5-2F-5: - DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

• A. Density: The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) in the CR zone is one to one (1:1). For the purposes of this section, "floor area ratio" shall mean the gross floor area of all enclosed structures on a lot or project site divided by the total buildable area of the lot or the project site.

• B. Lot Area: The minimum lot area for purposes of subdivision or lot line adjustments shall be 20,000 square feet. This subsection shall not prevent the development of legally nonconforming lots.

• C. Building Height Envelope and Cap: The building height envelope shall not exceed 30 feet unless the Planning Agency determines, as part of the Architectural and Site Plan review, that additional height is appropriate to allow for a steeply pitched roof or other roof design that will enhance the appearance of the development but will not add floor area. No building shall exceed two stories in height.

• D. Yards: Buildings or structures shall maintain the following yards:

  1. The minimum front yard shall be 25 feet.

  2. The minimum side yard shall be 25 feet.

  3. The minimum rear yard shall be 25 feet.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, surface and subsurface parking shall be permitted within a yard area provided that any surface parking is set back at least five feet from a property line that abuts residentially zoned property. Such setback area shall be adequately landscaped to screen parked vehicles from adjacent uses.

• E. Walls: Side or rear yards which abut residentially zoned property shall be separated from the residential property with a six-foot high, decorative, masonry wall.

• F. Required Landscaping: All required yard areas shall be landscaped. Yard areas adjacent to residential property shall be sufficiently landscaped to provide an effective visual barrier between the commercial and residential development.

• G. Parking and Loading:

1. Required Parking:

• a. Development projects consisting of a single use or a building devoted to several similar uses shall provide and maintain parking spaces in accordance with the following minimum ratios:

• b. Unspecified mixed-use development projects shall provide and maintain a minimum of one parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area. Specific mixed-use projects, where specific uses are the basis for project design, shall provide parking spaces calculated as the sum of the requirements for each individual use.

• c. If the Planning Agency approves a conditionally permitted use, the Planning Agency may, in conjunction with that approval, set the minimum parking required for that use. If the Planning Agency does not establish a parking requirement for the conditional use, a minimum of one parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area shall be provided.

2. Location of Parking Spaces: Required parking spaces shall be located on the same lot or parcel of land and within 400 feet of the main structure they serve. Such distance shall be computed from the nearest point of the structure's public access to the nearest point of the parking area.

3. Handicapped Parking: All nonresidential parking lots accessible to the public shall provide handicapped parking as required by state and federal law.

4. Minimum Loading Space Requirements:

   • a. The following minimum number of loading spaces shall be provided for each use: (1) Retail Uses:

(2) Office Uses:

  - (3) Conditionally Permitted Uses: As set by the Planning Agency in the conditional use permit or, if not set by the Planning Agency, then in accordance with the standards for a retail use. 

• b. Required loading spaces shall be located immediately adjacent to the exterior wall of the building but shall not be within the building. Such spaces shall not be located within any required front or side yard and shall be located to avoid undue interference with public use of streets or alleys.

5. Alternating Use of Parking Facilities: The alternating use of parking facilities may be approved pursuant to a planned development or conditional use permit in cases where parties wish to cooperatively establish and operate parking facilities and where these uses generate parking demands primarily during hours when the remaining uses are not in operation (for example, if one use operates during evenings or weekdays only). The burden of proof for a reduction in the total number of required parking spaces, however, shall remain with the applicant, and documentation shall be submitted substantiating the reasons for the requested parking reduction. An alternating use shall be approved only under the following circumstances:

   • a. That a sufficient number of spaces shall be provided to meet the greater parking demand of the alternating uses;

   • b. That satisfactory statements have been submitted by the parties operating such facilities, describing the nature of the uses and times when such uses operate so as to indicate the lack of conflict between them; and

   • c. That additional documents or agreements are provided as may be deemed necessary in each particular case to assure provision for and the maintenance of the required parking spaces and complementary uses.

6. Parking Requirements for Secondary Use. Parking requirements for a secondary use within the same building as the primary use (for example, a restaurant in an office building) may be reduced by up to one-half as part of an Architectural and Site Plan Review approval upon the determination by the Planning Agency that such a reduction is justified by the reduced demand for parking generated by the secondary use.

7. Parking Area Design Standards: Parking area design standards concerning parking space dimensions and markings, access, driveway widths and locations, lighting, etc., shall be established by the Planning Director from time to time and approved by the Planning Agency.

