Division 2 — PRIMARY ZONE DESCRIPTIONS

This Section describes each of the Primary Zones established by Article I, including their intended application, to help guide their placement on property, and the selection of the Land Uses allowed within them.

(Ord. No. 503, 12-16-2014)

The following descriptions should guide the application of the agricultural and residential zones and the approval of uses within the zones. These are the primary zones for animal raising and keeping, and for residential activity within the City.

A.

General Agriculture (AG). The "AG," General Agriculture, Zone is intended to be applied to lands suitable for grazing, animal raising, horticultural activities, and limited residential development, based on topography, access, groundwater or septic capability, and other infrastructure requirements. The minimum lot size for residential use is 2 acres. Although intended for Single Family Dwellings, one Guest House and one Secondary Dwelling is also permitted where conditions allow. Because of its agricultural orientation, a wide variety of Animal Raising and Keeping uses are permitted in this Zone by right. Agriculturally-related commercial activities (compatible with the available infrastructure) may be allowed within this Zone to serve the surrounding rural and agricultural communities. Given the availability of public services in most of the incorporated area, this Zone is likely to be of most use in pre-zoning unincorporated lands.

B.

Rural Residential (RR). The "RR," Rural Residential, Zone is the City's lowest density residential zone district. It will accommodate up to three dwelling units per net acre, and is intended to be used for properties where residential uses are desired but public sewer and water services are not yet available in sufficient capacity to serve a denser development. Because of the large lots required by limited public services, and its use as a transitional zone near agricultural areas, this Zone permits a wider variety of Animal Raising and Keeping uses than other residential zones. Although intended for Single Family Dwellings, one Guest House and one Secondary Dwelling is also permitted where conditions allow.

C.

Single family Residential (R1). The "R1," Single family Residential, Zone is intended to accommodate up to 7.25 dwelling units per net acre at maximum density, and is the lowest density residential zone that should be considered where public water and sewer services are available. This designation is intended to create large lot developments with one dwelling unit per lot. One Guest House and one Secondary Dwelling is also permitted where conditions allow.

D.

Medium Density Residential (R2). The "R2," Medium Density Residential, Zone is intended to accommodate both single family and/or multi-family (shared-wall) housing types. These may be built on one lot, or share a wall across a property line (zero set-back construction). The housing density for this Zone is up to 15 dwelling units per net acre. Shared-wall housing types include duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, but do not include stacked apartments or stacked condos. Where an R2 lot is developed with a Single Family Dwelling, one Guest House and one Secondary Dwelling is also permitted where conditions allow.

E.

High Density Residential (R3). The "R3," High Density Residential, Zone is intended to accommodate multifamily units at a maximum density of 29 units per net acre. This designation allows stacked apartments and condominiums, hotels and motels, and mobile home parks in addition to lower density housing types. Where an R3 lot is developed with a Single Family Dwelling, one Guest House and one Secondary Dwelling is also permitted where conditions allow. This designation should be used for those lands which are most capable of supporting the highest density of residential development within the City, based on topography, infrastructure availability, the intensity of surrounding land uses, and circulation constraints. Since the R3 Zone also allows some low-intensity commercial uses, it should also be considered as a transitional use between less intensive residential zones and commercial and/or light industrial zones.

(Ord. No. 503, 12-16-2014)

The following descriptions should guide the application of the commercial and industrial zones and the approval of uses within the zones. These are the primary zones used for business activity within the City.

A.

Commercial, Retail/Office (C1). The "C1," Retail/Office Commercial, Zone is intended to accommodate a variety of low-intensity, pedestrian-oriented retail businesses, personal service establishments and offices, as well as limited residential uses (typically part of a mixed-use development). This zone has flexible development standards designed to facilitate the preservation of a pedestrian-oriented "Main Street" environment and the historic structures present there (where possible), as well as encourage new development compatible with the identity of the surrounding area. It is ideally suited for application in the City's original downtown area, and can also be applied to commercial properties adjacent to residential areas to help buffer the residential areas from more intensive commercial and/or industrial uses.

B.

