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Title 18 — ZONING ORDINANCE›Chapter 18.04 — PURPOSE

Chapter 18.38 — DTC ZONE—DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL

Sutter Creek Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-09-25 · Sutter Creek

18.38.010 - Regulations designated.

The following regulations apply in the DTC downtown commercial zone unless otherwise provided in this title.

18.38.015 - Purpose.

The downtown commercial district is designed to protect and enhance the district's attractive and historic quality as a living example of Mother Lode architecture.

18.38.020 - Permitted uses.

Uses permitted in the DTC zone shall be:

A.

Retail commercial uses which are pedestrian-oriented and conducive to the historic vitality of the downtown area, including the following:

1.

Antiques and collectibles;

2.

Arts and handmade crafts, ceramics, furniture, glass, and textiles;

3.

Assembly, large events;

4.

Bakeries, employing not more than ten persons on the premises

5.

Banks/Automated teller machines;

6.

Barber shops;

7.

Bars and cocktail lounges;

8.

Beauty shops;

Books and media shops

Brewpubs;

Cafes and coffee shops;

Candy and confectioneries;

Clothing, apparel, hats, and shoes;

Delicatessens and meat and food markets;

Department stores;

Event venues;

Fabric and craft supply stores;

Fine art and photography;

19

Fitness/Health studios;

Florist shops;

Gifts, precious metals, and jewelry;

Grocery, fruit, and vegetable stores;

23.

Hardware stores;

24.

Hotel, motel, motor inns, lodges, time share units, short-term rental units, and vacation rentals;

25.

Housewares and home decorating shops;

26.

Live-work units;

27.

Meeting and gathering halls and rooms;

28.

Music and musical entertainment;

29.

Music and vocal instruction;

Outdoor retail sales;

31.

Parking garages and lots, public and private;

32.

Restaurants;

Shoe stores or shoe repair shops;

34.

Specialty foods, beer, wine, and spirits;

35.

Sports equipment sales and rentals;

Stationery stores;

Studios;

38.

Tailoring;

Tea rooms; and

Theaters or auditoriums (excluding drive-in theaters).

B.

Professional governmental and similar offices;

C.

Trailhead parking and preserve entrances, hiking trails, information booths, riding stables, public parks, and accessory recreational facilities;

D.

First and second-story residential uses, as allowed in section 18.28.020(A)(1)—(10), including studio apartments, and excluding boarding houses and transitional housing;

E.

Low barrier navigation centers;

F.

Conversion of residential dwellings to commercial uses upon securing a site plan permit pursuant to chapter 18.50;

G.

Any use conducted within the DTC zone shall comply with the provisions of chapter 18.50, site plans; and

H.

The above uses in conjunction with historic displays and exhibits.

(Ord. 373, §18(a), 2023)

18.38.030 - Special provisions.

The following special provisions apply within the DTC zone:

A.

All structures shall conform to the provisions of Chapter 3.0 of the City's Design Standards, Historic Districts Design Standards;

B.

All signage shall conform to the requirements of chapter 15.16, signs;

C.

Use of sidewalks and other public spaces shall conform to the requirements of chapter 13.13, obstructions to public ways;

D.

Required vehicle parking requirements shall conform to the provisions of chapter 18.48, off-street parking; and

E.

In compliance with section 18.48.030, a change in use requires the appropriate minimum requirement for off-street parking.

(Ord. 373, §18(b), 2023)

18.38.040 - Buildings—Height limitations.

Maximum building height in the DTC zone shall be limited to three stories and shall not exceed forty feet.

18.38.050 - Yard—Front.

All buildings shall be located at least ten feet from the front lot line; provided, that where existing buildings on streets within a block average less than the required setback, the provisions of section 18.10.110 shall apply.

18.38.060 - Yard—Side.

Five feet or in conformance with the California Building Code.

(Ord. 373, §2, 2023)

18.38.070 - Yard—Rear.

There shall be behind every building a rear yard having a minimum depth of ten feet. Where there is an alley at the rear of the lot, such rear yard may be measured to the center of said alley.

18.38.080 - Area requirements.

18.38.090 - Buildings—Required distance between.

18.38.100 - Lot coverage.

Building lot coverage shall not exceed ninety-five percent of the lot area.

18.38.110 - Residential density.

Maximum development density shall be sixteen to twenty-nine units per acre, as established in City of Sutter Creek General Plan Land Use Element Table 4-3, and dependent upon site conditions and constraints. See chapter 18.62 regarding density bonus allocations.

(Ord. 373, §18(c), 2023)

Chapter 18.39 - MU ZONE—MIXED USE

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▸Contents — Sutter Creek Zoning Code
Sutter Creek Zoning Code
  1. Title 18 — ZONING ORDINANCE
  2. ▸Title 18 — ZONING ORDINANCE
    Overview
    1. ▸Chapter 18.04 — PURPOSE
      Overview
      1. Chapter 18.06 — PROCEDURES
      2. Chapter 18.10 — General Provisions
      3. Chapter 18.12 — ZONES
      4. Chapter 18.13 — RR ZONE—RESIDENTIAL RANCHETTE ZONING DISTRICT
      5. Chapter 18.14 — RE ZONE—RESIDENTIAL ESTATE
      6. Chapter 18.15 — RL ZONE—RESIDENTIAL LOW DENSITY
      7. Chapter 18.16 — R-1 ZONE—ONE FAMILY DWELLING
      8. Chapter 18.20 — R-2 ZONE—TWO FAMILY DWELLING
      9. Chapter 18.28 — R-3 ZONE—MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLINGS
      10. Chapter 18.29 — PS ZONE—PUBLIC SERVICE
      11. Chapter 18.30 — MH COMBINING ZONE—MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMBINING
      12. Chapter 18.32 — C-1 ZONE—LIMITED COMMERCIAL
      13. Chapter 18.36 — C-2 ZONE—COMMERCIAL
      14. Chapter 18.38 — DTC ZONE—DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL
      15. Chapter 18.39 — MU ZONE—MIXED USE
      16. Chapter 18.40 — I-1 ZONE—LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
      17. Chapter 18.41 — I-2 ZONE—HEAVY INDUSTRIAL
      18. Chapter 18.42 — PD COMBINING ZONE—PLANNED DEVELOPMENT COMBINING
      19. Chapter 18.43 — OS ZONE—OPEN SPACE
      20. Chapter 18.44 — R ZONE—RECREATION
      21. Chapter 18.45 — DESIGN STANDARDS
      22. Chapter 18.46 — NONCONFORMING BUILDINGS AND USES
      23. Chapter 18.47 — SPECIAL EVENTS
      24. Chapter 18.48 — OFF-STREET PARKING
      25. Chapter 18.49 — TELECOMMUNICATION AND ELECTRICAL GENERATING TO…
      26. Chapter 18.50 — SITE PLANS
      27. Chapter 18.52 — VARIANCES
      28. Chapter 18.54 — ZONE CHANGES
      29. Chapter 18.56 — ZONING UPON ANNEXATION
      30. Chapter 18.58 — ACCOMMODATIONS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
      31. Chapter 18.60 — CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS
      32. § 18.060
      33. Chapter 18.61 — ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
      34. Chapter 18.62 — DENSITY BONUSES
      35. Chapter 18.66 — SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION
      36. Chapter 18.68 — ENFORCEMENT

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