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Palmer City Zoning Code

17.44 A-C

Airport Commercial District

17.44.010 Intent.

The airport commercial district is intended for the safe and orderly use of airport lands where the best use is for airport-related noncommercial, commercial, hotel, motel, and retail purposes. The specific intent in establishing this district is:

A. To provide for those business, and commercial, hotel, motel, activities that are supporting, related to and/or dependent upon aircraft or air transportation when such activities, in order to function, require or desire a location adjacent to the airport with or without immediate aircraft access to a taxiway;

B. To encourage orderly economic development in a manner compatible with the Palmer Warren “Buddy” Woods Municipal Airport Master Plan, airport operations and adjacent properties;

C. To provide for both aeronautical and nonaeronautical uses as permitted in the latest airport layout plan approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. (Ord. 19-013 § 3, 2019; Ord. 17-001 § 3, 2017; Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.020 Permitted uses.

A. Aeronautical uses in accordance with the most recently adopted airport master plan and consistent with the airport operations plan:

1. Aircraft, aircraft parts and equipment maintenance, repairing, reconditioning or sales;

2. Aircraft charter and passenger operations;

3. Aircraft flight instruction schools;

4. Aircraft storage and parking;

5. Aircraft fueling operations;

6. Public safety facilities, airport operations and maintenance facilities;

7. Food service operations, restaurants;

8. Aircraft-related noncommercial operations; and

9. Aeronautical campgrounds.

B. Nonaeronautical uses in accordance with the most recently adopted airport master plan and consistent with the airport operations plan:

1. Any use permitted in airport commercial aeronautical;

2. Retail stores including large retail establishments;

3. Short-term rental (see Chapter 17.89 PMC), boarding, hotel, motel, student pilot housing, and emergency services housing related to air medivac, and fire stations;

4. Café or restaurant;

5. Home appliance, electrical or electronic equipment, instrument, medical appliance, office equipment, plumbing equipment and store fixture sales, service and repair;

6. Hardware store, general merchandise, pet shop;

7. Department store, furniture and household goods, sales and repairing, glass and mirror sales, paint, flooring;

8. Blueprinting and photostating, engraving, photo developing, print shop, publishing, rubber stamp or sign painting;

9. Beauty or business college and studio or school of art, design, dancing, drama, modeling or photography;

10. Radio and TV studios;

11. Veterinarian clinic, except no boarding of animals;

12. Nursery and Christmas tree sales;

13. Utility substation;

14. Motorcycle, boat and bicycle sales, parts and service;

15. Auto parts;

16. Service station, tire sales and service, battery sales;

17. Automobile and farm machinery sales; provided, that any open area used for the incidental repair of automobiles or farm machinery is located not less than 70 feet from the front lot line nor less than 25 feet from any other street line, unless such incidental repair is conducted and wholly confined within a building;

18. Garages including automobile repairing, painting, body and fender, or upholstering if all operations are conducted wholly within a completely enclosed building. If adjoining any R district, it shall have no openings other than stationary windows facing the R district;

19. Recreational vehicle and units, modular housing units, mobile homes, trailer repair and supporting parts and accessory sales; provided, that any open area used for the incidental repair of boats, automobiles, recreational vehicles and units, modular housing units, and mobile homes and trailers is located no less than 70 feet from the front lot line nor less than 25 feet from any other street line, unless such incidental repair is conducted and wholly confined within a building;

20. Tool and equipment rental;

21. Large retail establishments;

22. Cabinet shop, sash and door mill or assembly of music, candy, and vending machines;

23. Boat building, iron work (ornamental), machine shop, die-casting or electroplating;

24. Bottling plant, brewery, packing house (vegetable or fruit) or wholesale business;

25. Petroleum products storage, service and distribution station, paint storage or paint manufacture;

26. Cold storage lockers, meat and seafood processing plants;

27. Egg candling and grading, feed grain and hay scales and grain storage;

28. Automobile painting, upholstering, rebuilding, reconditioning, motor exchange, body and fender work;

29. Refrigeration maintenance and repair, steam cleaning and welding service and supplies;

30. Pipe and pole storage;

31. Assembly of electrical appliances, electronic instruments and devices, radios and phonographs, including the manufacture of small parts such as coils and transformers;

32. The manufacture, compounding, processing, packaging or treatment of such products as bakery goods, candy, cosmetics, drugs, perfumes, perfumed toilet soap, toiletries and food products, vinegar, yeast, fish and meat products, and the rendering or refining of fats and oils;

33. The manufacture of music and scientific instruments, optical goods, cameras, jewelry, small auto accessories, trailers, mobile homes, prefabricated housing modules or units in the manufacture of similar goods;

34. The manufacture of pottery, figurines or other ceramic products;

35. The manufacture and maintenance of electric and neon signs and light sheet metal products, including heating and ventilating ducts and equipment, drain pipes, eaves and the like;

36. Warehousing of manufactured products;

37. Lumber yard, building material manufacture or sales yards;

38. Septic tank pumping business;

39. Office buildings. (Ord. 19-013 § 4, 2019; Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.025 Compatibility of uses not defined.

Where a proposed use is not specifically identified by this chapter, or the ordinance is unclear as to whether the use is allowed in a particular zone, the zoning administrator may find the use is similar to another use that is permitted, allowed conditionally, or prohibited in the subject zone and apply the ordinance accordingly. Use rulings that require discretion on the part of the zoning administrator shall be confirmed by the planning and zoning commission at the next regular meeting that allows due public notice. (Ord. 19-013 § 5, 2019)

17.44.027 Appeal of compatibility of use.

In the event the petitioner disagrees with the confirmation of the planning and zoning commission, they may appeal to the Palmer city council for final city evaluation. Any subsequent appeal will be to the Alaska Superior Court, in Palmer, Alaska. (Ord. 19-013 § 6, 2019)

17.44.030 Prohibited uses.

A. Residential use or housing facilities, except as permitted in nonaeronautical designated areas;

B. Uses that would cause emission of smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, etc., of such a nature and quantity as to pose a hazard to aircraft flight or navigation;

C. Outside storage of unrestrained items capable of being easily moved by the wind and becoming a hazard to air traffic. (Ord. 19-013 § 7, 2019; Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.040 Building height limit.

A. Aeronautical designated areas are 35 feet except where a lesser height is required to comply with FAA rules.

B. Nonaeronautical designated areas are 50 feet except where a lesser height is required to comply with FAA rules. (Ord. 19-013 § 8, 2019; Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.050 Lot coverage.

Fifty percent maximum. (Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.060 Building setbacks.

A. From right-of-way, 10 feet minimum.

B. From taxiway, runway or apron, 50 feet minimum.

C. From lot lines, zero, or 10 feet minimum.

D. In nonaeronautical designated areas:

1. Front yard, 25 feet minimum;

2. Side yard, 15 feet minimum;

3. Rear yard, 25 feet minimum. (Ord. 19-013 § 9, 2019; Ord. 17-001 § 6, 2017; Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.070 Parking.

A. Comply with Chapter 17.64 PMC, Off-Street Parking and Loading, including loading docks.

B. In addition, provide one vehicle space for each aircraft tie-down or parking space on the lot. Tie-down may be used for parking of one vehicle. (Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)

17.44.080 Fences.

None within 50 feet of a taxiway, runway, or apron; elsewhere, eight-foot height maximum. (Ord. 05-010 § 3, 2005; Ord. 455 § 3, 1993)