Spring Lake City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
Community Commercial District C
§ 390-60 Intent.
It is the intent of the Community Commercial District to encourage the quaint character of the Village through complementary uses that promote the Village's character and favor pedestrian activity. Properties in this district are established to promote the environment for businesses, protect the integrity of surrounding residential uses, and support a healthy economy by providing a vibrant mix of uses. Careful consideration is given to design elements that enhance the character of the Village and encourage a sense of place in the Village. The uses established in this district are intended to complement one another to provide a concentration of specialty retail and service uses with cultural and social activities that support a high level of nonmotorized activity, but also accommodate vehicular traffic. It is the intent of the design elements to de-emphasize the negative impacts of strip commercial development and to strike a balance between the needs of the car and pedestrian by creating pleasant and safe surroundings for pedestrians and adjacent residential uses.
§ 390-61 District summary.
[Amended 9-18-2023 by Ord. No. 386; 2-16-2026 by Ord. No. 400]
A.
Land, buildings and other structures in this zoning district may only be used for the following purposes by right:
(1)
Automobile repairs, minor.
(2)
Convenience stores.
(3)
Clubs or lodges.
(4)
Financial institutions, without drive-through facilities.
(5)
Live/work.
(6)
Medical clinics.
(7)
Office buildings.
(8)
Parks and public facilities.
(9)
Personal service establishments.
(10)
Professional service establishments.
(11)
Residential above retail or offices.
(12)
Restaurants without drive-through facilities.
(13)
Retail businesses.
B.
The following special land uses may be approved by the Planning Commission subject to the applicable general and specific standards in Article XVIII:
(1)
Adult foster care congregate facilities.
(2)
Automobile wash.
(3)
Automobile gasoline stations.
(4)
Automobile repairs, major.
(5)
Assembly operations.
(6)
Bed-and-breakfast establishments.
(7)
Day care, commercial.
(8)
Funeral homes.
(9)
Financial institutions with drive-through facilities.
(10)
Hotels and motels.
(11)
Indoor recreation facilities.
(12)
Open air businesses.
(13)
Restaurants with drive-through facilities.
(14)
Restaurant with assembly operations.
(15)
Senior assisted living facilities.
(16)
Short-term rentals of permitted dwelling units.
(17)
Veterinary hospitals.
(18)
Wholesale establishments and warehouses.
C.
Site and building placement standards (Figure 390-61):
Minimum lot area | 10,000 sq. ft. |
Minimum lot width | 75 ft. |
Minimum setbacks | |
Front: | 25 ft. |
Side: | 0 ft., subject to § 390-62C(9) below |
Rear: | 25 ft. |
Maximum setbacks | |
Front: | 60 ft |
Side: | None |
Rear: | None |
Minimum floor area | N/A |
Maximum building height | 35 ft. |
Maximum lot coverage | 75% |
 |
§ 390-62 Design standards.
[Amended 6-14-2021 by Ord. No. 368; 2-16-2026 by Ord. No. 400]
A.
Sidewalk and buffer area. Immediately adjacent to the road right-of-way, the following shall be provided (Figure 9.2):
 |
(1)
If not already provided in the public right of way, a five-foot-wide sidewalk shall be placed on the outermost edge of the public right-of-way to optimize green space between the roadway and a pedestrian, constructed in accordance with Village standards.
(2)
One street tree for each 30 feet of frontage, consistent with the provisions of Article XIV.
(3)
Wrought iron fence with brick pier accents shall be provided along the front lot line of any new development or substantially redeveloped property.
B.
Parking and pedestrian access.
(1)
Only one row of parking may be provided in front yards abutting Savidge Street and Exchange Street and only if there is sufficient space for parking after the required landscape buffer areas are provided.
(a)
Parking within front yards abutting streets other than Savidge and Exchange Streets may be permissible if the site design makes it practically difficult to locate the parking area in the side or rear yard.
(b)
Additional required parking shall be provided in side yards (behind the front building line) or in the rear yard.
(2)
Parking areas shall be a minimum of five feet from the lot line unless a cross-access easement or shared parking agreement is provided with adjacent properties. The Planning Commission may waive or reduce this setback where needed to allow for shared parking or the access points.
(3)
A pedestrian connection shall be provided to the principle building from the sidewalk.
C.
Site and building standards. All new structures, major exterior structural renovations, and additions to structures, shall adhere to the following design standards (Figure 9.3):
 |
(1)
Existing site trees of over 10 inches in diameter shall remain on site as much as practical. Building and parking lot placement shall minimize tree loss. The Planning Commission may require a performance guarantee for tree preservation and/or replacement.
(2)
All new structures shall incorporate the following design elements:
(a)
Between 40% and 60% of the exterior building wall of any principal building fronting a street shall consist of transparent windows.
