Placentia City Zoning Code

The “T-C” district is established to provide an area for commercial uses, to offer a selective range of goods and services, including comparison shopping, major financial and administrative centers, governmental offices, and entertainment, cultural and recreational uses. To provide for the classification and development of parcels of land as coordinated, comprehensive projects in order to take advantage of superior environment which will result from large scale community planning.

The “T-C” district is intended to provide an architecturally integrated and designed town center situated in a location to serve the community. The regulations of this district are intended to allow a diversity of uses, relationship of buildings and open space in planned building groups while insuring substantial compliance with the spirit, intent and provisions of this code.

Permitted uses in the “T-C” zone shall consist of businesses which are conducted within a completely enclosed building, except if permitted by Sections 23.81.165 and 23.27.046. Such uses shall include:

Recycling facilities may be permitted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 23.41.

Subject to obtaining a use permit pursuant to Chapter 23.87, the following uses may be permitted:

Outdoor sales areas shall be permitted within the district on a permanent basis only if at initial construction the structure(s) was originally and specifically designed to accommodate a designated outdoor sales area. Items sold in the sales area shall be clearly related to the primary commercial use.

Service stations may be permitted subject to following the use permit procedure and subject to planning commission and city council approval.

Office uses shall be permitted in the “T-C” district only so long as it can be demonstrated that individually or in total they remain incidental and subordinate to the intended retail use of any property and/or structure.

The applicant will be encouraged to use imaginative and stimulating architectural design in all areas under this chapter, with special consideration to the separation of vehicular and pedestrian right-of-way; pedestrian comfort and rest stations; low intensity lighting; generous landscaping; low profile buildings—thirty-five (35) feet maximum height, except where located adjacent to property zoned “R-A” or “R-1,” where the maximum height shall be thirty (30) feet, however a thirty-five (35) foot maximum height shall be permitted when two (2) feet of additional setback is provided for every one (1) foot of additional height; architecturally integrated sign program; decorative paved walkways; and a basic design and theme will be encouraged to reflect early California history and the heritage of Placentia.

The provisions of Chapter 23.78 shall apply in determining the amount of parking space that must be provided for each use.

The provisions of Chapter 23.90 shall apply in determining the signing for the subject property.

All lighting, exterior and interior, shall be designed and located so as to confine direct rays to the premises.

All loading and unloading operations shall be performed on the site, and loading platforms and areas shall be screened by a landscape or architectural feature.

All storage of cartons, containers and trash shall be shielded from view within a building or within an area enclosed by a wall not less than six (6) feet in height. If unroofed, no such area shall be located within forty (40) feet of any district zoned for residential use.

Uses permitted in the “T-C” district and equipment, goods and merchandise shall be contained entirely within the building that the business occupies, except for designated loading areas, reverse vending machines per Section 23.41.030 and temporary promotional events approved pursuant to the city policy on file with the planning division.

An opaque screen shall be installed and maintained along all district boundaries, other than streets, where the premises abut areas zoned for residential uses. Except as otherwise provided, it shall have a total height of not less than six (6) feet nor more than seven (7) feet. Where there is a difference in elevation on opposite sides of the screen, the height shall be measured from the highest elevation. A screen shall consist of one (1), or any combination, of the following types:

Landscaping consisting of trees, shrubs, vines, ground cover or any combination thereof, shall be installed and maintained subject to the following standards: