St. Helena Municipal Code Ch. 17.17 Commercial and Mixed—use Zoning Districts

COMMERCIAL AND MIXED—USE ZONING DISTRICTS

Sections:

• 17.17.010 Purpose and applicability.

• 17.17.020 Use regulations.

• 17.17.030 Development standards.

• 17.17.040 Design standards.

This chapter enables commercial and mixed-use development that is suitable to the character of St. Helena and that supports the daily needs of residents. The commercial and mixed-use districts, which are located generally along the SR29 corridor, serve tourists, city residents, and residents of the unincorporated agricultural areas who have traditionally traveled to St. Helena to shop for goods and services. In the downtown, the zoning districts support higher density, mixed-use development that expands housing options while supporting retail and commercial services. Included in this chapter are use regulations, development standards, and design standards for the following commercial and mixed-use districts:

Central Business (CB). The CB zone is intended to provide for retail, personal service uses, offices, restaurants, hotels/motels, service stations, public and quasi-public uses, and similar and compatible uses that serve local residents’ day-to-day needs, as well as the needs of the surrounding area and tourists. Emphasis is on pedestrianoriented retail and service uses on the ground floor level, with office and residential uses on the upper levels. This zone implements the central business general plan land use designation.

Service Commercial (SC). The SC zone is intended to provide for service and retail uses, restaurants, service stations, hotels, motels, public and quasi-public uses and similar and compatible uses. The designation is intended primarily for service and retail uses that are automobile-oriented or whose operational characteristics and space needs are not considered appropriate for the Central Business district. The intent is for the SC zone to be primarily local resident-serving in character. Strictly tourist-serving retail uses are prohibited within this designation. This zone implements the service commercial general plan land use designation.

Mixed—Use (MU). The MU zone is intended to provide areas for a mix of medium and high density residential unit types and commercial retail, office, restaurant, and open space uses. The zone supports both vertical and horizontal residential mixed-use development. Residential densities are from twelve (12) to twenty (20) dwelling units per acre. This zone implements the mixed-use general plan land use designation. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

Table 17.17.020(A): Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts, lists the uses permitted (“P”), permitted with a minor use permit (“MUP”) granted by staff-level review, and permitted with a conditional use permit (“CUP”) granted at a public hearing. The right-hand column provides references to additional regulations beyond those of the base zoning district development and design standards. Any projects that qualify for ministerial approval under state law will be processed ministerially as required by that state law.

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

Districts

Table 17.17.020(A). Use Regulations—Commercial and Mixed—Use Zoning

End Notes:

• 1 Permitted on upper floors only.

2 Permitted on upper floors only for properties fronting onto Main Street.

• 3 Must be part of a mixed-use development.

• 4 Not permitted on Main Street.

• 5 The following are not permitted:

• Establishments serving customers within their vehicles on the premises or preparing beverages or food intended for consumption within their vehicles on the premises.

• Music or entertainment which is not accessory to the approved use and/or audible beyond the confines of the building in which such music or entertainment is being performed.

• Drive-in for take-out service.

• 6 Roof top uses are only allowed in the CB and MU zoning districts.

• 7 Formula and drive-through restaurant establishments are not permitted.

• 8 Seating is not permitted.

• 9 Limited to ten thousand (10,000) gross square feet.

  • 10 A maximum of four formula retail businesses are permitted in any one zoning district.

  • 11 Rental of rooms limited to upper floors only for properties fronting onto Main Street.

  • 12 A CUP is required for nonpublic wine tasting, offered to wine distributors and wine merchants only.

  • 13 A CUP is required for live or amplified music/entertainment outdoors.

• (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

Table 17.17.030(B): Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts, establishes the development standards for the Commercial Business, Service Commercial, and Mixed-Use zoning districts. The numbers in each illustration refer to corresponding regulations in the table.

Table 17.17.030(B). Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed—Use

Zoning Districts

Table 17.17.030(B). Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed—Use

Table 17.17.030(B). Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed—Use

Table 17.17.030(B). Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed—Use

End Notes:

1 Only applies to the Main Street Corridor, south of Adams Street.

2 Properties within the Highway 29 Specific Plan must comply with any additional required interior side and rear setbacks established in the Highway 29 Specific Plan EIR.

