Georgetown City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XV
HC Highway Commercial District
§ 230-104 Permitted uses.
Buildings may be erected, altered and used or land may be used for any of the following purposes and none other:
A.
Any use permitted in UR1 Urban Residential District, UR2 Medium Residential District, UB1 Urban Business District, UB2 Neighborhood Business District, UR3 Neighborhood Residential District or UB3 Professional Business District; provided, however, that the provisions of the districts are met, where applicable.
[Amended 1-8-1992 by Ord. No. 92-001; 12-16-1992 by Ord. No. 93-001]
B.
Animal hospital or kennel, boarding or otherwise, with any open pens at least 200 feet from any residential district and 50 feet from any property line.
C.
Automobile or truck sales, service and repair, body or fender repair, but not auto salvage or junk, and any major repairs shall be inside a completely enclosed building. All displays shall be a minimum of 15 feet from front property line and 25 feet from any intersection.
D.
Bakeries.
E.
Boat and boat trailer sales and storage. Boat displays of more than five feet in height shall be a minimum of 15 feet from front property line and 25 feet from any intersection.
F.
Bottling works, laundry, plumbing and heating shop, painting shop, upholstering shop, cabinet and furniture manufacture, sheet metal shop, tire sales and service (including vulcanizing and recapping but no manufacturing), appliance repairs and general service and repair establishment similar in character to those listed in this item, provided that no outside storage of material is permitted, except as provided in this section.
G.
Business and commercial radio and television stations and studios or recording studios, but no towers more than 150 feet in height.
H.
Car wash or automobile laundry, automatic or otherwise.
I.
Commercial greenhouses, wholesale or retail nurseries for growing of plants, trees and shrubs, including a building for sale of products produced on the premises.
J.
Farm implement sales, service, rental and repair, but not salvage or junk yards, provided that major repair, storage of materials or damaged implements or vehicles shall be inside a completely enclosed building.
K.
Filling stations, subject to the following requirements:
(1)
A site plan must be submitted to the Planning Commission for approval as provided in this chapter.
(2)
Design features relative to access to public roads shall be approved by the Delaware State Highway Department.
(3)
Minimum lot size is 14,000 square feet.
(4)
Minimum lot depth is 100 feet.
(5)
Minimum lot width is 120 feet.
(6)
Minimum distance between gasoline pumps and all accessory equipment and facilities and any public roadway line is 20 feet.
(7)
Hydraulic hoists, service pits, and all lubrication, greasing, repair and washing equipment must be entirely enclosed within buildings.
(8)
A solid fence or wall at least six feet high must be erected along all property lines adjoining a residential district. Such fence or wall shall, on a side property line, terminate 20 feet from the front property line.
(9)
Exterior lighting must not cause glare hazardous to passing motorists and annoying to adjacent properties.
(10)
Wrecked, junked or stripped vehicles in an inoperative condition are prohibited on the premises.
(11)
All waste petroleum products must be stored in underground tanks.
(12)
Parking of utility trailers and/or small trucks for rent must be a minimum distance of 25 feet from any roadway.
L.
Garages, parking or storage.
M.
Hospitals or clinics.
N.
Hotels, motels or motor lodges.
O.
Lawn mower, yard and garden equipment rental, sales and service.
P.
Lumber and building materials store and storage.
Q.
Monument sales establishments with incidental processing to order, but not including the shaping of headstones.
R.
Printing, publishing and engraving establishments.
S.
Rooming house.
T.
Schools for industrial training, trade or business.
U.
Sign fabrication and painting shop.
V.
Storage of office supplies or merchandise normally carried in stock in connection with a permitted office, business or commercial use, subject to applicable district regulations.
W.
Storage yards, in connection with a permitted use where storage is incidental to the approved occupancy of the building, provided that all products and materials used or stored are in a completely enclosed building or enclosed by a masonry wall or solid fence not less than six feet in height. Storage of all materials and equipment shall not exceed the height of the wall. Storage of cars and trucks used in connection with the permitted trade or business is permitted, including storage of heavy equipment, such as road building or excavating equipment, contractor shop, storage yard and equipment rental.
X.
Trailer or mobile homes sales and storage, parked a minimum of 40 feet from front property line.
Y.
Used car and truck sales and storage, parked a minimum of 15 feet from front property line and 25 feet from any intersection.
Z.
