Chapter 19.11 — COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

The purpose and intent of this chapter is to:

(A) Establish reasonable development standards to guide the orderly development of property within the CC (community commercial) and CN (neighborhood commercial) district, and

(B) Establish a range of permitted uses and reasonable development standards to guide the orderly development within each commercial district in a manner consistent with the general plan's land use schedule and sub-area schedule.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003.)

This chapter establishes two zoning districts to allow a broad range of commercial uses within those districts. The following commercial districts are hereby established:

CC (community commercial) district: to accommodate a broad range of commercial uses that will serve local residents and the greater community and reduce the need for external trips to adjacent jurisdictions for goods and services, and provide shopping and service opportunities for commuters, visitors, and tourists. Also accommodates multifamily residential uses, especially in conjunction with a commercial use.

CN (neighborhood commercial) district: to encourage a limited range of retail and service commercial uses that are oriented to the day-to-day needs of the local residents, at a scale compatible with adjacent neighborhoods. Also accommodates multifamily residential uses, especially in conjunction with a commercial use.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003; Ord. 2006-07 § 4, 2006.)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all uses within the commercial districts as shown on the official zoning district map of the city of American Canyon. Development within the commercial districts shall conform with all applicable development standards, regulations, and performance standards of this title.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003.)

Table 1 of this section sets forth the permitted and conditionally permitted uses for each commercial district. A "P" designates a permitted use. A "C" indicates a conditionally permitted use subject to approval of a use permit by the planning commission. An "M" indicates a minor use permit is required pursuant to Chapter 19.42. If no letter is found opposite a particular use, it is not permitted in that district.

Table 1

Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses[1]

Community Commercial and Neighborhood Commercial Districts

1 Permitted and conditionally permitted uses on parcels located within a designated Napa County Airport compatibility zone may be restricted or prohibited subject to the requirements of the policies related to airport compatibility in the American Canyon general plan and the Napa County Airport land use compatibility plan. Restrictions may include the requirement for recordation of overflight or avigation easements.

(Ord. No. 2024-04 §§ 1, 5; Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003; Ord. 2004-10 Exh. 2, 2004; Ord. 2006-07 § 4, 2006; Ord. 2009-07 § 4, 2009; Ord. 2009-12 § 3, 2009; Ord. 2010-02 § 4, 2010; Ord. 2010-03 § 3, 2010; Ord. 2010-05 § 1, 2010; Ord. 2010-07 § 3, 2010; Ord. 2013-09 § 4, 2013; Ord. 2014-06 § 4, 2014; Ord. 2016-03 § 2, 2016; Ord. 2018-05 § 3, 2018; Ord. 2018-06 § 7, 2018.)

Table 2 of this chapter sets forth the minimum lot area for each commercial district.

Table 2

• Where an existing legal, non-conforming, structure after the building was constructed, the existing director approval.

** Parcels owned by public agencies are exempt commercial (CC) district.

(Ord. No. 2024-04 Section 4; Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003; Ord. 2004-05 § 1, 2004; Ord. 2004-10 Exh. 2, 2004; Ord. 2006-07 § 4, 2006; Ord. 2018-07 § 1, 2018.)

(A) General Provisions.

(1) The requirements of this chapter shall apply to the establishment, alteration, or change in any use or structure, except as may be provided for herein. Parking required by this chapter shall be provided at the time any building or structure is erected or enlarged, or a use is established, changed, or expanded. The word "use" shall mean both the type and intensity of the use.

(2) When a change in use or expansion in floor are within an existing development increase by twenty percent or more the amount of off-street parking or loading spaces shall be provided in addition to the number existing prior to the change in use or enlargement, unless the pre-existing number required by this chapter for the previous use, in which case the number in excess of the prescribed minimum may be deducted from the number required to be provided to serve the change in use or enlargement.

(3) Required parking spaces shall not be located within any front or side yards setback areas.

(4) Except as may be provided for this chapter, required parking spaces required shall be located on the same lot or parcel of land and within three hundred feet of the use they serve. Such distance shall be computed from the nearest point of a structure's public access to the nearest point of parking area.

(5) The planning commission may approve deviations from these standards by use permit.

• (B) Number of Spaces Required.

