Chapter 17.212 — COMMERCIAL ZONES

In addition to the purpose and intent described in Section 17.104.020 (Intent and Purpose), the specific purpose of the commercial zones is to achieve the goals and policies of the General Plan

related to commercial areas of Lompoc. (Ord. 1670(19) § 11)

• A. Convenience Center Zone (CC). The Convenience Center (CC) Zone applies to areas of the City where it is appropriate to provide commercial centers adjacent to residential areas to allow for neighborhood shopping needs and walkability.

• B. Central Business Zone (CB). The Central Business (CB) Zone applies to areas of the City that provide a wide variety of retail, office, and services uses, including visitor-oriented and autooriented businesses for the business and commercial needs of the City.

• C. Old Town Commercial Zone (OTC). The Old Town Commercial (OTC) Zone applies to the Old Town area of the City that provides for medium-intensity commercial uses that serve mostly community-wide needs in a pedestrian-friendly environment characterized by street-front stores and offices with residential uses generally limited to above first floor commercial uses.

• D. Planned Commercial Development (PCD). The Planned Commercial Development (PCD) Zone is intended to provide for the orderly development of commercial centers in conformance with the General Plan. This Zone is intended to provide flexibility in the site planning and design of various types of commercial developments along major highway corridors.

• (Ord. 1670(19) § 11)

The land uses allowed in the commercial zones are listed below, together with the planning permit type required for each use.

• A. Establishment of an Allowable Use.

  1. Any one or more land uses allowed in Table 17.212.030.A (Commercial Zones Allowed Uses) may be established on any lot within the commercial zone, subject to the planning permit requirement listed in the Table, and in compliance with all applicable requirements of this Code. Accessory uses are allowed only in conjunction with a primary use to which the accessory use relates.

  2. Where a single parcel is proposed for development with two or more of the land uses listed in the Table at the same time, the overall project will be subject to the highest permit level required by the Table for any individual use.

  3. Uses not listed below may be allowed in compliance with Section 17.520.050 (Allowable Uses of Land).

• B. Allowed Uses.

Notes:

1 Permitted use on any lot containing a single-family residence, including a legal nonconforming single-family residence, provided the use complies with Section 17.404.040 .

Notes:

• 2 Chemical-based photographic studios, laundry facilities, and similar uses shall not be allowed in the OTC Zone.

• 3 For buildings with H Street or Ocean Avenue frontage in the OTC Zone, residential uses may only be located on the first floor if the residential use does not face the street (i.e., H Street or Ocean Avenue) and residential access is provided at the rear of the building.

• 4 Permitted use only if the supportive housing development satisfies all of the requirements in Government Code § 65651 .

• 5 Limited to lots that are listed in the City's registry of Old Town Commercial lots with previously existing drive-throughs. Drive-through uses may be reestablished on these lots, and any on-site building(s) that previously functioned as a drive-through may be improved to accommodate the reestablishment of the drive-through use provided the improvements comply with Section 17.620.050 (Nonconforming Structures), if applicable.

P = Permitted Use

AUP = Administrative Use Permit (See Chapter 17.508 )

MUP = Minor Use Permit required (See Chapter 17.520 )

CUP = Conditional Use Permit required (See Chapter 17.520 ). A conditionally permitted use may be permitted subject to a Minor Use Permit when the use will be in an existing building and all applicable development standards applicable are met.

• = Use not allowed

• (Ord. 1670(19) § 11; Ord. 1679(21) § 11; Ord. 1680(21) § 5; Ord. 1733(25), 10/21/25)

Notes:

• 1 If a lot is located within the H Street Overlay, also see standards in Chapter 17.224 (Overlay Zones).

• 2 Any resulting fractions shall round up, and only a whole number shall be considered in determining the number of units allowed on a lot, unless required by State density bonus law. However, in no case shall rounding allow density to exceed the maximum densities identified in Table 17.212.040.A.

Notes:

• 3 Build-to requirements may be waived if the Director finds that: (1) plazas, courtyards, or outdoor eating areas that function as publicly accessible open space with amenities such as seating, landscaping, and lighting are located between the build-to-line and the building or are adjoining the build-to-line and the building; (2) the building incorporates an alternative entrance design that creates a welcoming entry feature facing the street; (3) a larger area is required to preserve existing mature trees or landscaping; or (4) another alternative provides a desired outcome along the street.

• = No standard

Figure 17.212.040.1: Build-To Requirement

==> picture [462 x 473] intentionally omitted <==

• (Ord. 1670(19) § 11; Ord. 1732(25), 11/4/2025)

• § 17.212.050. Additional Standards and Requirements.

