Fontana Municipal Code Div. 2 Medical Center Overlay District

The following provisions apply to projects that meet the definition of a medical center as described in Article I of this chapter. These provisions apply in addition to the provisions in the underlying zoning district. If the provisions of this division are in conflict with the provisions in the underlying zoning district, the provisions of this division shall apply.

Any use permitted in the underlying zoning district shall be permitted in the medical center overlay district. Additional uses, which may be allowed in the underlying zone, shall include:

(1) Psychiatric care.

(2) Nutrition, pregnancy, health, and drug, tobacco, and alcohol cessation classes and services.

(3) Twenty-four-hour emergency room and ambulance drop-off.

(4) Bi-weekly farmers market events, duration of which will be no more than five hours per event, not to exceed more than ten hours per calendar month.

(5) Additional hospital staff events, such as health fairs, employee recognition events, etc., shall be allowed two events per calendar month, not to exceed more than ten hours per calendar month.

(6) Weekly or permanent use of MRI, lithotriptor, or other types of large equipment, and their buildings and/or mobile transport trailers. Permanent buildings for these types of equipment to be calculated as hospital support.

(7) Other uses not listed here that may approved at the discretion of the Director of Community Development.

Any proposal within the medical center overlay district which may or may not involve the issuance of a building permit for the construction or reconstruction of a habitable structure greater than 50,000 square feet shall be subject to the design review process and approval by the Planning Commission.

(a) Floor area ratio. Floor area ratio (FAR) shall not exceed 0.75:1.

(b) Maximum height. The building height of any structure within the medical center overlay district shall not exceed 125 feet.

(c) Street frontage. A minimum setback of 20 feet shall be required between the front property line and the building. This area shall be landscaped with one tree for each 15 feet of street frontage and three shrubs for each tree. Clustering may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. The Director of Community Development shall have the authority to review and approve alternatives to the required landscaping requirements.

(d) Yards abutting residential districts. A minimum ten-foot wide landscaped strip shall be provided as a buffer along all yard areas abutting a residential district. This area shall contain a minimum of one tree for each 25 linear feet of lot line and three shrubs for each tree. A combination of trees and shrubs shall provide appropriate screening as approved by the Director of Community Development on a case-by-case basis.

(e) Landscaping of parking lots. One tree shall be provided for each five parking spaces. Trees which provide a shading canopy at maturity are preferred for parking lot use.

(f) Landscaping for parking structures. An attractive landscaping strip shall be provided on all sides of the structure where possible. One tree shall be provided for each 15 feet of perimeter of the structure. These trees shall be distributed evenly throughout the subject landscape area subject to staff review and Director of Community Development approval. Trees shall border the parking structure and shall be of a species that will obtain a mature height. Additionally, all sides of a parking structure shall be screened by vines or other decorative screening approved by the Director of Community Development. The Director of Community Development shall have the authority to review and approve alternatives to the required landscaping requirements.

(g) Other setback areas. Not less than one tree shall be provided for each 250 square feet of other required landscaped area on the lot. A minimum of three shrubs shall be provided for each tree. Trees and shrubs shall be provided in all remaining landscape areas in such a way to reinforce the architectural and overall design intent of the project.

(h) Required trees and shrubs. The Director of Community Development shall have the authority to review and approve alternatives to the required landscaping requirements.

(i) Parking area landscaping. A total of ten percent of the total interior of the off-street parking area shall be landscaped. For landscaping purposes, parking area calculations shall include aisles, access drives, stalls, maneuvering areas, and landscaping contained within the parking and circulation area and site perimeter landscaping adjacent to parking and circulation areas, but shall not be included in any street areas otherwise required by this article.

(j) Required parking spaces.

(1) Medical offices shall be parked at a ratio of one space per 200 square feet, plus one space per 250 square feet of floor area within the administrative office buildings.

(2) Hospitals shall be parked at a ratio of one space per 2.5 beds plus one space per two employees on the maximum shift for the hospital building(s).

(3) Off-street loading space(s) shall be provided as required in Article XI of this chapter. The Planning Commission may approve alternative off-street loading spaces based upon a parking utilization study and the recommendation of the Director of Community Development and Traffic Engineer.

(4) The Planning Commission may approve alternative off-street parking spaces based upon a parking utilization study and the recommendation of the Director of Community Development.

(k) Handicap standards. Handicapped regulations shall be determined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title 24 in effect at the time of building permits.

(l) Parking lot standards. The provisions and requirements of Table 30-692 shall apply to all parking lot standards except as provided herein for compact parking.

(m) Compact parking spaces. Compact parking spaces shall be permitted up to a maximum of 25 percent, or a percentage as appropriate based upon a parking vehicle study, as reviewed and approved by the Director of Community Development. Each compact parking space shall have dimensions of nine feet wide by 16 feet long. Each such compact stall shall be marked as a compact parking space with either signage or stenciled pavement markings.

(n) Temporary construction trailers. A trailer used for construction offices is permitted for the duration of construction at the site subject to staff review and the approval of the Director of Community Development, and shall include the following conditions:

(o) [Location.] Trailer(s) shall be located on the same or adjacent premises as the construction site.

(p) [Duration of use.] Trailer(s) shall be used only during the period of construction. All trailers shall be removed from the site prior to final project inspection of the project.

(q) Temporary events. Bi-weekly farmers market events, and a maximum of two employee or health-related events for a total of 20 hours of medical center related events per month are permitted without obtaining a temporary use permits with the following conditions:

(1) All events shall comply with the conditions specified in Article II (temporary use permits).

(2) All events shall be restricted to the medical center overlay district.

(3) A temporary use permit shall be required for more than 20 hours of medical center related events per month.

(r) Walls and fences. The maximum height of a wall or fence shall not exceed eight feet in height.

(s) Signs. Signs shall be established as part of a sign program administered by the City.