This district is intended to provide for certain areas of the City for the development of service, retail and other non-residential uses, excluding industrial and agricultural uses.
1. Permitted Uses.
A. Business sales and services conducted entirely within the building, including those with incidental manufacturing or processing of goods or products.
B. Offices and clinics.
C. Publicly owned and operated buildings and facilities.
2. Accessory Uses. Uses of land or structure customarily incidental and subordinate to a permitted use in the BC District:
A. Private recreational facilities
B. Living quarters of persons employed on the premises and not rented or otherwise used as a separate dwelling.
C. Private garages.
D. Parking lots.
E. Temporary buildings for the uses incidental to construction work. Such buildings shall be removed upon the completion or abandonment of the construction work.
3. Special Exceptions. The following uses may be permitted in the BC District subject to specific conditions and requirements intended to make them compatible with and acceptable to adjacent uses.
A. Public or private utility substations, relay stations, etc.
B. Satellite dishes. Satellite dish antennas, either permanent or temporary, are considered as accessory buildings, except that a 72-hour temporary use is allowed. No satellite dish shall exceed a diameter of 12 feet.
C. Warehouses.
D. Churches or accessory facilities on or off site.
E. Hotels and motels.
F. Dwellings, second floor and above.
G. Multi-family dwellings, on a vacant lot or lots, new construction only. Any such construction shall comply with the front, side, and back yard requirements of the RMO Residential Multi-family Optional District.
H. Solar Farms - only if on roofs hidden from view.
(Ord. 780 – May 18 Supp.)
I. Single-family dwellings and uses as defined in Section 165.28(1) within the West 132 feet of the North Half of Block Two and the South Half of Block Two of Rebecca A. Clark’s Addition to Forest City, Iowa. Any such construction shall comply with the front, side and back yard requirements of the RS, Residential Single-Family District.
(Ord. 821 – Jan. 22 Supp.)
4. Bulk Regulations. The following requirements shall provide for light and air around permitted uses and buildings in the BC District:
Minimum Lot Area | Minimum Lot Width | Minimum Front Yard | Minimum Side Yard | Minimum Rear Yard | Maximum Height (the lesser of) |
None | None | None | None | None | 4 stories or 60 feet |
Where this district abuts a lower intensity district, the greater side and rear yard setbacks apply. | |||||
5. Off-Street Parking. The following off-street parking requirements shall apply in the BC District.
A. Sales and service buildings – one parking space per 300 square feet of gross floor area.
B. Offices/clinics – one parking space per 300 square feet of gross floor area.
C. Churches – one parking space within 400 feet of the lot for each five (5) seats in the main auditorium.
D. Public buildings and facilities – one parking space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area or one parking space for each five seats in the main assembly area.
E. Hotels and motels – one parking space per room plus one parking space for each employee.
F. Dwellings – 1 space per unit.
(Ord. 703 – Jul. 10 Supp.)
6. Off-Street Loading. The following off-street loading requirements shall apply in the BC District:
A. All activities or uses allowed in the BC District shall be provided with adequate receiving facilities accessible by motor vehicle off any adjacent service drive or open space on the same zoning lot.
B. Loading shall not be permitted to block public right-of-way.
7. Signs. The following sign regulations shall apply to the BC District:
A. Off-premises signs, except real estate or political signs, are not permitted.
B. Off-premises signs shall comply with the setbacks of the districts they are located in. Other bulk regulations do not apply.
C. No sign may be lighted in a manner which impairs the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle.
D. No sign may obstruct the view of any highway or railroad so as to render dangerous the use of the highway.
E. No sign may imitate or resemble an official traffic control sign, signal or device.
F. Signs shall not encroach or extend over public right-of-way except by special exception of the Board of Adjustment.
G. No sign may obscure or physically interfere with an official traffic control sign, signal or device.
H. No advertisement or advertising structure shall be posted, erected or maintained which simulates any official, directional or warning sign erected or maintained by the State, County, City or other governmental subdivision or which incorporates or makes use of lights simulating or resembling traffic signals or control signs.
I. No advertisement shall be posted or maintained on rocks, fences, trees, or other perennial plants, or on poles maintained by public utilities.
J. All signs must comply with the provisions of Section 165.37(17) of the Supplementary District Regulations.
8. Apartments within the Fire Zone.
A. The following regulation apply to apartments within the Fire Zone as described in Section 146.01 and also located within the Business Commercial District.
B. Definitions.
(1) New Construction Apartment: an empty space that is not currently a dwelling unit.
(2) Dwelling unit: A single unit with facilities which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating of meals.
C. Apartments are allowed on the first floor/ground floor, but must be less than 50% of the available floor space and must be located in the rear of the building.
D. All walls are to be constructed of 5/8" sheet rock from floor to ceiling on both sides of the studs to act as a fire retardant.
E. A firewall is required between a business and a lower level/ground floor apartment consisting of double 5/8" sheet rock from floor to ceiling.
F. New construction apartments will require a sprinkler system.
G. Existing apartments must have two forms of egress. If two forms of egress are not available, a sprinkler system will be allowed.
H. A number system must be attached to each building (front & back) with a three tiered numbering system allowing the fire department to know the number of apartments on each floor of the building as shown: 4
1
2
Each number shall be white and 4" in height; mounted on a red backing. Number must be hung from the roofline of each building in the Fire District with residential living space.
1
2
Each number shall be white and 4" in height; mounted on a red backing. Number must be hung from the roofline of each building in the Fire District with residential living space.
I. Due to the increased fire potential in the Fire District, all apartments constructed in the Fire District will require a building permit as well as periodic inspections during and after construction.
(Ord. 783 - Dec. 18 Supp.)