Chapter 19.51
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, C-4

Sections:

19.51.010 Uses permitted.

19.51.020 Building site dimensions.

19.51.030 Yard requirements.

19.51.035 Fronting on street – Requirement.

19.51.040 Height restrictions.

19.51.050 Screening requirements.

19.51.060 Off-street parking space.

19.51.070 Motels and caretakers’ units – Size requirements.

19.51.080 Caretakers’ apartments.

19.51.090 Signs.

19.51.010 Uses permitted.

In the commercial district, C-4, no building or premises shall be used nor shall any building or structure be hereafter erected or altered except for one or more of the following uses:

(1) Motels and hotels;

(2) Gasoline service stations;

(3) Taverns, restaurants and cocktail lounges, lunchrooms, confectionery shops, barbershops and beauty shops;

(4) Banks, business or professional offices;

(5) Retail stores of all descriptions where the sale of the merchandise is completed within the building;

(6) Self-service laundries and dry cleaning establishments conforming with the requirements of other ordinances and resolutions of the city;

(7) Food stores, supermarkets and drugstores;

(8) Gift, curio, novelty and variety stores;

(9) Personal and household appliance repair business;

(10) Storage or sales of automobiles in good operating condition;

(11) Other uses similar to any of the heretofore listed, as determined by the board of adjustment;

(12) Small animal clinics or veterinary hospitals with retail shop or office in connection therewith where the medical care and services administered to animals occur only within the confines of the principal structure located on the premises, but only if there is no excessive noise, and only if the materials or methods used in such care and services produce no obnoxious fumes, smoke or odors, and further provided, that refuse disposal meets the minimum standards of all applicable health requirements;

(13) Ministorage facilities for the storage of household items and recreational vehicles provided, that no business activities other than rental of storage facilities shall be conducted on the premises. Open storage facilities for recreational vehicles shall be permitted in conjunction with ministorage facilities provided, that the area is enclosed with security fencing and surfaced and drained in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 19.78 LMC;

(14) Tents for special event sales by local retail merchants; provided, that such tents are erected on the same property on which the merchant has his regular place of business or on a parking lot adjoining the merchant’s regular place of business to which the merchant’s customers normally have access. Additionally, established merchants having a regular place of business within the city limits of Longview may apply for a special event satellite tent sale in conjunction with another place of business; provided, that the applicant provides a signed agreement statement from the host business and a plot plan illustrating the location of the tent in relationship to other structures on and abutting the property; the special event sale does not impact the host business’s required off-street parking facilities; and the proposed sale of items is consistent with the permitted uses of the zone in which it is located. Subject to the following:

(a) Any such tent is fire-retardant and meets all applicable life safety and access requirements of LMC Title 18,

(b) That special sales are limited to a total of not more than 30 days in any calendar year per business, and not more than 10 successive days per sales event. Events held at a host location shall be included in the host business’s total allowable special event sale days, and

(c) Approval for such special event sale has first been granted by the city manager and the administrative fire chief. (Ord. 2919 § 1, 2005; Ord. 2643 § 3, 1996; Ord. 2014 § 1, 1980; Ord. 1690 § 4, 1974; Ord. 1418 § 1, 1969; Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.020 Building site dimensions.

In the commercial district, C-4, no building or structure shall be hereafter erected or altered upon any lot or plot having a width of less than 50 feet nor an area of less than 6,000 square feet. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.030 Yard requirements.

Except as provided in LMC 19.72.030, for each building allowed in the commercial district, C-4, there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 25 feet, a rear yard having a depth of not less than 10 feet, and a side yard of not less than 10 feet in width along the flanking or side street line. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.035 Fronting on street – Requirement.

Every principal structure shall front on or be located on property which fronts upon a street dedicated to and maintained by a municipal corporation. (Ord. 2647 § 4, 1997).

19.51.040 Height restrictions.

No building hereafter erected or altered within the commercial district, C-4, shall have a maximum height of more than 30 feet. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.050 Screening requirements.

Every commercial building erected adjacent to or abutting a lot or plot which is the site for a single-family home shall provide, at the expense of the owner of the commercial building, a screen in the form of a fence, masonry wall or hedge, at least five feet in height but not exceeding six feet and six inches in height, designed to protect the peace, quiet and rest of the occupants of the adjoining home; provided, that a legal wall of any commercial building, constructed on the property line abutting the site of the single-family home will constitute such screen and not be limited to the heretofore mentioned height; and further provided, that the height of the screen in the required front yard shall comply with the requirements of other ordinances of the city pertaining to fences and hedges. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.060 Off-street parking space.

Every permitted land use hereafter erected or enlarged within the commercial district, C-4, shall provide off-street automobile parking and truck loading and unloading facilities as required by applicable sections of Chapter 19.78 LMC. (Ord. 1415 § 13, 1969; Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.070 Motels and caretakers’ units – Size requirements.

All motels hereafter erected or altered shall provide dwelling units averaging 320 square feet or more, exclusive of cooking units and any caretakers’ unit; provided no unit shall have less than 280 square feet and no cooking unit shall have less than 400 square feet. All measurements shall be based on inside wall measurements. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.080 Caretakers’ apartments.

Caretakers’ apartments shall be permitted for any business within the commercial district, C-4; provided the apartment is within the same structure as the business and is occupied only by the owner or his employee whose duty it shall be to care for, watch and guard the property, particularly at such tunes as the structure may not be open for business. The apartment shall not be rented or occupied by any party not employed in the main business occupying the premises. (Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).

19.51.090 Signs.

Signs are permitted as provided in Chapter 16.13 LMC; provided, that all signs shall relate to the business of the occupant of the premises on which the sign is located and for which a current business license exists. (Ord. 2839 § 6, 2002; Ord. 1360 § 14, 1967).