(A) Intent. The purpose of the General Commercial District shall be to locate and establish areas within the city which are uniquely suited for heavy commercial development. Such areas are to be developed in an intensive manner and are designed to provide opportunities for small businesses of a variety of types. The uses and development standards included in the district are intended to provide additional opportunities for businesses to locate within the city by providing a mix of service, warehousing, commercial, wholesaling, storage, and similar businesses and uses.
(B) Principal uses and structures. The following uses and structures are permitted:
(1) Professional offices (accounting, architecture, engineering, dentistry, medical, insurance, legal, real estate, financial services (non-banking) and similar uses).
(2) General offices (administrative, corporate, business and similar uses).
(3) Personal services (beauty, barber, dry cleaning pick-up and similar uses).
(4) Business services (graphic design, interior design, advertising, photography, printing, employment services, telemarketing, business schools and similar uses).
(5) Financial institutions (banks, credit unions and savings and loans).
(6) Retail sales and service (clothing, jewelry, luggage, shoes, electronics, sporting goods, books, gift shops, florists, photographic supplies, art dealers, tobacco products, grocery stores, drug stores, cosmetic and beauty supply, optical, specialty food and similar uses).
(7) Veterinarians and veterinary clinics.
(8) Schools licensed by the state of Florida.
(9) Day care centers licensed by the state of Florida.
(10) Public uses (any federal, state, county, municipal, special district or similar use).
(11) Funeral homes.
(12) Eating establishments (restaurants, coffee shops, pastry shops, ice cream parlors, cafeterias, snack shops and similar uses).
(13) Major retail sales, rental and service (building supply, major appliances, furniture, paint, hardware, lawn and garden supplies, consumer goods rentals and similar uses).
(14) Plant nurseries and greenhouses.
(15) Public utility facilities.
(16) Clubs, lodges and fraternal organizations.
(17) Building services (pest control, carpet cleaning, janitorial, water treatment, vending and similar uses).
(18) Contractors’ offices (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, masons, roofers, builders, cabinet makers, fence installers, gutter and siding installers, flooring and tile installers, drywall installers, painters, heating and air conditioning installers, glass repair and replacement and similar uses).
(19) Wholesale trade, warehousing and storage
(20) Towing services with associated storage.
(21) Upholstery and furniture repair/refinishing.
(22) Medical and dental manufacturing labs.
(23) Welding and machine shops.
(24) Technical and trade schools.
(25) Retail automotive sales, rental and service (car, boat, recreation vehicle, ATV, and motorcycle sales and service including paint, body and upholstery shops).
(26) Assembly of components manufactured off-site.
(27) State licensed tattoo parlors.
(28) Drinking establishments.
(29) Indoor commercial recreation (excluding dance clubs). In buildings with multiple tenants, indoor commercial recreational uses may occupy up to five thousand (5,000) square feet of gross floor area, fitness centers and other indoor health, recreational, and similar facilities for exercise, sports, and other physical activities. Outdoor recreation uses must be related to the indoor recreation use and require a site plan approval.
(C) Accessory uses and structures. Customary accessory uses of one (1) or more of the principal uses, clearly incidental and subordinate to the principal use, in keeping with the high intensity commercial nature of the district. All storage shall be within an enclosed structure or completely screened by an opaque fence or wall, of at least six (6) feet in height.
(D)
Conditional uses.
(1) Permitted uses located on a parcel of ten (10) or more acres of area.
(2) Commercial towers.
(3) Security dwelling unit, subject to the provisions established in § 185.088(I).
(4) Canine day care, and related services:
(a) There shall be no more than one (1) dog per thirty-five (35) square feet of the area within the facility that the dogs will be housed.
(b) The facility must have an outdoor area for exercise and bathroom relief. Said area shall be enclosed with a minimum six (6) foot tall fence.
(c) All kennels and housing areas shall be within an air-conditioned building. Outside kenneling will not be permitted.
(d) Fecal matter shall be disposed of on a daily basis.
(e) Dogs shall be indoors between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(5) Dancing in eating and drinking establishments.
(6) Churches.
(7) Event halls, subject to the provisions established in § 185.088(J).
(8) Self-storage facilities subject to the provisions established in § 185.088(F).
(E) Prohibited uses and structures.
(1) All uses not specifically permitted herein.
(2) Pawn shops.
(3) Pain-management clinic.
(F) Lot and structure requirements.
(1) Minimum lot area - fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet.
(2) Minimum lot width - one hundred (100) feet.
(3) Minimum lot depth - one hundred fifty (150) feet.
(4) Maximum building coverage - fifty percent (50%).
(5) Minimum floor area - three hundred (300) square feet.
(6) Maximum height - forty (40) feet.
(7) Minimum yard requirements:
(a) Front: thirty (30) feet minimum building setback. Parking areas may be located in the front yard except within ten (10) feet on the front lot line.
(b) Side interior: ten (10) feet minimum building setback. Parking areas may be located in the side yard, except within five (5) feet of the side lot line.
(c) Side corner: twenty-five (25) feet minimum building setback. Parking areas may be located in the side corner yard, except within ten (10) feet of any street.
(d) Rear: ten (10) feet minimum building and parking setback.
(8) Shared access and parking areas.
(a) No side interior building and parking area setbacks are required provided all of the following are met:
1. Buildings on adjacent parcels, under separate ownership, are joined by a common wall;
2. Parking areas and aisles are joined with adjacent parcel(s) under separate ownership;
3. Curb cuts and driveways are shared in common parcels involved and a minimum spacing of one hundred (100) feet is maintained, or access is provided by an approved frontage road; and
4. Easements and/or written assurances of cross access and a sharing of common facilities (stormwater system, solid waste container(s), lighting, landscaping, etc.), as may be applicable, from all property owners involved must be approved prior to the issuance of a building permit.
(b) For adjacent developments meeting the requirements of divisions (F)(8)(a) 2. through 4. above, the total number of off-street parking spaces required for uses on all parcels involved may be reduced by ten percent (10%) where the location of shared parking areas provides convenient access to all principal buildings.
(9) Design requirements.
(a) An Architectural Style for each structure is required. This shall include adherence to all standards contained in § 185.134.
(Ord. 2004-01, passed 1-22-04; Am. Ord. 2004-59, passed 10-7-04; Am. Ord. 2005-10, passed 3-17-05; Am. Ord. 2008-27, passed 5-1-08; Am. Ord. 2009-16, passed 5-7-09; Am. Ord. 2009-29, passed 7-16-09; Am. Ord. 2009-56, passed 12-17- 09; Am. Ord. 2010-41, passed 9-16-10; Am. Ord. 2012-29, passed 9-20-12; Am. Ord. 2015-26, passed 6-4-15; Am. Ord. 2016-17, passed 4-21-16; Am. Ord. 2019-16, passed 3-21-19; Am. Ord. 2020-12, passed 2-20-20; Am. Ord. 2021-53, passed 9-2-21; Am. Ord. 2023-17, passed 4-20-23; Am. Ord. 2024-05, passed 2-1-24)