CC 10-01-2024 Item No. 11. Municipal Code Amendments MCA-2024-002_Staff PresentationCity Council
October 1, 2024
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTERS 19.04
(GENERAL PROVISIONS), 19.08 (DEFINITIONS), AND 19.60 (GENERAL
COMMERCIAL (CG) ZONES) AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW
MCA-2024-002
Background
General Plan Community Vision 2040 lists a guiding principle to support vibrant
and mixed-use businesses to ensure that the City’s major mixed-use corridors and
commercial nodes are vibrant, successful, and attractive.
LU-9.1.4: Regulations. Periodically review and update land use and
zoning requirements for retail, commercial and office development in
order to attract high-quality sales-tax producing businesses and services,
while adapting to the fast changing retail, commercial and office
environment.
Planning Commission
Recommendation
●Planning Commission convened on September 10, 2024.
●Recommended (3-2) that City Council adopt the
proposed amendments to the Municipal Code with the
following modifications:
●Replicate City of Palo Alto’s definition of Farmer’s
Market.
●Outdoor seating is permitted without a 20% cap so
long as parking requirements are met.
●“Convenience Market” use class shall continue to
require a Conditional Use Permit.
●Entertainment facilities (e.g., dancing, live music) in
full-service or fast-food/self-service restaurants shall
be a permitted use.
Analysis
●Chapter 19.04, General Provisions
●Added Section 19.04.100 Exclusionary Zoning to clarify that if uses
are not listed in any land use table as permitted or conditional, they
are deemed prohibited.
●Chapter 19.08, Definitions
●Bar Facility – Clarifying that a bar facility is a facility in a restaurant.
●Farmers Market – Added definition and use class.
●Food Store – Added definition as a new general category; includes
“Grocery Store”, “Convenience Market”, & “Specialty food stores.”
●Pet Day Care – Added definition which clarifies the existing “Pet
shop” use.
●Restaurant – Expanded the existing definition to add “Self-Service”
to the existing “Restaurant, Fast-Food” use.
●Specialized School – Added definition for an existing use.
Analysis –Chapter 19.60: General
Commercial (CG) Zones
●Table 19.60.030: Permitted, Conditional and Excluded Uses in General
Commercial Zoning Districts
●Eliminated “Specialty Food Stores”, and “Fast-food” as separate
uses now permitted without a Use Permit.
●Adding Farmers Markets as a use.
●Changing the approval authority for the following uses from a
“Use Permit – Planning Commission” to “Use Permit – Admin
Hearing”
●Eating establishments with separate bar facilities.
●Late evening activities.
●Pet shops located in structures that are not sound-proof.
●Moved ‘outdoor display’ and ‘outdoor seating’ standards from
CMC 19.60.50 Land Use Activity to CMC Table 19.60.030.
Analysis –Chapter 19.60: General
Commercial (CG) Zones
●Table 19.60.060: Development Standards
●Added language that referenced standards
to General Plan, Specific Plan, or any other
underlying land use document where the
commercial establishment is located.
●Referenced Standards to Landscape
Ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 14.
●Added standards for Odor Abatement
systems in eating establishments.
Recommended Action
That the City Council conduct the public hearing and conduct
the first reading of Ordinance No. 24-_____ adopt an
ordinance to:
1.Find that the proposed actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines; and
2.Amend the following:
a.Chapter 19.04, General Provisions, and
b.Chapter 19.08, Definitions, and
c.Chapter 19.60, General Commercial (CG) Zones.
Next Steps
If Council approves the introduction of the ordinance,
a second reading would be scheduled for the next
regular meeting of the City Council.