Davis City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 40
16 AUTO CENTER A-C DISTRICT
§ 40.16.010 Purpose.
The purpose of the auto center (A-C) district is to provide for an appropriate physical and economic environment for new automobile dealerships, and to provide an opportunity for automobile dealerships to benefit from the close proximity and physical design and development standards available in a center or mall setting. The setting will also provide for the right setting for sales of other large vehicles, including, but not limited to, recreational vehicles, farm equipment, boats and trailers, and pre-owned vehicles.
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 2572 § 14, 2020)
§ 40.16.020 Permitted uses.
As used in this article the term "automobile dealership" includes both automobile dealerships and recreational vehicle dealerships, and the term "automobile" includes both automobiles and recreational vehicles.
Farm equipment, sales and service uses.
Boat and trailer sales.
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 2572 § 14, 2020)
§ 40.16.030 Accessory uses.
The following accessory uses are permitted in the A-C district:
Used automobile sales accessory to new automobile dealerships;
Sales, office, parts, service, storage, and body shop facilities accessory to new automobile dealerships;
Storage, body shop, washing, fueling, painting facilities, and smog certification in a location within the A-C district as accessory uses exclusive to the subject automobile dealerships within the A-C district;
Temporary facilities such as automobile sales offices, display areas (interior or exterior), etc., accessory to new automobile dealerships are permitted within the A-C district. Such uses shall be allowed for a period not to exceed two years from the date approved by the city. The period may be extended for up to an additional one year if the permanent facility is under construction prior to expiration of the initial two-year period but not yet complete. Such temporary uses would be subject to all the other provisions of the A-C district.
(Ord. 1591 § 1)
§ 40.16.040 Conditional uses.
The following conditional uses may be permitted in an A-C district:
Retail shops for the sale of auto parts, accessories, souvenirs, curios, and other products primarily to serve the traveling public;
Nurseries, greenhouses and fruit stands;
Auto service stations;
Restaurants;
Used car lots;
Laundromats;
Public or semipublic, including public utility, uses intended primarily to meet the needs of the traveling public;
Commercial recreation facilities, such as swimming pools, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and dance halls;
Professional and administrative offices;
Any other retail business or service establishment determined by the director to be of the same general character as the above permitted uses;
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 1739 § 5, 1994; Ord. 2113 § 1, 2003; Ord. 2572 § 14, 2020)
§ 40.16.050 Site development standards.
The following site development standards shall apply with an A-C district, except when modified for conditional uses or as provided in Sections 40.27.040 through 40.27.070:
Lot area. The minimum lot area within the A-C district shall be one acre. Smaller lot areas may be approved by the planning commission when found to be consistent with the purpose of the A-C district.
Lot coverage. The maximum lot coverage permitted on any site is forty percent.
Height. No building or structure shall exceed two stories or thirty-five feet in height.
Fencing. Notwithstanding Section 40.27.060(c), fencing shall be provided as follows:
(Ord. 1591 § 1)
§ 40.16.060 Landscaping.
Landscaping and screening shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 40.26.250, including that in the A-C district a minimum of ten percent of the site area shall be developed with landscaping. Landscaping shall consist of a combination of trees, groundcover and shrubbery to adequately cover all designated landscaping areas.
In addition for automobile dealerships are the following provisions:
A landscaped strip a minimum of ten feet wide adjoining public streets is required. Expansion of existing auto dealerships, in terms of land area, if such expansion is contiguous and a lesser size than the existing dealership, shall not be required to provide a landscape strip of ten feet. For such an expansion, the dealership shall provide a landscape strip consistent with the existing facility.
Similar plant materials shall be utilized in all landscaped areas to create a landscape theme.
All landscaping shall be maintained in a neat, clean and healthful manner.
All landscaped areas shall be developed with a permanent, underground, automatic irrigation system.
Nonliving materials shall not be substituted for required landscaping except decorative rocks or stones may be substituted for groundcover where trees and shrubbery are sufficiently dense.
Plant materials shall initially be fifteen-gallon size for trees and five-gallon size for shrubs.
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 2677, 11/4/2025)
§ 40.16.070 Signage.
Notwithstanding Section 40.26.020, each automobile dealership shall be allowed the following signs for identification of the franchise, premises, department uses on site and directional control, subject to city approval of a complete signage program which addresses each of the sign elements listed below. The maximum allowable square footage for total signage shall be two hundred square feet per automobile dealership. Freestanding dealership identification signs, wall-mounted dealership identification signs, secondary wall signs, site interior directional signs, site frontage directional signs, auto center identification signs, and other signs shall be counted toward the total square footage for signs.
A freestanding dealership identification sign shall be allowed for each dealership as follows:
One freestanding sign is allowed which may contain the manufacturer's logo, the dealership name, principal make of the new automobile sold by each dealer, or used car designation.
The sign may be located within a landscaped area adjacent to a public street a minimum of five feet behind the property line.
Signs may be internally illuminated.
The maximum allowable height for a free-standing dealership identification sign shall be forty feet.
Wall-mounted dealership identification signs are permitted as follows:
One wall sign shall be allowed for each principal building elevation that faces a public street, or freeway, for a maximum of two wall signs at corner parcels.
The wall-mounted dealership identification sign should be located near the top of the showroom or on a flat wall surface facing the main public street. Signs shall be mounted on roofs below the building roofline.
Signs may be internally illuminated.
Secondary wall signs are permitted as follows:
Site interior directional signs. Dealership directional signs shall be allowed, such as: "enter," "exit," "service entrance," "customer parking," "parts delivery," and "employee parking."
Other signs.