3 May not include pedestrian access, required landscaped areas, on-site parking or driveway areas, and may not have a slope greater than ten percent (10%).

4 Landscaped setbacks areas count toward this requirement.

(Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

The design standards in this section apply to all development within the commercial and mixed-use zoning districts. These design standards supplement the development standards of Table 17.17.030(B): Development Standards—Commercial and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts.

• A. General Standards. All development is subject to the provisions of Division IV of this title, Citywide Standards.

• B. Highway 29 Specific Plan Applicability. Properties within the Highway 29 Specific Plan area shall meet the requirements of the Highway 29 Specific Plan as well as the design standards of this section.

C. Residential Development in the Mixed—Use Zoning District. Buildings where a minimum of two-thirds of the floor area of the building is residential must meet the requirements of Section 17.16.040, Design standards, as well as those of this section.

• D. Building Orientation.

  1. Building entrances must be oriented toward public rights-of-way or internal walkways.

  2. Building design must prevent direct visual access into adjacent residential properties. Where a new or existing primary interior residential space has an uninterrupted line of sight to windows of a primary interior space at the same floor level within twenty (20) horizontal feet, the glazing of the new windows shall be offset horizontally from the existing glazing by a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches.

E. Building Articulation. Any building over one hundred twenty-five (125) feet in width shall be broken down to read as a series of buildings no wider than seventy-five (75) feet each.

Figure 17.17.040(A). Building Articulation

• F. Building Facades Visible From a Public Street.

  1. Horizontal articulation must include a differentiated base, a roof cornice line or parapet, and an eave, awning, overhang, transom feature, belt course, or other architectural element that frames the middle section of the building.

  2. Buildings or portions of buildings over two stories must include articulation for the top story of the building. This may be accomplished through a change in color, change in material, a cornice/belt course at the bottom of the uppermost floor, change in roof pitch (such as a gable), or an upper-story step-back.

Figure 17.17.040(B). Building Facade Visible From Public Street

3. Awnings must be of a durable, commercial grade fabric, canvas, or similar material with a matte finish.

4. Canopies must be constructed of wood or other natural materials in keeping with materials used historically in the city.

• G. Upper—Story Window Design.

  1. Upper-story windows must have a height equal to or greater than their width.

2. Trim at least one-half inch in depth must be provided around all windows, or windows must be recessed at least three-quarter inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall. Foam is not a permitted trim material.

Figure 17.17.040(C). Upper—Story Window Design

• H. Exterior Building Materials and Colors.

1. Building materials that support and enhance the architectural vernacular of the city must be used in all new developments. There are many materials that may be used to achieve this goal, including plaster or stucco, brick, native or artificial stone finishes, form board concrete finishes, board and batten siding, and horizontal siding (except as provided in subsection (H)(3) of this section).

2. In addition, corrugated metal may be used as a roof or siding material in all commercial and mixed-use zoning districts.

3. Specifically prohibited materials include unplastered, unpainted, or painted concrete block, and vinyl or aluminum siding.

4. The palette of materials and colors on a building must be applied to all sides of the building.

   5. A palette of contrasting colors is required along Main Street within the CB and MU districts.

• I. Front and Street Side Setback Improvements. Where front or street side setbacks are required, these areas must be improved with planters, paving, low walls, climbing vines, outdoor dining/seating areas, or other features that:

  1. Visually distinguish parking areas from pedestrian areas;

  2. Emphasize the building entrance and any on-site open space; and

  3. Frame required building transparency.

• J. Refuse and Recycling Area Enclosures.

1. Container Materials. Containers used for the collection and storage of refuse and recyclable materials shall be constructed of a durable waterproof and rustproof material, covered when the site is not attended, secured from unauthorized entry or removal of material and shall be of a capacity sufficient to accommodate materials collected between collection schedules.

