Chapter 16.20

OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

Sections:

16.20.010 Purpose 16.20.015 Individual Commercial Districts 16.20.020 Permitted Uses 16.20.030 Development Standards for Office, Retail and Non-Retail Commercial Projects

Tables: 16.20.1 Uses in Office and Commercial Districts 16.20.2 Office and Commercial Lot and Structure Standards

The purpose and intent of the office and commercial districts are to provide the range of uses permitted with the policies consistent with the General Plan. Besides the general purpose, some specific objectives are listed below.

A. Provide appropriate commercial areas for retail and service establishments, neighborhood convenience and office uses required by residents of the City.

B. Provide adequate space to meet the needs of commercial development, including off-street parking and loading, and to reduce the visual impact of large areas of parking.

C. Reduce traffic congestion, to promote and facilitate a safe and comfortable pedestrian scale environment, and avoid the overloading of utilities.

D. Protect commercial areas from excessive noise, illumination, unsightliness, odor, smoke, and other objectionable influences.

E. Promote high standards of site planning, and landscape design for commercial and office developments, to help integrate large-scale retail development with its surroundings, and to break up the apparent mass and scale of large retail structures in order to ensure that such development is compatible with and does not detract from the City of Ripon’s unique character, scale, and sense of place.

G. Provide for commercial land uses that meet the needs of local residents and attract area residents.

H. Ensure compatibility with adjacent land uses, and encourage a mixture of uses and sizes of structures. (Ord. 782, §1, 2011)

Each individual commercial district purpose is summarized below.

A. C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial District). This district is intended to provide for the development of small, localized retail and service businesses that serve immediate residential neighborhoods.

1. A neighborhood retail project is a retail establishment that involves new construction of a singular retail sales establishment or combination of such establishments either on a single parcel or within a shopping center where the total square footage of all buildings are up to and including 50,000 square feet.

B. C-2 (Community Commercial District). This district is intended to provide for the development of commercial areas with a full range of commercial and service establishments to supply the commercial and service demands of local and area residents. Community Commercial developments are typically along the City’s major corridors and in shopping centers.

1. A community commercial project is an establishment that involves any of the following:

a. New construction of a singular retail sales establishment or combination of such establishments either on a single parcel or within a shopping center where the total square footage of buildings exceeds 35,000 square feet, but does not exceed 100,000 square feet; b. Expansion of a singular retail sales establishment or combination of such establishments either on a single parcel or within a shopping center existing as of the effective date of adoption of this ordinance and which said expansion will cause the total square footage to exceed 35,000 square feet but does not exceed 150,000 square feet in area; or

c. Retail development on any parcel or combination thereof greater than 3 acres, but not more than 15 acres, in size.

F. Provide employment opportunities for existing and future residents of the City and neighboring communities.

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C. C2-R (Regional Commercial District). This district is intended to provide for the development of retail and service businesses that serve the demands of local and regional residents.

1. A regional retail project is an establishment that involves the following:

• a. Located on a single parcel where the total square footage of buildings exceeds 100,000 square feet;

• b. Expansion of a singular retail establishment on a single parcel existing as of the effective date of adoption of this ordinance and which said expansion will cause the total square footage to exceed 100,000 square feet in area; or

• c. Retail development on any parcel greater than 15 acres in size.

D. C-3 (Central Business District). This District is intended to accommodate a full range of retail and service establishments in the Central Business District providing goods and services necessary to supply local and area residents. Lot area and front, side and rear setbacks are intended to conform to the existing downtown development.

E. C-4 (Highway Service District). This District is intended to provide for commercial uses next to highways and freeway interchanges oriented to serve the demands of the highway traveler.

F. C-5 (Commercial Recreation District). This District is intended to be used for public and private commercial recreational uses.

G. PO (Professional Office District). This District is intended to accommodate professional, business and other offices on major streets and next to residential and commercial districts. Because of the characteristics of this district, the setbacks, and lot coverage, are intended to be compatible with residential and commercial uses. Signs and required landscaped areas shall be designed to contribute to the overall compatibility of this district. (Ord 652, §1, 2002)

H. BP (Business Park District). This district is intended to provide for the development of an area designed to accommodate businesses and light industry, with large numbers of companies all grouped together, including professional, business, and other office complexes. (Ord. 782, 2011, Ord. 907 §1, 2021)

Table 16.20.1 lists the permitted and conditionally permitted use types in each Zoning District, as defined in Chapter 16.12 Definitions and Use Classification Systems. (Ord. 652, §1, 2002; Ord. 782, §1, 2011)

A. Site Plan Permit. A site plan permit is required for all new projects and any project that includes expanding, substantially modifying or changing an existing use, as defined in Chapter 16.72 (Site Plan Permit Review) of this code.

B. Building Site Area Requirements. All uses must be on a parcel sufficient to provide for the use, open space, landscaping and off street parking.

C. Lots and Structure Standards. Unless otherwise specified, all lots and structures shall comply with the provisions in Table 16.20.2. (Ord. 815, 2014)

D. Enclosed Building. All uses shall be conducted entirely within an enclosed building except for parking and any use permitted by the Planning Commission.

E. Off-Street Parking and Loading. Shall be provided as prescribed in chapter 16.144 (Parking and Loading), of this code.

