The requirements set forth in this chapter for the C-2 General Retail Commercial District have been adopted in order to provide for a community commercial district which offers a wide range of goods and services for residents of the Village and a wider market area. Portions of the C-2 General Retail Commercial District shown in the shaded areas of the Official Village of Winnetka Zoning Map and referred to in this chapter as the C-2 Commercial Overlay District are subject to regulations that encourage retailing of comparison shopping goods and personal services compatible with such retailing on ground floor in order to encourage a clustering of such uses, to provide for a wide variety of retail shops and expose such shops to maximum foot traffic, while keeping such traffic in concentrated (yet well distinguished) channels throughout the district, and permitting as a special use other commercial uses only to the extent that they meet certain additional requirements.

(MC-2-2015 § 5, Amended, 02/17/2015; MC-4-2009, Added, 05/05/2009)

   No building or premises within the C-2 General Retail Commercial District, including the C-2 Commercial Overlay District, shall be used, and no building within the C-2 General Retail Commercial District, including the C-2 Commercial Overlay District, shall be erected or altered for any use not otherwise provided for in this title.

   A.   Permitted Use. Except as otherwise provided in this code, any building in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District, including the C-2 Commercial Overlay District, shall be used for one (1) or more of the commercial uses listed as permitted in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District in the Table of Uses in Section 17.46.010 of this code.

   B.   Special Use.

      1.   Except as otherwise provided in this code, uses listed as "Special Use" (SU) in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District in the Table of Uses in Section 17.46.010 of this code may be permitted as a special use, subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in this chapter and in Chapter 17.56 of this code.

      2.   In addition, any of the following uses may be permitted as a special use, subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in this chapter and in Chapters 17.46 and 17.56:

         a.   Any use that the Zoning Administrator determines is similar to any use listed as a "Special Use" (SU) in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District in the Table of Uses in Section 17.46.010 of this code;

         b.   C-2 Commercial Overlay District. Any use that is located on the ground floor of a building within the boundaries of the C-2 Commercial Overlay District and that is listed as a "Special Use" (SU) in the C-2 Commercial Overlay District in the Table of Uses in Section 17.46.010 of this code, or any use determined by the Zoning Administrator to be similar to such a use; provided that, in addition to the standards set forth in Chapter 17.56 for the granting of special use permits, the applicant demonstrates that the special use will be in compliance with the following additional standards:

            i.   The proposed special use at the proposed location will encourage, facilitate and enhance the continuity, concentration, and pedestrian nature of the area in a manner similar to that of retail uses.

            ii.   The location of the proposed special use along a block frontage shall provide for a minimum interruption in the existing and potential continuity and concentration of the retail uses along the block's frontage.

            iii.   The proposed special use at the proposed location will provide for active display windows, facades, signage and lighting similar in nature and compatible with that provided by retail uses.

            iv.   If the proposed special use provides multi-use areas, such as retail merchandise areas, restaurant dining areas, general office space, private offices, reception areas, or employee work areas, any proposed retail merchandise area or restaurant dining area shall be concentrated and located immediately adjacent to the sidewalk and clearly visible from street in such a fashion as to invite customers to browse or dine.

            v.   If a proposed new building contemplates a mix of retail, office and service type uses, the minimum frontage for each retail use adjacent to the sidewalk shall be twenty (20) feet with a minimum gross floor area of four hundred (400) square feet. In addition, such retail space shall be devoted to active retail merchandising which maintains typical and customary hours of operation.

            vi.   The proposed location and operation of the proposed special use shall not significantly diminish the availability of parking for district clientele wishing to patronize existing retail businesses;

         c.   More than one (1) principal building on a lot;

         d.   Planned developments, as provided in Chapter 17.58 of this code.

   C.   Essential Public Use. Essential public use, either as a principal use or as an accessory use.

   D.   Accessory uses. Each of the enumerated permitted uses and permitted special uses may include accessory uses, buildings or other structures, as defined in Section 17.04.030, located on the same lot; provided, however, that satellite receiving dishes shall be subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in Chapter 17.56.

(MC-01-2019 § 4, Amended, 04/04/2019; MC-2-2015 § 5, Amended, 02/17/2015; MC-4-2009, Added, 05/05/2009)

   A.   General Development Standards. The development standards for all uses in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District shall be as provided in Chapter 17.46 of this code.

   B.   Additional Development Standards for Certain Special Uses. In addition to complying with all other applicable standards, the following special uses shall also be subject to the specific criteria set forth herein.

      1.   Automobile Service Stations. Automobile service stations shall not be located within two hundred (200) feet of any building used or constructed for use in whole or in part as a church or temple, library, community parish house, or public or private school or kindergarten (in measuring the minimum distance, the portion of such distance that lies within the boundaries of any public street shall be counted twice).

      2.   Parking Lots. No motor vehicles, motor appliances, equipment or supplies shall be offered for sale, repair or service, or be stored for any such purposes, unless such parking lot is a permitted accessory use to a permitted vehicle sale, service or supply store.

      3.   Public Parking Garage. No public parking garage shall be located or maintained within two hundred (200) feet of any building used or constructed for use in whole or in part as a church or temple, library, community or parish house, or public or private school or kindergarten (in measuring such minimum distance, the portion of such distance that lies within the boundaries of any public street shall be counted twice).

      4.   Fast Food Restaurants, Drive-in Establishments and Drive-in Facilities. Fast food restaurants, drive-in establishments and any drive-in facility, including any portion of any use that provides drive-in services, shall comply with the following standards:

         a.   No fast food restaurant, drive-in establishment or drive-in facility shall be located within the boundaries of the C-2 Retail Overlay District.

         b.   All fast food restaurants, drive-in establishments and drive-in facilities shall comply with the following standards:

            i.   No fast food restaurant, drive-in establishment or drive-in restaurant may be located within three hundred (300) feet (measured from property line to property line) of another fast food restaurant, drive-in establishment or drive-in restaurant.

            ii.   Principal vehicular ingress and egress to the premises shall be from a primary street, as defined in the Village of Winnetka Comprehensive Plan.

            iii.   One (1) off-street loading berth adequate for the loading and unloading of service vehicles and trucks (together with properly related access to a public street or alley) shall be provided such that no maneuvering incidental to the parking, loading or unloading of such service vehicles and trucks shall be on or across any public right-of-way, and no loading berth shall be located within thirty (30) feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two (2) streets.

            iv.   The lighting of parking lots or loading areas shall cease at or before midnight when such lots or areas are within one hundred (100) feet of the boundary of any R Single-Family Residential District;

         c.   In addition to the foregoing requirements, each fast food restaurant shall provide a minimum of thirty (30) parking spaces for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area, plus one (1) parking space for each one and one-half (1-1/2) employees (based upon the largest number of employees in attendance at any time), plus one (1) parking space for each vehicle directly associated with the use (whether stored on premises over night or not).

      5.   Dwelling Units at the Ground Floor, less than 50 feet from the front street line, in the C-2 General Retail Commercial District. The lot for such a use shall be no wider than 35 feet.

(MC-13-2023 § 3, Subparagraph B.5. added, 01/09/2024; MC-2-2015 § 5, Amended, 02/17/2015; MC-4-2009, Added, 05/05/2009)