(A) Purpose. It is the intent of this section that the GC Zoning District be developed and reserved for general business purposes. The regulations which apply within this district are designed to encourage the formation and continuance of a compatible and economical environment for business, financial, service and professional uses which benefit from being located in close proximity to each other; and to discourage any encroachment by industrial, residential or other uses considered capable of adversely affecting the basic commercial character of the district.
(B) Permitted uses. The following uses shall be permitted in any GC Zoning District:
(1) Retail business involving the sale of merchandise on the premises in stores, specifically including:
(a) Antique shop;
(b) Appliance, radio, television store;
(c) Art supply store;
(d) Book, magazine, newspaper shop;
(e) Candy store;
(f) Clothing store;
(g) Drug store or pharmacy;
(h) Florist shop;
(i) Fruit, nut and/or vegetable store;
(j) Gift or curio shop;
(k) Grocery store;
(l) Hardware store;
(m) Hobby and/or toy store;
(n) Household furnishings store;
(o) Millinery or hat store;
(p) Music store and/or record shop;
(q) Five- and ten-cent general or variety store;
(r) Office supply and equipment store;
(s) Package liquor store;
(t) Paint store;
(u) Photographic and camera supply and service store and studio;
(v) Shoe store;
(w) Sporting goods store; and
(x) Video film rental store.
(2) Business involving the rendering of a personal service or the repair and servicing of small equipment specifically including:
(a) Appliance, radio, television repair shop;
(b) Bank, savings and loan association, personal loan agency and branches;
(c) Barber shop, beauty shop or combination thereof;
(d) Bicycle repair and sales shop;
(e) Business school or college, commercial trade or vocational school;
(f) Dressmaker, seamstress, tailor;
(g) Dry cleaning self-service and/or laundry self-service facility;
(h) Funeral home or mortuary;
(i) Hotel, motel and/or tourist home;
(j) Jewelry and watch repair shop;
(k) Medical, dental or chiropractic clinic and/or laboratory;
(l) Locksmith or gunsmith;
(m) Office for governmental, business, professional or general purpose;
(n) Photographic studio;
(o) Private or semi-private club, lodge, union hall or social center;
(p) Private school offering curriculum leading to a recognized diploma, certification or degree;
(q) School offering instruction in art, music, dancing, drama or similar cultural activity;
(r) Secretarial and/or telephone answering service;
(s) Shoe repair shop;
(t) Telegraph office; and
(u) Telephone exchange.
(3) Radio and/or television station;
(4) Private or semi-private club, lodge, union hall or social center;
(5) Church, synagogue, temple or other place of worship;
(6) Residential use lawfully existing within the district at the time of adoption of this chapter;
(7) Off-street commercial parking lot or garage;
(8) Publicly owned and operated building, facility or land including schools; and
(C) Conditional uses. The following uses shall be permitted on a conditional basis in any GC Zoning District, subject to the conditions set forth in § 151.164:
(1) Animal hospital and/or boarding facility; provided, all boarding arrangements are maintained within a building and no noise connected with the operation of the facility is perceptible beyond the premises;
(2) Auto accessory store provided there is no storage of wrecked automobiles or scrapped or salvaged auto parts on the premises;
(3) Automobile laundry or washeteria provided an off-street paved parking area capable of accommodating not less than one-half of hourly vehicle washing capacity awaiting entrance to the washing process is suitably located and maintained on the premises (the space to contain at least 200 square feet per waiting vehicle); and, provided, no safety hazard or impediment to traffic movement is created by the operation of an establishment;
(4) Automobile service station provided operations involving major repairs, body and fender work, painting or the sale or rental of new or used cars or trucks, trailers or any type of boats, are not conducted on the premises; provided, all pumps are set back at least 25 feet from the right-of-way line of all abutting streets; and, provided, parking and/or service areas are separated from adjoining residential properties by a suitable screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finish grade;
(5) Bakery; provided that, goods baked on the premises are sold only at retail on the premises;
(6) Commercial recreational facility, specifically including:
(a) Billiard parlor;
(b) Theater, including drive-in facility;
(c) Bowling alley;
(d) Golf course (including driving range or Par 3 operation); provided, no outside loud speaking systems are utilized; provided, all lights or lighting arrangements used for purposes of advertising or night operations are directed away from adjoining or nearby residential properties; and, provided, parking and/or service areas are separated from adjoining residential properties by a suitable planting screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finish grade;
(7) Community hospital or clinic including any functions which relate directly to the operation of hospitals or clinics and are contained within the confines of the hospital or clinic; and, provided, the uses are in compliance with the provisions of § 151.131;
(8) Delicatessen, restaurant, soda fountain or other eating and/or drinking establishment; provided, no outside loud speaker systems are utilized; provided, all lights or lighting arrangements used for purposes of advertising or night operations are directed away from adjoining or nearby residential properties; and, provided, parking and/or service areas are separated from adjoining residential properties by a suitable planting screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finish grade;
(9) Dry cleaning or laundry pickup agency; provided that, any laundering, cleaning or pressing done on the premises involves only articles delivered to the premises by individual customers;
(10) Garage for the repair and servicing of motor vehicles provided all operations are conducted within a fully enclosed building and provided there is no open storage of wrecked vehicles, dismantled parts or parts visible beyond the premises;
(11) Meat, fish and/or poultry shop; provided that, no slaughtering be permitted. Any cleaning of fish or poultry necessary for the use may be permitted provided cleaning activities are conducted within the principal building enclosure on the premises;
(13) Open yard use for the sale, rental and/or storage of materials or equipment excluding junk or other salvage; provided that, the uses are separated from adjoining residential properties or zoning districts by a suitable planting screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finished grade;
(14) Pet shop; provided, all animals are housed within the principal building so that no sound is perceptible beyond the premises;
(15) Public utility substation or subinstallation, including water or fire towers; provided, the use in enclosed by a painted or chain-link fence or wall at least six feet in height above finish grade; provided, there is neither an office nor commercial operation nor storage of vehicles or equipment on the premises; and, provided, a landscaped strip not less than five feet in width is planted and suitably maintained;
(16) Mini-warehouses; provided that, the site does not exceed two acres, that total lot coverage is limited to 50% of the total area, that vehicular ingress-egress is limited to one point per each side of property and that only rental of the storage units is the only commercial activity; and
(17) Temporary use in compliance with the provisions of § 151.164.
(D) Other requirements. Unless relief is granted elsewhere in this chapter, uses permitted in GC General Commercial Zoning Districts shall be required to conform to the following standards:
(1) Minimum lot area: 10,000 square feet;
(2) Minimum lot width measured at the building line: 100 feet;
(3) Minimum front yard: measured from the nearest abutting street right-of-way line: 50 feet;
(4) Minimum side yard: not less than ten feet for each side. Where the district abuts any Residential Zoning District not separated by a street right-of-way, a minimum side yard of 30 feet on the side abutting the Residential District, together with a suitable planting screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finished grade shall be required. For side yard requirements pertaining to corner lots, see §§ 151.122 and 151.124;
(5) Minimum rear yard: 15 feet, where the district abuts any Residential Zoning District not separated by a street right-of-way, a suitable planting screen, fence or wall at least six feet in height above finished grade shall be required. For rear yard requirements pertaining to double frontage lots, see § 151.124;
(6) Maximum building height: for hotels and office buildings: 60 feet; for all other uses: 35 feet. For exceptions to the height regulations, see § 151.141;
(Ord. 97-04, passed 12-19-1996)