   2. Enclosure Materials. Unless specifically waived by the design review processes described in Chapter 17.05, Planning Permits and Approvals, all development projects shall have a refuse enclosure constructed of such materials as to be opaque and of sufficient size to permit the storage, removal, and replacement of standard commercial size refuse containers. No collection, storage or stacking of refuse is permitted outside the refuse enclosure.

   3. Drainage. The floor of the enclosure shall have a drain that connects to the sanitary sewer system.

• K. Design Standards in the CB and MU Districts Only.

1. Building Transparency/Required Openings on Main Street in the CB and MU Districts. Exterior walls facing and within forty (40) feet of a street facing lot line or pedestrian walkway must include windows, doors, or other openings for at least seventy percent (70%) of the building wall area and located between two and seven feet above the level of the sidewalk or walkway. These walls may run in a continuous plane for no more than ten (10) feet without transparency or an opening.

Figure 17.17.040(D). Facade Transparency on Main Street in the CB and MU

District

a. Design of Openings. Openings fulfilling this requirement must have transparent glazing and provide views into work areas, display areas, sales areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces, or into window displays that are at least three feet deep.

• b. Exceptions for Parking Garages. Multilevel garages are not required to meet the ground-floor transparency requirement.

• c. Reductions. The building transparency requirement may be reduced or waived upon finding that:

  • i. The proposed use has unique operational characteristics with which providing the required windows and openings is incompatible; and

  • ii. Street-facing building walls will exhibit architectural relief and detail and will be enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to create visual interest at the pedestrian level.

2. Buildings With Main Street Frontage in the CB and MU Districts.

   • a. Buildings must be oriented to face Main Street with the primary entrance on Main Street.

   • b. Building entrances must be either covered or recessed a minimum of four feet from the building facade.

   • c. Buildings on corner parcels must be placed at the intersection of the front and side setback lines for a minimum of thirty (30) feet along both setback lines.

Figure 17.17.040(E). Buildings With Main Street Frontage

3. Off-Street Parking in the MU District.

   • a. Off-street parking spaces may not be accessed from the front of the lot.

   • b. Off-street parking spaces may not be located within forty (40) feet of a street-facing property line. Exceptions may be granted through design review upon finding that:

     • i. The design incorporates habitable space built close to the street frontage to the maximum extent feasible;

ii. The site is small and constrained such that underground parking or surface parking located more than forty (40) feet from the street frontage is not feasible; and

iii. A screen wall designed to match the building materials of the primary building or a row of landscaping screens any off-street parking located within forty (40) feet of the street frontage.

• L. Design Standards in the SC District Only.

  1. Frontages.

• a. Building design must emphasize active frontages and establish a connection to the right-of-way street.

• b. Frontages must feature at least one entry.

• c. Buildings more than fifty (50) feet in length along a right-of-way must incorporate at least one recessed entry with a minimum depth of six feet from the front facade.

• d. The width of the recessed entry must be appropriate relative to the size of the building, with the maximum ratio of building height to entry recess 2.5:1 (height less than 2.5 × width).

2. Building Transparency/Required Openings. Exterior walls facing and within forty (40) feet of a street facing lot line or pedestrian walkway must include windows, doors, or other openings for at least forty percent (40%) of the building wall area and located between two and seven feet above the level of the sidewalk or walkway. These walls may run in a continuous plane for no more than fifteen (15) feet without transparency or an opening.

Figure 17.17.040(F). Building Transparency for SC District

• a. Design of Openings. Openings fulfilling this requirement must have transparent glazing and provide views into work areas, display areas, sales areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces.

• b. Reductions. The building transparency requirement may be reduced or waived upon finding that:

  • i. The proposed use has unique operational characteristics with which providing the required windows and openings is incompatible; and

ii. Street-facing building walls will exhibit architectural relief and detail and will be enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to create visual interest at the pedestrian level.

3. Off-Street Parking Areas in the SC District.

• a. Off-street parking spaces may not be located within ten (10) feet of a street-facing property line. For properties within the Highway 29 Specific Plan area, refer to that plan for the location and design of proposed parking areas.

• b. Curb cuts are limited to one per eighty (80) linear feet of any one street-facing frontage. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))