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Susanville City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 17

36 GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND SHOPPING CENTER C-2 DISTRICT

§ 17.36.010 Purpose.

The purpose of the general commercial and shopping center (C-2) district is to provide for a wide range of facilities for the sale of goods and provision of personal services. When applied to shopping centers, the uses are generally conducted within a building but may include outdoor sales related to the principal use. The centers may have a supermarket as a principal tenant and may also include a department or variety store as a principal tenant, designed to function as a commercial shopping center. When applied to other commercial areas and strip commercial along thoroughfares, it will permit a variety of commercial uses including outdoor sales, fast food and take-out food service, restaurants, personal care services, repair of automobiles excluding heavy trucks, rental services, motels, auto sales and service, offices and similar uses. This district is consistent with the general commercial/shopping center and the commercial/light industrial general plan land use designations.
(Ord. 00-866 § 2, 2000; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)

§ 17.36.020 Uses within buildings.

The following uses are permitted in the C-2 district if conducted within a building:
Antique or household appliance;
Bank or other financial institutions that provides a direct service to the public; insurance or real estate sales;
Barbershop or beauty shop;
Book store or pet shop;
Business, professional, government or medical office; medical, dental, or optical laboratory; blueprinting; photocopying and printing; business college or trade school;
Butcher shop or meat locker;
Computer sales and service;
Department or drug store;
Dry cleaners or laundry;
Employment agency;
Furniture or hardware store;
Any general retail commercial structure or shopping center under 80,000 square feet in size (includes all buildings within the shopping center);
Grocery store or supermarket;
Health spa or massage therapy;
Interior decorating;
Jewelry store;
Liquor store;
Lodge, fraternal organization;
Mortuary;
Music store or vocal instruction;
Newsstand, newspaper office;
Nursery or garden supply;
Photo supplies or photo studio;
Pool or billiard hall;
Radio or TV station;
Repair shop for shoes, radios, televisions, or other domestic appliances;
Recycling facilities as set forth in Section 17.124;
Standard restaurant;
Studios;
Taxidermist;
Theater, motion picture or live;
Wedding chapel; and
Accessory dwelling units, attached, detached, and junior in conjunction with an existing residence (17.104.100);
Employee housing with less than six persons in an existing residence;
Child day care home, up to 14 children, in an existing single-family home;
Community care facility in an existing single-family home.
(Ord. 00-866 § 2, 2000; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-958 § 3, 2008; Ord. 24-1044, 9/18/2024)

§ 17.36.030 Uses requiring use permit.

The following uses are permitted in the C-2 district is a use permit is issued:
Service station, self-serve and nonselfserve or mechanical car wash, auto repair services, auto body and painting business, and equipment rental;
Automobile repair including tune-up, carburetor shop, transmission and radiator repair, electrical specialty, front end alignment, top and upholstery shop, wheel balancing and the installation of brakes, mufflers and tires;
Bar, nightclub or cardroom;
Commercial recreational uses, including, but not limited to, bowling alley, skating rink, video game center, miniature golf, kiddie rides, amusement center, driving range and sports auditorium;
Dealership for sales of new or used auto, boats, motorcycle, or mobile homes, including truck sales and incidental service and repair;
Fast food restaurant, including drive-in and drive-through restaurants, drive-through establishments, film processing booths and drive-up station for prescriptions;
Motel or hotel;
Bus terminal;
Veterinarian clinic, provided any kennels are located entirely within a building;
Day care center;
Outdoor storage or sales associated with any of the uses permitted in Section 17.36.020;
Emergency shelter;
A single-family residence, when included within or attached to the main building in which the commercial use exists, and residence will be inhabited by the owner or operator of the commercial use. Any use permit required for the commercial use must first be issued;
Single-family residences that exist as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter are permitted and may be maintained and reconstructed if destroyed but no new single-family residences shall be constructed on vacant parcels;
Multifamily dwellings or residential units in mixed use developments with commercial or office uses or free-standing dwellings; the density for free-standing multifamily units shall not exceed 20 dwelling units per acre; the density for mixed use developments shall be determined by the use permit;
Single room occupancy units;
Church;
Recreation vehicle park;
Parking structures;
Any shopping center 80,000 square feet or larger in size (includes all buildings within the shopping center);
Accessory dwelling units, attached, detached, and junior (17.104.100);
Employee housing with less than six persons;
Recycling facilities as set forth in Section 17.124;
Full or partial conversion of a single-family home to a nonresidential use allowed in the district;
Private club, fraternity, sorority or lodge;
Supportive housing;
Townhouse.
(Ord. 00-866 § 2, 2000; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-958 § 4, 2008; Ord. 2020-1023 § 2, 2020; Ord. 24-1044, 9/18/2024)

