§ 17.16

The purpose of the individual commercial zoning districts and the manner in which they are applied are as follows:

A.

Professional Office (P-O) District. The P-O zoning district is intended to provide for office, professional and/or administrative service uses that are consistent with the General Plan Commercial land use designation. Limited retail and service commercial uses may be allowed when designed to meet the needs of the immediate employment population.

B.

Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) District. The C-1 zoning district is intended to provide for small-scale business activities which generally offer retailing or service-oriented uses serving the needs of nearby residents, consistent with the General Plan Commercial land use designation.

C.

Medium Commercial (C-3) District. The C-3 zoning district is intended to provide for small to medium scale commercial uses, emphasizing community serving retail, office and service uses, consistent with the General Plan Commercial land use designation.

D.

Regional Commercial (C-4) District. The C-4 zoning district is intended to provide opportunities for welldesigned sub-regional commercial centers that provide goods and services in a larger retail form with

ancillary smaller retail uses supporting the sub-regional commercial uses. The Regional Commercial areas will result in a higher level of site design, including architectural character and urban design, vehicular access, parking, landscaping, and pedestrian amenities, consistent with the General Plan High Intensity Commercial designation.

E.

Central Business District (CBD). The CBD zoning district is applied to the area along Valley Boulevard in the civic center area. It is intended to encourage medium scale commercial uses including retail, restaurant and cultural uses consistent with the General Plan Commercial land use designation.

(Ord. No. 931, § 5(Exh. A), 10-22-13)

Table 17.16.020.1, Uses in Commercial Districts, identifies the uses of land allowed in each commercial zoning district, and the land use permit required, if any, to establish each use. Where the last column in the tables (Specific Use Regulations) includes a section reference number, the regulations in the referenced section apply to the use in addition to those shown in the table.

Table 17.16.020.1: USES IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

and 17.16.030.C. Temporary Uses See Article 5, Chapter 124 (Temporary Use Permits and Special Events)

Notes:

P Permitted Use A Permitted Accessory Use — Use not allowed CUP Conditional Use Permit required AUP Administrative Use Permit required

A.

Performance Standards. The following performance standards shall apply to all commercial uses located in the P-O, C-1, C-3, C-4, and CBD zone districts.

1.

Smoke. No use may emit from a vent, stack, chimney, or combustion process any smoke or emission, other than water vapor, that is visible to the naked eye and violates any standards established by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the California Air Resources Board.

2.

Noise. No use may violate the City's noise standards.

3.

Vibration. No use may generate any ground-transmitted vibration that is perceptible to the human sense of touch measured at the outside boundary of the immediate space occupied by the enterprise generating the vibration if the enterprise is one of several located on a lot, or lot line if the enterprise generating the vibration is the only enterprise located on a lot.

4.

Odors. No use may generate any obnoxious or adverse odor that can be detected beyond the boundary of the lot occupied by that use.

5.

Electrical Disturbance or Interference. No use may create any electrical disturbance that adversely affects any operations, equipment, appliances, communications devices, or other electrical devices other than those of the creator of such disturbances

6.

Stormwater Runoff. The construction of any new building, and all activities conducted indoors and out of doors, shall comply with stormwater runoff regulations and National Pollution Discharge Elimination

Systems (NPDES) requirements.

B.

Business License Required. A valid business license, obtained pursuant to Title 5 of the Rosemead Municipal Code, shall be required as a condition of obtaining any permit or authority to establish a use under this Zoning Code.

C.

Site Plan and Design Review Application Required.

1.

A Site Plan and Design Review application shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of Article 5, Chapter 17.120 (Applications and Processing) and Chapter 17.136 (Site Plan and Design Review) for any new commercial development or any addition to an existing development in the P-O, C-1, C-3, CBD as follows:

a.

Any proposal to construct a new building of three thousand (3,000) gross square feet or more, or the addition of three thousand (3,000) square feet, or an addition that exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing floor area shall require a discretionary review.

b.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 17.28 (Overlay Zones), any proposal to construct less than three thousand (3,000) square feet of new construction shall be subject to City staff-level review coordinated by the Community Development Department.

2.

See Section 17.16.030.C for development review application requirements in the C-4 zone.