• A. Planned Commercial Development Zone. Preliminary Development Plan. An application for a Preliminary Development Plan shall be prepared, filed, and processed in compliance with Chapter 17.532 (Planned Development, Preliminary Development Plan). The Commission may approve a Preliminary Development Plan in the PCD Zone only after the findings listed in Section 17.532.050 (Findings and Decision) are made.

• B. Old Town Commercial Zone.

  1. Building orientation and entrances.

     • a. The primary entrance to a building shall be located to face a street or be connected to a street via a courtyard, walkway, plaza or similar public space. When it is not possible to locate the primary entrance to face the street, plaza, courtyard, or walkway, a secondary entrance should be designed to connect to these public places.

     • b. Building entrances shall be clearly identifiable with enhanced architectural features such as a change in plane (e.g., the entrance may be recessed on the street level façade), differentiation in materials and colors, lighting, modulation of roof lines to define the building entrance, or landscape treatments.

  2. Building transparency and openings for non-residential uses. The standards of this Subsection are illustrated in Figure 17.212.050.1 (Building Transparency and Openings).

     • a. Exterior walls facing and within 20 feet of a street, park, plaza, pedestrian walkway, or other public outdoor space shall include windows, doors, or other openings for at least 60% of the building wall area located between 2.5 and eight feet above the level of the sidewalk, and such walls shall not have a continuous horizontal plane for more than 25 feet without an opening.

• b. Openings fulfilling the requirement in Subsection 2.a shall have transparent glazing and provide views into work areas, display areas, sales areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces or into window displays that are at least three feet deep.

  - c. Windows on the ground level building façade facing a street shall not be opaque; however, this requirement may be waived by the Director if the use is a medical clinic or similar that requires privacy. 
  
  - d. Alternatives to the building transparency requirement may be approved if the Director finds that the street-facing building walls exhibit architectural relief and detail or are enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to create visual interest at the pedestrian level. 
  
  - e. A parking garage that does not incorporate ground-floor non-residential or residential use or is not otherwise screened or concealed at street frontages on the ground level, must provide a landscaped area at least 10 feet wide between the parking garage and public street. The landscaping may encroach into the City's right-of-way with an Encroachment Permit and shall comply with the standards in Chapter **17.312** (Landscaping and Screening Standards).
  

Figure 17.212.050.1: Building Transparency and Openings

==> picture [400 x 135] intentionally omitted <==

3. Limitations on location of parking.

   • a. Building frontages must be placed within or adjoining the build-to-area where required by Table 17.212.040.A so that vehicle parking and circulation areas, including driveways, can be located behind or to the side of the building.

   • b. Surface parking may be located within 20 feet of a street facing property line when the Director makes the following findings:

     • (i) Buildings comply with the build-to-area requirement (Table 17.212.040.A); and

     • (ii) The parking area is landscaped along the public right-of-way with a hedge, trellis, and/or landscaping consistent with Chapter 17.312 (Landscaping and Screening Standards).

4. Pedestrian access. On-site pedestrian circulation and access shall be provided to connect all buildings on a site including connections to parking and open space amenities; there shall be a connection to the public sidewalk.

   • a. Pedestrian walkway design.

     • (i) Walkways shall be a minimum of six feet wide, shall be hard-surfaced, and paved with permeable materials.

     • (ii) Where a required walkway crosses a driveway, parking area, or loading area, it must be clearly identified using a raised crosswalk, a different paving material, or a similar method.

     • (iii) Where a required walkway is parallel and adjacent to an auto travel lane, it shall be raised or separated from the auto travel lane by a raised curb at least four inches high, bollards, or other physical barrier.

5. Street trees. A minimum of two trees shall be located along every 50 feet of street frontage and may only be located in City right-of-way if approved by the Urban Forestry Division. Street trees shall comply with applicable standards in Chapter 17.312 (Landscape and Screening Standards).

6. Limitations on outside uses. All uses, including commercial, repair, service, and storage uses shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building except as allowed by Sections 17.404.180 (Outdoor Display) and 17.404.170 (Outdoor Dining).

7. Solid waste and recycling container enclosures. In addition to the requirements of Sections 17.304.110 (Solid Waste and Recycling Container Enclosures) and 17.312.040.G (Equipment Screening), refuse storage and disposal areas shall be provided within trash enclosures which are screened on at least three sides from public view by a solid, decorative wall or fence, six feet in height. Slatted chain link wooden fencing, or landscaping alone, is not permitted.

(Ord. 1670(19) § 11)