§ 17.36.040 Other permitted uses.

Other uses permitted in the C-2 district are uses found to be similar in character and impact to those listed in Sections 17.36.020 and 17.36.030 as determined by the community development director.
(Ord. 00-866 § 2, 2000; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)

§ 17.36.050 Site development standards.

The development standards for building site area and yards established by this section apply to all developments in the C-2 district. However, alternate standards may be approved for a commercial condominium project, as part of the use permit process, if the approving body finds that the proposed development will be of equal or greater excellence in arrangement, design, attractiveness and compatibility with its surroundings than would result if the routine development standards of this section were applied.
Minimum Building Site. The minimum building site requirement is 10,000 square feet, except as otherwise provided in Section 17.96.010.
Minimum Lot Width. The minimum lot width requirement is as follows:
Interior lot, 65 feet; and
Corner lot, 75 feet.
Yards. The following yard requirements apply, except as otherwise provided in Section 17.96.020:
Front, 10 feet; except where the district abuts a residential district, the front yard shall be the same as the residential district within 25 feet of the residential district;
Interior side, none; except where the district abuts a residential district, the side yard shall be 15 feet;
Street side, 10 feet;
Rear, none; except where the district abuts a residential district, the rear yard shall be 15 feet;
The property development standards of the R-1 zone district shall apply to single-family residences and the R-4 property development standards for all free-standing multifamily residential uses. The property development standards of the C-2 zone district shall apply to all commercial uses and multifamily uses above stores or offices unless modified by a use permit. The use permit will set the standards depending on the circumstances of each case; and
Exceptions. If a use permit is issued, front yard exceptions may be permitted in established commercial areas in which the majority of the buildings existed before the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section, and they do not meet the yard requirement. When this exception is made, the front yard shall be at least the distance equal to the average front yard of 50% of the buildings farthest from the street.
Maximum Structural Height. Maximum permitted structural height is 40 feet, except as otherwise provided in Section 17.96.030.
Landscaping. Landscaping requirements are as specified in Section 17.96.040.
Outdoor Lighting. Outdoor lighting requirements are as specified in Section 17.96.050.
Parking. Parking requirements are as specified in Sections 17.100.01017.100.160.
Signs. Signs as permitted in Chapter 17.128.
Zone Walls. Zone wall requirements are as specified in Section 17.96.060.
Outdoor Trash Storage. All outside trash storage and collection facilities shall be enclosed by a solid masonry wall or view-obscuring fence at least one foot higher than the trash container.
Architectural and Site Plan Review. An applicant for either a building permit or a use permit shall submit architectural drawings, including the elevations of all buildings, and a site plan which indicate how the standards listed in this section will be met. Development plans are also subject to the City of Susanville Design Guidelines, adopted July 17, 2002, as may be amended. This submittal shall be made on a form prescribed by the community development director and shall include such additional plans, drawings and information as the planning commission from time to time may require by resolution. Such drawings and site plans shall be considered by the planning commission at a public meeting. The planning commission must find that the architectural and general appearance of such buildings or structures and grounds are in keeping with the character of the neighborhood and will not be detrimental to the orderly and harmonious development of the city. The planning commission may approve, conditionally approve or disapprove said plans. If a use permit is required, architectural and site plan review will be a part of the use permit process, and the director's approval shall occur as set forth by the terms and conditions of the use permit.
Townhouses. Yard and building site standards may vary for townhouses through issuance of a use permit, provided the density permitted by the general plan is not exceeded.
(Ord. 00-866 § 2, 2000; Ord. 06-932 § 1, 2006)