Beaumont Municipal Code Ch. 17.B.10 Downtown Zones and Standards

A. Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) Zone. The Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) Zone is intended to provide for a rich and diverse mixture of office, retail, commercial, civic, entertainment, and cultural activities in a lively, thriving, high-quality pedestrian environment which incorporates mixed-use development. Active and retail uses are required along Sixth Street (between California and Palm Avenues) and Beaumont Avenue (between 5th and 8th Street) street frontages to create a walkable, pedestrian-oriented, and vibrant environment. This Zone is also intended to allow for residential uses on the upper floors (residential uses are not allowed on the first floor along Sixth Street and Beaumont Avenue to ensure that the downtown character is maintained).

B. Beaumont Mixed Use (BMU) Zone. The Beaumont Mixed Use (BMU) Zone is intended to facilitate Beaumont Avenue corridor's transition to a mixed-use district with a mix of professional offices, limited commercial uses and residential uses that are compatible with the abutting single-family residences to the east and west. Development is intended to be less intense than the DMU Zone in keeping with the scale of surrounding development.

C. Sixth Street Mixed Use (SSMU) Zone. The Sixth Street Mixed Use (SSMU) Zone is intended to provide for commercial and multiple family residential uses along Sixth Street, east of Palm Avenue either as stand alone or in a mixed use setting. The allowed uses and development standards are intended to be conducive to a compact, mixed use, and walkable environment and supportive of the downtown retail environment west of Palm Avenue.

D. Sixth Street Mixed Use - Residential (SSMU-R) Zone. The Sixth Street Mixed Use - Residential (SSMU-R) Zone is intended to provide for multiple family residential and commercial uses along the north side of Sixth Street, east of Palm Avenue. The allowed uses and development standards are intended to be conducive to a compact, mixed use, and walkable environment and supportive of the downtown retail environment west of Palm Avenue.

E. Local Commercial (LC) Zone. The Local Commercial (LC) Zone is intended to allow development that provides for a range of commercial services and retail land uses that are in proximity to residential neighborhoods consistent with the General Plan.

F. Downtown Residential Multiple Family (DMF) Zone. The Downtown Residential Multiple Family (DMF) Zone is intended to encourage walkable, transit ready residential development in proximity to downtown, and to facilitate further development of this land use type. This includes higher density housing that includes condominiums, townhomes, duplexes, patio apartments, senior housing, and supporting ancillary facilities.

Table 17.B.10.020-A (Downtown Zones Use Regulations) sets the land use regulations for downtown zones. Land uses are defined in Chapter 17.E.04 (Definition of Uses). In cases where a land use is not listed in the table, the Community Development Director shall make a determination regarding similar use consistent with Subsection 17.A.04.020.G (Determination of Similar Use). Land uses not listed in the table and not substantially like the uses below are prohibited.

Table 17.B.10.020-A: Downtown Zones Use Regulations "P" = Permitted Use "M" = Minor Conditional Use Permit required "-" = Not Allowed "C" = Conditional Use Permit required

Table Notes:

1

Use is allowed only on upper floor locations on parcels fronting 6th Street and Beaumont Avenue. Limited lobby or entry areas are allowed on the ground floor.

2

State-licensed facilities require a Conditional Use Permit.

3

Use is not allowed on parcels fronting 6th Street and Beaumont Avenue unless approved by the Planning Commission through the CUP process.

4

Use is limited to 10,000 sf unless approved by the Planning Commission through the CUP process.

5

Use is limited to 2,500 sf unless approved by the Planning Commission through the CUP process.

6

New fast food restaurants should not be located within 1,000 ft of another fast food restaurant.

7

Use is limited to 5,000 sf unless approved by the Planning Commission through the CUP process.

8

"Vehicle repair and maintenance" is a separate use and is not allowed in Downtown zones.

9

New liquor stores shall not be located within 1,000 ft of another liquor store.

10

If liquor is served, a Conditional Use Permit is required.

11

Gas/service stations in Downtown are only allowed at intersections. Automobile/vehicle washing is allowed only as accessory to gas/service stations.

12

Applies to parking lots or structures that are primary uses, as defined in Division 17.E (Definitions).

Table 17.B.10.030-A (Downtown Zones Development Standards) establishes the development standards for downtown zones.

Table 17.B.10.030-A: Downtown Zones Development Standards ft = feet sf = square feet du = dwelling unit ac = acres n/a = not applicable

Table Notes:

1

Smaller lots may be allowed consistent with Subsection 17.C.02.060.C (Small Lot Development).

2

The maximum setback can be waived by Community Development Director under the following conditions:

•

Common plazas, courtyards, or outdoor amenity areas are located between the street and the building(s);

•

The building(s) incorporates an entrance design that creates a welcoming entry feature facing the street; or

•

A larger area is required to preserve existing mature trees or natural features.

3

Applies to nonresidential uses only.

