Commerce Municipal Code Div. 25 Live/Work

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 828, § 4, adopted Nov. 25, 2025, set out provisions intended for use as Div. 24, §§ 19.31.790—19.31.820. Inasmuch as there were already provisions so designated, said section has been codified herein as Div. 25, §§ 19.31.800—19.31.830 at the discretion of the editor.

This division provides standards for live/work development, as defined in Chapter 19.45 (Definitions), in zones where this use is specifically allowed, including the reuse of existing nonresidential structures to accommodate live/work opportunities.

(Ord. No. 828, § 4, 11-25-2025)

A. Allowed Uses.

1. Residential Uses.

2. Nonresidential uses allowed within the applicable zone.

B. Prohibited Uses.

1. Notwithstanding the allowed uses within the applicable zone, a live/work unit shall not be used for any of the following activities or similar activities as determined by the community development director:

a. Adult-oriented businesses;

b. Animal care or boarding;

c. Classroom instruction (e.g., art/music lessons, tutoring, and similar uses) involving five or more students at any one time;

d. Commercial food preparation activities;

e. Exercise classes involving five or more students at any given time;

f. Industrial uses and large scale manufacturing;

g. Vehicle maintenance or repair (i.e., body or mechanical work, including boats and recreational vehicles), vehicle detailing and painting, upholstery, etc.;

h. Storage of flammable liquids or hazardous materials beyond that normally associated with a residential use;

i. Medical and dental offices, clinics, and laboratories (not including chiropractors or counselors/psychotherapists).

2. Activities or uses that are not compatible with residential activities or that would clearly conflict with other live/work activities or the character of the surrounding neighborhood as determined by the community development director; and

3. Activities or uses that would adversely affect the health or safety of live/work unit residents, because of dust, glare, heat, noise, noxious gases, odor, smoke, traffic, vibration, or other impacts, or that would be hazardous because of materials, processes, products, or wastes.

(Ord. No. 828, § 4, 11-25-2025)

Live/work developments shall comply with all design and development standards associated with the zone in which the project is located. In addition, the design standards of this section shall apply.

A. Commercial Floor Area Requirement.

1. A live/work unit shall have a minimum floor area of at least seven hundred fifty square feet. All floor area other than that reserved for living space shall be reserved and regularly used for working space.

2. A ground-level live/work unit with street frontage shall devote the initial twenty feet of floor area depth to commercial activity. For properties with frontage on two streets, this requirement shall apply to only the primary street.

B. Unit Access.

1. Where there are multiple live/work units within a single structure, each unit shall be physically separated from other units and uses within the structure.

2. Access to the commercial space of individual units must be accessible from a street or connecting to a street through a common open space, corridor, hallway, or other common access area.

C. Internal Integration. The commercial and residential spaces of an individual live/work unit must be contiguous and accessible to each other.

(Ord. No. 828, § 4, 11-25-2025)

A. Occupancy and Employees.

1. A live/work unit shall be occupied and used only by the operator of the business within the unit, or a household of which at least one member shall be the business operator.

2. The business activity occupying the live/work unit may utilize nonresident employees, as necessary.

3. Client and customer visits to live/work units are allowed.

B. Business License Required. The business operator conducting business within a live/work unit is required to have a business license with the City of Commerce.

C. Enclosed Building. All activities related to the "work" component of a live/work unit shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building.

D. Sale or Rental of Portions of Unit. No portion of a live/work unit may be separately rented/subleased or sold as a commercial space for any person not living in the premises or as a residential space for any person not working in the same unit.

E. Conversion Prohibited. A live/work unit shall not be converted to either entirely residential use or entirely nonresidential use.

F. Signs. A master sign program, outlining sign guidelines, is required for all live/work developments.

(Ord. No. 828, § 4, 11-25-2025)