§ 33-1114. Vehicle sales, vehicle repair services, fleet storage and tow yard storage,…

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City of Escondido, CA § 33-1114

ZONING

§ 33-1114

• (a) General requirements. The following requirements and standards apply to boutique car sales, car dealerships, tractor and heavy truck sales, vehicle repair services, fleet storage and tow yard storage, and junkyards and wrecking yards.

  • (1) Required building. A permanent structure or building with a minimum of 300 square feet shall be maintained on-site to support the land use activity. The building shall be a permanent structure. The quality of architecture and building materials of all on-site structures shall meet or exceed surrounding structures. Modular or portable buildings, trailers, or mobile homes for this purpose are prohibited.

  • (2) Amplified sound. The use or installation of a public address system or amplified sound system is prohibited. No loud or boisterous noises are allowed to emanate from the place of business, either by persons congregating there or by the playing of recording instruments, radios, and/or television sets or other sound-producing equipment.

  • (3) Parking areas. Customer and employee parking areas shall be easily accessible and located separately from vehicle display or storage areas. Ground markings and signs shall clearly indicate the location of customer and employee parking.

  • (4) The property shall be developed and maintained in a neat, quiet, and orderly condition and operated in a manner so as not to be detrimental to adjacent properties and occupants. This shall encompass the maintenance of exterior façades of the building, designated parking areas serving the use, walls and fences and the perimeter of the site (including all public parkways).

• (b) Boutique car sales. Boutique car sales shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above, and this subsection. No boutique car sales project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied:

  • (1) That the area controlled by the business is of sufficient size to allow storage or display on-site of no more than two cars in paved and lined spaces no smaller than eight and one-half (8½) feet in width and 18 feet in length.

  • (2) Display. Vehicles shall not be displayed on any above ground apparatus. The use of temporary structures and/or devices to elevate vehicles above the average grade of the site for display is specifically prohibited. All vehicle inventory must be stored on-site and not in the public right-of-way.

  • (3) No boutique car sales establishment shall be operated in conjunction with nor share any operating space with any other boutique car sales or car dealership business.

• (4) Any lights provided to illuminate any car sales area permitted by this section shall be comparable and of the same intensity to that of the rest of the commercial or industrial area or premises and so arranged to reflect the light away from adjacent properties.

• (c) Car dealerships and tractor or heavy truck sales, storage, or rental. Car dealerships and tractor or heavy truck sales shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above, and this subsection.

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City of Escondido, CA

ESCONDIDO CODE

§ 33-1114

§ 33-1114

No dealership project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied:

• (1) That the area controlled by the business is of sufficient size to allow storage or display of on-site of vehicles in paved and lined spaces no smaller than eight and one-half (8½) feet in width and 18 feet in length. Employee and customer parking of no fewer than three spaces shall be provided at a minimum, provided that one additional employee/customer parking space shall be required for each additional 20 spaces used for storage or display. Additional off-street parking may be required pursuant to Article 39.

• (2) Display. All vehicle inventory must be stored on-site and not in the public right-ofway.

• (3) Landscaping. The vehicles and other display materials shall be set back five feet from a street and shall not be located in required parking areas. Wheel stops or some other type of protective device shall be provided as necessary to prevent vehicles from damaging fences, walls, buildings or landscaped areas, or from extending across any public or private property lines. A landscape planter a minimum of five feet wide shall be provided along all street frontages, subject to Water Efficient Landscape Standards and street tree planting standards. Said landscaping shall be continuous and include a decorative planter area at the corner of intersecting streets unless a building is located at the corner or otherwise prevents continuity.

• (d) Vehicle repair services. Vehicle repair services shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above, and this subsection. No vehicle repair services project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied.

