San Mateo City Zoning Code

The purpose of the service commercial district is to create and maintain a broad range of city-wide and regional service uses including major automobile and truck repair, construction materials yards, and limited processing of materials.

The following uses are permitted:

(a) Permitted uses in the C1, C2, and C3 districts, except that residential uses, low barrier navigation centers, office uses on the properties along Palm Avenue between Twentieth and Twenty-fifth Avenues, and emergency shelters are prohibited;

The following uses may also be permitted if their site locations and proposed development plans are first approved as provided in Chapters 27.06 through 27.12, 27.62, 27.74, 27.78 and 27.80:

(a) Any of the special uses permitted in the C1, C2 or C3 districts, except that residential uses and secondary units are prohibited;

(b) Fuel bulk station (flammable liquids) subject to the regulations of Chapter 23.28;

(c) Storage of impounded motor vehicles on an open lot.

Permitted uses and special uses in the C4 districts are subject to the following conditions:

(a) All activities involving the production, processing, cleaning, servicing, testing or repair of materials, goods or products shall conform with the performance standards established for the M1 district in Chapter 27.56;

(b) All production, processing, assembly, cleaning, servicing, testing or repair of materials, goods or products shall take place within completely enclosed buildings unless otherwise indicated herein. Storage of fuel, building materials, equipment, and all other storage, except for parked motor vehicles and retail and display of construction materials, shall take place within enclosed buildings;

(c) All parked and impounded motor vehicles in an open lot shall have such lot completely enclosed by a solid wall or solid fence, including doors or gates thereto, not less than six feet in height. All such motor vehicles shall be parked or placed in an orderly manner within such fenced lot with clear and adequate passageways to allow free and unobstructed access and movement of the fire department in case of fire. The manner of handling and keeping impounded motor vehicles shall, at all times, be subject to the approval of the chiefs of the police and fire departments;

(d) Such conditions relating to noise emissions, lighting and hours of operation that are reasonably necessary in the interests of the public health, welfare and safety;

(e) When granting a special permit for the storage of impounded motor vehicles, the Planning Commission shall specify the expiration date of said permit and the conditions to be met for its renewal, and may specify periodic reviews thereof.

(f) All uses permitted under this chapter shall be conducted wholly within an enclosed building except as may be specially authorized by special permit.

Automobile parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required or permitted in Chapter 27.64.

The maximum floor area ratio of all buildings and structures on a zoning plot shall be as follows:

(a) In a C4-.5 district, the floor area ratio shall not exceed 0.5;

(b) In a C4-1 district, the floor area ratio shall not exceed 1.0.

(c) In a C4-1.5 district, the floor area ratio shall not exceed 1.5.

Building height shall not exceed the standards set forth on the Building Height Plan of the General Plan.

The regulations governing buffers in the C1 district shall also apply to the C4 district.

The regulations governing setback and build-to-line standards for El Camino Real in the C1 districts shall apply.