(1) Except as may be provided for this chapter, automobile parking spaces shall be provided in the number set forth in Table 3 of this chapter. These requirements shall be considered minimum standards. The decision-making authority for a project may require more parking than is required by Table 3 when it finds that due to the characteristics of a project, the application of the above standards may lead into traffic congestion or parking violations in adjacent streets as well as unauthorized parking in nearby private lots.

(2) Fractional space requirements of .5 or more shall be counted as the next largest whole space.

(3) When two or more uses are located in the same building or structure, or are within the same common development, the parking requirements shall be the sum of the separate requirements for each use, except as specifically provided in this chapter.

(4) Requirements for uses not specifically listed herein shall be determined by the decision-making authority for a project, based upon the requirements for comparable uses and upon the particular characteristics of the use.

(5) Handicapped parking shall be provided according to the latest standards established by the state of California.

(6) No area may be utilized and counted both as a required parking space other than for company owned vehicles periodically stored for on-site loading.

Table 3

(C) Shared Parking.

(1) The number of required parking spaces may be reduced for projects comprised of uses that generate parking needs primarily at different times, and that cooperatively establish and operate shared parking facilities.

(2) Shared parking may be approved through a conditionally use permit for existing development. Where shared parking is proposed for new development as part of a design permit or conditional use permit application, the request shall be processed concurrently with said applications. Nothing in this section shall preclude the reviewing authority from placing additional conditions to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city or to establish the number or percentage of parking spaces to be shared.

(3) The applicant shall provide substantial evidence and documentation (including a description of all uses and operating characteristics) that a sufficient number of spaces are being provided to meet the parking demand of all participating uses at any given time of the day, week or year.

(4) All shared parking spaces shall be located so as to be reasonably accessible to the uses they serve, and shall not be separated from such uses by any street, unless otherwise approved by the decision-making authority.

(5) Reasonable pedestrian connections shall be provided from any shared parking spaces to all the uses that they serve.

(6) Covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs), deed restrictions or other agreements as may be required by the decision-making authority shall be executed and recorded, ensuring that required parking is provided and that the uses and operating characteristics of all participating uses are maintained.

(D) Dimensional Requirements.

(1) Standard Spaces: Required minimum parking dimensions are indicated in Table 4. Minimum dimensions shall not include any landscaped areas.

(2) Compact Spaces. Reduced dimensions of eight feet in width and sixteen feet in length (ninety-degree stalls) may be allowed for uncovered parking spaces for uses that have at least twelve parking spaces. Compact spaces shall not exceed twenty percent of the total required parking spaces. Compact spaces shall be clearly indicated by appropriate markings and signage.

(E) Striping and Surfacing. All parking lots shall be permanently surfaced and striped in accordance with the city's engineering standards and specifications.

(F) Parking Lot Entries. All parking lot entries shall have the minimum widths specified in the city's engineering standards and specifications.

(G) Curbing and Walkways.

(1) Continuous concrete curbing at least six inches high and six inches wide shall be provided at least three feet from

any wall, fence, property line, walkway, or structures where parking and/or drive aisles are located adjacent thereto. Curbing may be left out at structure access points.

(2) The clear width of a walkway that is adjacent to overhanging parked cars shall be at least four feet.

• (3) Individual wheel stops shall not be used.

(H) Drainage. All required off street parking areas shall be so designed that surface water will not drain over any sidewalk or adjacent property.

• (I) Landscaping.

(1) Surface parking areas of ten or more spaces shall have a landscaped area equal to a minimum of ten percent of the parking and circulation area.

(2) Landscaped areas shall be distributed throughout the parking area as evenly as possible. In larger parking areas (two or more maneuvering aisles), interior landscaping shall be used to visually separate the parking area into small spaces. Parking row ends shall be protected by landscaped planters.

(3) Landscaped areas shall have a minimum width of five feet.

(4) A minimum of one tree shall be provided for every six parking spaces in a double-loaded layout, and one for every three spaces in a single-loaded layout. The trees shall be located so as to visually disrupt long rows of parked vehicles; trees may be clustered. Canopy-type trees should be used to provide a relatively consistent tree cover which will shade the pavement and vehicles.

(5) A landscaped strip shall be provided adjacent to any public or private street wherever parking or circulation is generally or immediately located adjacent to such rights-of-way.

(6) Defined pedestrian routes shall be incorporated into parking and landscaped areas.

