Findlay City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1137
C-3 Downtown Business District
1137.01 INTENT.
The C-3 Downtown Business District is designed to distinguish the area as unique from all other business district areas in the City. The unique characteristics include closer massing of buildings, taller buildings, pedestrian-friendly walkways; numerous uses to co-exist that are prohibited in other districts; using the City’s rights-of-ways for outdoor dining, sidewalk sales, and exhibits; lack of required setbacks; and lack of parking requirements.
The C-3 Downtown Business District is the most open zoning district and allows the mixing of uses that other zoning districts do not permit. Creative parking arrangements are encouraged but not required. Absent any parking requirements, there cannot be an expectation to provide ample curbside parking in front of each business door, nor can there be a code standard cited as reason for creating surface parking lots in place of existing buildings.
(Ord. 2023-115. Passed 12-19-23.)
1137.02 USES PERMITTED.
In the C-3 Downtown Business Districts, the following principal uses shall be permitted:
(a) Professional Services.
(b) Libraries.
(c) Restaurants.
(d) Art and Antique Shops.
(e) Bakeries – Retail.
(f) Bed and Breakfasts.
(g) Book Stores.
(h) Bars, Taverns, Night Clubs.
(i) Coffee Shops.
(j) Convenience Stores.
(k) Craft Supplies.
(l) Dance Studios.
(m) Day Care Centers (Type A & B).
(n) Dry Cleaners.
(o) Flower Shops.
(p) Food Retailing.
(q) Hardware Stores.
(r) Health Services.
(s) Ice Cream Shops.
(t) Beauty Salons.
(u) Barber Shops.
(v) Sidewalk Cafes (Dependent on Approval from Safety Service Director).
(w) Veterinary Clinic (No Kennel).
(x) Accessory Uses.
(y) Taxi Services.
(z) Retail Trade.
(aa) Motels and Hotels.
(bb) Cinemas/Theaters.
(cc) Commercial Schools.
(dd) Clubs.
(ee) Financial Institutions.
(ff) Parking Lots, Ramps and Decks.
(gg) Entertainment Uses.
(hh) Governmental Uses.
(ii) Public and Quasi-Public Uses.
(Ord. 2023-115. Passed 12-19-23.)
1137.03 CONDITIONAL USES PERMITTED
(a) Residential Uses.
(b) Automotive Sales.
(c) Electric Vehicle Charging Station.
(d) Other Uses.
(1) Other uses are those which the City Planning Commission finds to be:
A. Similar in character to one or more of the use groups indicated above.
B. Supports the high intensity nature of downtown including the pedestrian oriented goal.
(Ord. 2023-115. Passed 12-19-23.)
1137.04 LOT REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Front and Rear Yard Requirements.
(1) Main Street, Main Cross Street and Sandusky Street. Buildings are not permitted to be set back more than five feet (5’) from the right-of-way; up to fifty percent (50%) of the building frontage can be set back an additional five feet (5’) to provide a public-private space.
(2) All other streets - No front or side yards are required in the C-3 Districts.
(b) Rear Yards.
(1) Loading spaces shall be provided in the ratio of at least ten square feet (10 sq. ft.) per front foot of the building.
(2) Where an alley exists or is provided at the rear of the buildings, the rear building setback and loading requirements may be computed from the center of said alley.
(Ord. 2023-115. Passed 12-19-23.)
1137.05 BUILDING WIDTH.
(a) Required Building Width.
(1) Buildings are to have a minimum width of sixty percent (60%) of the lot width.
(Ord. 2023-115. Passed 12-19-23.)