Windows (anything inside or outside a window is a sign) may display temporary advertisements for promotional purposes in accordance with subsection (i) of this section.
No other signs visible from beyond the property may be placed, parked, attached to or displayed on the site. No signs projecting above the roof line of any building or painted on the sides of the building or roof may be used.
Billboards, streamers or other temporary signs are prohibited.
Revolving, flashing or moving signs are specifically prohibited.
Auto center identification signs.
Freeway-oriented signs advertising automobile dealers within the A-C district are permitted. Such signs shall be located so as to be visible and provide direction for eastbound traffic on Interstate 80 (west of the Mace Boulevard freeway exit); westbound traffic on Interstate 80 (east of the Mace Boulevard freeway exit); and automobile traffic at the intersections of Interstate 80/Mace Boulevard and Mace Boulevard/Chiles Road.
The specific number, size, height, design and location of such signs shall be determined in the context of the freeway identification and direction signage program to be developed as part of the signage guidelines for the A-C district.
Construction signs. Each dealership is allowed, subject to approval of the director, to place on its site prior to and during construction one temporary construction sign which shall be removed prior to occupancy of the dealership building(s). The sign shall be a maximum size of fifty square feet.
Temporary promotional signs and displays. The use of temporary promotional signs and displays to promote special commercial activities shall be allowed in the A-C district subject to submission and approval of an application to the director and subject to the following provisions:
The use of temporary promotional signs and displays shall be permitted for a period of no more than thirty consecutive days; or no more than one hundred twenty days in any one calendar year.
Temporary promotional displays include but are not limited to banners, flags, pennants, bunting and tents.
Temporary window signs shall be allowed provided that the total area of such signs shall not exceed fifty percent of the total window area of the face of the building upon which such signs are mounted.
The director may approve a sign permit for temporary promotional signs which defines the time, size, location, material, design and/or other significant elements of a temporary sign program.
The director shall disapprove temporary promotional signs where they are found to create a hazard, unreasonably obstruct any existing sign located on adjacent lots or otherwise be so distractive as to create a nuisance.
Nonconforming signs.
All signs not in conformance with the provisions stated in subsections (a) through (i) of this section shall be removed if any of the following occurs:
As a condition of approval for any new freestanding or wall-mounted dealership identification sign, secondary wall sign, or directional sign, any existing nonconforming signs shall be removed or revised to comply with the provisions of the A-C district signage requirements.
Standards for conditional uses. Conditional uses shall comply with the signage requirements of Section 40.26.020(g) (commercial mixed use) of this chapter.
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 2046 §§ 1—3, 2001; Ord. 2390 § 2, 2012; Ord. 2677, 11/4/2025)
§ 40.16.080 Special conditions.
Automobile display pads. Automobile display pads or structures may be provided for each automobile dealership subject to the following:
The pad or structure may be only of a size sufficient to accommodate one automobile per pad or structure.
Display pads or elevated display structures may encroach within the required landscape area as long as the total required landscaped area is not reduced by the encroachment.
Elevated display structures shall be no more than eight feet in height.
Architectural standards. Site plan and architectural approval by the director or designee shall be required for all uses.
Site lighting. Exterior display lighting shall be developed in accordance with an approved lighting plan indicating design layout, exact luminary mounting height, and distance between light standards consistent with Article 8.14 of this Code, the city building security regulations. Innovative lighting design with varying light intensity levels is encouraged for highlighting and merchandising purposes.
Special consideration as to direction and orientation of lighting shall be made for properties that are adjacent to residential districts. All lighting in such areas shall be directed away from residential areas and all direct light beams shall be directed towards the automobile dealership buildings and exterior automobile display areas.
All new development shall comply with the following standards to meet the provisions of Article 8.14 of this Code related to security lighting:
Private on-site lighting standards adjacent to public streets shall not exceed thirty feet in height above grade. These lighting standards may have two luminaries per standard and must be mounted parallel to the public street right-of-way.
The exterior display area shall be illuminated by fixtures on poles not to exceed thirty feet in height above grade. These poles may have as many as four luminaries per pole.
Service and storage parking areas shall be lighted by luminaries mounted on standards not to exceed thirty feet in height above grade.
Fixed spotlight fixtures shall not be directed toward public streets or adjacent properties.
Temporary display spotlights shall not be permitted unless so authorized by the city. Such request shall be made to the director in writing at least thirty days in advance of using such display and approved if it is found that the temporary display lighting is for a period not to exceed thirty days a year, that the lighting shall be directed away from residential areas, and not be directed toward the public street or neighboring properties.
Expansions of existing automobile dealerships, in terms of land area, shall not be required to provide lighting as stated in subsections (c)(1), (2) and (3) of this section, if such expansion is contiguous to, and of a lesser size than the existing dealership property. For such an expansion, the dealership shall provide lighting consistent with the existing facility. |
As a condition of approval for any substantial remodeling of any building involving a conditional use permit, the building official may require nonconforming lighting to meet the provisions of Article 8.14 of this Code related to security lighting. |
Public address system. Exterior public address and/or paging systems (including speakers) shall be permitted for automobile dealerships or other uses allowed in the A-C district. The maximum allowable decibel level shall be sixty dBA at the property lines. When an automobile dealership or other use allowed in the A-C district abuts a residential district, exterior public address and/or paging systems (including speakers) shall not be located on the sides of the building(s) and/or property that abuts such residential district in a manner that results in the public address and/or paging system being directed toward the abutting residential district. Use of public address systems shall comply with provisions of this Code related to noise.
(Ord. 1591 § 1; Ord. 1627 § 27; Ord. 2390 § 2, 2012; Ord. 2677, 11/4/2025)