Darien City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
46 SC Suburban Commercial District
§ 17.46.010 Description and purpose.
[Prior code § 17.0312(1)]
This district is intended to permit large and small scale commercial development which is compatible with the desired overall community character of the area in general. Significant areas of landscaping are required in this district to ensure that this effect is achieved. A wide range of office, retail, and lodging land uses are permitted within this district. In order to ensure a minimum of disruption to residential development, no development within this district shall take direct access to a local residential street or a residential collector street.
Rationale. This district is intended to provide the principal zoning district for commercial development which occurs after the adoption of this title. The standards of this district are designed to provide a clear distinction from the urban commercial and central commercial districts in terms of permitted intensity of development, treatment of outdoor sales, and required green space areas. The desired suburban community character of the development is attained through the landscape surface area ratio (LSR) requirements. Together, these requirements ensure that the desired community character is maintained as long as the planned business district designation is retained, regardless of how much development occurs within that area.
§ 17.46.020 List of allowable land uses.
[Prior code § 17.0312(2); amended by Ord. 249, 2007]
A.
Land uses permitted by right:
Selective cutting (per Section 17.08.060).
Passive outdoor public recreation (per Section 17.10.010).
Office (per Section 17.12.010).
Personal or professional services (per Section 17.12.020).
Indoor sales or service (per Section 17.12.030).
Indoor maintenance service (per Section 17.12.050).
B.
Land uses permitted as special use:
Cultivation (per Section 17.08.010).
Active outdoor public recreation (per Section 17.10.020).
Indoor institutional (per Section 17.10.030).
Public services and utilities (per Section 17.10.050).
C.
Land uses permitted as conditional use:
Institutional residential, 1,980 square feet per du (per Section 17.10.060).
Clear cutting (per Section 17.08.070).
Outdoor institutional (per Section 17.10.040).
Outdoor display (per Section 17.12.040).
Outdoor storage (per Section 17.14.020).
In-vehicle sales or service (per Section 17.12.070).
Indoor commercial entertainment (per Section 17.12.080).
Commercial animal boarding (per Section 17.12.100).
Commercial indoor lodging (per Section 17.12.110).
Bed and breakfast establishments (per Section 17.12.120).
Group day care center (nine or more children) (per Section 17.12.130).
Boarding house (per Section 17.12.150).
D.
Land Uses Permitted as Accessory Uses.
1.
Land uses permitted by right:
Farm residence (per Section 17.20.030).
Detached garage or shed (per Section 17.20.040).
Company cafeteria (per Section 17.20.050).
2.
Land uses permitted as special use:
Company provided on-site recreation (per Section 17.20.060).
Home occupation (per Section 17.20.110).
3.
Land uses permitted as conditional use:
Commercial apartment (per Section 17.20.020).
Company provided on-site recreation (per Section 17.20.060).
Outdoor display incidental (per Section 17.20.070).
In-vehicle sales and service (per Section 17.20.080).
Light industrial incidental to indoor sales (per Section 17.20.100).
E.
Land uses permitted as temporary uses:
General temporary outdoor sales (per Section 17.22.010).
Outdoor assembly (per Section 17.22.020).
Seasonal outdoor sales of products (per Section 17.22.030).
§ 17.46.030 Regulations applicable to institutional residential uses.
[Prior code § 17.0312(3)]
A.
Residential Density and Intensity Requirements:
Maximum gross density (MGD): up to 40.00.
Minimum zoning district area: 40,000 square feet.
Minimum lot district area: 20,000 square feet.
Minimum landscape surface ratio (LSR): 50%.
Maximum building coverage: 40%.
B.
Residential bulk requirements: see the RS-3 district.
C.
Residential landscaping requirements: not applicable for single-family. See nonresidential landscaping requirements for two- and multifamily residential.
D.
Residential performance standards: (see Chapter 17.66).
E.
Residential signage regulations: (see Chapter 17.62).
§ 17.46.040 Regulations applicable to nonresidential uses.
[Prior code § 17.0312(4)]
A.
Nonresidential Density and Intensity Requirements.
Minimum zoning district area: 40,000 square feet (20,000 square feet as a conditional use).
Minimum landscape surface ratio (LSR): 25%.
Maximum building size (MBS): na.
B.
Nonresidential Bulk Requirements.
1.
Minimum lot area: 40,000 square feet (20,000 square feet is permitted with a conditional use permit and site plan for end use of property demonstrating full compliance with this title. Existing lots smaller than one acre may be used for nonresidential uses. No new lots smaller than 20,000 square feet may be created).
2.
Minimum lot width: 80 feet.
3.
Minimum street frontage: 50 feet.
4.
Minimum setbacks: (Note Subsection (B)(5) of this section, along zoning district boundaries).
a.
Building to front or street side lot line: 25 feet, 40 feet for a lot adjacent to a street with an officially mapped right-of-way equal to or exceeding 100 feet.
b.
Building to residential side lot line: 10 feet.
c.
Building to residential rear lot line: 25 feet.
d.
Building to nonresidential side lot line: 10 feet or zero feet on zero lot line side.
e.
Building to nonresidential rear lot line: 25 feet.
5.
Peripheral setback: See Section 17.68.100(D). Table B along zoning district boundary.
6.
Minimum paved surface setback: five feet from side or rear; 10 feet from street.
7.
Minimum building separation: 20 feet or zero feet on zero lot line side.
8.
Maximum building height: 35 feet.
9.
Minimum number of off-street parking spaces required on the lot: see parking lot requirements per specific land use in Chapters 17.06 through 17.24.
C.
Nonresidential Landscaping Requirements (Nonresidential, Two- and Multifamily).
1.
Forty landscaping points per 100 linear feet of building foundation.
2.
Ten landscaping points per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
3.
Forty landscaping points per 100 linear feet of street frontage.
4.
Eighty landscaping points per 10,000 square feet paved area/20 stalls.
D.
Nonresidential performance standards: (see Chapter 17.66).
E.
Nonresidential signage regulations: (see Chapter 17.62).