Flat Rock City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 15
00.- C-3, GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
Sec. 15.01 - Statement of intent.
The intent of the general commercial district is to provide for a variety of commercial uses, including more intensive commercial uses not permitted in the C-1 district. The district is intended to permit commercial establishments that cater to the convenience and comparison shopping needs of residents. Because of the variety of business types permitted in the C-3 district, special attention must be focused on site layout, building design, vehicular circulation, and coordination of site features between adjoining sites. Accordingly, general commercial facilities should be:
•
Compatible in design with adjacent commercial development, and
•
Designed as part of a planned shopping center or in coordination with development on adjoining commercial sites.
Furthermore, building sites in the general commercial district are intended to be:
•
Larger than in the C-1 and C-2 districts,
•
Located away from sensitive residential areas, and
•
Served by a major thoroughfare.
Sec. 15.02 - Permitted uses and structures.
A.
Principal uses and structures. In all area zoned C-3, general commercial district, no building or part of a building shall be erected, used, or structurally altered, nor shall the land or premises be used in whole or in part, except for one or more of the following principal permitted uses:
1.
Retail businesses, including convenience stores, which supply commodities on the premises for residents, such as: groceries, meat, dairy products, alcoholic beverages, baked goods or other foods, drugs, dry goods, notions, hardware, books, stationery and school supplies, records, and video cassette sales and rental, bicycles, flowers, hobby equipment, paints, periodicals, shoes, sporting goods, sundry small household articles, and tobacco products.
2.
Retail or service establishments which offer comparison goods for residents, such as: bicycle sales, jewelry stores, hobby shops, music stores, clothing and shoe stores, notions, bookstores, sporting goods stores, office supply stores, carpet stores, furniture stores, fully enclosed building material sales (including hardware, glass, paint, and lumber), household appliance stores, paint and wallpaper stores, auto equipment sales stores, and similar specialty retail stores.
3.
Department stores and specialty shops.
4.
Hotels.
5.
Establishments which perform services on the premises for persons residing in adjacent residential areas, such as: Beauty and barber shops; watch, radio, television, clothing and shoe repair; locksmiths; photo processing outlets; and similar establishments.
6.
Office buildings and uses, including medical or dental clinics or offices.
7.
Offices, showrooms, or workshop of a plumber, electrician, building contractor, upholsterer, caterer, exterminator, decorator or similar trade, subject to the following conditions:
a.
All services performed on the premises, including fabrication, repair, cleaning or other processing of goods, shall be sold at retail on the premises where produced.
b.
The ground floor premises facing upon and visible from any abutting street shall be used only for entrances, offices, sales, or display.
c.
There shall be no outside storage of materials or goods of any kind.
8.
Financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations.
9.
Laundry and dry cleaning customer outlets, coin operated laundromats, self-serve dry cleaning establishments, and similar operations.
10.
Private service clubs, fraternal organizations, banquet halls, and meeting halls.
11.
Restaurants:
a.
Standard restaurants, bars, and lounges.
b.
Fast-food, drive-in/through restaurants, subject to the requirements identified in section 6.02(H), unless modified by the planning commission, based on existing site constraints or other compelling conditions.
12.
Ice cream parlors.
13.
Nursery schools and child care centers, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection D.
14.
Personal fitness centers.
15.
Business schools and colleges, or vocational training enters, such as trade schools, dance schools, music and voice schools, and art studios.
16.
Funeral homes, when adequate assembly area is provided off-street for vehicles to be used on funeral processions. A caretaker's residence may be provided within the main building of the funeral home, subject to the provisions in section 2.04.
17.
Theaters.
18.
Dance halls, assembly halls, and similar places of assembly.
19.
Private indoor recreation uses, such as bowling alleys, billiard halls, gymnasium or court sports facilities, tennis clubs, roller or ice skating rinks, personal fitness centers, and similar recreation uses.
20.
Mini-warehouses, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection M.
21.
Outdoor retail sales of plant material not grown on the site, lawn furniture, playground equipment, and home garden supplies, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection P.
