Chapter 10.22 — OFFICE COMMERCIAL ZONE

This chapter shall apply to all land within the Office Commercial (C-2) zone. The purpose of the C-2 zone is to provide areas for professional and non-retail commercial offices and businesses in close relationship with one another. The objectives of the C-2 zone are:

(A) The development of a variety of office uses including professional, administrative, business, finance, and medical.

(B) The development of office buildings and complexes that exhibit high standards of design, including:

(1) Attractive, tree-lined streets, which emphasize and encourage walking and bicycling as well as efficient automobile transit, to serve the office

developments. In such neighborhoods, the sidewalk may be setback from the street, providing space for a tree-lined landscaped area.

(2) Office buildings and complexes that include generous amounts of landscaping, including parking lots designed so that they do not dominate the street scene and buildings that complement one another with tasteful design features.

(C) To ensure that office buildings are designed in a manner that minimizes the impact to the adjacent residential development through sensitive design that considers the impacts of noise, traffic, and lighting sources.

(D) To provide for the sensitive conversion of single-family homes into offices, with special attention being given to facade elevations, parking lots, signage, and lighting.

(E) To minimize traffic congestion, while providing an efficient circulation system.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

(A) Uses shall be permitted or not permitted, conditionally permitted, administratively permitted, or temporarily permitted as prescribed in the land use table in § 10.08.030.

(B) Residential uses shall be subject to the development and design standards of the residential zone that are consistent with the density of the residential development. Thus, a multi-family development with a density of 12 units per acre would be subject to the development and design standards of the R-M zone. These standards include but are not limited to setbacks, height limitations, and open space.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

The minimum site area shall be 3,000 square feet.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

The minimum lot frontage shall be 40 feet, except that where there is a recorded reciprocal use agreement for shared common access and parking areas, no minimum frontage is required. (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

The maximum building coverage of a lot shall be 80%.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

(A) No structure shall be placed within a building setback area.

(B) The front building setback area shall be a minimum of ten feet, except where an office is being developed within an existing residential neighborhood between existing residences and buildings on the block have a front yard setback greater than ten feet, the setback for the unit being converted shall be average of the other buildings on the block.

(C) There shall be no required rear building setback, except where a site abuts a residentially zoned parcel in which case the setback shall be ten feet.

(D) There shall be no required side building setback, except where a site abuts a residentially zoned parcel in which case the setback shall be five feet.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

There is no minimum distance between structures required, except that all building code requirements shall be met. (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

The maximum structure height shall be 30 feet.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

(A) Wherever possible, developments shall share driveways to minimize the number of driveways on public streets.

(B) New driveways near street corners shall be located a minimum of 150 feet from the radius curve of the curb unless otherwise specifically approved by the City Engineer.

(C) Sites with alleys shall utilize alley access to minimize driveways on streets as long as it is possible and practicable.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

(A) Off-street parking and off-street loading facilities shall be provided on the site for each use as prescribed in Chapter 10.54.

(B) Parking areas shall not be closer than 15 feet to any front or street side lot line. The area between the lot line and the parking area shall be landscaped.

(C) New parking areas shall be located behind or to the side of buildings, not between buildings and the street unless it is not possible or practicable. Refer to Chapter 10.52 for Landscape Standards for parking areas. (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

There is no minimum requirement for usable open space.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

• (A) Landscaping shall be provided for each use as prescribed in Chapter 10.52 Landscape Standards.

• (B) A minimum of 5% of the gross lot area shall be landscaped. All exterior areas not devoted to parking, storage, driveways, walkways or loading areas shall be landscaped.

• (C) Required landscaping shall be installed prior to final occupancy and continually maintained pursuant to Chapter 10.52.

• (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

Fences, walls, and hedges in the C-2 zone shall conform to the design standards provided in § 10.50.040 and to the following standards:

(A) These regulations do not apply to fences or walls required by regulations of a state or federal agency, or by the city for reasons of public safety, or to retaining walls that adjoin land uses.

(B) A seven-foot solid masonry wall shall be required along any side or rear property line abutting residential zone district, except in required front and street side yards where the maximum height shall be three feet. On a reversed corner lot where the district boundary line is adjacent to the front yard of a neighboring property, the required wall shall be reduced in height to four feet within 15 feet of a street property line.

(C) Walls along arterial and collector streets. If a wall is required, or if the developer of a site located along either an arterial or collector street chooses to install a wall, the wall shall be installed and maintained equal to a minimum of six feet and a maximum of seven feet in height.

(D) Allowable fence materials. All fences, constructed or installed within the city shall be limited to the following materials or a combination of materials:

• (1) Front and street side yards:

• (a) Concrete/block/brick.

• (b) Latticework fencing.

• (c) Wood.

• (d) Wrought iron.

• (2) Rear and interior side yards:

• (a) Concrete/block.

• (b) Latticework fencing.

• (c) Wood.

• (d) Wrought iron

(E) Temporary fencing. Temporary fencing may be necessary to protect archaeological or historic resources and/or trees during site preparation and construction. Temporary fencing for these purposes shall be subject to the review and approval of the Director.

(F) The city reserves the right to remove, at the expense of the owner of the property or properties enclosed by the fence, any fence in a public easement in any emergency.

• (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

Signs placed in the C-2 zone shall be subject to the requirements and standards prescribed in Chapter 10.56. (Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)

(A) All businesses, services, and processes shall be conducted entirely within a completely enclosed permanently fixed structure, except where specifically permitted by this title.

(B) Mechanical equipment shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from a rear or side lot line that abuts a residential zone district unless there is a parapet wall that shields the mechanical equipment.

(C) New development shall be required to install public infrastructure necessary to adequately serve the project, based on requirements of the City Engineer, including sewer, water, storm drainage lines, curbs, gutters and sidewalks, street paving, street lighting, and trash enclosure. These improvements shall be constructed consistent with requirements shown in the City of Tulare Standards and Specifications and shall be installed prior to occupancy of any structures on the site.

(D) All development in the C-2 zone shall be designed consistent with the requirements and standards prescribed in Chapter 10.60 Development Standards.

(Ord. 2025-01, passed 1-7-2025)