Seaside Municipal Code Ch. 17.14 Commercial Zones

This chapter lists the land uses that may be allowed within the commercial zones established by Section 17.06.020 (Zoning Map and Zones), determines the type of planning permit/approval required for each use, and provides basic standards for site layout and building size.

The purposes of the individual commercial zones and the manner in which they are applied are as follows:

A. CMX (Commercial-Mixed Use) zone. The CMX zone is applied to areas of the City identified by the General Plan as appropriate for pedestrian- and transit-oriented activity centers. The CMX zone is intended to accommodate retail stores, offices, theaters, restaurants, and other similar and related uses together with residential units in the context of mixed use, pedestrian-oriented development, although mixed use development is not required. The maximum allowable residential density within the CMX zone for the residential component of a mixed use project is 25 dwelling units per acre; the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 2.0. The CMX zone implements and is consistent with the Mixed Use (MX) land use designation of the General Plan.

B. CC (Community Commercial) zone. The CC zone is applied to areas of the City that are intended for retail and service-oriented business activities primarily serving the local community or neighborhood. Permitted land uses may include restaurants, supermarkets, health clubs, offices, retail sales, services, personal services, and neighborhood-oriented retail uses. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 0.50; except that a maximum FAR of 2.0 is allowed within the Broadway Corridor Specific Plan area designated by the General Plan. The CC zone implements and is consistent with the Community Commercial (CC) land use designation of the General Plan.

C. CRG (Regional Commercial) zone. The CRG zone is applied to areas of the City that are appropriate for large-scale commercial development with retail, entertainment, and/or service uses, or business parks of a scale and function to serve a regional market. Permitted land uses may include hotels, “big-box” retail, movie theaters, and business parks in the North Seaside area only. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 1.0; except that hotels are allowed a maximum FAR of 3.0. The CRG zone implements and is consistent with the Regional Commercial (RCC) land use designation of the General Plan.

D. CA (Automotive Regional Commercial) zone. The CA zone is applied to the area covered by the Gateway Auto Center Area Plan, to provide a consolidated area for new automotive dealerships and related and compatible uses. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 1.0. The CA zone is consistent with and implements the Regional Commercial (RGC) land use designation of the General Plan.

E. CH (Heavy Commercial) zone. The CH zone is applied to areas of the City suitable for wholesale, heavy commercial, and light industrial uses that which are best suited away from areas regularly generating large amounts of pedestrian traffic. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 0.5. The CH zone implements and is consistent with the Heavy Commercial (HC) land use designation of the General Plan.

A. General permit requirements. Table 2-4 identifies the uses of land allowed by this Zoning Ordinance in each commercial zone, and the planning permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 17.10.030 (Permitted Land Uses and Planning Permit Requirements).

B. Requirements for certain specific land uses. Where the last column in Table 2-4 (“Specific Use Regulations”) includes a section number, the referenced section may affect whether the use requires a Zoning Clearance, Minor Use Permit, or Use Permit, and/or may establish other requirements and standards applicable to the use.

TABLE 2-4 – Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial Zones

Notes:

(Ord. 1030 § 4 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 1043 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1046 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1048 § 2(1), 2018; Ord. 1069 § 4, 2019; Ord. 1086 § 1(C) (Exh. C), 2020; Ord. 1087 § 4 (Exh. B), 2020; Ord. 1091 § 4 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 2005 § 3 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2006 § 1(D) (Exh. D), 2021; Ord. 2031 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)

A. Each subdivision shall comply with the minimum parcel size requirements shown in Table 2-5 for the applicable zone. Parcel size shall be determined as the gross lot area of the subject parcel.

B. The minimum parcel size requirements for a specific subdivision are determined by the review authority as part of subdivision approval. The review authority may require one or more parcels within a specific subdivision to be larger than the minimums required by this table based on potential environmental impacts, the physical characteristics of the site or surrounding parcels, and/or other factors.

