(A)   The General Plan outlines goals, objectives and policies regarding the character and location of commercial uses and development within the City. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide regulations which implement those goals, objectives and policies, and which assure the availability of commercial uses within the City. Commercially zoned districts should be conveniently located, efficient, attractive and designed in a manner that ensures safe and convenient commercial activity in order to serve the retail and service commercial needs of City residents and businesses.

   (B)   It is the further intent of the regulations contained in this chapter to:

      1.   Provide appropriately located areas for retail stores, service establishments and commercial commodities and services required by residents of the City and the surrounding market area;

      2.   Encourage the concentration of commercial and office uses for the convenience of the public, and to secure mutually beneficial relationships to one another;

      3.   Provide adequate space to meet the needs of commercial development, including off street parking and loading areas;

      4.   Minimize traffic congestion and to avoid the overloading of utilities by regulating the construction of buildings to excessive size relative to the land uses in the City;

      5.   Protect commercial properties from noise, odor, smoke, unsightliness and other objectionable influences incidental to industrial uses; and

      6.   Promote high standards of site planning, architectural and landscape design for commercial developments within the City.

      7.   Encourage the expansion of well-designed mixed-use commercial/residential developments in appropriate locations. (Ord. 805-14, 7-1-2014; amd. Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)

   (A)   Mixed Use (MU) Zone District: The Mixed Use Zone District is intended to provide maximum flexibility by allowing combinations of commercial and multiple-family residential uses on the same parcel of land.

   (B)   General Commercial (GC) Zone District: The primary purpose of the General Commercial Zone District is to provide sites for commercial uses that will serve a large segment of the population with a wide variety of retail, wholesale, service and office uses.

   (C)   Downtown Commercial (DC) Zone District:

      1.   The General Plan outlines the goals, objectives and policies establishing the character and location of the Downtown Commercial (DC) Zone District. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide regulations that will implement those goals, objectives and policies that assure the preservation of the character and vitality of the City.

      2.   The provisions of this chapter are intended to ensure that the limited commercial and office related development permitted within the DC Zone District respects the historic significance of the downtown area by requiring that all proposed buildings and structures reflect the downtown’s architectural theme and are compatible with the surrounding residential community. (Ord. 805-14, 7-1-2014; amd. Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)

Identified on table 5.A of this section are those land uses or activities that may be permitted in each commercial zone district, permitted subject to an approved conditional use permit or prohibited. This table also indicates the development procedure and the approval type by which each listed land use or activity may be permitted in each commercial zone district.

TABLE 5.A
USES PERMITTED WITHIN COMMERCIAL ZONE DISTRICTS

Legend:

P   =   Permitted subject to consistency assessment

C   =   Permitted subject to approval of a conditional use permit application

DP   =   Permitted subject to approval of a director’s Permit application

X   =   Not permitted in this district

 

(Ord. 831-18, 3-20-2018; amd. Ord. 833-18, 4-17-2018; Ord. 844-21, 11-16-2021; Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)

   (A)   General Requirements: Table 5.B of this section describes the minimum site development standards applicable to proposed and existing development in all commercial zone districts. All commercial development shall conform to the standards established in this section.

      1.   A development or commercial center may, for purposes of meeting the minimum site size standards, consist of a combination of parcels whose total net acreage meets the minimum site size criteria; provided, that the design for the entire site is integrated and unified.

      2.   In addition to the minimum standards established in table 5.B of this section, developments within the commercial zone districts shall also comply with the special requirements contained in subsection (B) of this section, chapter 13, “Performance Standards”, of this title, other City regulations and ordinances, and the City General Plan.

 

   (B)   Special Requirements:

      1.   All uses in the commercial districts shall comply with the provisions of section 6-11-30, “Screening Requirements”, of this title, and shall provide street side landscaping as required by the Planning Director.

      2.   Where off street parking areas in the General Commercial Zone Districts are situated in a visual corridor, as may be defined in a precise plan adopted by the City Council, screening, such as a landscaped earthen berm or decorative wall no less than two feet (2') in height, shall be erected between the street right-of-way and the parking area.

      3.   In all commercial zone districts, no external security bars shall be permitted on structures.

      4.   Parking for each use shall comply with the provisions of chapter 14 of this title.

   (C)   Exceptions:

      1.   The creation of new lots within the commercial zone districts shall conform to the minimum allowable dimensions, except in the case of commercial condominium lots or lots within a shopping center, in which case no minimums are established, provided the commercial development is consistent with other requirements of this title and applicable City standards, regulations and ordinances.

      2.   Parcels created within shopping centers are exempt from the site development standards stated herein, as they relate to minimum site areas, and minimum lot width and depth, if a conceptual development plan for the entire center has been approved and if appropriate easements for reciprocal access parking and maintenance are provided.

      3.   When abutting a residentially zoned district, the front, side and rear yard setbacks of that residentially zoned district shall apply to the commercial development abutting that residentially zoned district.

   (D)   Vacant Building Registration: Vacant or abandoned residential and nonresidential buildings are subject to the vacant building registration requirements per section 6-11-40 of this title and title III, chapter 4.3 of this Code.

