Article 5 — NC-CL: Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District

The NC-CL zoning district provides for local serving retail, food related, and personal service facilities to satisfy the convenience needs of the surrounding residential and mixed use neighborhoods.

(Ord. 04-245 § 3)

Administrative review required, provided below use is a tenant within an existing or proposed building.

Otherwise, the use shall require site plan review.

• A. Services, including. but not, limited to:

  1. Arts instruction (music, dance, painting)

  2. Appliance and equipment repair (small)

  3. Automatic teller machine

  4. Barber/beauty shop/nail salon

  5. Copying and printing

  6. Drapery and blind installation

  7. Dry cleaner/laundry (no plant on premises)

  8. Formal wear/rental

  9. Laundromat

  10. Locksmith

  11. Photographic studio

  12. Shoe repair

  13. Tailor

  14. Travel agency

  15. Watch and clock repair

• B. Local serving retail including, but not limited to:

  1. Apparel/accessories

  2. Art gallery/supply store

  3. Automotive supply

  4. Bagel/donut shop

  5. Bakery

  6. Beauty supply store

  7. Beer/wine store, sales-tasting

  8. Bicycle shop

  9. Bookstore/newsstand

10. Café

11. Camera equipment and supply

12. Candy and confectioners

13. Computers/electronic equipment

14. Coffee house

15. Costume/wig shop

16. Consignment/thrift store

17. Fabric/craft store

18. Delicatessen

19. Drug/pharmacy (prescription and over the counter)

20. Dry goods

21. Fast food drive-through/drive-in facility

22. Floor/window coverings

23. Florist/plant shop (fertilizer to be stored and sold only in packaged form)

24. Food stores—Supermarkets, grocery, health, specialty, other

25. Gift shop/novelties

26. Hardware

27. Home appliances

28. Ice cream/yogurt

29. Jewelry store

30. Music store

31. Paint, glass and wallpaper store

32. Party supplies

33. Pet store and supplies

34. Phone/Internet service provider

35. Postal/mail store

36. Picture framing shop

37. Restaurant (no drive-through)

38. Shoe store

39. Specialty goods including cooking supplies, house wares, linen, window coverings, china/glassware, etc.

40. Sporting goods

41. Stationary/office supplies/card shop

42. Toy store/hobby shop

43. Variety store

44. Video store, subject to limitations of Lathrop Municipal Code Chapter 5.08

• C. Business and professional offices including, but not limited to:

  1. Professional offices, including accounting, architectural, dental, engineering, legal, etc.

  2. Small business offices

• D. Other uses including, but not limited to:

  1. Open space

  2. Outdoor seating for food establishments

  3. Parks

  4. Parking lots

• E. Incidental and accessory structures and uses on the same site as a permitted use.

• F. Other uses added to this list by the planning commission according to the procedures in Section 17.16.020 of the Lathrop Zoning Code.

• (Ord. 04-245 § 3)

The following uses maybe permitted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17.108 of the Lathrop Zoning Code:

• A. One-family dwellings over or to the rear of a permitted use; provided, such dwellings shall be subject to the use, site area, coverage and yard requirements of the variable density residential district. Density to be a minimum of eight units per acre.

• B. Banks, savings and loan and other financial institutions.

• C. Assembly uses.

• D. Community centers.

• E. Drive-through establishments, including banks, drug stores, and restaurants.

• F. A state authorized licensed day care center for 13 or more children.

• G. Electrical transmission and distribution sub-stations, gas regulator stations, public service pumping stations and elevated pressure tanks,

• H. Garden supply and plant nurseries.

• I. Libraries.

• J. Liquor, packaged.

• K. Medical, optometry, and dental clinics and offices.

• L. Microbrewery.

• M. Post office.

• N. Uses allowed by Section 17.62.092 of this chapter.

• O. Recreational facility—Indoor.

• P. Senior center.

• Q. Youth center.

• (Ord. 04-245 § 3; Ord. 22-442 § 1)

The following uses may be permitted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17.112 of the Lathrop Zoning Code:

• A. Bar, cocktail lounge or nightclub.

• B. Communications equipment.