4

The above ground parking setback may be waived by the Community Development Director with the following two findings:

•

The site is small and/or constrained such that underground parking or surface parking located more than 40 ft from the street is not feasible; and

•

The parking area located within 40 ft of the street is landscaped along the street with a hedge, trellis, and/or landscaping consistent with Chapter 17.C.04 (Landscaping).

5

In no event shall a residence be situated in such a manner as to result in a distance of less than 20 feet between the back of a sidewalk and the face of a garage door.

6

A minimum setback of 15 feet must be provided when adjacent to a single-family residential use.

7

A minimum setback of 20 feet must be provided when adjacent to a single-family residential use.

8

See Section 17.C.02.090 (Open Space, Usable).

A. Supplemental Standards Applicable to All Downtown Zones.

1. Setback from Single-Family Residential Uses. When adjacent to single-family residential uses, upper floors (i.e., the third floor and higher) must be stepped-back from the ground-floor street-facing building façade by a minimum of 15 feet.

FIGURE 17.B.10.040-1: STEP BACK FROM ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL USES [Figure: FIGURE 17.B.10.040-1: STEP BACK FROM ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL USES]

2. Adjacency to Interstate 10. The following standards apply within 500 feet of Interstate 10 as measured from its right-of-way:

a. Occupied open space areas (play areas, courtyards, patios, balconies, etc.) must be located as far from the freeway as possible.

b. Non-habitable uses, such as parking structures and building areas not calculated in floor area, should be located nearest to the freeway.

c. The project site must be screened with substantial vegetation and/or a wall barrier in addition to the requirements of Section 17.C.02.140 (Screening Standards) as approved by the Community Development Director.

d. Additional noise mitigation shall be provided for residential uses that are within 500 feet of Interstate 10 as approved by the Community Development Director.

3. Pedestrian Circulation and Access. On-site pedestrian circulation and access shall be provided in accordance with Section 17.C.02.110 (Pedestrian Access and Circulation).

B. DMF Zone Supplemental Standards.

1. Building Placement.

a. Building façade(s) shall extend a minimum of 65 percent of the street frontage for the area between the minimum and maximum front setbacks. For example, if a lot is 100 feet wide, 65 linear feet of the lot parallel to the street must be occupied by a building(s) that adheres to the maximum setback requirement.

b. In the area between the minimum and maximum street side setback, 50 percent of the linear distance parallel to the street shall be occupied by a building façade(s).

FIGURE 17.B.10.040-2: BUILDING PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS, DMF ZONE [Figure: FIGURE 17.B.10.040-2: BUILDING PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS, DMF ZONE]

2. Off-Street Parking.

a. Parking shall not be located in the front setback unless the Community Development Director makes the following findings:

(i) Buildings comply with the maximum front setback requirement;

(ii) The parking area located within the front setback is landscaped along the street with a hedge, trellis, and/or landscaping consistent with Chapter 17.C.04 (Landscaping); and

(iii) Requirements in Chapter 17.C.06 (Parking Requirements) are complied with.

b. Automobile storage space shall be provided as indicated in Chapter 17.C.06 (Parking Requirements).

C. BMU, DMU, SSMU, and SSMU-R Zones Supplemental Standards. The standards below apply to all development in the BMU, DMU, SSMU, and SSMU-R zones.

1. Wall Plane Modulation.

a. All nonresidential street-facing façades must have at least one horizontal or vertical projection or recess at least two feet in width and depth, for every 50 horizontal feet of wall.

FIGURE 17.B.10.040-3: WALL PLANE MODULATION [Figure: FIGURE 17.B.10.040-3: WALL PLANE MODULATION]

b. Horizontal articulation must include a differentiated base, a roof cornice line or parapet, and an eave, awning, overhang, transom feature, belt course, or other architectural element that frames the middle section of the building.

c. Buildings or portions of buildings over two stories must include articulation for the top story of the building. This may be accomplished through two or more of the following:

(i) Change in color;

(ii) Change in material;

(iii) Cornice/belt course at the bottom of the uppermost floor; and

(iv) Change in roof pitch, such as a gable, or an upper-story step-back.

FIGURE 17.B.10.040-4: BUILDING FAÇADE VISIBLE FROM PUBLIC STREET [Figure: FIGURE 17.B.10.040-4: BUILDING FAÇADE VISIBLE FROM PUBLIC STREET]

2. Ground Floor Height.

a. Nonresidential ground level floor-to-ceiling height must be a minimum 11 feet.

b. Nonresidential ground floor height may not differ from the height of any adjacent nonresidential use by more than two feet or as approved by the Community Development Director.

