(A) Intent and purpose. These districts are designed to provide adequate space in appropriate locations for the establishment of a wide variety of uses, including commercial trade and service uses, entertainment facilities, offices and establishments engaged in wholesale trade. Since these activities tend to generate relatively large volumes of traffic and have other characteristics detrimental to residential districts, their locations should be removed from the proximity of residential districts as much as possible.
(B) Uses and structures.
(1) Principal permitted uses and structures. For specific permitted uses allowed in this zoning district, refer to § 151.021.
(2) Permitted accessory uses and structures.
(a) Accessory off-street parking and loading facilities as required in §§ 151.115 et seq.
(b) Accessory facilities and buildings customarily incidental to a permitted use as regulated by § 151.025.
(3) Conditional uses. For specific conditional uses allowed in this zoning district, refer to § 151.021.
(4) Prohibited uses. Any use not allowed by right, by accessory or by conditional use is prohibited in the GC District.
(C) Bulk regulations. For bulk regulations, which include minimum lot area, minimum lot width at the building line, and maximum height, refer to the table in § 151.027.
(3) Maximum gross floor area ratio. The maximum gross floor area ratio (FAR) shall be 0.25.
(D) Yard requirements.
(1) General provisions. General provisions applicable to all commercial districts concerning visibility at intersections, permitted obstructions in required yards, obstructions prohibited at street intersections, exceptions to these provisions and other regulations are contained in § 151.006.
(2) Basic provisions. For yard requirements, which include setbacks for front, side, and rear yards, refer to the table in § 151.027.
(E) Use of required use of requires yard area.
(1) Landscaping. The first ten feet of any required yard adjacent to a street shall be devoted to landscaping (as defined in § 151.003). All other required yard areas not occupied by sidewalks and driveways shall also be devoted to landscaping.
(2) Driveways and accessory off-street parking. The maximum number of permitted parking spaces shall be based upon a ratio of one parking space per 200 square feet of gross building area with the exception of auto dealerships, places of assembly and those permitted and conditional land uses that have a minimum parking space requirement that is less in which case the minimum parking space requirement shall also serve as the maximum parking space requirement. Auto dealerships shall be permitted one additional parking space per 125 square feet of gross building area for customer parking and vehicle storage areas completely concealed from public view with a masonry brick wall. All parking areas shall be striped and all vehicles shall be parked within designated parking spaces. The maximum number of spaces for places of assembly, including, but not limited to, churches, auditoriums, theatres and restaurants shall not exceed one space for every two seats provided for within the assembly occupancy.
(F) Site plan review process. This site plan review and approval process is outlined in § 151.311.
(G) Enclosure requirements. All uses shall be conducted within completely enclosed buildings except for parking, loading and other accessory uses, as regulated by § 151.025, which by their nature exist outside a building.
(`00 Code, § 11-506) (Ord. 94-19, passed - -; Am. Ord. 98-15, passed - -; Am. Ord. 00-01, passed - -; Am. Ord. 2002-13, passed 8-12-02; Am. Ord. 2003-34, passed 11-24-03; Am. Ord. 2011-01, passed 3-14-11; Am. Ord. 2011-02, passed 3-14-11; Am. Ord. 2011-04, passed 3-14-11)