(Ord. No. 931, § 5(Exh. A), 10-22-13; 957, § 3, 11-24-15)

A.

General Requirements.

1.

Development Standards Table. New land uses and structures and alterations to existing land uses and structures in the P-O, C-1, C-3, C-4, and CBD zones shall conform to the requirements in Table 17.16.030.1, Commercial District Development Standards, as well as specific district standards listed below.

Table 17.16.030.1: COMMERCIAL DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

2.

Restrictions of the Division of Space. All planned division of office, retail, or other space within a building shall be shown on building plans. No further division of space for individual lease or use purposes beyond that shown on approved plans shall be permitted without the approval of the Community Development Director. Each lease space shall contain no less than eight hundred (800) square feet of gross floor area.

3.

Exceptions to Height Limit. Through the application of a discretionary Site Plan and Design Review application in accordance with the provisions in Article 5, Chapter 17.136, the Planning Commission may

allow the numerical height requirement, indicated as maximum feet in this section, to exceed the maximum by no more than five feet upon recommendation from the Community Development Director if it is determined that the additional height would provide unique architectural elements that would enhance the project overall.

4.

Encroachments.

a.

No part of the structure, permanent attachment or other similar architectural feature may extend into:

1)

Any required front, side, or rear yard or minimum distance between buildings for more than two feet.

2)

The public right-of-way without approval of an encroachment permit.

b.

Hedges or any other shrubs or landscaping shall not encroach onto a curb or sidewalk or over a lot line.

5.

Awnings.

a.

Awnings may encroach into the public right-of-way by extending over the sidewalk or parkway with review and approval from the City Engineer and Building Official.

b.

Awnings, arcades, and galleries may encroach into the sidewalk within two feet of the curb but must clear the sidewalk vertically by at least eight feet.

c.

Projections beyond the front or exterior side lot line of a corner lot shall require the review and approval of the City Engineer and the Building Official.

6.

Landscape and Irrigation Plans.

a.

Landscape and irrigation plans for any development within a commercial zone, including the type and location of plant materials to be used, shall be submitted to the Planning Division for review and approval by the Community Development Director.

b.

A total of six percent of the gross lot area shall be landscaped. The landscape plan shall be designed and installed such that much of the landscaping is visible from the public street or thoroughfare. Additional site landscaping maybe required for conditionally permitted uses or developments that require the approval of a discretionary Site Plan and Design Review application.

c.

An automatic irrigation system installed below ground except for sprinkler heads shall be permanently maintained in all landscaped areas.

d.

All landscaping shall be maintained in a neat and healthy condition.

e.

Parking lot landscaping shall include a minimum of one tree per one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet of parking area. Trees shall be located in groupings or in regular intervals or in such a manner as to enhance the appearance of the parking lot.

f.

Landscaped areas shall comply with the city of Rosemead Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.

7.

Fences/Walls/Landscape Screening. Each development shall be improved with fencing, walls, and landscape screening in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.68.

8.

Lighting. Each development shall be improved with lighting facilities in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.88.

9.

Mechanical Equipment, Loading Zones, and Service Area Screening.

a.

Wall-mounted equipment shall be flush with the exterior building walls and painted to match the color of the exterior of the building and screened from the view of any public right-of-way. Window-mounted air conditioners or exterior-mounted fans shall be prohibited.

b.

Ground-mounted and pad-mounted mechanical or utility equipment and other such similar equipment shall be screened from view from all public rights-of-way and adjacent properties by architectural building features, fencing or landscaping.

c.

Rooftops should be designed in a way that acknowledges their visibility from other buildings and the street. Equipment shall be screened on all four sides from both the street and neighboring buildings using parapets or similar architectural features and from the top where visible from an adjacent building of greater height.

d.

Service and loading zones where visible from public streets and views from neighboring buildings and properties shall be screened by the use of decorative walls and/or dense landscaping that will serve as both a visual and a noise barrier.

10.

Trash. Each development shall be improved with solid waste and recyclable material collection in accordance with Article 3, Chapter 17.32 (Accessory Structures).

11.

Outside Storage. The following provisions apply to uses with outside storage areas:

a.

