Chapter 17.08 — COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

The purposes of the Commercial Districts are to:

• A. Designate adequate land for a full range of residential- and business-serving commercial uses and services, consistent with the General Plan, to maintain and strengthen the City’s economic resources, and meet the needs of local community for goods and services;

• B. Establish development and design standards that improve the visual quality of commercial development to ensure appropriate buffers and transitions to adjacent neighborhoods; and

• C. Ensure that new development is designed to minimize traffic and parking impacts and is appropriate to the physical characteristics of the area.

The specific intent of each District are as follows:

CR Regional Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a wide range of retail commercial uses, including, but not limited to, larger scale commercial uses that service the community, region, and traveling public through implementation of the Regional Commercial (CR) land use designation in the General Plan.

CC Community Commercial. This District is intended for relatively small commercial centers that provide convenience goods and services to the surrounding residential neighborhoods while protecting the residential character of the area through implementation of the Community Commercial (C-C) land use designation in the General Plan.

OT Old Town—Commercial. This District is intended to permit a wide range of local- and community-serving retail and office uses to enhance the physical and economic environment for existing businesses and uses of the historic center by implementing the Old Town Commercial (OT) land use designation set forth in the General Plan. Regulations and development standards are intended to reinforce the character of the area as a pedestrian-oriented, retail business area with a mix of businesses and services and through consistency with the Goleta Old Town Heritage District Architecture and Design Guidelines.

VS Visitor Serving—Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a range of commercial uses of low to moderate intensity, often at or near scenic locations that serve as destinations for visitors, through implementation of the Visitor Commercial (C-V) land use designation of the General Plan.

CI Intersection or Highway Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a limited range of commercial uses of low to moderate intensity located at major roadway intersections by implementing the Intersection or Highway Commercial (C-I) land use designation of the General Plan.

CG General Commercial. This District is intended to provide appropriate sites for a diverse set of commercial uses that do not need highly visible locations or that may involve activities that are not compatible with other uses through implementation of the General Commercial (C-G) land use designation in the General Plan.

(Ord. 20-03 § 6)

Table 17.08.020 below prescribes the land use regulations for Commercial Districts. The table also notes additional use regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right-hand column refer to other sections of this Title. Use classifications are defined in Chapter 17.72 , Use Classifications.

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

Notes:

• 1 Only mixed-use developments.

• 2 Limited to City Hall only.

• 3 Only for pre-existing uses. Any significant expansion requires a Major Conditional Use Permit and a finding that the expansion is consistent with adjacent uses.

• 4 Microbusinesses in CG are only allowed for cannabis businesses legally located prior to June 16, 2009.

• 5 Office uses are permitted on the street facing ground floor. Office uses on the second floor of a structure or behind the portion of a building adjacent to the street are subject to approval of a Minor Conditional Use Permit.

(Ord. 20-03 § 6; Ord. 21-11 § 4; Ord. 22-14 § 4; Ord. 23-05 § 4; Ord. 24-01, 4/16/2024; Ord. 25-10, 12/2/2025)

Table 17.08.030 prescribes development regulations for the Commercial Districts for permitted and conditionally permitted uses. Letters in parenthesis (e.g., (A)) refer to the regulations following the table. When in the “Additional Regulations” column, the regulations apply to all districts. When in just one district’s column, the regulations apply only to that particular district. The numbers in each illustration below refer to corresponding regulations in the “#” column in the associated table. Regulations applicable to all zoning districts are in Part IV of this Title.

• A. Front and Street Side Setback in OT Zone District. A setback is required to ensure 10 feet between the face of gutter and the back of sidewalk.

• B. Reduced Rear Setbacks, Corner Lots Backing on Key Lots. The rear setback for a corner lot backing up on a key lot may be reduced to the size of the required side setback for the key lot or 10 feet, whichever is greater, provided the front, side, and rear setback area required by the applicable district regulations is not reduced. An accessory structure on a corner lot backing up on a key lot shall be set back from the rear property line by a distance equal to the side setback requirements applicable to the key lot.

• C. Limitations on Curb Cuts. Wherever possible, parking and loading entrances must share curb cuts in order to minimize the overall number of curb cuts. Curb cuts are limited to one per parcel unless an absolute need is demonstrated. On corner lots, curb cuts must be located on the street frontage with the least traffic volume wherever feasible.

• (Ord. 20-03 § 6; Ord. 23-05 § 4; Ord. 23-17 § 4; Ord. 24-01, 4/16/2024)