  • (1) All tires, barrels, new or discarded auto parts, vehicles under repair and other storage of materials used or sold on the premises must be stored and maintained inside the building if in a CG commercial zone (section 33-337), M-1 industrial zone (Section 33-571), or similar zone district; or screened from view from adjacent properties and streets by a solid screen barrier in the M-2 industrial zone (section 33-571).

new or discarded auto parts, vehicles under repair and other storage of materials used or sold on the premises must be stored and maintained inside the building if in a CG commercial zone (section 33-337), M-1 industrial zone (Section 33-571), or similar zone district; or screened from view from adjacent properties and streets by a solid screen barrier in the M-2 industrial zone (section 33-571).

  - (A) Outdoor storage of non-operational vehicles is prohibited in all zones, subject to subsection (5), unless authorized as a permitted or conditionally permitted use (refer to "tow yard and storage") and reviewed and approved for code compliance. 

  - (B) No person engaged in conducting or carrying on the business of an auto repair shop as defined in the Zoning Code shall store, display or park upon a public street or highway any motor vehicle in his/her possession or under his/her control between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. 

  - (C) No person engaged in conducting or carrying on the business of an auto repair shop as defined in the Zoning Code, shall repair, remodel, overhaul, recondition or paint any automobile, other motor vehicle, or any parts thereof, in his or her possession or under his or her control, upon any public street or highway. 

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City of Escondido, CA § 33-1114

ZONING

§ 33-1114

• (2) Residential and street adjacency. All new structures shall be oriented to face building, workstation, and service bay entrances, away from abutting residential properties and the public right-of-way to the extent practicable.

• (3) Service bays shall be screened from adjacent properties and public view by a wall, fence, hedge or other appropriate plant or landscape material between the service bay and the property line to the extent practicable. Solid fencing or walls shall be constructed of brick, block, stone or frame-stucco. An ornamental masonry wall shall be provided along all property lines that abut property used or zoned for residential purposes. Screening shall minimize the visual impact to the extent appropriate, through means of placement, barrier, or camouflage. Screening shall be designed to blend into the surrounding architecture or landscape so that the object or land use is not apparent to the casual observer. The face of all screen walls facing public rightsof-way shall be landscaped with shrubs, trees, and climbing vines. Use of walls and screening techniques shall meet crime prevention standards and provide graffiti deterrence elements.

• (4) Landscaping required. A landscape planter a minimum of five feet wide shall be provided along all street frontages, subject to Water Efficient Landscape Standards and street tree planting standards. Said landscaping shall be continuous and include a decorative planter area at the corner of intersecting streets unless a building is located at the corner or otherwise prevents continuity.

• (5) Automobiles that are drivable in their present condition and are awaiting repairs are not considered to constitute "storage." Transported automobiles must be repairable and may be stored on the site if they are intended to be repaired. Vehicles or equipment parked or stored on the site shall not be used as a source of parts and shall not be sold unless the business is also licensed for vehicle or equipment sales. A vehicle that is not in working order shall not be stored on such premises for more than 48 hours, excluding days when business transactions do not take place such as public holidays or the weekend. Vehicles shall not be wrecked or dismantled; shall have hoods, trunks and doors closed.

  • (6) Tow truck operation incidental to repair. No commercial tow truck, tractor, trailer or semi-trailer, designed to pull or transport passenger automobiles, may be parked on the premises of a "auto supply stores with incidental installations" or "limited auto repair" station or service garage for more than four hours within any 24 hour period, except in case of emergency. Exceptions to exceed the four hour limitation may be granted for "general repair" and "commercial vehicle repair" facilities as determined by the permit review authority. The storage of these trucks must be within an enclosed building or service bay of a commercial or industrial zone (CG, M-1, or M-2); or be located in the rear half of the lot of an industrial zone (M1 or M-2 Zone) and be enclosed by a six foot high solid wall or fence with solid gates.

• (e) Fleet storage and tow yard storage. Fleet storage and tow yard storage shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above unless specified herein, and this section. No fleet storage or tow yard storage project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied:

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City of Escondido, CA

ESCONDIDO CODE

§ 33-1114

§ 33-1114

• (1) A vehicle that is not in working order shall not be stored on such premises for more than 48 hours. Vehicles shall not be wrecked or dismantled; shall have hoods, trunks and doors closed; shall not be dirty or dusty; and shall not be parked or stored on public property or public rights-of-way. Junkyards and dismantling services is regulated by Chapter 15 of the Escondido Municipal Code.

