Chapter 21.56 — GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT (C2)

Note: Prior history: Prior Code § 9-120 and Ord. NS 988.

The regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply in all C-2 districts and shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.08 .

(Ord. CS 106 §11, 1984)

Uses permitted subject to the property development standards listed in Section 21.56.040 :

• A. Churches, day care centers, family day care homes, hospitals, schools offering general academic instruction equivalent to the standards prescribed by the State Board of Education, and seminaries;

• B. Clubhouses, community centers, convention centers, fraternal lodges, public and quasipublic buildings, public parks and social halls;

• C. Facilities for public utilities, administrative offices, art galleries, botanical gardens, business and professional offices, clinics, laboratories, bakery shops, billiard parlors, candy stores, financial institutions, music and dance schools, personal service establishments, real estate offices, restaurants, and service stations;

• D. Retail and wholesale retail stores with a gross building/sales site less than sixty-five thousand square feet, mini-warehouses and storage within a building, except the storage of explosives;

• E. Ambulance and armored car services; amusement machines, animal hospitals; auditoriums; automobile repair shops; automobile washing and cleaning establishments, body and paint shops; bottling plants; bowling alleys; building materials yards; bus and truck terminals; cabinet shops; cleaning and dyeing establishments; contractors yards; creameries; drive-in restaurants; express office; farm and garden supply; farm equipment sales and service; golf driving ranges; hatcheries; hotels, household appliance sales and service; laundries; machine shops, mail order establishments; miniature golf courses; mobile home sales; storage and service; mortuaries; motels; motorcycle shops; on-sale liquor establishments; out-door advertising signs which are nonanimated and nonflashing; petroleum and oil storage; pet shops; plumbing and heating establishments; printing, publishing, book binding and paper sales; public garages and automobile sales; recreational vehicle sales and service; sheet metal shops; studios; theaters; tire, battery and automobile parts establishments; sign shops; used motor vehicles when all vehicles are operable without major body damage; used merchandise sales (excluding operable used motor vehicles) when conducted within a building or yard entirely enclosed by a solid fence at least six feet in height; and other uses which in the opinion of the director of planning and community development are similar in character and purpose to uses enumerated in this section;

• F. One identification or informational sign not more than twelve square feet in area nor more than six feet in height may be permitted in the front yard or side yard adjacent to each street frontage in lieu of any other freestanding sign, provided that:

  1. It does not bear any advertising message,

  2. It is nonflashing, nonmoving, and non-animated,

  3. It is located wholly on private property on the premises to which it pertains,

  4. A plot plan and elevation of the sign is approved by the director of planning and community development prior to request for building or electrical permit and installation;

• G. Mobile homes as allowed by the provisions of Chapter 21.72 ;

• H. Crop farming;

• I. Ballrooms, commercial clubs, dance halls, drive-in theaters, nightclubs, stadiums and tent or open-air churches. However, when located within two hundred feet of the boundary of any R district, a use permit shall first be secured in each case;

• J. Single-family dwellings or one apartment if it is accessory to a permitted commercial use;

• K. Christmas tree sales lots provided they meet the required setbacks and provide at least ten accessible and usable off-street parking spaces in addition to one space per employee on a maximum shift. Such lots shall be limited to two double-faced signs not to exceed twelve square feet each. No off-site signs shall be permitted. Such lots may not be established prior to November 15th of any year and shall be removed and the property returned to its original condition prior to January 1st;

• L. Fireworks stands provided they meet all required setbacks and provide at least five usable and accessible off-street parking spaces in addition to one space per employee on a maximum shift. Such stands shall meet all the requirements of the department of fire safety and shall be erected and removed within the time period prescribed by that department;

• M. Adult businesses as allowed by the provisions of Chapter 21.68 ;

• N. Emergency shelters with twenty or fewer beds, when parcels are served by both public sewer and water and located outside the sphere of influence of a city and in an area served by public transit (at least six days a week), with approval of a permit in accordance with Chapter 21.100 .

• (Ord. CS 106 §11, 1984; Ord. CS 607 §2, 1995; Ord. CS 663 §14, 1998; Ord. CS 896 §7, 2004; Ord. CS 1169 §12, 2015; Ord. CS 1408, 12/9/2025)

Uses permitted subject to first securing a use permit in each case:

• A. Drilling for, or removal of, gas, oil or commercial removal of minerals, earth or other natural materials;

• B. Assembly of typewriters, business machines, and similar mechanical equipment;

• C. Compounding and packaging of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and toiletries, but excluding soap manufacturing;

• D. Manufacturing and assembling of jewelry, watches, clocks, precision instruments, appliances, musical instruments, bottles, and other glass products which are made from previously prepared materials; electric and electronic instruments and equipment; electric motors, toys, television and radio equipment, electrical plating;

• E. Manufacturing of leather goods, paper products, pens, pencils and artist supplies when such goods, products and supplies are made from previously prepared materials;

• F. Manufacturing and assembling of professional and scientific instruments, photographic and optical equipment;

• G. Mobile home parks where connected to both public sewer and water systems;

• H. Retail and wholesale retail stores with a gross building and sales area of sixty-five thousand square feet or greater;

• I. Emergency shelters with more than twenty beds or when not permitted under Section 21.56.020 of this chapter.