Outside storage (not for display purposes) is permitted on the rear area of a lot or parcel of land. On corner lots or where site coverage or topography make rear yard storage impossible or impose a severe hardship upon the owner or occupant of the parcel, storage may be permitted, subject to the approval of the Community Development Director, in a side yard or open yard adjacent to a corner.

b.

Any outdoor area used for storage shall be completely enclosed by a solid masonry wall and solid gate not less than six feet in height. The Community Development Director may approve the substitution of a fence or decorative wall where such fence or wall provides adequate visual clearance, is structurally adequate, and equivalent in decorative appearance. In no event shall the height of such storage exceed the height of the wall or fence enclosing the storage area.

B.

District Specific Requirements. In addition to the general development requirements listed in Table 17.16.030.1, Commercial District Development Standards, the following development standards apply to specific commercial districts as shown:

1.

P-O Zoning District.

a.

Accessory Uses. Pharmacies, snack bars, cafeterias, copy and mail centers and other similar uses may be permitted as accessory uses where said use is less than five percent of the total net floor area of the professional office use and is established to primarily service the businesses on the same site.

b.

Signs—Content and Location. In addition to the requirements of Chapter 17.116 (Signs), signs in the P-O zone shall also be required to comply with the following:

1)

Any exterior sign displayed shall pertain only to the name and address or use conducted within the building, shall be attached flat against a wall of the building and parallel with its horizontal dimension, and shall front on the principal street, a parking area in the rear, or, in the case of a corner building, that portion of the side street within fifty (50) feet of the principal street. In no case shall a sign project above the roofline, have moving parts, flashing lights or animated lighting. The total area of such signs shall not exceed one square foot of sign area for each two linear feet of building frontage.

2)

The square footage of a sign made up of letters, words or symbols within a frame shall be determined from the outside edge of the frame itself. The square footage of a sign composed of only letters, words or symbols shall be determined from imaginary, straight lines drawn around the entire copy or grouping of such letters, words or symbols. Only those portions of the construction elements that are an integral part of the sign itself shall be considered in the allocation of square footage allowed. An obvious border designed as an integral part of the sign shall be calculated in the total square footage allowed.

2.

C-1, C-3, and CBD Zoning Districts.

a.

Manufacturing shall not be permitted in the C-3 and CBD zones, except that manufacturing as an appurtenant function of a permitted use may be permitted, provided the manufacturing operation is of a minor, accessory and limited nature and occupies not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the floor area devoted to the permitted use.

b.

Furniture Stores. Furniture stores in the C-3 and CBD zones shall be limited to new furniture, except that any used furniture taken in trade may be sold provided used furniture sales do not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the gross floor area or twenty-five (25) of the total retail area, whichever is less.

c.

Appliance/Electronic Stores and Repairs. Appliance/Electronic stores and repairs in the C-1, C-3, and CBD zones shall be limited to new appliances and electronics, except that used appliances and electronics taken in trade may be repaired and serviced, provided such used appliance sales do not exceed twentyfive (25) percent of gross floor area or twenty-five (25) percent of total retail area, whichever is less, and shall be located to the rear of the main retail area.

3.

C-4 Zoning District. The following regulations shall apply to the C-4 Regional Commercial zone unless otherwise provided in this Title.

a.

The C-4 Regional Commercial designation consists of two project areas, "Project Area 1" and "Project Area 2," as outlined in the Land Use Element of the City's General Plan.

b.

Approval Procedure. A precise plan of design for a commercial development shall be submitted for Design Review and reviewed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 17.28, Section 17.28.020, with the exception that the City Council shall approve or disapprove such project upon receiving a recommendation from the Planning Commission that the project satisfies the following criteria for the C-4 zone:

1)

Establish a well-balanced and carefully planned collection of signature commercial retail anchors, general retail outlets, and casual to upscale restaurants, which take advantage of the site's accessibility to major roadway corridors;

2)

Allow for the development of site in a manner which will provide a productive use of commercial opportunities;

3)

Expand commercial retail and restaurant options for local customers by providing daytime and nighttime shopping and dining opportunities in a safe and secure environment;

4)

Augment the City's economic base by providing a variety of tax generating uses;

5)

Create employment generating opportunities for the residents of Rosemead and surrounding communities;

Require consistent and rational development of the site(s) in accordance with established and functional aesthetic standards; and

7)

Minimize impacts on surrounding residential neighborhoods by providing adequate mitigation measures that address project access, loading and unloading activities, parking, development scale and massing, screening, noise, lighting, and architectural design.

c.

