Sausalito Municipal Code Ch. 10.24 Commercial Zoning Districts

In addition to the general purposes established in SMC § 10.10.030 (Title and purpose), the specific purposes of the commercial zoning districts are as follows:

A. To provide space for diverse types of commercial activity to serve people and industry, while maintaining and strengthening the economic base of the City of Sausalito;

B. To implement the general plan by designating a variety of commercial districts so that all appropriate types of commercial activity may have a suitable location;

C. To permit the establishment of varying commercial uses in locations suitable both to individual enterprises and the entire City of Sausalito;

D. To promote the constructive improvement and orderly growth of the existing well-located commercial centers and districts; and

E. To protect residential districts adjacent to commercial uses.

(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003)

The additional purposes of each commercial district are as follows:

A. To provide for a wide variety of retail and service businesses to serve Sausalito residents and visitors;

B. To provide for enhanced quality and reduced redundancy of downtown's available merchandise;

C. To maintain an inviting shopping environment for visitors and residents, utilizing the area's natural attributes;

D. To provide for, and encourage, ground-floor retail business with upper-floor residential uses;

E. To promote continuous retail frontage and prohibit establishments that tend to break up such continuity; and

F. To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.

G. To provide for local-serving retail and service businesses and residential uses where mutually compatible;

H. To provide for local-serving commercial uses;

I. To provide a pedestrian-oriented experience for local residents; and

J. To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.

K. To provide local-serving retail and service businesses in a location and manner that serve nearby commercial and residential areas;

L. To provide one-stop convenience services in the three distinct neighborhood commercial centers; and

M. To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.

N. To provide for sales of frequently-purchased household necessities and services for local residents.

O. To protect the waterfront area, while promoting uses that benefit from, and need, a waterfront location.

P. To protect the waterfront area while promoting marine-oriented uses which will benefit from, and need, a waterfront location. The waterfront (W) district is divided into two subdistricts for the purposes of Table 10.24-1, including the base district (W) and combined with the marinship overlay (W-M) (SMC § 10.28.050, Marinship (-M)).

(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1251 § 1 (Att. 1), 2018)

Table 10.24-1 (Land Uses Allowed in Commercial Districts) outlines the uses that are allowed in each commercial district. The notations indicate whether each use is permitted or requires one of two permits, as indicated in the legend. Blanks indicate the use is not allowed in that particular district. The last column identifies sections of the Zoning Ordinance where additional requirements are found and apply to the land use, including those from Chapter 10.44 SMC (Specific Use Requirements). Additional requirements may also be applicable.

Table 10.24-1 LAND USES ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS 1

(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1223 § 4, 2014; Ord. 1205 § 1, 2012; Ord. 1224 § 2, 2014; Ord. 1251 § 1 (Att. 1), 2018; Ord. 1281 § 2, 2020; Ord. 06-2025-A, 12/2/2025; Ord. 03-2026, 3/3/2026)

A. Incidental Manufacturing. Incidental manufacturing, fabricating, processing, packaging, treating and related storage will be allowed in the CC, CR and CN districts, subject to the following:

1. Incidental use or storage shall be in the same line of merchandise or service as the retail or service business conducted on the premises;

2. Gross floor area occupied by incidental use shall not exceed 50%; and

3. No more than five employees shall be engaged in the activities.

B. Outdoor Display of Merchandise and Commercial Uses. All uses and related commercial activities shall be conducted in enclosed buildings except for the following uses or activities when related to permitted or conditionally permitted use within a commercial zoning district:

1. Delivery of fuel, lubricants, and incidental servicing of automobiles (service station);

2. Parking and loading facilities;

3. Outdoor eating and drinking areas (MUP required);

4. Recreation facilities;

5. Public utility substations;

6. Display of plants, flowers, and garden care and decoration items (nurseries, florist shops);

7. Display of household and garden hardwares (hardware stores);

8. Marine industrial uses;

9. Storage and lumber yards (CUP required);

10. Storage incidental to industrial uses.

C. Large Frontage Retail. Unless authorized as a conditional use pursuant to Chapter 10.60 SMC (Conditional Use Permits), retail trade businesses that front only one street and contain over 50 feet of lineal street frontage are prohibited. A conditional use permit shall also be required for any retail trade business located in a corner building with two street frontages on a corner lot that has more than 50 feet of lineal frontage on the primary street. The measurement of frontage shall be calculated separately for each tenant in a multitenant building. This requirement does not apply in the shopping center district.

D. Drive-Thru Facilities for Fast Food Restaurants Prohibited. Businesses that provide for the ordering of food while the customers are seated in vehicles are prohibited in all commercial zoning districts.

(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 03-2026, 3/3/2026)

Table 10.24-2 (Site Development Standards – Commercial Zoning Districts) establishes parcel requirements, residential density and site development standards for the commercial zoning districts. Minimum standards are provided for parcel size, lot width and setbacks. Residential density, floor area ratio, building coverage and height limits are maximum amounts allowed. Specific uses may be subject to additional, specific standards. Certain standards vary depending on the applicable situation. Refer to noted sections. The commercial neighborhood (CN) district is divided into two subdistricts (CN-1 and CN-2) for regulating maximum floor area ratio and maximum coverage.

Table 10.24-2 SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

The following requirements also apply:

A. Minimum Lot Size. New parcels proposed in a subdivision shall also comply with applicable provisions of SMC Title 9 (Subdivisions). Existing parcels which do not meet the minimum lot area or width requirements specified by this section may be developed in accordance with the development standards outlined in Table 10.24-2 (Site Development Standards – Commercial Zoning Districts); provided, that the subject parcel has been legally created.

B. Setbacks. Setbacks will only be required where the subject parcel is adjacent to a residential zoning district. Additional requirements for setbacks between structures on the same site, and setbacks in other situations, are established by SMC § 10.40.080 (Exceptions to required setbacks) and by Chapter 10.44 SMC (Specific Use Requirements) for certain specific land uses.

C. Residential Density. Allowed density for liveaboard residential uses in the W district shall be one unit for each 10 berths in a marina.

(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1205 § 2, 2012; Ord. 06-2025-A, 12/2/2025)