Patterson Municipal Code Ch. 18.42 Commercial and Medical/Professional Office Districts

The purpose of this chapter is to establish commercial and office zoning districts in the city, along with allowed use and development standards applicable to those districts. These districts are consistent with and implement the city's general plan commercial and medical/professional office land use categories as shown in Table 18.42.030-1.

(Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013)

The following descriptions of each commercial and medical/professional office zoning district identify the characteristic uses, intensity of uses, and level of development intended for that district.

A. Neighborhood Commercial (NC) Zoning District. The NC district is applied to areas where there is a high concentration of housing to support the neighborhood center concept in the city's general plan by providing commercial uses that serve daily needs (e.g., retail and personal services) within close proximity to residential uses. This zoning district encourages development that is pedestrian-oriented and is well connected to surrounding residential neighborhoods.

B. Highway Service Commercial (HSC) Zoning District. The HSC district is consistent with the highway service commercial land use designation in the general plan. This district is applied to locations along highways and is intended to provide businesses and services to meet the needs of the traveling public.

C. Downtown Core (DC) Zoning District. The DC district is consistent with the downtown core land use designation in the general plan. The purpose of the DC district is to stabilize, improve, and protect the characteristics of commercial businesses and to provide adequate locations for stores, shops, and offices which are supplying commodities or performing services for residents of the city as a whole. The DC district is intended to guide and regulate commercial development within the historic downtown area.

D. General Commercial (GC) Zoning District. The GC district is consistent with the general commercial land use category in the general plan. The purpose of the GC district is to stabilize, improve, and protect the characteristics of commercial businesses and to provide adequate locations for stores, shops, and offices which are supplying commodities or performing services for residents of the city as a whole. The GC district is intended to guide and regulate general commercial development.

E. Medical/Professional Office (MPO) Zoning District. The MPO district is consistent with the medical/professional office land use designation in the general plan. The purpose of the MPO district is to provide for concentrations of hospitals, medical facilities, auxiliary uses, and medical services and to encourage the orderly and harmonious development of these facilities, which are performing services for residents of the city as a whole. The MPO district is intended to guide and regulate medical, professional office, and similar and compatible development.

(Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013)

Table 18.42.030-1 below identifies allowed uses and corresponding permit requirements for the commercial and medical/professional office districts subject to compliance with Chapter 18.34 (Land Use Classification) and all other provisions of this title. Descriptions/definitions of the land uses can be found in Division V (Definitions). The special use regulations column in the table identifies the specific chapter or section where additional regulations for that use type are located within this title.

Use regulations in the table are shown with representative symbol by use classification listing: "AR" symbolizes uses permitted through administrative review, "P" symbolizes uses allowed by right, "CUP" symbolizes uses that require approval of a conditional use permit, and "N" symbolizes uses that are not permitted.

Table 18.42.030-1 Permitted Use Matrix for Commercial and Medical/Professional Office Districts

(Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013; Ord. 802 § 2, 2017; Ord. 807 § 1, 2017)

The following development standards are applicable to the commercial and medical/professional office districts. These standards, along with other development standards (e.g., landscaping requirements, signs, parking standards) in this title and city-adopted design guidelines, are intended to assist property owners and project designers in understanding the city's minimum requirements and expectations for high quality development.

Table 18.42.040-2 Development Standards for Commercial and Medical/Professional Office Districts

(Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013)

For major development projects as defined in Chapter 18.98, application shall be made for planned development approval. Project review shall include, but shall not be limited to, architecture, site plan, consistency with goals and objectives of the general plan and environmental and economic impacts on the community. In addition, such large-scale development shall be fully consistent with the community design guidelines and downtown physical design plan, adopted October 2002, as may be amended from time to time. Exception: Projects within the West Patterson business park master plan area shall not be subject to this requirement.

Major development projects as defined at Chapter 18.98, once constructed, shall be maintained and kept in appearance as if in full operation, notwithstanding any cessation of business, abandonment or change in operation or ownership. This shall include but shall not be limited to landscaping, graffiti removal, painting, grounds and parking lot maintenance, lighting and other visual aspects of the project site.

(Ord. 767 (part), 2014)