(7) Landscape areas shall be bordered by a concrete curb that has a minimum height and width of six inches. Landscaped planters within parking areas may be diamond-shaped in design.

(J) Screening.

(1) Where vehicles are to be parked immediately adjacent to a public or private street, a solid wall, opaque fence, berm, or compact evergreen hedge with a maximum height of thirty inches, measured from the finished surface of the parking area shall be provided.

(2) Where a parking or loading area in an industrial district is located directly across a street or alley from a residential district, a solid wall, opaque fence, berm, or compact evergreen hedge not less than six feet in height shall be located on the property line.

(K) Lighting.

(1) Public parking areas designed to accommodate three or more vehicles shall have lighting facilities capable of providing sufficient illumination at every point of the parking area. A lighting study demonstrating that a minimum of one foot candle will be maintained across the surface of the parking area may be required by the community development director.

(2) Any parking area illumination, including security lighting shall be so arranged as to reflect away from adjoining properties and rights-of-way.

(L) Location of Parking Spaces.

(1) Parking shall be designed so that all maneuvering may occur on-site and that all vehicles may enter an abutting street in a forward direction.

(2) No space in a parking lot shall be located so that a vehicle must maneuver within twenty feet of a vehicular entrance, measured from the property line.

(M) Maintenance. All required parking facilities and areas, including landscaping, surfacing, and striping shall be permanently maintained in good condition, free of weeds, litter and debris.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003.)

(A) Number Required. Loading spaces shall be provided for all industrial uses according to the table below for the specified uses. The decision-making authority may require more loading spaces than are required by the table to insure that a sufficient off-street loading area will be provided to accommodate routine operations in a safe and convenient manner. Required loading spaces shall be designated as such and restricted to such use.

(B) Minimum Dimensions. Each loading space shall have an unobstructed minimum dimension of twelve feet in width, forty-five feet in length, and fourteen feet in height. Larger spaces may be required by the decision-making authority to ensure that a sufficient off-street loading and unloading area will be provided to accommodate routine delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.

(C) Location of Loading Spaces.

(1) Loading spaces required by this chapter shall be located immediately adjacent to the exterior wall of the building they serve or within the building and should minimize potential impacts on adjacent uses.

(2) Loading spaces shall not be located in any required front or side yard.

(3) Loading spaces should be so located and designed that trucks shall not be required to back into a public street for ingress or egress. Truck maneuvering areas should be provided on-site where necessary to comply with this requirement.

(4) Loading spaces should be concealed from off-site view to the maximum extent feasible.

(5) Where a loading area in a commercial or industrial district is located directly across a street or alley from a residential district, a solid wall, opaque fence, or compact evergreen hedge not less than six feet in height shall be located on the property line.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003.)

Bicycle parking shall be provided in commercial and employment areas according to the table below.

Bicycle parking should be located in highly visible locations and should be lockable.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003.)

It is the intent of the General Plan and this chapter to ensure that all new construction and major alterations or additions to existing commercial buildings be designed to exhibit a high quality of architectural character and emphasize a low scale village environment. All new construction and major alterations or additions to existing commercial buildings shall include one or more of the design features, components, or materials in those portions of the building visible from any public rightof-way set forth in this section.

(A) Architectural features and elements shall include a craftsman/mountain village theme or turn of the century agricultural or winery compound.

(B) Materials and design components that are indigenous to the Napa Valley, including but not limited to, exposed heavy timbers for structural supports trellis features, and gable roof elements; stone foundations and rock based pillars with heavy timber support elements; wood or split stone or masonry siding; and metal roofs should be integrated into the project design.

(C) Exposed structural steel for support is encouraged, but stainless steel and mirrored glass elements should be discouraged.

(D) Façade elements should include the articulation and modulation to provide visual interest.

(E) Visually and physically transparent building elements such as windows and doors with glass panels should be provided along the majority of the ground elevation facing street frontages and primary parking areas.

(F) Mechanical equipment shall be screened from view using materials and design elements consistent with the overall project.

(Ord. 2001-02 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2003-03, 2003; Ord. 2004-10 Exh. 2, 2004; Ord. 2006-07 § 4, 2006; Ord. 2009-07 § 4, 2009; Ord. 2009-12 § 3, 2009.)