A. The several types of commercial zones included in this chapter are designed to achieve the following:
1. Provide appropriate areas for various types of retail stores, offices, service establishments and wholesale businesses to be concentrated for the convenience of the public; and to be located and grouped on sites that are in logical proximity to the respective geographical areas and respective categories of patrons that they serve in a manner consistent with the general plan;
2. Maintain and improve Visalia's retail base to serve the needs of local residents and encourage shoppers from outside the community;
3. Accommodate a variety of commercial activities to encourage new and existing business that will employ residents of the city and those of adjacent communities;
4. Maintain Visalia's role as the regional retailing center for Tulare and Kings Counties and ensure the continued viability of the existing commercial areas;
5. Maintain commercial land uses that are responsive to the needs of shoppers, maximizing accessibility and minimizing trip length;
6. Ensure compatibility with adjacent land uses.
B. The purposes of the individual commercial zones are as follows:
1. Neighborhood Commercial Zone (C-N). The purpose and intent of the neighborhood commercial zone district is to provide for small-scale commercial development that primarily serves surrounding residential areas, wherein small office uses as well as horizontal or vertical residential mixed use are also supported, and provide standards to ensure that neighborhood commercial uses are economically viable and also integrated into neighborhoods in terms of design, with negative impacts minimized, with multimodal access, and context-sensitive design. Neighborhood Commercial development shall be subject to design review and public input. There should be 10 to 15 dwelling units per gross acre where residential uses are included. Shopping centers shall be of a total size of 5 to 12 acres and located no closer than one mile from other General Plan designated Neighborhood Commercial locations, or from existing grocery stores, anchored by a grocery store or similar business no larger than 40,000 square feet in size, and include smaller in-line stores of less than 10,000 square feet. Alterations and additions in existing nonconforming centers may be permitted, subject to design review and conditions of approval to minimize neighborhood impacts.
2. Regional Commercial Zone (C-R). The purpose and intent of the regional commercial zone district is to provide areas for retail establishments that are designed to serve a regional service trade area. The uses permitted in this district are to be of a large-scale regional retail nature with supporting goods and services. Uses that are designed to provide service to residential areas and convenience, neighborhood and community level retail are not permitted, while office uses are to be limited.
3. Service Commercial Zone (C-S). The purpose and intent of the planned service commercial zone district is to provide areas that accommodate wholesale, heavy commercial uses, such as lumberyards and construction material retail uses, etc., and services such as automotive, plumbing, and sheet metal fabrication. It is intended that uses in this district be those that can be compatible with heavy truck traffic and noise. Uses that would restrict the operation of generally permitted heavy commercial businesses are not provided in this district. (Ord. 2017-01 (part), 2017: prior code § 7310)