Warehousing within completely enclosed building, provided that such use is not objectionable by reason of odor, dust, noise or similar factors.
AA.
Registered compassion center, subject to the following requirements:
[Added 4-13-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-4]
(1)
Exterior appearance of the structure must be consistent with the general architectural characteristics of the surrounding area.
(2)
Hours of operation shall be limited to 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(3)
Lighting shall be required such that will illuminate the compassion center, its immediate surrounding area, any accessory uses including storage areas, the parking lot(s), its front facade, and any adjoining public sidewalk. Lighting shall be hooded or oriented so as to deflect light away from adjacent properties.
(4)
The owner(s) shall remove graffiti from the premises within 24 hours of its occurrence.
(5)
The owner(s) shall provide for removal of litter twice each day of operation from, and in front of, the premises.
(6)
The owner(s) shall ensure the absence of loitering.
(7)
Signs.
(a)
Exterior signage shall be restricted to a single ground or wall sign no larger than 35 square feet, and a single tenant pylon panel sign, in conformity with the style, character, and size of existing pylon signage at the property.
[Amended 2-27-2023 by Ord. No. 2022-11]
(b)
No graphics of any kind will be allowed, except as approved by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
[Amended 2-27-2023 by Ord. No. 2022-11]
(c)
Wall identification sign listing the name and emergency contact phone number of the operator or manager in letters of at least two inches in height shall be posted in close proximity to the Fire Department Knox-Box®.
(8)
The facility shall fully comply with all other requirements of the Town of Georgetown and the laws of the State of Delaware.
BB.
Retail sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises.
[Added 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-03]
CC.
Retail marijuana store, pursuant to a valid license duly issued by the State of Delaware, pursuant to Title IV, Delaware Code, Chapter 13, and additionally subject to the following requirements:
[Added 7-8-2024 by Ord. No. 2023-13]
(1)
No retail marijuana establishment shall be located within 1,000 feet of any church, licensed child-care facility; school, college, university or educational institution, either public or private; or alcohol or drug rehabilitation service center or facility.
(2)
Exterior appearance of the structure must be consistent with the general architectural characteristics of the surrounding area.
(3)
Hours of operation shall be limited to 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and no retail operations may take place on Sundays.
(4)
Lighting shall be required such that will illuminate the retail store, its immediate surrounding area, any accessory uses including storage areas, the parking lot(s), its front facade, and any adjoining public sidewalk. Lighting shall be hooded or oriented so as to deflect light away from adjacent properties.
(5)
The owner(s) shall remove graffiti from the premises within 24 hours of its occurrence.
(6)
The owner(s) shall provide for removal of litter twice each day of operation from, and in front of, the premises.
(7)
The owner(s) and operator(s) shall ensure the absence of loitering.
(8)
Signs.
(a)
Exterior signage shall be restricted to a single ground or wall sign no larger than 35 square feet, and a single tenant pylon panel sign, in conformity with the style, character, and size of existing pylon signage at the property.
(b)
Content and graphics of all signage shall be in compliance with any applicable regulations issued by the State of Delaware regarding signage for retail marijuana establishments.
(9)
No outdoor seating areas shall be permitted at a retail marijuana store.
(10)
No drive-through services or sales shall be permitted at a retail marijuana store.
(11)
The facility shall fully comply with all other requirements of the Town of Georgetown and the laws and regulations of the State of Delaware.
(12)
No more than two state-licensed retail marijuana store(s) may operate within Town limits.
§ 230-105 Accessory structures.
Accessory structures, including storage buildings and garages, shall be permitted at the rear of the main building with 10 feet setback from all property lines.
§ 230-106 Temporary structures.
Temporary structures, such as tents or similar displays, shall be permitted for a period not to exceed 60 days per calendar year, provided that the structure shall be set back at least 15 feet along all street frontage.
§ 230-107 Screening from residential districts.
[Added 1-8-1992 by Ord. No. 92-001]
No main building in a HC Highway Commercial District shall be located closer than 100 feet to any single-family residential building in a residential zoning district; provided, however, that said distance may be reduced to 25 feet upon the installation of a continuous visual screen consisting of a compact evergreen hedge, trees, foliage screening, landscaping, wall and/or fence of a size and design approved by the Planning Commission.
§ 230-108 Additional provisions.
The regulations set forth in this article are supplemented or modified by the provisions contained in the following articles:
§ 230-109 Definitions.
Definitions are set forth in Article III.