Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code Ch. 17.16 Commercial Neighborhood (cn) District

This district permits a limited number of retail, service and administrative uses, the main purpose of which is to serve the needs of a greater portion of the community.

(Code 1981, § 17.16.010; Ord. No. 78(part), 1975; Ord. No. 320, § 7(part), 1997)

Convenience goods and service businesses as described in section 17.14.020 (Commercial Limited (CL) District) and a wider range of uses, including such uses as clothing stores, specialty shops, sports and hobby shops, restaurants (not including drive-through restaurants), conservatories, financial institutions, medical and dental uses, veterinary clinics (not to include the boarding of animals), private tutoring centers involving ten or fewer students (total enrollment), temporary vendors, as approved pursuant to chapter 17.62 (Special Use Permits); recycling centers, as approved pursuant to chapter 17.58 (Recycling); a limited number of administrative and professional office uses; temporary special uses and developments, with approval of a special use permit pursuant to chapter 17.62 (Special Use Permits); commercial filming or photography, with approval of a city film permit pursuant to chapter 9.16 (Still Photography, Motion Picture and Television Productions); and any other similar uses clearly related to the neighborhood level of service as approved by the director. The director's determination on whether other similar uses are clearly related to the neighborhood level may be appealed to the planning commission and the planning commission's decision may be appealed to the city council pursuant to chapter 17.80 (Hearing notice and appeal procedures).

(Code 1981, § 17.16.020; Ord. No. 78(part), 1975; Ord. No. 320, § 7(part), 1997)

The following uses may be permitted in the commercial neighborhood (CN) zone if it is found in each individual case by the planning commission that the criteria and limitations imposed on such uses by other provisions of this title are satisfied, and if specific conditions are imposed to carry out the intent and purpose set out in section 17.16.010 of this chapter and chapter 17.60 (Conditional Use Permits):

A. Wholesale plant nurseries;

B. Outdoor sale, storage or display of merchandise and/or provisions of services, only in conjunction with a permanent use in a building, except for temporary outdoor uses which may be permitted with a special use permit or temporary vendor permit, pursuant to chapter 17.62 (Special Use Permits), by the director;

C. Car washes;

D. Automobile service stations, pursuant to section 17.76.090 (Automobile service stations);

E. Flower and produce stands and similar commercial/agricultural retail uses;

F. Convenience stores, pursuant to section 17.76.080 (Convenience stores);

G. Bed and breakfast inns;

H. Cleaners/laundry uses which have cleaning operations on site;

I. Veterinary clinics involving the boarding of animals;

J. Churches;

K. Commercial antennas, pursuant to section 17.76.020 (Antennas);

L. Concurrent sales of alcohol and motor fuel;

M. Developments of natural resources, except in the coastal specific plan district;

N. Golf courses, driving ranges and related ancillary uses;

O. Governmental facilities;

P. Private educational uses, including nursery schools and day nurseries;

Q. Public utility structures;

R. Outdoor active recreational uses and facilities;

S. Restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages and have dancing, live entertainment, or four or more billiard tables, dart boards, or other games which may be used for competition and/or recreation; restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages and change the type of retail license classification they hold under authority of the state department of alcoholic beverage control; and restaurants that provide drive-through window service for vehicles;

T. Small wind energy systems, pursuant to section 17.83.060 (Small wind energy systems); and

U. Such uses as the director deems to be similar and no more intensive. Such a determination may be appealed to the planning commission and the planning commission's decision may be appealed to the city council pursuant to chapter 17.80 (Hearing notice and appeal procedures). If a proposed use or development is located in the coastal specific plan district, the city's final decision regarding such other use may be appealed to the California Coastal Commission for a determination that the uses are similar and compatible with the local coastal program.

(Code 1981, § 17.16.030; Ord. No. 78(part), 1975; Ord. No. 166, § 3, 1983; Ord. No. 217, § 3, 1987; Ord. No. 232, § 7, 1988; Ord. No. 320, § 7(part), 1997; Ord. No. 340, § 8(part), 1998; Ord. No. 377, § 6, 2002; Ord. No. 481, § 18, 2008)