The B-3 General Business Districts are intended to provide locations for a complete range of businesses, including businesses designed to serve motorists and those in transit. Generally, uses in the B-3 District serve the shopping and service needs of those from a broad geographic area, rather than from just the surrounding neighborhoods. B-3 uses typically generate large volumes of traffic and may generate high noise levels. Therefore, B-3 uses are not generally compatible with residential uses. It is intended that B-3 uses be located on major thoroughfares, preferably adjacent to other commercial uses. B-3 sites should be of sufficient size to provide ample buffering from any adjacent less intensely developed parcels. The City of St. Clair Shores enforces the following business hours: 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., which can be modified with City Council approval.

The following regulations shall apply to all B-3 Districts and no building, structure, or premises, except as otherwise provided in this ordinance, shall be erected, altered, or used except for one or more of the following specified uses.

(Comp. Ords. 1988, § 15.321(35.45); chap. 35 eff. Mar. 7, 1986; amended by ord. eff. Aug. 20, 1996; further amend. eff. Apr. 9, 2009)

(1)

Any principal uses permitted in a O-1 District, B-1 District and B-2 District.

(2)

Hotels.

(3)

Mortuary establishments, subject to the provisions of section 48-307(2).

(4)

Auto laundries, when completely enclosed in building.

(5)

Passenger stations.

(6)

New vehicle sales showrooms.

(7)

Governmental office or other governmental use. Public utility buildings, telephone buildings, electric transformer stations and service yards, but without storage yards, water and sewage pumping stations.

(8)

Automobile service station for the sale of gasoline, oil, bottled gas and minor accessories only, and where no repair work is done, other than incidental services, but not including steam cleaning or undercoating, vehicle body repair, painting, tire recapping, engine rebuilding, auto dismantling, upholstery, auto glass work, and such other activities whose external effects could adversely extend beyond the property line.

(a)

The curb cuts for ingress and egress to a service station shall not be permitted at such locations that will tend to create traffic hazards in the streets immediately adjacent thereto. Entrances shall be no less than 25 feet from a street intersection (measured from the road right-of-way) or from adjacent residential districts.

(b)

The minimum lot area shall be at least 12,000 square feet for every four pumps and two enclosed service bays, and shall have minimum frontage of at least 150 feet along every abutting major and/or secondary thoroughfare. For each additional pump and/or service bay there shall be an increase in the minimum lot area of at least 500 square feet. The layout shall be so arranged that ample space is available in site for motor vehicles which must wait for service.

(c)

All lighting shall be shielded from adjacent residential districts.

(9)

Mobile home parks. Mobile home parks shall only be permitted within the B-3 District where the parcel being proposed for said mobile home park is not isolated or surrounded on more than three abutting sides by the B-3 District, provided further that the mobile home park site shall be located along the B-3 District edge wherein such district abuts a multiple-family district and the mobile home park site shall have one entire side abutting the multiple-family district. Mobile home parks shall further be subject to the following requirements and conditions:

(a)

Where such B-3 District abuts a residential district, said mobile home park must provide a 20-foot greenbelt between the abutting residential district and the district in which the mobile home park is located; and must further provide for a 20-foot greenbelt between itself and any abutting B-3 District. The greenbelt shall be located within the mobile home park site and shall provide a continuous year around obscuring screen.

(b)

An open area shall be provided on each mobile home park lot to ensure privacy, adequate natural light and ventilation to each trailer and to provide sufficient area for outdoor uses essential to the mobile home. All lots shall contain a minimum area of at least 5,000 square feet. Each lot shall have a minimum width of 45 feet measured at right angles to a longitudinal median line of the lot at 15 feet from the front lot line a minimum depth of 85 feet measured along the longitudinal median. All such mobile home park lot areas shall be computed exclusive of service drives, facilities, and recreation space.

(c)

Mobile homes shall be so harbored on each lot so that there shall be at least a 25-foot clearance between mobile homes.

(d)

No mobile home shall be located closer than 40 feet to the right-of-way line of a public thoroughfare, or 20 feet to the mobile home park property line or any building within the mobile home park.

(e)

The mobile home park shall have access only to a major thoroughfare, by directly abutting thereon. The Planning Commission shall further require the dedication of streets through the mobile home park which are necessary to provide for the continuity of the local street system in the area.

(f)

Required off-street parking spaces shall be provided off any public and/or private roadway.

(g)

Prior to public hearings on the proposed mobile home park, notification shall be given by the applicant by registered mail, return receipt requested, of the proposal for said mobile home park and the date, time, and place of public hearing to all parties living within 1,000 feet of the proposed mobile home park.

(h)

All mobile home park developments shall further comply with Act 419 of Public Acts of 1976 as amended and any codes or ordinances of the City of St. Clair Shores.