• C. Expansion or remodeling of an existing nonconforming use of a structure or land, up to 50% or less of the value of the structure, or reestablishment of a nonconforming use which has been damaged, except nonconforming signs and outdoor advertising structures, nonconforming uses occupying a structure with an assessed valuation of less than $200, and nonconforming fences, walls and hedges.

• D. Expansion, remodeling or additions to a conditional use that are not considered an incidental or accessory use as defined in Section 17.04.080 of the Lathrop Zoning Code.

• E. Lodge halls.

• F. Multifamily residential.

• G. Artist's studios.

• H. Live/work units.

• I. Apartments, flats, and townhouses.

• J. Convalescent and assisted care facilities.

• K. Home occupations in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17.64 of the Lathrop Zoning Code.

• L. Reclaimed water storage and water quality ponds not previously identified in previous approvals.

• M. Social clubs.

• N. Spray fields not previously identified in previous approvals.

• O. Storm drain detention and retention ponds not previously identified in previous approvals.

• P. Street fair or farmer's market.

• Q. Theater—Indoor (dinner, movie, live play, etc.).

• R. Video arcade.

• S. Other uses which are added to this list according to the procedure in Section 17.16.020 of the Lathrop Zoning Code.

(Ord. 04-245 § 3; Ord. 22-442 § 1)

Specific development standards for the Neighborhood Commercial (NC-CL) district shall be established as part of the Central Lathrop design guidelines review by incorporating the design standards identified in Section 17.62.120 of this chapter and establishing the following design principals:

• A. By utilizing a creative approach to landscaping and screening, parking areas shall not become the predominant feature of the streetscape, especially as it relates to adjacent open spaces and arterial streets;

• B. Landscaping and irrigation standards shall generally follow those required by Chapter 17.92 and may be modified by the required design guidelines review by city staff, prior to issuance of development or building permits;

• C. Building setbacks shall be varied in accordance with corresponding building heights, uses and proposed shop front and street activity. Higher structures may require larger front yard setback, for example;

• D. Minimum parking requirements, such as type and number of parking stalls, shall generally follow Section 17.62.120 and Section 17.84.010 , and may be modified by the required design review guidelines by city staff, prior to issuance of development or building permits;

• E. All signage shall be consistent with the Central Lathrop master signage plan adopted generally in accordance with Section 17.84.100 ; and included as a component of the Central Lathrop Specific Plan design guidelines;

• F. All businesses, services and processes shall be conducted entirely within a completely enclosed structure except for off-street parking and off-street loading areas, gasoline service stations, outdoor dining areas, florist stands, coffee carts, nurseries, garden shops, signs, Christmas tree sales lots, farmer's markets, bus depots and transit stations, public utility stations, used car sales incidental to new car sales, and other uses found to be acceptable outdoor uses by the planning commission;

• G. No use shall be permitted, and no process, equipment or materials shall be used which are found by the planning commission to be objectionable to persons living or working in the vicinity by reasons of odor, fumes, dust, smoke, cinders, dirt, refuse, water-carried waste, noise, vibration, illumination, glare or unsightliness or to involve any hazard of fire, explosion or toxic chemicals;

• H. Temporary sidewalk sales and use of the public right-of-way for the display and sales of merchandise shall require approval by the city council. Permanent use for such purposes is strictly prohibited;

• I. The following elements may project into the right-of-way: entry features up to 12 inches, awnings up to five feet, bay windows up to three feet. Awnings, bay windows, and other similar elements must have a minimum of eight feet clearance above the sidewalk.

• (Ord. 04-245 § 3)

No use shall be established on any lot or site in any NC district until a site plan and architectural plans have been submitted to and approved by the city pursuant to the Central Lathrop Design Review process, and such lot or site has been fully developed with the improvements required by

the city. The Central Lathrop design review process shall take the place of the site plan review for which provision is made in Chapter 17.100 of the Lathrop Municipal Code and the architectural design review for which provision is made in Chapter 17.104 of the Lathrop Municipal Code. Design review is required for all proposed structures, whether residential or non-residential, together with related site plans, landscaping, and public improvements associated with new development within the Central Lathrop Specific Plan area.

(Ord. 04-245 § 3; Ord. 25-462, 2/10/2025)

All uses shall be subject to the general provisions and exceptions prescribed in Chapter 17.16 of the Lathrop Municipal Code.

(Ord. 04-245 § 3)