   (E)   Fences And Walls: Walls, for the purpose of visual screening and sound attenuation, shall be required between nonresidential uses and any adjacent residential use or residentially zoned property, or where more sensitive adjacent land uses exist. Maximum height shall be six feet (6'), except within the required front yard or street side yard setback area where the maximum height shall be forty inches (40"). Fences and walls shall be in compliance with section 6-11-9 of this title.

   (F)   Residential Uses in Commercial Zone Districts:

      1.   Multi-family residential and mixed-use residential developments in the MU and DC Zone Districts are allowed a maximum residential density of twenty-nine dwelling units per acre (29 du/ac) consistent with the mixed use land use designation of the General Plan.

      2.   A residence, on the first or ground floor of a commercial unit, in conjunction with business is conditionally allowed when the property owner, business operator, and resident are the same person(s). In such cases, the residential and commercial uses shall comply with all requirements of the California Building Code.

      3.   Multi-family residential and mixed-use residential developments in the MU Zone District shall comply with the development standards outlined for the High Density Residential (R-3) Zone District in Chapter 4, Section 6-4-3 of this Title.

      4.   Any Multi-family residential and mixed-use residential developments within the Mixed Use zone district, as allowed by this Chapter, may be considered for Directors/Admin approval if they comply with all applicable development standards and the Residential Objective Design Standards found at Chapter 4, Section 6-4-5 of this Title. (Ord. 822-16, 9-20-2016; amd. Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)

   (A)   Use Regulations: New developments that meet the underlying zone requirements shall incorporate the following standards into their design in order to be processed ministerially through an appropriate permit, unless a better alternative is found to the satisfaction of the planning director:

      1.   The design and layout of a proposed development shall be consistent with the general plan, the provisions of this title and any adopted architectural criteria for specialized areas, such as designated historic districts, theme areas, specific plans or planned developments.

      2.   New, renovated or remodeled developments shall demonstrate that the following general design criteria have been integrated into the design and layout of the proposed development:

         (a)   Establish an architectural and siting design theme that is compatible with surrounding existing and planned development that includes the following elements:

            (1)   A relationship to prominent design features existing in the immediate area (i.e., trees, landform, key elements of adjacent development, etc.);

            (2)   A relationship to existing structures and neighborhood character. This includes prohibiting any device being or resembling security bars, gates or other similar security devices from being placed over or on windows or doors on the exterior of any building, or the interior of any building if visible from a public street or public right of way; excepting doors and windows on the ground level portion of the rear of a building facing an alley;

            (3)   A relationship to the natural environment (i.e., washes, native vegetation and community landscaping).

         (b)   Design the development to create pleasing transitions to and from surrounding development by incorporating the following elements:

            (1)   The bulk of new structures relates to the prevailing or planned scale of adjacent development;

            (2)   Setbacks from streets and adjacent properties relate to the scale of the structure and the function of the street and encourage pedestrian scale and uses; and

            (3)   Tall structures are made less imposing by physically stepping them back from the street.

         (c)   Respect the identified views and view corridors of existing developments to the greatest extent possible. Where applicable, view corridors oriented toward such existing or proposed community amenities, such as parks, open space or natural features, are to be enhanced.

         (d)   Create subtle variations in architectural and landscape components that provide visual interest, but do not create abrupt changes or cause discord in the overall character of the neighborhood.

         (e)   Provide appropriate transitions between different projects by providing buffer areas, landscaping and other similar treatments (e.g., hedges, walls, fences, berms or landscaped open space).

         (f)   Provide a harmonious appearance of the development with the surrounding environment and existing developments based on the compatibility of individual structures rather than one specific style of architecture.

         (g)   Avoid uninterrupted fences and walls, unless they are needed for specific screening, safety or sound attenuation purpose. Where needed, fences or walls shall be required to:

            (1)   Relate to the site being developed as well as surrounding developments, open spaces, streets and pedestrian ways;

            (2)   Respect existing view corridors to the greatest extent possible; and

            (3)   Incorporate landscape elements or changes in materials, color or texture in order to discourage graffiti, and prevent undue glare, heat, reflection or aesthetic inconsistencies.

         (h)   Incorporate the following lighting concerns into development proposals:

            (1)   Lighting fixtures are to be attractively designed to complement the overall design theme of the project;

            (2)   Lighting shall create a festive atmosphere within commercial areas by outlining buildings, trees or other architectural features to encourage nighttime use of those areas by pedestrians; and

            (3)   On site lighting shall create a safe environment, adhering to established crime prevention standards, but shall not result in nuisance levels of light or glare on adjacent properties.

         (i)   Architectural plans for development shall be required to incorporate the following building elevation and screening criteria:

            (1)   All exterior wall elevations of buildings and screen walls shall have architectural treatments that enhance the appearance of the building or wall;

            (2)   Compatible materials and consistent style shall be evident within a development in all exterior elevations; and

            (3)   Within multi-family, commercial, office and mixed-use business park developments, trash enclosures, loading areas, mechanical equipment and storage areas shall be screened from public streets, and from other public views, as appropriate. (Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)