Chapter 9.22 — COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (C-C) ZONE

Sections:

9.22.010 Purpose and application. 9.22.020 Permitted uses. 9.22.030 Site area. 9.22.040 Lot dimensions. 9.22.050 Coverage. 9.22.060 Building setback areas. 9.22.070 Distance between structures. 9.22.080 Height of structures. 9.22.090 Driveways. 9.22.100 Off-street parking. 9.22.110 Usable open space. 9.22.120 Landscaping. 9.22.130 Screening, fences, and walls. 9.22.140 Signs. 9.22.150 General provisions and standards.

This chapter shall apply to all land within the Community Commercial (C-C) zone district. The purpose of the C-C zone is to provide sites for a wide range of commercial and office uses that are diverse, visually pleasing, convenient in terms of parking and access, attractive, and used by citizens of Avenal as well as visitors to the area. This zone allows larger shopping centers and districts serving regional visitors that provide a wide range of goods. Typical uses include convenience or specialty food stores, grocery stores, restaurants, retail shops, and non-retail services such as banks, salons, and offices.

Uses shall be permitted or not permitted, conditionally permitted, administratively permitted, or temporarily permitted as prescribed in the land use table in Section 9.08.030.

• A. The minimum site area shall be 6,000 square feet. The site area may be divided into multiple separate lots of less than 6,000 square feet each if a reciprocal use agreement for shared street access and parking is recorded in conjunction with the subdivision of the lots.

• B. Existing sites of less than 6,000 square feet may be developed in accordance with the specifications of this section.

The minimum lot frontage shall be 40 feet unless a reciprocal use agreement for shared access and parking is recorded.

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The maximum coverage of a lot shall be 70 percent.

• A. No structure shall be placed within a building setback area.

• B. The front building setback area shall be a minimum of 15 feet from the front lot line.

• C. The rear building setback shall be a minimum of 15 feet.

• D. The interior side building setback area shall be a minimum of five (5) feet.

• E. The street-side building setback area shall be a minimum of 10 feet.

There is no minimum distance between structures required unless required by the building code, except that residential and non-residential structures shall be a minimum of 10 feet apart.

• A. The maximum structure height shall be 35 feet.

• B. Structures up to 65 feet may be erected upon approval of a conditional use permit in accordance with Chapter 9.80.

• A. Wherever possible, developments shall share driveways to minimize the number of access points on public streets.

• B. New driveways near street corners shall be located a minimum of 100 feet from the radius curve of the curb unless otherwise specifically approved by the City Engineer.

Off-street parking and off-street loading facilities shall be provided on the site for each use as prescribed in Chapter 9.54.

There is no minimum requirement for usable open space.

• A. Landscaping shall be provided for each use as prescribed in Chapter 9.52 Landscape Standards.

• B. Landscaping shall be provided and permanently maintained in a buffer area not less than 15 feet from a lot line adjoining a street, except where the buffer area is covered by structures, parking areas, or driveways.

• C. Required landscaping shall be installed prior to final occupancy and continually maintained pursuant to Chapter 9.52.

• A. The fences in the C-C zone shall conform to the design standards provided in Section 9.50.110.

• B. Fences, walls, and hedges in the C-C zone shall conform to the following standards:

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1. A seven-foot solid masonry wall shall be required along any side or rear property line abutting the residential zone district, except in required front and corner side yards where the maximum height shall be three feet. On a reversed corner lot where the district boundary line is adjacent to a front yard of a neighboring property, the required wall shall be reduced in height to four feet within 15 feet of a street property line.

2. The Director may allow fence and wall heights to be increased to mitigate noise problems documented by a noise study.

3. The outdoor storage of materials and equipment attendant to a use shall be permitted only within an area surrounded or screened with a six-foot solid fence, wall, or chain-link fence with slats and landscaping, except as may be modified under site plan review. Such storage shall not be visible above the fence or wall.

4. Traffic safety sight area: on the corner lots, no fence, wall, hedge, sign or building, shrubbery, mounds of earth, or other visual obstruction over 36 inches in height above the nearest street curb elevation shall be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow within the traffic safety sign area. The foregoing provision shall not apply to public utility poles; trees trimmed (to the trunk) to a line at least six feet above the level of the intersection; saplings or plant species of open growth habits and not planted in the form of a hedge, which are so planted and trimmed as to leave at all seasons a clear and unobstructed cross view; supporting members of appurtenances to permanent buildings existing on the date of this title becomes effective; official warning signs or signals; freestanding pole signs where the post does not exceed 12 inches in diameter and the bottom of the signboard is at least six feet above the level of the intersection.

Signs placed in the C-C zone shall be subject to the requirements and standards prescribed in Chapter 9.56.

• A. All businesses, services, and processes shall be conducted entirely within a completely enclosed, permanently fixed structure, except where specifically permitted by this title.

• B. Mechanical equipment shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from a rear or side lot line that abuts a residential zone district unless there is a parapet wall that shields the mechanical equipment.

• C. New development shall be required to install public infrastructure necessary to adequately serve the project, based on requirements of the City Engineer, including sewer, water, storm drainage lines, curbs, gutters and sidewalks, street paving, street lighting, and trash enclosure. These improvements shall be constructed consistent with requirements shown in the City of Avenal Standard Specifications and Drawings and shall be installed prior to occupancy of any structures on the site.

• D. Structures and the use of structures or land shall be subject to the requirements and standards prescribed in Chapter 9.50.

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In addition to the standard for Commerical Commerical contained herein, any commerical zone district with frontage adjacent to Skyline Boulevard shall be required to comply with the following standards:

• A. Fencing.

  • i. All fencing must be wrought iron and comply with the height and visibility requirements outlined in 9.50.110.

  • ii. All fencing is required to be locked outside of standard business hours to prevent at-will public entry.

    1. Lockbox access shall be required so law enforcement, fire department, and any other applicable emergency response personnel can access the site at any time as necessary.

    2. Uses that propose storage, either as a primary or ancillary use, must provide a solid, colored, masonry or brick block wall to screen vehicles from the public right-of-way; otherwise such storage must occur in a fully enclosed structure.

• B. Auto Sales.

  • i. Vehicles offered for sale must be on a fully paved, permanent foundation with concrete or asphalt.

• C. Landscaping.

  • i. A landscape buffer of a minimum 10 feet shall be provided on any and all sides of the property adjacent to the public right of way.

  • ii. Drought tolerant plantings consistent with Chapter 9.52 Landscape Standards shall be required.

E.

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