Delmar City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
Shopping Center Standards
§ 10-137 Purpose of standards.
These shopping center standards are established to provide for a unified development of neighborhood, community and regional shopping centers, which will offer public, convenient shopping facilities while at the same time protect from any unnecessary safety hazards or nuisances.
§ 10-138 General standards.
A.
Shopping centers shall be developed according to a comprehensive development plan as defined herein.
B.
Buildings shall be designed so that facades, signs and other appurtenances will have an integrated and harmonious appearance, so that parking and landscaped areas are harmonious and attractively arranged, and in a manner which will not adversely affect surrounding development.
C.
Shopping centers shall be located where traffic congestion does not exist on roads used for immediate access to the center, and where such congestion is not likely to be created by the proposed center, or where such congestion will be obviated by current scheduled improvements to access roads, by demonstrable provisions for proper exits and entrances, and by internal provisions for parking and traffic circulation.
D.
Shopping centers, when feasible, shall be served by single common sewers, gas, water, lighting, power, and heating systems of services.
E.
Passenger parking areas and freight loading areas shall be separately located and safety provisions must be made for the protection of pedestrians, including appropriate location of roadways, parking areas, sidewalks, islands, entrances, exits, crossovers, and underpasses which are provided with drainage, lighting, directional signs and supervision as may be required.
F.
Construction must be initiated within two years of permit issuance.
§ 10-139 Permitted uses.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 15, Art. II; Ch. 305, Art. I)]
The following uses are permitted in shopping centers:
A.
Department stores.
B.
Retail sales establishments, including but not limited to the sale of appliances, wearing apparel, general merchandise and food.
C.
Commercial service establishments, including but not limited to barbershops, beauty shops, apparel repair and maintenance, repair of consumer products, professional services and automotive services.
D.
Recreation facilities, such as movie houses, theatres, and bowling lanes.
E.
Offices and financial institutes.
F.
Eating and drinking establishments.
G.
Motels and hotels.
§ 10-140 Prohibited uses.
§ 10-141 Building area coverage.
The ground area occupied by all buildings shall not exceed 30% of the gross lot or tract area.
§ 10-142 Customer parking.
Notwithstanding any other requirements of this chapter, there shall be provided 5 1/2 off-street parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross lease able floor area, not including basement storage.
§ 10-143 Loading space.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, there shall be provided one off-street loading and unloading space for each 20,000 square feet of aggregate floor space.
§ 10-144 Paving and illumination.
All roadways, parking areas and pedestrian walks shall be paved with a hard surface material which shall be maintained in good condition at all times and shall be properly illuminated when used after dark in such a manner as to prevent the direct transmission of light into adjacent residential properties.
§ 10-145 Screening.
Whenever a shopping center is located adjacent to a residential developed or zoned area, a permanent, solid fence or planted area with trees or shrubs shall be provided on the side or sides adjacent to such residential areas sufficient to act as a buffer to the transmission of light and sound from the center.
§ 10-146 Signs.
A.
Notwithstanding any other requirements of this chapter, each shopping center shall be permitted no more than two freestanding signs not over 25 feet in height, with a maximum surface area of 100 square feet. Such signs shall not be located closer than 20 feet to any property line. Flashing signs shall be prohibited and no lighted sign shall shine directly into adjacent residential properties.
B.
All signs within the center shall be controlled by written agreement between the owners and tenant of the center, so as to avoid excessive advertising and ensure an attractive and harmonious appearance throughout the center.
C.
Only one flat wall identity sign shall be permitted for each operating business establishment, whether lighted or unlighted. Such signs shall not have a surface area more than 30% of the front building surface of the establishment and shall be mounted flush with the building. All individual signs shall be located within the same horizontal plane on the building facade.
§ 10-147 Site plan review.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 15, Art. II; Ch. 305, Art. I)]
Refer to Article XXVI, Development Plans, for site plan review requirements.