C. A condominium or other common interest project may be subdivided with smaller parcels for ownership purposes, with the minimum lot area determined through subdivision review; provided, that the overall development site complies with the minimum parcel size, and the total number of any allowed dwellings complies with the maximum density for the applicable zone.

TABLE 2-5 – MINIMUM PARCEL SIZE STANDARDS

A. General standards. Subdivisions, new land uses and structures, and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed, and/or established in compliance with the requirements in Table 2-6 in addition to the applicable development standards (e.g., landscaping, parking and loading) in Article 3.

TABLE 2-6 – COMMERCIAL ZONE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Notes:

TABLE 2-6 – COMMERCIAL ZONE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Notes:

A. Purpose. The requirements of this section are intended to provide for pedestrian orientation and traditional building form in the CMX zones. A principal design objective of this section is for the street frontages in this zone to have continuous building facades with as few interruptions as possible in the progression of stores and other buildings, creating attractive, pedestrian oriented streetscapes.

B. Applicability. The requirements of this section apply to proposed development within the CMX (Commercial Mixed Use) zone. Each new nonresidential structure, and all alterations to existing structures involving any change in the facade at the street frontage, shall comply with the standards of this section. The review authority may approve minor variations to these standards as deemed appropriate; provided, that the review authority also first finds that the minor variation will still produce a new or altered building that complies with the intent of this section.

C. Building placement. Each building shall be designed so that its front facade occupies 100 percent of its front property line. The review authority may grant exceptions to this requirement for:

1. A driveway that is necessary because no side street, alley, or easement can provide access to required parking on the rear of the lot;

2. The initial phases of a multi-phased building project that will occupy the entire frontage upon completion;

3. A multiple building project proposed with a pedestrian-only plaza occupying a portion of the street frontage;

4. A pedestrian corridor; or

5. A view corridor to on- or off-site natural features, or pedestrian areas on the rear portions of the site.

D. Building design and architectural elements. Each building shall be designed to comply with the following requirements:

1. Formula design prohibited. The architectural style and exterior materials of each proposed structure shall be designed based upon the architectural traditions of Monterey County, the architectural styles prevalent in the site vicinity, and the characteristics of the site, as determined by the review authority. The review authority shall not approve a building proposed with architectural features substantially similar to those found in other communities on buildings operated by the same corporate or franchise entity, unless the review authority determines that the similar features are also reflective of local architectural traditions and styles.

2. Facade articulation. To encourage visual continuity and pedestrian activity, at least 60 percent of the total street frontage ground floor length of any new or reconstructed building shall be differentiated architecturally by recessed windows and entries, display windows, offset surfaces, differentiated piers and columns, offset planes, textured materials, awnings, or other details or displays of interest to pedestrians.

3. Windows. Clear, untinted glass shall occupy at least 80 percent of the ground-floor street-fronting facades of each building, to allow maximum visual interaction between sidewalk areas and the interior of buildings. Mirrored, reflective glass or tinted glass shall not be used except as an architectural or decorative accent. After installation, clear glass windows shall not later be treated or so as to become opaque, or to be blocked so as to prevent visibility of the ground floor interior from the sidewalk.

4. Railings and decorative grilles. Any decorative railing or grille work that is placed behind street level windows shall be at least 75 percent open to perpendicular view and no more than six feet in height above grade. No security gate or grille shall be installed on the exterior of any structure.

5. Upper story design features. A minimum of 50 percent of the building frontage width above the first story shall be differentiated by recessed windows, balconies, offset planes, or other architectural details that provide dimensional relief.

E. Pedestrian access to buildings. The primary entrance of each ground floor use shall be located within the primary building frontage, and shall be recessed a minimum of three feet when accessed from the public right-of-way. Walk-up facilities and entries shall be recessed and provide adequate queuing space to avoid interruption of pedestrian flow.

Proposed development and new land uses within the CA (Automotive Regional Commercial) zone shall comply with the standards and guidelines as established under Chapter 17.16 (Automotive Regional Commercial (CA) Zone Standards), where applicable, in addition to the requirements of Section 17.14.050 (Commercial Zone Site Planning and Building Standards).