8. Construction Requirements: Construction requirements affecting parking and loading areas, such as surfacing, slope, drainage, etc., shall be established by the City Engineer.

9. Landscaping: Landscaping of parking areas shall be provided and maintained as follows: a. A minimum of five percent of the parking and driveway areas shall be landscaped. Such landscaped areas shall be distributed through the entire parking area as evenly as possible and as required pursuant to Architectural and Site Plan Review. All such required landscaped areas shall be computed on the basis of the total amount of parking and driveway areas provided (except spaces provided for display purposes or for enclosed bicycle storage areas). The Planning Director may allow any landscaped area which would be within an open service or work area and not viewable from any perimeter street to be relocated to a more functional location within the other open parking areas on such property, provided such relocation does not decrease the total percentage of required landscaping.

   • b. Landscaped areas shall be distributed throughout the entire parking area. A minimum of one tree of at least 15 gallons in size shall be provided for every ten parking spaces and located so as to visually disrupt long rows of parked vehicles (trees may be clustered).

   • c. A minimum five-foot wide landscaped planter shall be provided adjacent to any public or private street wherever parking or circulation is generally located adjacent to such rights of way.

   • d. Landscaping shall be provided between a building and a contiguous parking area to soften the façade of the building and to screen parking areas from view of building occupants, to the satisfaction of the Planning Director.

10. Underground Parking: Underground parking shall be permitted.

• H. Roofing: All roofing material shall have a Class A fire rating, as defined in the Building Code. [5]

• I. Signs:

1. Freestanding:

   • a. One freestanding, monument-style building identification sign shall be permitted for each primary building. Such signs may be located within required front yards but not in side or rear yards unless such yard is adjacent to a public street. In addition, such signs shall not exceed six feet in height and 20 square feet in area. The materials, style and identifying symbols of such signs shall be similar and complementary to the architectural characteristics of the main buildings to which they refer.

ing. Such signs may be located within required front yards but not in side or rear yards unless such yard is adjacent to a public street. In addition, such signs shall not exceed six feet in height and 20 square feet in area. The materials, style and identifying symbols of such signs shall be similar and complementary to the architectural characteristics of the main buildings to which they refer.

• b. The specific location, height, size, material and illumination of all freestanding signs shall be reviewed and approved in connection with the Architectural and Site Plan Review required by this Article.

2. Building-Mounted:

   • a. Location: The occupants of a building shall be permitted to attach a sign or signs to the exterior face of the building which faces the primary street entrance, as well as any other side of the building which provides a primary pedestrian access.

   • b. Size: Each occupant shall be permitted a maximum of two square feet of total sign area, per lineal foot of building or suite frontage retained by that occupant. The total area shall be calculated as the rectangular area within which the sign frame, background and message are contained.

   • c. Style and Material: All building-mounted signs on one building, or in a group of buildings within the same site, shall be of identical style, material and general color scheme. Frame and background material shall be wood of a species and color which complement the building on which they are located. Sign messages shall be permanently affixed to the sign frame, through routing, sandblasting or fastening. Wood frame material, letter styles and colors, sign styles and location which meet the requirements of this Section shall be approved by the Planning Director or, upon appeal, by the Planning Agency.

3. Real Estate Sandwich Board Sign:

   • a. A "real estate sandwich board sign" is defined as any unattached sign which can be readily moved or relocated and commonly referred to as a portable sign or A-Frame sign.

   • b. One unlighted real estate sandwich board sign shall be permitted for each primary real estate office building for the identification of the real estate office. The sign may be located within required front yards (outside of the street right-of way) but not in any side or rear yard(s) unless such yard is adjacent to a public street. In addition, the sign shall not

exceed four feet in height and two feet in width. The materials, colors, and style of such sign shall be similar and complementary to the architectural characteristics of the main building to which it refers.

• c. No lighting, balloons, streamers, decorations, etc. shall be attached to the sign. The frame shall be made of wood or shall be painted. The sign and frame shall remain in good condition and appearance at all times.

• d. The real estate sandwich board sign is permitted during the hours of 9:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

(Ord. No. 318, § 2, 3-14-05; Ord. No. 367, § 1, 1-22-18)

Footnotes: --- ( 5 ) --See Section 5-5B-1 of this Title.