The C-3, General Business District is established to provide an aesthetically attractive working environment exclusively for, and conducive to, the development and protection of large commercial, offices, and specialized retail uses.

The provisions of this article have been developed to coordinate these developments with the intent to:

1.

Establish and maintain high aesthetic standards;

2.

Preserve the district's visual character by assuring improvements are properly related to their sites and to surrounding developments;

3.

Encourage originality, flexibility, and innovation in site planning and development, including architecture, landscaping, and graphic design; and,

4.

Encourage development that is compatible with and complementary to nearby residential and commercial areas.

In the general business district, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be hereafter erected, reconstructed, altered, or enlarged, except for one or more of the following uses:

1.

Corporate headquarters, regional headquarters, and general administrative offices used primarily for conducting the affairs of a business, profession, service, industry, or government.

2.

Retail and commercial uses allowed as permitted principal uses in the C-2, General Commercial District of this Ordinance, as regulated by section 9.2.

3.

General hospitals, medical clinics, and/or optical facilities that provide testing services or provide medical or dental devices such as artificial limbs, teeth, eyeglasses, etc.

4.

Theaters, auditoriums, concert halls, and similar places of assembly when conducted within a completely enclosed building.

5.

Business and technical schools.

6.

Public utilities, telephone exchange buildings, electric transformer stations and substations and gas regulator stations (but not including service or storage yards) when operating requirements necessitate the location of such facilities within the district and specifically excluding communication towers.

7.

Health and athletic clubs.

8.

Common open space, including pedestrian plazas and courts.

9.

Any other use which is determined by the planning commission to be of the same general character as, and compatible with, the above permitted uses.

(Ord. No. 161, Art. IV, 6-16-97)

The following shall be allowed as accessory uses in the general business district:

1.

Uses and structures customarily accessory and incidental to a permitted use.

2.

Temporary buildings for uses incidental to construction work which buildings shall be removed upon completion or abandonment of the construction work.

3.

Day-care facilities.

4.

Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, saunas, game and craft rooms, tennis courts, and exercise studios, which are provided in association with a permitted use.

5.

Parking and loading structures and areas provided in conjunction with a permitted use.

See article 17, Schedule of Regulations, limiting the height and size of buildings, the minimum size of the lot by permitted land use, and providing minimum yard setback requirements.