(A) Professional offices on the ground floor. In approving office use on the ground floor, the following standards are met.
(1) Professional offices on the ground floor of a commercial building are subject to the off-street parking requirements in Article 9 of this chapter; provided, the required parking may be permitted to be located off site if the following requirements are met:
(a) The required parking spaces are located off-street within 300 feet of the entrance to the office;
(b) The parking area meets all applicable requirements of this chapter for off-street parking;
(c) The owner provides written assurance that the spaces will be permanently available; and
(d) A maintenance agreement is provided to ensure the continued upkeep of the parking area.
(2) If a building has both retail/service/ entertainment uses and office uses on the ground floor, the retail/service/entertainment use(s) shall be located in the storefront, adjacent to the public sidewalk; however, a single entry door in the façade that leads to the office use shall be permitted.
(3) The structure containing the office use shall maintain a retail character, with ground floor display windows, facades, signs and lighting similar in nature to and compatible with that provided by retail uses.
(a) For existing structures, existing windows, doors or other wall openings shall not be eliminated or enclosed, unless the Planning Commission finds that any eliminated windows/doors are compensated by new windows, doors or other wall openings and that the retail character and nature of the building is retained.
(b) For new structures, any ground floor wall facing a street shall have transparent areas, equal to at least 70% of its portion of the façade, between one and eight feet from the ground. Walls on upper floors facing a street shall have transparent areas equal to at least 35% of its portion of the façade.
(c) Glass shall be clear or lightly tinted only. Opaque applications shall not be applied to the glass surface, except for window signs as permitted in Chapter 81, Signs.
(B) Serviced offices (drop-in office). Parking shall be provided at the ratio required for professional offices.
(C) Product showrooms and similar mixed office with product display uses.
(1) Must be open during regular business hours, at a minimum five days a week for at least five continuous hours a day.
(2) Must allow walk-in customers (not just by appointment).
(3) A minimum of 70% of the street facing façade on the ground level must contain display windows that allow outside pedestrians to see into the building.
(4) If associated fleet/service vehicles are to be parked onsite, they must either be parked inside a building or must be screened so that they are not visible from the street right-of-way.
(5) The square footage of office space must be equal to or lesser than the square footage of display and storage areas.
(Ord. effective 11-29-2013; Ord. effective 9-14-2019)