirements for penthouses and roof structures of the city’s building code. Such enclosures require planning commission approval, and shall minimize visibility from on-site parking areas, adjacent public streets, and adjacent residential property.
4. All utility connections shall be compatible with the architectural elements of the site and not be exposed except where necessary. Pad-mounted transformers and/or meter box locations shall be included in the site plan with an appropriate screening treatment. Power lines and other utility cables shall be installed underground where possible.
5. Loading areas and docks shall be screened by landscaping and/or visual barriers from adjacent properties and public streets.

1. All developments of over one acre in size shall dedicate at least 15% of the gross acreage to landscaping, including, without limitation, landscape buffers, seating areas, walkways, etc. Drought resistant plants are encouraged.
2. All developments in the NC zone shall provide a landscaped buffer, not less than eight feet in width, with trees planted no less than 30 feet on center, between any commercial development and any residential use or vacant land in a residential zone. This requirement can be included within the side and rear setbacks of the NC zone.
   
   Developments in the NC zone are intended to blend with the surrounding land uses, whether they are residential or non-residential. For that reason, the landscaped buffer should not be used as an obstructing barrier between land uses, but rather provide a landscaped transition between uses, with pedestrian walkways and trails.