3. Building Transparency/Required Openings. Exterior walls facing and within 20 feet of a front or street side property line shall include windows, doors, or other openings for at least 50 percent of the building wall area located between 2.5 and 7 feet above the level of the sidewalk. Such walls may run in a continuous plane for no more than 30 feet without an opening.

a. Design of openings. Openings fulfilling this requirement shall have transparent glazing and provide views into display areas, sales areas, work areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces, or into window displays that are at least three feet deep.

b. Exceptions. The following are exempt from this requirement:

(i) Residential uses; and

(ii) Multi-level garages.

c. Reductions. This requirement may be reduced to 40 percent if street-facing building walls exhibit architectural relief (articulated building base, columns/piers, transom) and are enhanced with landscaping at the pedestrian level.

d. Reductions by Director. This requirement may be further reduced or waived if the Community Development Director finds that the proposed use has unique operational characteristics with which providing the required transparency and openings is incompatible.

FIGURE 17.B.10.040-5: BUILDING TRANSPARENCY/REQUIRED OPENINGS EXHIBIT [Figure: FIGURE 17.B.10.040-5: BUILDING TRANSPARENCY/REQUIRED OPENINGS EXHIBIT]

e. Enhancement on blank walls. Blank walls that exceed eight horizontal feet at the ground level must include one or more of the following:

(i) A pattern of insets;

(ii) A building base of at least 2.5 feet in height and a cornice or other architectural features at the top of the ground level;

(iii) Landscaping that, at maturity, obscures a minimum 50 percent of the wall area; or

(iv) Landscaped metal trellises or lattices over a minimum 50 percent of the wall area.

4. Building Orientation. Building frontages shall be generally parallel to streets and pedestrian walkways.

5. Building Entrances.

a. Orientation. The primary building entrance shall face a public sidewalk. Buildings located in the interior of a site shall have the primary entrance facing a pedestrian walkway that is connected to a public sidewalk.

b. Separation of residential and nonresidential entrances. Entrances to residential units, either shared or common, must be a minimum 30 horizontal feet from commercial entrances. Live/work units are excluded from this standard.

6. Corner Design. Building design at intersections must exhibit signature architectural features at the corner. Features may include but are not limited to tower elements, wrap-around bay windows, or rounded or chamfered corners elements, or decorative parapets.

7. 360-Degree Design. All buildings must be designed with "360-degree design" where each exterior wall is designed equivalent to the primary facade in the extent of building articulation, level of detail, and quality of exterior materials, and consistent with the color scheme of the primary facade. Details include but are not limited to window and door trim, window and door recesses, cornices, belt courses, columns/piers, posts/beams, brackets, columns/arches, and roof forms.

8. Additions/remodels. Notwithstanding the design standards of this Chapter, additions to and remodels of existing buildings, including porches, balconies and decks, must match the architectural design and detail of the existing building.

9. Public Open Space Requirement. Developments with 50,000 square feet or more of nonresidential floor area on sites of five acres or larger shall provide open space consistent with the following:

a. Forty square feet of open space shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of nonresidential floor area for the first 100,000 square feet of nonresidential floor area, plus 20 square feet of open space for every 1,000 square feet of nonresidential floor area over 100,000 square feet.

b. Such open space shall be visible and accessible from a public street, or from on-site areas normally frequented by customers and shall be accessible during business hours. Areas within required setbacks may count towards the open space requirement.

c. Such open space shall have a minimum dimension of 40 feet in width and depth.

d. Amenities shall be included that enhance the comfort, aesthetics, or usability of the space, including trees, landscaping, shade structures, seating (e.g., fixed seating, planter ledges, etc.), lighting, drinking fountains, public art, or performance areas.

e. The surface of the open space shall allow for convenient outdoor activity, recreation, and/or gathering. Such surface may be plant or hardscape material, or a combination thereof.

10. Parking Design.

a. Surface parking area design. Surface parking areas must be separated from on-site buildings by a minimum distance of five feet that is either paved or landscaped.

b. Garages. Garage doors must be recessed a minimum of six inches from the face of the garage.

c. Tandem parking. Tandem parking may be allowed to satisfy the off-street parking requirement in accordance with the following.

(i) Tandem parking to meet required parking for multi-unit development must be located within an enclosed structure and the number of tandem parking spaces may not exceed 50 percent of the total number of spaces.

(ii) Tandem parking may not be used to satisfy the parking requirement for guest parking.

d. Driveway width. Driveways to shared garages may not exceed 35 feet in width.

e. Parking visibility. Visible structured parking must be screened from view from the right-of-way by landscaping or decorative screening, or a combination of architectural features and landscaping or living walls.

f. Curb cut frequency.

(i) A maximum of one curb cut for driveway access may be permitted per street frontage per development project site, unless additional curb cuts are approved by the Community Development Director, Public Works Director and Public Safety or the Development Review Committee.

(ii) On corner lots, curb cuts must be located on the street frontage with the least pedestrian activity whenever feasible.

D. Local Commercial (LC) Zone Supplemental Standards. The additional standards in Section 17.B.06.040 (Commercial Zones Supplemental Standards) apply to all projects in the LC Zone.