22.
New and used automobile, truck and tractor, boat, mobile home, recreation vehicle and trailer sales, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection B.
23.
Automobile filling and service stations, including quick oil change or lubrication stations, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection B.
24.
Research and testing laboratories.
25.
Wholesale establishments.
26.
Storage facilities as a principal use in a building.
27.
Other uses similar to the above.
28.
Uses and structures accessory to the above, subject to the provisions in section 2.03, including, but not necessarily limited to the following:
a.
Parking for the use of patrons of the businesses in the C-3 district, subject to the provisions in article 4.00.
b.
Storage garages for commercial vehicles used by businesses in the C-3 district, provided that only one such garage shall be permitted for each business; the garage shall be located on the same lot as the business; and, the garage shall not occupy more than 25 percent of the total area of the lot.
c.
Signs, subject to the provisions in article 27.00, sign ordinance.
29.
Commercial businesses (excluding restaurants) with a drive-in/through.
B.
Special land uses. The following uses may be permitted by the planning commission, subject to the conditions specified for each use; review and approval of the site plan and application by the planning commission; the imposition of special conditions which, in the opinion of the planning commission, are necessary to fulfill the purposes of this ordinance; and, the provisions set forth in section 24.03.
1.
Automobile or car wash establishments, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection C.
2.
Open-front stores, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection P.
3.
Motels and motel courts, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection N.
4.
Veterinary offices and hospitals.
5.
Commercial kennels, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection K.
6.
Open-air display and sales of nursery plants and materials, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection P.
7.
Mini-warehouses, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection M.
8.
Lumber yards or building material sales establishments having outside storage in partially open structures, subject to the following conditions:
a.
The ground floor facing upon and visible from any adjoining street shall be used only for entrances, offices, sales, or display.
b.
The entire site, exclusive of access drives, shall be enclosed with a six-foot high chain link fence or masonry wall, constructed in accordance with section 5.08.
9.
Adult book or supply stores, adult motion picture theaters, adult live stag performing theaters, adult motion picture theaters, group "A" cabarets, and massage parlors or massage establishments, subject to the provisions in section 6.02, subsection A.
10.
Commercial parking garages.
11.
Coin-operated amusement device establishments.
12.
Municipal buildings and sues not requiring outside storage of materials or vehicles.
13.
Essential services, subject to the provisions in section 2.16, subsection A.
14.
Regulated uses, subject to the following:
a.
The establishment of a regulated use (whether the use is primary, secondary, or accessory) is prohibited if the use will be within:
i.
Two thousand-foot radius of another regulated use or adult regulated use;
ii.
One thousand-foot radius of the C-2, central business district; and
iii.
One thousand-foot radius of any public park or public recreational facility, religious institution, or public or private elementary or secondary school.
b.
Procure and retain all required state licenses and permits.
c.
Procure and retain all required city permits and licenses.
Sec. 15.03 - Development standards.
A.
Required conditions. Except as otherwise noted for specific uses, buildings and uses in the general commercial district shall comply with the following required conditions:
1.
All business establishments shall be retail or service establishments dealing directly with customers. All goods produced and services performed on the premises shall be sold at retail on the premises where produced.
2.
All business, servicing, or processing, except off-street parking and loading and outdoor sales of Christmas trees, shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building, unless otherwise specifically permitted.
3.
All public entrances to businesses in the C-3 district shall face onto the principal street on which the property abuts, or shall be within 50 feet of such street, except that a public entrance to a parking area at the rear or side of a building shall be permitted.
4.
There shall be no outside storage of any goods, inventory, or equipment.
B.
Site plan review. Site plan review and approval is required for all uses in the general commercial district in accordance with section 24.02.
C.
Area, height, bulk, and placement requirements. Buildings and uses in the general commercial district are subject to the area, height, bulk, and placement requirements in article 23.00, schedule of regulations.
D.
General development standards. Buildings and uses in the general commercial district shall be subject to all applicable standards and requirements set forth in this ordinance, as specified below.