Article 21 — C-2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

(Amended by O-3453)

No building, structure, improvement or premises shall be used, and no building, structure or improvement shall be erected, constructed, established, altered or enlarged which is designed, arranged or intended to be occupied or used for any purpose other than the following:

a) Residential uses when a conditional use permit has been granted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5. b) Home occupation in a residential unit. c) Small family day care home. d) Large family day care home subject to approval of a large family day care permit. e) Any use permitted in the C-1 zone.

f) Stores or shops for the conduct of retail or wholesale business, new or secondhand, including, but not limited to:

Automobile repair garages, including body and fender repair service, provided all operations are conducted within the building

Bar, beer (with dancing)

Bar, cocktail (with dancing)

Battery service Billiard hall Bowling alley Commercial swimming pool as provided for in Chapter 5 Dance hall

Dog food catering service, provided no manufacturing of dog food is done on the premises

Dyeing of yarns

Extracting and bottling of fruit and vegetable juices, provided that not more than a total of five (5) horsepower in electric motors is used in connection with the extracting and bottling operation

Feed and grain store

Frozen food locker Furniture reupholstering or redecorating store or shop Furniture storage Garages, public Glass edging, beveling and silvering in connection with the retail sale of mirrors and glass Gymnasium Hospitals as provided for in Chapter 5 Laundry of not more than ten (10) horsepower boiler and not more than ten (10) horsepower of electric motors Massage parlors Mortuaries Motion picture film, processing of motion picture film Newspaper Newspaper publishing plant Phonograph records; production from prepared biscuits, providing no manufacturing is done other than the molding of the record in steam presses and the packaging for distribution Photoengraving Plating of precious metals for retail service Sanitorial as provided for in Chapter 5 Service stations; gasoline service stations as provided for in Chapter 5 Tire retreading with not to exceed five (5) molds in connection with a public garage or gasoline service station Transfer station for furniture and household goods Turkish baths Water service establishments as provided for in Chapter 5 g) Light manufacturing incidental to the retail sale of goods from the premises only, provided; 1) That not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the ground floor area of any building shall be used for such purposes; 2) That no motor exceeding one (1) horsepower be used in connection therewith and that the total horsepower so used shall not exceed five (5) horsepower;

ed for in Chapter 5 g) Light manufacturing incidental to the retail sale of goods from the premises only, provided; 1) That not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the ground floor area of any building shall be used for such purposes; 2) That no motor exceeding one (1) horsepower be used in connection therewith and that the total horsepower so used shall not exceed five (5) horsepower;

3. That no portion of any building or premises used for such incidental manufacturing shall be less than fifty (50) feet from any residential zone. Other similar enterprises or businesses which, in the opinion of the Commission, are not more obnoxious or detrimental to the public welfare than the enterprises or business herein enumerated; provided, however, that no junk or auto wrecking yard or establishment shall be established or maintained in Zone C-2.

h) Other businesses or enterprises for which a use permit has been granted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5.

(Amended by O-1302)

The maximum building height shall be regulated by the Building Code of the City of Torrance; provided, however, that the maximum building height of structures used for residential purposes shall be fifty (50) feet.

(Amended by O-1302)

No minimum lot area is required, except that when property in Zone C-2 is used for residential purposes, the lot area per living unit shall be not less than required in Zone R-4; provided, however, that these requirements shall not apply to hotels or apartments where no cooking facilities are provided in any individual room, suite or apartment.

(Amended by O-1877; O-1878; O-1937; O-1938)

No minimum front yard depth is required; provided, however, that for residential uses there shall be a front yard as required in the R-3 zone.

No minimum side yard depth is required, except that any residence, apartment house or hotel shall comply with side yard requirements in Sections 92.5.3. and 91.8.8.

(Amended by O-1937; O-1938)

No minimum rear yard depth is required, except that any residence, apartment house or hotel shall have a rear yard of not less than the rear yard requirements in the R-3 zone.

(Added by O-1875; Amended by O-3179)

No building, structure or improvement shall be used for commercial purposes on any lot until all buildings used or designed or constructed to be used for residential purposes, and accessory structures existing thereon have been removed, unless a conditional use permit therefor has been obtained.

(Added by O-1937; O-1938; Amended by O-2111)

A flat building, apartment house, or other residential dwelling shall not occupy a site which provides less than one thousand six hundred (1,600) square feet of land area per dwelling unit.

(Added by O-1937; O-1938)

Where the main entrance to any dwelling unit faces a driveway, a separate walkway shall be provided. Said walkway shall be unobstructed and physically separated from the driveway by a twenty-four (24) inch wide buffer strip permanently maintained in landscaping. The minimum distance between said driveway and the main entrance to any unit shall be ten (10) feet. The minimum distance between said driveway and a secondary entrance shall be five (5) feet.

(Added by O-2307)

There shall be useable open space not less than that required in the R-3 zone for residential uses.

(Added by O-2470)

a) All trash from all uses permitted by this Article shall be kept at all times in enclosures of the type described in this Section.

b) Trash enclosures as required in this Section shall be bounded on three (3) sides by walls of material compatible in color, texture and appearance with the main structure and having a gated opening of sufficient width to permit the removal and replacement of standard size commercial trash bins. The gate of said enclosure shall be constructed of solid, opaque material.

c) Trash bins shall remain in the enclosures except during trash pickup.

(Added by O-2624; O-2699)

a) That in order to provide for the orderly and harmonious development of the area and that any such proposed developments will enhance the commercial development of the area so as to increase the taxable value of real property and sales tax return to the City and so that such proposed developments will maintain the stability and value of the property as a desirable commercial area and so that traffic in the area is properly managed to minimize hazard and congestion, the Planning Commission shall review all plans of development in the C-2 zone. The Commission shall approve plans only after finding that the proposed development will not adversely affect the orderly and harmonious development of the area and the general welfare of the City; otherwise, such plans shall be disapproved. In making such findings, the Commission shall consider, among other factors, the following:

• 1. Dimensions, shape and orientation of the parcel;
• 2. Placement of buildings and structures on the parcel;
• 3. Height, bulk and area of structures;
• 4. Setbacks;
• 5. Placement, height and direction of illumination of light standards;
• 6. Location and design of parking and loading facilities;
• 7. Landscaping;
• 8. Design of interior traffic circulation, including placement of points of ingress and egress;
• 9. Location, height and materials used for walls, fences and other barricades;
• 10. Location and method of screening trash and storage areas, roof equipment, pipes, vents, utility equipment, and all equipment not contained in the main buildings of the development;
• 11. Signing;
• 12. Such other information which the Planning Commission may require to make the necessary findings that the provisions of this Code are being complied with.

b) If the plans are approved, the Commission may impose thereon such other conditions as they may deem appropriate to effectuate the purpose of the Official Land Use Plan and the best interests of the City. Such conditions may include but are not limited to:

• 1. Avigation easements;
• 2. Dedication of land for access purposes;
• 3. Payment, in whole or in part, for traffic regulating devices;
• 4. Such other conditions as the Planning Commission may deem necessary to effectuate the proper development of the property and surrounding area and insure compliance with the Official Land Use Plan of the City.

c) The provisions of this Section shall apply to all new development and to any renewal of use of a structure in the C-2 zone which has been unused for ninety (90) days prior to the proposed date of renewal of use.