Shafter Zoning Code § 11.100 Automobile Dealerships (CA)

Intent

This Section is intended to ensure that automobile dealerships do not create adverse impacts on adjacent properties and surrounding neighborhoods due to insufficient on-site customer and employee parking, traffic generation, including road testing of vehicles, obstruction of traffic, visual blight, bright lights, noise, fumes, or drainage run-off. The following special conditions shall apply to automobile dealerships.

2. Development Standards

All new dealerships shall comply with the provisions of this Section in addition to the development standards and permit procedures of the zone district in which it is located.

a. Minimum lot Size

The minimum lot size for automobile dealerships shall be twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.

b. Parking

Areas designated for employee and customer parking shall not be used for vehicle storage or display.

c. Landscaping

A minimum five (5) foot landscape strip shall be provided outside the public right-of-way along the street frontage perimeter of all vehicle display areas.

Specific Use Development Standards

11-23

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CITY OF SHAFTER DEVELOPMENT CODE

d. Washing of Vehicles

All washing, rinsing, or hosing down of vehicles and of the property shall comply with the requirements specified in Section 11.250 (Vehicle Repair Facilities) of this Chapter.

e.
Loading and Unloading of Vehicles

Loading and unloading of vehicles shall be conducted in accordance with the following provisions:

(1) The dealership operator is deemed to be responsible and liable for any activities of a common carrier, operator, or other person controlling such loading or unloading activities, to the extent any such activities violate the provisions of this subsection.
(2) Off-loading locations shall be established either on site or off site, and shall be subject to the approval of the City Engineer if within the public right-of-way. Loading and unloading activities shall not block the ingress or egress of any adjacent property.
f.
Storage of Vehicles to be Repaired

Vehicles brought on site for repair purposes shall not be parked or stored on any public street or alley, and should be parked in required parking spaces, reserved for such purposes.

Repair of Vehicles

The repair and service facility portion of any automobile dealership shall comply with the provisions of Section 11.250 (Vehicle Repair Facilities) of this Chapter.

h.

Queuing of Vehicles

On-site queuing area or lanes for service customers shall be provided which shall be large enough to accommodate a minimum of one and a half vehicles for each service bay in the facility. On-site driveways may be used for queuing, but may not interfere with access to required parking spaces. Regular parking spaces may not double as queuing spaces.

i. Noise Control
- (1) Loudspeakers are permitted provided that noise levels are maintained below fifty-five (55) dBA at any boundary.
(2) All noise generating equipment exposed to the exterior shall be muffled with sound absorbing materials to reduce noise levels below fifty-five (55) dBA at the property boundary.

Specific Use Development Standards

11-24

CITY OF SHAFTER DEVELOPMENT CODE

CHAPTER 11

j. Toxic Waste Storage and Disposal

Gasoline storage tanks shall meet all applicable State and local health regulations, and shall be constructed and maintained under the same conditions and standards that apply to service stations.

k. Air Quality
- (1) Brake washers shall be installed and utilized in all service stalls or areas which perform service on brakes containing asbestos or other materials known to be harmful when dispersed in air.
- (2) Mechanical ventilating equipment shall direct exhaust away from adjacent residential properties.
- (3) Exhaust systems shall be equipped with appropriate and reasonably available control technology to minimize or eliminate noxious pollutants which would otherwise be emitted.