(b)
Windows shall be provided on side elevations, but are not required on rear elevations if they are not visible from publicly accessible areas as determined by the Planning Commission.
(3)
Blank walls shall not face a street. For building facades exceeding 75 feet in length which face streets, rights-of-way and/or parks, no more than 30 feet of horizontal distance of wall shall be provided without articulation or architectural design variations to assure that the building is not monotonous in appearance and to give buildings the appearance of small individual storefronts.
(a)
Acceptable variations include, but are not limited to:
[1]
Recesses and projections along the building facade; variations in depth must be a minimum of 18 inches.
[2]
Architectural details or features such as arches; changes in vertical elements such as towers, cupolas, or changes in roof design; contrasting bases, masonry courses, or molding; pilasters and columns; stone accents; colonnades; or porches.
[3]
Enhanced ornamentation around building entryways; ornamentation may include, but is not limited to, canopies, paving treatments, change in roofline, porticos, larger door openings and display windows, accent colors, arches, arcades, distinctive door pulls, decorative lighting and planters.
(b)
The 30-foot requirement may be modified by the Planning Commission by up to five feet depending on actual building design, entry placement, and other factors that make the 30-foot requirement impractical.
(4)
Building materials for front and side elevations shall only consist of the following:
(a)
Brick or composite mimicking brick.
(b)
Stone or composite mimicking stone.
(c)
Nonreflective glass.
(d)
Horizontal clapboard siding.
(e)
Commercial-grade horizontal vinyl siding mimicking wood (at least 0.44 inch thickness).
(f)
High quality vertical siding materials when approved by the Planning Commission.
(5)
Window awnings shall be consistent with designs depicted in the Village Design Manual insofar as practicable. High-gloss or bubble awnings are prohibited.
(6)
In no case shall cinder blocks or sheet metal be considered an acceptable building cover.
(7)
All sides of a building shall be finished with complimentary color and materials as the major facade containing the principal customer service entrance.
(8)
A zero-foot building setback may be permitted on one side yard, provided there is a minimum distance of 10 feet between structures. Alternatively, shared walls may be permitted with adjacent properties, provided the separation wall is properly fire-rated.
(9)
In addition to a sidewalk, the Planning Commission may require pedestrian ties between properties and to adjacent neighborhoods, parks, and/or nonmotorized trails.
(10)
Sidewalk and trail accents that carry on the theme of brick pavers or textured and contrasting materials currently found in the district are strongly encouraged.
(11)
The Planning Commission may require, during the site plan review process, on-site public amenities along street frontages, including but not limited to trash receptacles, bike racks, seating areas and similar facilities where appropriate.
D.
Upper floor residential units. Buildings which include residential dwelling units on upper floors are subject to the following requirements:
(1)
Access to the residential units shall be provided through a separate building entrance from the entrance to uses provided on the first floor.
(2)
There shall not be a maximum density of units, provided the floor area of each unit complies with the minimum floor area described in § 390-59C.
E.
Special provision is made for applying the standards of this article to developed sites which existed prior to the adoption of this article. Therefore, when an existing site is undergoing improvement or expansion, the objective of this article is to gradually transition the existing site into compliance with the minimum standards of this article in relation to the extent of the expansion or change on the site.
(1)
Additions to existing buildings which are 20% or less of the existing building square footage may be permitted to continue the existing roofline and siding materials where the existing roof and siding materials are in very good condition and unlikely to need upgrading or replacement in the near future.
(2)
Alterations to existing buildings, the cost of which is less than 1/2 the value of the building, as determined by the most recent assessment for purposes of taxation, exclusive of the market value of the land, may be permitted to match existing exterior materials and design, provided the structure is in good condition at the time of the alterations.
(3)
In the case of a building addition or alteration which meets the criteria established in Subsection E(1) and (2) above, the design standards in § 390-62 may be modified by the Village, provided that the overall purpose and intent of this Article is fulfilled to the greatest extent feasible.
§ 390-63 Exceptions.
A.
For the purpose of this section, an "exception" is defined as a modification of one or more of the requirements of this article.
B.
Exceptions. Exceptions from the requirements of § 390-62 may be granted by the Planning Commission as part of the site plan review process if the following criteria are met:
(1)
The proposed construction is consistent with the overall intent of these minimum design standards and requirements;
(2)
The applicant proves a practical difficulty in complying fully with the provisions of this article, owing to conditions peculiar to the land or structure and not the result of the action of the applicant, would result from strict adherence to these standards and requirements;
(3)
That the exception is no more than what is necessary to relieve the applicant's practical difficulty; and
(4)
That the site plan otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter.