• J. Commercial cannabis retail (storefront only), or testing activities, subject to Section 21.08.020.D of this title.

(Ord. CS 106 §11, 1984; Ord. CS 896 §8, 2004; Ord. CS 1169 §13, 2015; Ord. CS 1205 §5, 2017; Ord. CS 1408, 12/9/2025)

The following development standards shall apply to all land and buildings in the C-2 zone:

• A. Height Limits.

  1. Maximum height of building, seventy-five feet;

  2. Maximum height of separate standing advertising structure, thirty-five feet;

  3. Additional height may be granted for advertising signs, transmitting towers, storage towers and structures not used for human occupancy; provided that a use permit is first secured in each case;

  4. No fence or screen planting in excess of three feet in height, shall be constructed or permitted to grow within any required front yard, or side yard of a corner lot unless the director determines that visibility will not be obstructed.

• B. Building Site Area Required.

  1. All parcels used for residential purposes shall have an area not less than the minimum set forth in the appropriate R district;

  2. All nonresidential uses shall be on a parcel sufficient to provide for open spaces, appurtenant uses and off-street parking requirements as set forth in Chapters 21.08 and 21.76 .

• C. Yards Required.

  1. Residential Uses and Uses Listed in Section 21.56.020 A and B.

     • a. Front Yard.

       • i. Not less than seventy feet from the existing centerline of the street, nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line on a major street or expressway, whichever is the greater. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line.

       • ii. Not less than forty-five feet from the existing centerline of the street on a collector (sixty feet wide) street, nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line where a specific plan has been adopted. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line.

       • iii. Not less than forty feet from the existing centerline of the street on a minor street (fifty feet wide) nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line where a specific plan has been adopted. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line.

     • b. Side Yard, Interior Lot Line and Rear Yard. Five feet, except where the lot line abuts an alley, in which case, there shall be no yard requirement.

     • c. Side Yard, Corner Lot. The main building and garage or accessory building not having direct vehicular access to the street may be located five feet closer to the planned street line than at the front yard.

  2. Commercial and Industrial Uses.

     • a. Front Yard.

• i. Not less than seventy feet from the existing centerline of the street nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line on a major street or expressway whichever is the greater. Loading docks shall be so located that trucks will head-in and headout and not use the public street for maneuvering, loading, or unloading. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line.

     - ii. Not less than forty-five feet from the existing centerline of the street on a collector street (sixty feet wide) nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line where a specific plan has been adopted. Loading docks shall be so located that trucks will head-in and head-out and not use the public highway for maneuvering, loading or unloading. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line. 
  
  - iii. Not less than forty feet from the existing centerline of the street on a minor street (fifty feet wide) nor less than fifteen feet from the planned street line where a specific plan has been adopted. Loading docks shall be so located that trucks will head-in and headout and not use the public highway for maneuvering, loading or unloading. The vehicle opening of any building shall be no closer than twenty feet to the property line toward which the opening faces except where the property line abuts an alley of at least twenty feet in width, in which case, the vehicle opening may be five feet from the property line. 
  
  - iv. At street intersections, fences shall be located with a minimum twenty-five-foot corner cutoff; measured along the lot lines from the point of right-of-way intersection. 
  

  • b. Side Yard, Interior Lot Line or Rear Yard. None, except where the side or rear of the property abuts an R district, in which case the minimum side or rear yard shall not be less than five feet.

  • c. Side Yard, Corner Lot. Structures not having direct vehicular access to the street may be located five feet closer to the planned street line than the front yard.

• D. Nuisance. No operation shall be conducted on any premises in such a manner as to cause an unreasonable amount of noise, odor, dust, smoke, vibration or electrical interference detectable off the site.

• E. Screening. An eight-foot masonry wall shall be constructed along the property line adjacent to any residential or agricultural zone or any P-D zoning for residential use, except where a building abuts an alley in which case no wall shall be required.

• F. Landscaping. A landscaping plan indicating plant species, initial size, location and method of irrigation shall be approved by the planning director prior to issuance of any permit. Such required landscaping shall be installed within six months of project completion and shall be maintained by the applicant.

• G. Signs. Any sign program for any use shall be submitted to the planning director for approval prior to installation.

• H. Parking. See Chapter 21.76 for all off-street parking requirements. (Ord. CS 106 §11, 1984; Ord. CS 663 §§42, 43, 1998; Ord. CS 1408, 12/9/2025)