F. Landscaping. A minimum of ten (10%) percent of a building site for projects in the C1 (Neighborhood Commercial) District, a minimum of fifteen (15%) percent of a building site for projects in the C2 (Community Commercial) District, the C4 (Highway Service) District, the PO (Professional Office) District and the C5 (Commercial Recreation) District, and a minimum of twenty (20%) percent of a building site for projects in the C2-R (Regional Commercial) District and the BP (Business Park) District must be landscaped. A landscaping plan for all uses indicating plant species, initial size, location, method of irrigation, and growth characteristics consistent with any adopted standard details must be approved by City Staff prior to issuance of any permits. The required landscaping must be installed prior to final inspection and must be maintained by the property owner. Landscaping and irrigation shall be in compliance with Chapter 16.148 (Landscaping and Irrigation).

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G. Trash Enclosures. Fully enclosed trash collection areas, with roof structures, must be provided at locations that are readily accessible to occupants and sanitation collectors.

H. Masonry Wall. An eight (8) foot masonry wall must be constructed along the property line that is adjacent to any residential district or any property designated for residential land uses in the General Plan.

I. Sewer and Water. All permitted and conditionally permitted uses must be served by public water, storm and sewer, unless otherwise approved by the City Council.

J. Street Improvements. Street improvements, including but not limited to curb, gutter, sidewalk and drainage facilities, are required as a condition for development. This requirement will be based on the impact the development will have on traffic. If the development of the property would have such an impact on traffic that street improvements are required, the property may still be exempt from this requirement if, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, there is some reason why the improvements should not be immediately constructed. In that case, may be deferred upon execution of a deferred street improvement agreement which must be executed between the property owner and the City Council. K. Loading Docks. Loading docks shall be designed and located on the site so that all trucks have the ability to maneuver on site without intruding into the public right-of-way, or block any driveways, or disturb any parking area circulation. Loading docks shall be designed so that no vehicles are required to back to or from an adjacent street.

L. Retail Sales. All products must be sold at retail unless approved for other sales by the City. M. Pollution Control. All uses must be planned, developed, conducted, and operated in a manner that noise, smoke, dust, odors, and waste of any kind are purified so as to control pollution of air, soil or water to meet the standards or requirements of the City.

N. Recycling of Wood and Concrete Waste Material. All wood and concrete waste material generated by development shall be separated and removed to an authorized recycling center.

O. Automatic Fire Sprinkler System. Automatic fire sprinkler systems shall be installed in all structures over five thousand (5,000) square feet

in size, unless otherwise waived by the Fire District and City Council.

P. Construction Noise. Unless otherwise waived by the City Council, construction activities generating noise above 70db at the property line on any lot adjacent to residential uses shall not occur before 7:00 a.m., or after 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and before 10:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Q. Buffer Area. Regional retail projects shall not be permitted within five hundred (500) feet of any established single-family residential neighborhood within the City limits, but not including rural residential farmhouses.

R. Use Permit. Any Commercial business within 500 feet of any residential district open between midnight and 5:00 a.m. must obtain a use permit. Excluded from this requirement are hotels, motels, churches, hospitals and commercial recreation uses unless otherwise required in the district the use is located in.

S. Prohibition on Overnight Parking. Overnight parking shall be prohibited within the boundaries of any commercial project, with the exception of an approved Travel Plaza. The owner/operator of the project shall take effective measures, in cooperation with the Ripon Police Department, to prohibit overnight parking of any kind.

T. Outdoor Storage and Service. Areas for outdoor storage, trash collection, and loading (including storage containers) shall not be located adjacent to residential lots. In all cases, such facilities shall be effectively screened from public view. Vehicular idling shall not be allowed in areas adjacent to residential lots. Signage shall be installed prohibiting vehicular idling in areas adjacent to residential lots. Areas for outdoor storage, trash collection, and loading shall be incorporated into the primary building design and construction for these areas shall be of materials of comparable quality and appearance as that of the primary building. Visual and acoustic impacts of these functions shall be mitigated at the greatest extent possible. When the loading and/or refuse collection area is adjacent to a residential district, deliveries and collections shall not occur between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

U. Hotels, Motels and Conference Centers. Unless otherwise provided, the following shall be

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the minimum development standards for hotels, motels and conference centers.

1. Lot Requirements.

• a. Minimum lot area shall be twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet.

• b. Maximum lot coverage shall be fifty percent (50%).

• c. Minimum lot frontage and lot depth shall be one-hundred-fifty (150) feet.

2. Setback Requirements. The following shall be the minimum setbacks required:

• a. Front setback along an arterial right-of-way shall be thirty (30) feet, and twenty (20) feet along all other rights-of-way.

b. Rear setbacks adjacent to those uses which are considered increased noise generators (i.e., truck related facilities, including travel plazas, and any industrial uses defined in the M1 and M2 zone, railroad facilities, highway, etc.) shall be thirty (30) feet, and twenty (20) feet adjacent to all other uses.

• c. Side setbacks shall be ten (10) feet.

• d. Landscaping. All required setback areas shall be landscaped as approved by the Planning Department.

• e. Building Design.

All buildings/structures shall comply with the following requirements:

• 1. Unless a Use Permit is obtained, maximum height in the C4 (Highway Service District) shall not exceed 35 feet or two (2) stories whichever is higher. Three (3) and Four (4) story structures may be constructed provided a Use Permit is obtained. Three (3) story structures shall not exceed fifty (50) feet in height and shall be have a minimum setback of 100 feet from any residential district. Four (4) story structures shall not exceed sixty-five (65) in height and shall have a minimum setback of 200 feet from any residential district.

2. There shall be no exterior access to individual rooms allowed, and landscaped courtyards and/or internal lobby areas will provide primary access. (Ord. 782, 2011, Ord. 907, §1, 2021)

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(Ord. 907, §1, 2021)

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16.24.010