The full names, short names, and map symbols of the established commercial zones are listed below. When this title refers to the commercial zones, it is referring to the zones listed below:
A. Mixed Use Zone (MU): The purpose of the mixed use zone (MU) is to provide a transition from commercial and employment centers to less intensive residential zones. The MU zone permits a mix of uses, including lower scale retail and office uses, and a variety of residential uses. This mix of uses requires special consideration of building and site design.
B. Commercial Office Zone (CO-1): The purpose of the commercial office zone (CO-1) is to provide specific areas where office functions, compatible businesses, apartments and certain public and semipublic uses may be developed in accordance with the comprehensive plan. The CO-1 zone can serve as a buffer between residential and more intensive commercial or industrial areas.
C. Neighborhood Commercial Zone (CN-1): The purpose of the neighborhood commercial zone (CN-1) is to promote a unified grouping of small scale retail sales and personal service uses in a neighborhood shopping area; encourage neighborhood shopping areas that are conveniently located and that primarily serve nearby residential neighborhoods; promote pedestrian oriented development at an intensity level that is compatible with surrounding residential areas; and promote principles of site design, building articulation, scale and proportion that are typical of traditional main street design. Allowed uses are restricted in size to promote smaller, neighborhood serving businesses and to limit adverse impacts on nearby residential areas. CN-1 zones are generally located with direct access to an arterial street.
D. Highway Commercial Zone (CH-1): The purpose of the highway commercial zone (CH-1) is to permit development of service uses relating to expressways or along arterial roadways. At certain access points, food, lodging, motor vehicle service and fuel can be made conveniently available to the thoroughfare user.
E. Intensive Commercial Zone (CI-1): The purpose of the intensive commercial zone (CI-1) is to provide areas for those sales and service functions and businesses whose operations are typically characterized by outdoor display and storage of merchandise, by repair and sales of large equipment or motor vehicles, by outdoor commercial amusement and recreational activities or by activities or operations conducted in buildings or structures not completely enclosed. The types of retail trade in this zone are limited in order to provide opportunities for more land intensive commercial operations and also to prevent conflicts between retail and industrial truck traffic. Special attention must be directed toward buffering the negative aspects of allowed uses from adjacent residential zones.
F. Community Commercial Zone (CC-2): The purpose of the community commercial zone (CC-2) is to provide for major business districts to serve a significant segment of the total community population. In addition to a variety of retail goods and services, these centers may typically feature a number of large traffic generators requiring access from major thoroughfares. While these centers are usually characterized by indoor operations, uses may have limited outdoor activities; provided, that outdoor operations are screened or buffered to remain compatible with surrounding uses.
G. Central Business Service Zone (CB-2): The central business service zone (CB-2) is intended to allow for the orderly expansion of the central business district of Iowa City, to serve as a transition between the intense land uses located in the central business district and adjoining areas, to enhance the pedestrian orientation of the central area of the city, and to provide suitable, peripheral locations for auto oriented commercial and service uses. This zone is intended to accommodate mixed land uses but at a lower intensity than permitted in the other central business zones.
H. Central Business Support Zone (CB-5): The purpose of the central business support zone (CB-5) is to allow for the orderly expansion of the central business district in accordance with the comprehensive plan; to serve as a transition between the intense land uses located in the central business district and adjoining areas; and to enhance the pedestrian orientation of the central area of the city. This zone is intended to accommodate mixed land uses, but at a lower intensity than permitted in the CB-10 district. The mixture of land uses permitted in this zone requires special consideration of building and site design. To control traffic and provide for the most efficient use of land and parking facilities, special consideration of the amount and location of parking areas is also required. To encourage developments that contain features providing a public benefit, a bonus in floor area ratio or dwelling unit density may be granted. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005)
I. Central Business Zone (CB-10): The purpose of the central business zone (CB-10) is to be the high density, compact, pedestrian oriented shopping, office, service and entertainment area in Iowa City. Development and redevelopment in this zone should occur in compact groupings, in order to intensify the density of usable commercial spaces, while increasing the availability of open spaces, plazas or pedestrianways. This zone is intended to accommodate a wide range of retail, service, office and residential uses. Auto oriented uses are not permitted, except as specifically provided. Consolidated off street loading and service facilities should be provided wherever practical with access provided from public service alleys or courts. Private, off street parking is strictly regulated in order to preserve valuable land for active building uses and to maintain a pedestrian oriented streetscape. To support a healthy and vibrant commercial core, development of mixed use buildings with residential uses located above storefront commercial uses is encouraged. (Ord. 08-4326, 12-22-2008)