Commercial, General (C2). The "C2," General Commercial, Zone is intended to accommodate more intensive commercial land uses that are typically located on, or within easy reach, of a highway or busy thoroughfare. Typical General Commercial uses are auto-oriented, "destination" businesses that draw customers to them for a specific type of item or service. Typical General Commercial uses include large retail stores; automobile sales and service; light manufacturing that also involves some retail sales or service activity; outdoor lots for new or used automobile sales; automobile and motorcycle repair services; and large wholesale stores. Uses may or may not include indoor or outdoor storage of goods as an

incidental use to the permitted sales and/or service use. This zone differs from the Retail/Office Commercial, C1, Zone in that most residential uses are not permitted as they are likely to conflict with allowed General Commercial uses. It differs from the Light Industrial, M1, Zone in that the primary activity on site is intended to be some form of sales or service activity, with manufacturing and/or storage activities a secondary or incidental use.

C.

Industrial/Manufacturing, Light (M1). The "M1," Light Industrial, Zone is intended to accommodate lowintensity industrial uses close to commercial and residential areas with minimum environmental conflicts, and be applied as a buffer zone to protect residential and commercial zones from more impactive Heavy Industrial, M2, uses. Although some commercial uses related to product sales and service activities are allowed by right or permit, they are intended to be incidental to the primary use of light manufacturing and/or storage, or to provide needed buffering between low-intensity and high intensity uses.

D.

Industrial/Manufacturing , Heavy (M2). The "M2," Heavy Industrial, Zone is intended to accommodate a full range of industrial uses. Areas designated as Heavy Industrial should be suitable for heavy manufacturing and processing uses which have the greatest potential for producing undesirable or adverse impacts, including traffic, noise, dust, odors, and vibrations. Therefore, they should be located in places substantially removed from sensitive land uses, including residential areas, hospitals and schools.

(Ord. No. 503, 12-16-2014)

The following descriptions should guide the application of the recreation and open space zones and the approval of uses within the zones. These are the primary zones reserved for leisure activities within the City.

A.

Recreation (RC). The RC, Recreation, Zone is intended to be applied to land that will primarily be used for large-scale, public or private recreational activities (including, but not limited to, motocross tracks, equestrian arenas, fairgrounds, outdoor stages, skateboard parks, baseball and football fields, and other intensive indoor and outdoor event areas) that require significant investment in specialized facilities. The RC Zone is intended to preserve the investment made in such facilities or preserve an area for future development of said facilities. The RC Zone can also be used to designate public parks that might provide both passive recreational opportunities (like playgrounds, picnic tables, barbeque pits and shade structures) and more intensive seasonal activities (like community fairs and events). This Zone differs from the OS Zone in that it is intended for high intensity use that may include significant and permanent changes to the land and produce high levels of noise, vibration, dust and/or other environmental disturbances in a regular and ongoing manner.

B.

Open Space (OS). The "OS," Open Space, Zone is intended to be applied to land that will remain largely undisturbed by development to protect what is already present, or preserve a scenic corridor. Permitted

public and private uses of land in the OS Zone will depend in large part on what is being preserved. For instance, an OS Zone that is intended to protect rare and endangered plant or animal habitat, wildlife habitat, migration corridors, and/or sensitive riparian areas or woodlands should not be used for intensive agricultural purposes or extensive animal grazing. Whereas, OS Zones used to preserve visual corridors, watersheds and groundwater recharge areas might lend themselves to agricultural uses. OS Zones might also be used to protect public parks or historic structures (as noted below). For these reasons - where the City determines it is necessary or in the public interest - limited infrastructure, including but not limited to, roads, water, wastewater, drainage facilities and other utilities are expressly allowed in the OS Zone. Because the OS Zone may be used to preserve so many different public resources, nearly all uses within an OS Zone require a Use Permit to document the focus of the Zone and ensure its preservation.

1.

Using the OS Zone to Preserve Public Parks. The OS Zone can be used to preserve public parks that provide open areas for family gatherings or temporary community events that require little infrastructure. However, any public park intended for regular sporting events, daily intensive use, or requiring anything beyond the installation of shade structures, restroom facilities, picnic tables and passive play equipment, should be considered for the Recreation (RC) Zone district.

2.

Using OS Zone to Preserve Historic Structures. The OS Zone can be used to preserve isolated historic structures in an open space setting for the passive enjoyment of the public. This application differs from the application of the Downtown Historic District (-DH) Overlay Zone in that the -DH Overlay Zone is intended to encourage the preservation of a pedestrian environment in a downtown retail setting while permitting intensive use of the structure and the area around it (for commercial, residential or recreational purposes).

Where the OS Zone is used to preserve a Historic Structure, limited use of the historic structure, along with the construction of needed facilities (such as parking areas, storage sheds or fencing) could be permitted to aid in preserving the structure and making it accessible for public enjoyment.

(Ord. No. 503, 12-16-2014)