(i)

The parking of a trailer coach not owned by a resident of the City for periods exceeding 24 hours on lands not approved for trailer courts shall be expressly prohibited, except that the Building Inspector may extend temporary permits allowing the parking of such trailer coach in a rear yard on private property, not to exceed a period of two weeks. All trailer coaches owned by residents of the City and stored on their individual lots shall be allowed for periods exceeding 24 hours with no permit required, and shall be stored only within the confines of the rear yard and shall further respect the requirements applicable to accessory buildings, section 48-550, insofar as distances from principal structures, lot lines, and easements are concerned. For the purpose of this ordinance the area occupied by the stored trailer shall be computed as lot coverage, and shall not exceed the maximum coverage permitted under article XVIII, Schedule of Regulations. All trailer coaches parked or stored on lands not approved for trailer courts shall not be connected to sanitary facilities and shall not be occupied.

(j)

No building or structure hereafter erected or altered in a mobile home park shall exceed one store or 14 feet.

(k)

The proposed mobile home park shall be subject further to the review and approval of the City Council.

(10)

Theaters, assembly halls, concert halls or similar places of assembly when conducted completely within enclosed buildings, but not including adult entertainment businesses or adult live conduct businesses.

(11)

Exterior storage of bottled gas.

(12)

Outdoor sales space for exclusive sale of new or secondhand automobiles or house trailers subject to the following:

(a)

The lot or area shall be provided with a permanent, durable, and dustless surface, and shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulated within the area.

(b)

Ingress and egress to the outdoor sales area shall be at least 60 feet from the intersection of any two streets.

(Comp. Ords. 1988, § 15.322(35.46); chap. 35 eff. March 7, 1986; amended by ord. eff. Aug. 20, 1996; further amend. eff. Oct. 3, 2000; amend. eff. Apr. 9, 2009)

The following uses shall be permitted as special land uses in the B-3 General Business District, subject to the standards and requirements set forth herein, and subject to the standards and approval requirements set forth in section 48-561:

(1)

Motel, subject to the following conditions:

(a)

Ingress and egress shall be provided so as not to conflict with the adjacent business uses or adversely affect traffic flow on a major thoroughfare.

(b)

Each unit shall contain not less than 200 square feet of floor area.

(c)

No guest shall establish permanent residences at a motel for more than 30 days within any calendar year.

(2)

Business in the character of a drive-in or drive-through, or so called open front store, subject to the following conditions:

(a)

A setback of at least 60 feet from the right-of-way line of any existing or proposed street must be maintained.

(b)

Ingress and egress points shall be located at least 60 feet from the intersection of any two streets.

(c)

All lighting shall be shielded from adjacent residential districts.

(d)

A six-foot high completely masonry wall shall be provided when abutting or adjacent districts are zoned for RA, RB, RM-1, or RM-2 Districts. The height of the wall shall be measured from the surface of the ground. Said wall shall further meet the requirements of article XIX, General Provisions.

(e)

The site shall be large enough to accommodate the vehicles of all patrons of the facility within the area of the parcel or parcel on which said drive-in or drive-through is developed.

(3)

Shops for making merchandise to be sold at retail on the premises, provided that the services of not more than five persons are to be utilized in the making of such merchandise.

(4)

Nurseries for the retail sale of plant materials not grown on the site, and sales of lawn furniture, playground equipment and garden supplies subject to the following conditions:

(a)

The storage and/or display of any materials and/or products shall meet all setback requirements of a structure.

(b)

All loading and parking shall be provided off-street.

(c)

The storage of any soil, fertilizer, or other loose, unpackaged materials shall be so contained as to prevent any effects on adjacent uses.

(5)

Truck rental establishments, subject to the following conditions:

(a)

The site shall be large enough to accommodate all of the rental vehicles without impairing ingress and egress by emergency vehicles. In no case shall the right-of-way be used as a parking area for rental vehicles.

(b)

Ingress and egress shall be onto a major thoroughfare. If necessary, the Planning Commission may require acceleration and deceleration lanes.

(c)

The lot shall be surfaced with a durable paved surface sufficient for the weight of the rental vehicles. The site shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulated within the area.

(d)

The site shall be screened and landscaped in a manner consistent with the landscaping and screening on nearby adjacent properties.

(e)

Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with section 48-551.

(6)

Pawn shop establishments, subject to the following conditions:

(a)

Parking shall be provided in accordance with section 48-551(12).

(b)

All requirements of MCL 446.201 et seq. and all applicable ordinances pertaining to the licensing of such establishments shall be met.

(7)

Any and all uses and conditions set forth in CR Commercial Recreation District.

(Comp. Ords. 1988, § 15.323(35.47); chap. 35 eff. March 7, 1986; amended by ord. eff. Aug. 20, 1996; further amend. eff. Oct. 3, 2000; amend. eff. April 9, 2009)

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

Uses permitted in this district shall also be subject to the requirements for site plan review (section 48-560), parking (section 48-551), loading (section 35.75 [48-553]), and signs (section 48-555).

(Comp. Ords. 1988, § 15.324(35.48); chap. 35 eff. Mar. 7, 1986; amended by ord. eff. Aug. 20, 1996; further amend. eff. Apr. 9, 2009)