Uses and Floor Area Requirements. The C-4 Regional Commercial zone provides opportunities for commercial retail and restaurant related uses. Although not limited to just the uses shown in the tables below, the following mix of land uses and building sizes identified in Table 17.16.030.2 and Table 17.16.030.3 following reflect the General Plan direction for the two Project Areas.

Table 17.16.030.2

LAND USE AND BUILDING FLOOR AREA REQUIREMENTS FOR PROJECT AREA 1 (as identified in the General Plan)

rental); specialized retail (consumer electronics, fabric store, hobbies and crafts, apparel and accessories, books and magazines, jewelry, sporting good (sales and rental), photography, and stationery sales)

Table 17.16.030.3:

LAND USE AND BUILDING FLOOR AREA REQUIREMENTS FOR PROJECT AREA 2 (as identified in the General Plan)

C.

Development Standards. In addition to the Commercial District Land Uses and Permit Requirements in Section 17.16.020, Commercial District Development Standards and Special Conditions for Specific Land Uses in Section 17.16.030, the following additional standards shall also apply to development in the C-4 zone.

Public Realm and Streetscape.

a.

Public Sidewalks. The following shall apply to public sidewalks:

1)

The minimum building setback shall be twelve (12) feet as measured from the curb face; and shall be in the form of both existing right-of-way and a recorded pedestrian access and utility easement;

2)

The minimum building setback area shall include a minimum seven-foot wide detached sidewalk (clear zone) and a minimum five-foot wide parkway (amenity zone) adjacent to all streets. The amenity zone shall be located between the curb face and the clear zone. The clear zone shall be located between the building and the amenity zone;

3)

The sidewalk in the clear zone shall be constructed of concrete, comply with ADA accessibility standards and be subject to the review of the City Engineer;

4)

The clear zone shall be unobstructed by any permanent or nonpermanent element for a minimum width of seven feet and a minimum height of eight feet; and

5)

The amenity zone shall include street trees, landscaping, public signs, public art, street lighting, street furniture, and other pedestrian-oriented amenities, as appropriate.

b.

Street Trees.

1)

All species of mature oak trees shall be preserved or otherwise dealt with in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.104.

2)

The removal of other mature trees shall be subject to the review and approval of the Urban Forester.

3)

Mature street trees that are approved for removal by the Urban Forester shall be replaced with a minimum of three new mature box trees that have at least a 24-inch box and are the same species of the replaced mature street trees or a species approved by the Urban Forester. The City reserves the right to increase the number of trees if it deems necessary in order to compensate for mature tree loss.

4)

The amenity zone shall be planted with street trees at an average spacing not greater than thirty (30) feet on center.

c.

Transit Stops.

1)

Transit stops shall be designed as integral elements of a commercial development by collocating them with pedestrian oriented amenities, such as pocket parks, courtyards, plazas, etc., whenever possible.

2)

When an existing transit stop is located on a sidewalk adjacent to the location of a development, a shelter for transit patrons shall be constructed that:

a)

Incorporates architectural features of the development and is compatible with the development; and

b)

Includes a shelter, bench and lighting.

d.

Corner Lot.

1)

On intersection corners, where both streets have four lanes:

a)

Building architecture on intersection corners, where both streets have four lanes or more, shall receive special treatment to enhance the pedestrian experience, and create visual interest and focal points at the entryways, such as, but not limited to, building cut-offs and corner entrances with additional architectural detail, decorative landscaping, hardscape, planters, canopy, overhang or other architectural covering over the building entry; and

2)

On intersection corners, regardless of the number of lanes on each street:

a)

Retail, restaurant, or overnight accommodation uses within buildings facing two or more streets shall have at least one customer entrance facing the primary street and one customer entrance facing the second street or instead of two entrances, a corner entrance; and

b)

Buildings on corner lots shall address both streets with an equal level of architectural detail.

e.

Undergrounding of Utilities.

1)

Utility lines to a development from the building to the property line, including, but not limited to, electric, communications, street lighting and cable television shall be placed underground.

