Watsonville Municipal Code Part 12 CT

14-16.1200 Purpose.¶

The purpose of the Thoroughfare Commercial District is to provide for retail, commercial, service, amusement, and transient-residential uses which are appropriate to thoroughfare location and dependent upon thoroughfare travel; to be located only in the immediate vicinity of major streets and arterials or on the service drives thereof; and to provide convenient vehicular access and parking for the public.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980)

Exceptions & meaning →

14-16.1201 Principal permitted uses.¶

(a) The following uses require an Administrative Review Permit:

GLU
50	Drugstores
52	Hardware, retail
53	General merchandise, retail Exclusions: 531
54	Food, retail
541	Convenience store
541	Grocery store
56	Apparel and accessories, retail
57	Furniture, house furnishings, and equipment
581	Eating places Exclusions: All eating and drinking places offering live entertainment or dancing, 582 uses; and drive-through facilities
09	Low barrier navigation center
5811	Restaurant
59	Retail stores miscellaneous Exclusions: 5911, 5936, 5937, 5938, 5941, 596 (soil, rock and gravel sales only), and 5939
60	Finance, insurance, and real estate
61	Personal services
62	Business services
66	Medical and health services
67	Professional services, other
79	Nonprofit organizations, offices and facilities
4833	Satellite earth station antennas

(b) The following uses are only permitted with an Administrative Review Permit if a primary residential unit is provided or present on the site:

DLU	724	Child care homes up to fourteen (14) children

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 6, Ord. 659-84 C-M, eff. December 27, 1984, § 1, Ord. 693-86 C-M, eff. March 27, 1986, § 1, Ord. 888-92 C-M, eff. April 23, 1992, § 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, § 1, Ord. 1135-02 C-M, eff. September 10, 2002, Ord. 1153-03 C-M, eff. April 24, 2003, and § 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025, § 2, Ord. 1488-26 (CM), eff. June 25, 2026)

Exceptions & meaning →

14-16.1202 Accessory uses.¶

(a) The following uses are only permitted with an Administrative Review Permit if a primary residential unit is provided or present on the site:

DLU	02	Accessory dwelling unit
	02	Junior accessory dwelling unit

(b) Other uses and buildings customarily appurtenant or incidental to a principal permitted use on the same parcel, subject to the general and special provisions, applicable laws, and Performance Standards, and intended solely for use by the occupants of a principal permitted use or uses.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025)

Exceptions & meaning →

14-16.1203 Conditional uses.¶

(a) The following uses require an Administrative Use Permit:

DLU
10	Lumber and other building material dealers, retail
2082	Brewpub
41	Transit, local and suburban
541	Grocery store with beer and wine sales
55	Automotive dealers Exclusions: 552, 555, and 556
5811	Restaurant with beer and wine sales
596	Farm and garden supply store and retail nurseries
64	Repair services, miscellaneous
68	Transient accommodations
77	Art galleries and museums

(b) The following uses require a Special Use Permit:

GLU
04	Multi-family dwellings, not constructed in conjunction with another use
09	Supportive housing
09	Transitional housing
07	Dormitory
09	Single-family residential in conjunction with the following: GLU: 50, 52, 53, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 77, and 79
113	Frozen food lockers, retail
114	Mini warehouses, household goods
1633	Utility company storage yards
17	Contractors’ offices
191	Feed stores, retail
192	Fuel and ice dealers, retail
193	Laundries and cleaning and dyeing plants
197	Veterinarian hospitals and clinics — Exclusions: Outdoor kennels
27	Printing, publishing, and reproduction
51	Service stations, gasoline, single use subject to criteria and standards
552	Automotive outdoor sales lots
555	Automotive trailer sales
556	Boat dealer sales
581	Eating places offering live entertainment and dance or drive-through facilities
59	Retail stores — Exclusions: 5941
63	Automotive repair, services, and garages subject to criteria and standards
65	Commercial amusement and recreation services — Exclusions: 6541 and 6542
69	Commercial vacant and temporary uses and buildings
85	Commercial recreation facilities
4811	Telecommunications sites
02	Accessory dwelling unit
50	Retail cannabis facility (Type 10 license only)
DLU
541	Convenience store with beer and wine sales
541	Convenience store with liquor sales
541	Grocery store with liquor sales
5811	Restaurant with bar
5811	Restaurant with liquor sales
582	Bar — Exclusion: 5823
592	Liquor store
6144	Body Art Facilities

(c) Any lot or portion thereof being lawfully used for any of the purposes enumerated in this section when such property is first classified in a zone wherein such use is not permitted by right or when the use is prohibited by this or any future amendment to this title, shall nonetheless be deemed to be an approved site for such permitted conditional use, which may be continued thereon. The conditions included in any district ordinance, Conditional Use Permit or Variance which authorized such use shall also continue in effect. However, when a substantial change of mode or character of the operation of such property occurs, continuation of such use shall require approval by means of a Conditional Use Permit which permit may be granted notwithstanding that the pre-existing nonconforming use is otherwise not permitted by right or is a prohibited use within the zone.

(d) As used herein, the phrase “substantial change of mode or character of operation” shall include, but not be limited to: a transfer of ownership of any type of regulatory license required specifically for that use; a pattern of conduct in violation of any City, State or Federal regulation, ordinance or statute; or a cessation of use for a period of six (6) months or more or upon an operational change as set forth in Section 14-25.030.

(e) Any permitted use operating pursuant to any Conditional Use Permit as required by this section, shall require approval de novo of such Conditional Use Permit upon a substantial change of mode or character of operation of such property.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 2, Ord. 693-86 C-M, eff. March 27, 1986, § 1, Ord. 888-92 C-M, eff. April 23, 1992, § 1, Ord. 977-95 C-M, eff. August 24, 1995, § 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, § 1, Ord. 1135-02 C-M, eff. September 10, 2002, Ord. 1153-03 C-M, eff. April 24, 2003, § 1, Ord. 1162-03 C-M, eff. October 23, 2003, § 1, Ord. 1201-06 (CM), eff. October 26, 2006, § 1, Ord. 1224-07 (CM), eff. October 25, 2007, § 1, Ord. 1369-18 (CM), eff. October 11, 2018, § 2, Ord. 1464-24 (CM), eff. July 11, 2024, and § 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025)

Exceptions & meaning →

14-16.1204 District regulations.¶

The following regulations shall be observed in the Thoroughfare Commercial District for the use proposed, except as otherwise provided in this title or as modified by Conditional Use Permit:

(a) Minimum lot area and dimensions.

Area, interior and corner lot	6,000 square feet
Frontage, interior and corner lot	50 feet

(b) Minimum yard setback requirements.

Front	15 feet
Side and rear yards	None
Exception: When property directly abuts an R District:
Side or rear abutting	10 feet

Maximum lot coverage by building or structure subject to all other requirements	Varies
Maximum allowable height subject to other requirements, three (3) stories maximum	35 feet

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980)

Exceptions & meaning →