• (2) Sale prohibited. No vehicle or any component of a vehicle shall be parked on public or private property advertising the vehicle or any other service or merchandise for sale.

• (3) Required building. A building shall be required to support tow yard storage services, if the use is maintained as a principal use, consistent with the general development standards of subsection (a) of this section; however, a building is not required to support fleet storage as a principal use.

• (4) Screening. Perimeter screening shall be by a solid, uniform fence or wall with a maximum height as specified in the ordinance of the zoning district. Solid fencing or walls shall be constructed of brick, block, stone or frame-stucco. An ornamental masonry wall shall be provided along all property lines that abut property used or zoned for residential purposes. Screening shall minimize the visual impact to the extent appropriate, through means of placement, barrier, or camouflage. Screening shall be designed to blend into the surrounding architecture or landscape so that the object or land use is not apparent to the casual observer. The face of all screen walls facing public rights-of-way shall be landscaped with shrubs, trees, and climbing vines. Use of walls and screening techniques shall meet crime prevention standards and provide graffiti deterrence elements.

• (5) Landscaping required. A five foot wide planting area with trees shall be provided along the interior sides of screen wall. A separate landscaped planter shall be provided on-site with a minimum of five feet wide dimensions along all street frontages, subject to Water Efficient Landscape Standards and street tree planting standards.

• (6) Tow trucks for tow yard storage. Storage or tow trucks is considered an integral part of the tow truck dispatching service which is the main permitted use. When subject to the conditions of the M-2 Zone or the WM General district of the South Centre City Specific Plan, the storage of these trucks must be located in the rear half of the lot and be enclosed by a six foot high solid wall or fence with solid gates.

• (7) Fleet storage as a principal use. Demand analysis and mitigation as specified in section 33-1125 of this article.

• (8) Fleet storage as an accessory use. Accessory fleet storage areas must be incidental to a principal land use activity, and the accessory storage is located on the same site or lot as the primary use, and is considered an integral part of that business. Accessory outdoor fleet storage and must be located in a manner that minimizes the visual impact of the fleet storage through means of placement, barrier, or landscape screening to the extent appropriate. Accessory fleet storage shall not include any of the following: (A) a tow truck, tractor, trailer or semi-trailer, designed to pull or transport passenger automobiles; or (B) accessory display of rental, leasable, or forsale vehicles or equipment. The accessory storage or display of such is permitted only if they are otherwise permitted in the zone in which the facility is located.

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City of Escondido, CA § 33-1114

ZONING

§ 33-1115

• (f) Junkyards. Junkyards and wrecking yards shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above unless specified herein, and this section. No junkyards or wrecking yards project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied:

ds and wrecking yards shall be allowed as provided in any Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Principal Use Matrix and shall comply with the development standards of the zoning district, general development standards of subsection (a) above unless specified herein, and this section. No junkyards or wrecking yards project shall be granted a permit unless the following requirements are satisfied:

• (1) Required building. A building is not required to support junkyards and wrecking yard uses.

• (2) Screening and landscaping required. Perimeter screening shall be placed along the perimeter of the property by a solid, uniform fence or wall with a maximum height as specified in the ordinance of the zoning district. A five foot wide planting area with trees shall be provided along the interior sides of solid screen wall. A separate landscaped planter shall be provided on-site with a minimum of five feet wide dimensions along all street frontages, subject to Water Efficient Landscape Standards and street tree planting standards.

(3) Demand analysis and mitigation as specified in section 33-1125 of this article. (Zoning Code, Ch. 108, § 1085.20.1; Ord. No. 2018-07R, § 7, 4-18-18; Ord. No. 2019-09, § 6, 9-11-19; Ord. No. 2020-31R, § 6, 1-13-21)