2)

Utility lines within the right-of-way shall be placed underground to the maximum extent practicable. The requirements of this section may be waived by the City Council upon recommendation from the City Engineer if it is determined that topographical, soil or any other conditions make such underground installations unreasonable or impractical.

2.

Site Design and Circulation.

a.

Minimum Development Area.

1)

The minimum development area for a commercial project within Project Area 1 shall be fifteen (15) acres.

2)

The minimum development area for a commercial project within Project Area 2 shall be three acres.

3)

Lots may be subdivided within each development site area for the purpose of creating a commercial condominium or separate commercial pads in accordance with Article 3, Chapter 17.36, RMC Title 16, and the Subdivision Map Act.

b.

On-Site Tree Preservation.

All species of mature oak trees shall be preserved or otherwise dealt with in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.104.

2)

The removal of other mature trees shall be subject to the review and approval of the City Council.

3)

Mature trees that are approved for removal by the City Council shall be replaced with new mature trees that have at least a 24-inch box and are the same species of the replaced mature trees.

c.

Bicycle Parking.

1)

Bicycle parking spaces shall be equal to three percent of required off-street parking.

2)

Bicycle parking facilities shall be:

a)

Securely anchored to the lot surface so they cannot be easily removed and shall be of sufficient strength to resist theft;

b)

Separated by a physical barrier to protect the bicycle from damage by motor vehicles if located within a vehicle parking area; and

c)

Motor vehicle entrances shall display adequate signs to indicate the availability and location of the bicycle parking facilities.

d)

Access and Location of Off-Street Parking.

3)

At-grade parking shall not be located between any building and the street frontage.

4)

Vehicular access to corner lot developments shall be from an alley or from a side street.

5)

Access to parking on interior lots shall have only one vehicular access, which shall not be from the street if the lot abuts an alley. A second vehicular access may be allowed for lots that have a street frontage of three hundred fifty (350) feet or more and do not abut an alley. Developments on those lots may have additional driveways that are not closer than three hundred (300) feet apart.

3.

Architecture.

a.

Ground Floor Facade.

1)

There shall be articulated facades at the ground floor street frontage, which may include such measures as indentation in plane, change of materials in a complimentary manner, and sensitive composition and juxtaposition of openings.

b.

Design Differentiation between Floors.

1)

The area where the first floor meets the second floor shall clearly define a change in materials, colors, and style between the first and second floors.

c.

Roofline Variation.

1)

Flat roofs are preferred and shall be screened with parapets on all sides of the building. If no rooftop equipment exists or is proposed the parapet shall be a minimum of three feet in height.

2)

Where architecturally appropriate, sloped roofs shall provide articulation and variations to divide the massiveness of the roof. Sloped roofs shall include eaves, which are a minimum of eighteen (18) inches in width. Sloped roofs shall screen mechanical equipment by providing a "roof-well", or by placing the equipment within the roof structure.

4.

Signs.

a.

A uniform sign program shall be approved by the Planning Division for each commercial development.

b.

Permitted sign types shall be limited to wall, window, awning and monument signs.

c.

Building mounted signs, including wall, window and awning, shall not exceed a cumulative total of one square foot of sign area per one lineal foot of building frontage of each business.

d.

Pole signs shall be prohibited.

e.

A monument sign shall be used only to identify multiple businesses based on the following criteria:

1)

One-third square foot of monument sign area per one lineal foot of lot frontage with a maximum of fifty (50) square feet.

2)

The entire sign structure shall be considered as sign area.

3)

The sign copy area shall not exceed sixty (60) percent of the background wall area.

4)

All monument signs shall contain only the name of the development and/or the names of the businesses.

5)

Monument signs shall not encroach into any required landscaped setback area when abutting open areas or encroach more than one-half the required landscaped setback area when located in front of a building.

6)

Sign copy shall be back-lighted or indirectly lighted.

7)

The background wall of the monument sign shall not exceed six feet in height.

8)

A maximum of two monument signs per development.

9)

The monument sign shall be set back a minimum of three feet from the property line at a location where the building is set back a minimum of ten (10) feet.

5.

Public Art Requirement. A freely accessible on-site public art work shall be integrated into each project in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.92.

(Ord. No. 931, § 5(Exh. A), 10-22-13)

Chapter 17.20 - COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS