Chapter 19.70
CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL (CC) DISTRICT

Sections:

19.70.010    Purpose.

19.70.020    Permitted land uses.

19.70.030    Corridor commercial setback standards.

19.70.040    Lot coverage and floor area ratio.

19.70.050    Site layout and building orientation.

19.70.060    Building height.

19.70.070    Architectural guidelines and standards.

19.70.080    Pedestrian and transit amenities.

19.70.090    Special standards for certain uses.

19.70.010 Purpose.

The corridor commercial district is intended to allow auto-accommodating commercial development while encouraging walking, bicycling, and transit. The district allows a full range of retail and service businesses with a local or regional market. Industrial uses are allowed but are limited in size to avoid adverse effects and ensure that they do not dominate the character of the commercial area. The district’s development standards promote attractive development, an open and pleasant street appearance and compatibility with adjacent residential areas. Development is intended to be aesthetically pleasing for motorists, transit users, pedestrians, and the businesses themselves. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.020 Permitted land uses.

A. Permitted Uses. The land uses listed in Table 19.70.020.A are permitted in the corridor commercial district, subject to the provisions of this chapter. Only land uses that are specifically listed in Table 19.70.020.A, and land uses that are approved as “similar” to those in Table 19.70.020.A, may be permitted. The land uses identified with a “CU” in Table 19.70.020.A require conditional use permit approval prior to development or a change in use.

B. Determination of Similar Land Use. Similar use determinations shall be made in conformance with the procedures in Chapter 19.480 FMC, Code Interpretations.

 

Table 19.70.020.A

Land Uses and Building Types Permitted in the Corridor Commercial District 

1. Commercial

a. Auto-oriented uses and facilities*

b. Entertainment (e.g., theaters, clubs, amusement uses)

c. Hotels/motels

d. Medical and dental offices, clinics and laboratories

e. Mixed-use development*

f. Office uses (i.e., those not otherwise listed)

g. Personal and professional services (e.g., child care center, catering/food services, restaurants, laundromats and dry cleaners, barber shops and salons, and similar uses)

h. Repair services (must be enclosed within building)

i. Retail trade and services (e.g., grocery, hardware and variety stores, banks and financial institutions)

j. Uses similar to those listed above (subject to CU requirements, as applicable)

2. Industrial*

a. Light manufacture (e.g., small-scale crafts, electronic equipment, furniture, similar goods when in conjunction with retail or if determined by the planning commission to be compatible with the purposes of the district and other uses in the district) (CU)

3. Public and Institutional (CU)

a. Churches and places of worship

b. Clubs, lodges, similar uses

c. Government offices and facilities (administration, public safety, transportation, utilities, and similar uses)

d. Libraries, museums, community centers, concert halls and similar uses

e. Public parking lots and garages

f. Private utilities

g. Public parks and recreational facilities

h. Schools (public and private)

i. Special district facilities

j. Telecommunications equipment – antennas pursuant to Chapter 19.245 FMC

k. Telecommunications equipment – monopoles (CU) pursuant to Chapter 19.245 FMC

l. Uses similar to those listed above subject to applicable CU requirements

4. Residential*

a. Residential mixed use*

b. Manufactured homes – individual lots (existing housing only)

c. Residential care homes and facilities (CU)

d. Family day care (12 or fewer children) (CU)

5. Accessory Uses and Structures

Land uses marked with an asterisk (*) use the special standards for certain uses in FMC 19.70.090.

Land uses marked with a CU shall require a conditional use permit according to Article IV of this title.

(Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.030 Corridor commercial setback standards.

A. Building Setbacks. In the corridor commercial district, setback standards are intended to support the purpose of the district to create an aesthetically pleasing, open and pleasant street appearance; to complement the building orientation standard; and to enhance visibility of commercial uses from the street. Building setbacks are measured from the wall or facade to the respective property line. The setback standards apply to primary structures as well as accessory structures. The standards may be modified only by approval of a variance.

1. Front Setbacks.

a. Minimum Setback. There is no minimum front setback.

b. Maximum Setback. The maximum setback is 20 feet.

c. Frontage Requirement. Building facades shall occupy a minimum of 50 percent of the frontage width at the maximum setback line.

2. Rear Setbacks.

a. Minimum Setback. The minimum rear setback for all structures shall be zero feet for street-access lots, and eight feet for alley-access lots (distance from building to rear property line or alley easement) in order to provide space for parallel parking. When a building abuts a residential district the minimum rear setback shall be 15 feet.

b. Through-Lots. For buildings on through-lots (lots with front and rear frontage onto a street), the front setbacks in subsection (A)(1) of this section shall apply.

3. Side Setbacks. There is no minimum side setback required, except that buildings shall conform to the vision clearance standards in Chapter 19.162 FMC, the landscaping and buffering requirements in Chapter 19.163 FMC, and the applicable fire and building codes for attached structures, firewalls, and related requirements.

4. Setback Exceptions.

a. Architectural Features. Eaves, chimneys, bay windows, overhangs, cornices, awnings, canopies, porches, decks, pergolas, and similar architectural features may encroach into setbacks by no more than four feet, subject to compliance with applicable standards of the Uniform Building Code and Uniform Fire Code. Walls and fences may be placed on the property line, subject to the requirements of Chapter 19.163 FMC, Landscaping, Street Trees, Fences and Walls. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.040 Lot coverage and floor area ratio.

There are no maximum lot coverage or floor area ratio requirements, except that compliance with other sections of this code may preclude full (100 percent) lot coverage for some land uses. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.050 Site layout and building orientation.

This section is intended to encourage the efficient use of space, and connectivity to parking areas. The standards, as listed on the following page and illustrated above, complement the front setback standards in FMC 19.70.030.

A. Applicability. This section applies to all new land divisions, site design review, and conditional use applications.

B. Pedestrian Access Standard. New land divisions and developments, which are subject to site design review or conditional use permits, shall provide pedestrian pathways as necessary to ensure reasonably safe, direct, and convenient access to building entrances and off-street parking.

1. From adjoining street right-of-way to building entrances and off-street parking these pathways shall be provided with an average maximum interval of 100 feet along the street right-of-way.

2. Between adjoining developments where practical.

3. In conformity with applicable requirements in Chapter 19.162 FMC, Access and Circulation.

C. Building Orientation Standard. All of the developments listed in subsection A of this section shall be oriented to a street. The building orientation standard is met when all of the following criteria are met:

1. Buildings shall have their primary entrance(s) oriented to (facing) the street with a direct pedestrian walkway connecting with the adjoining street right-of-way. Building entrances may include entrances to individual units, lobby entrances, entrances oriented to pedestrian plazas, or breezeway/courtyard entrances (i.e., to a cluster of units or commercial spaces). Alternatively, a building may have its entrance facing a side when a direct pedestrian walkway not exceeding 30 feet in length is provided between the building entrance and the street right-of-way.

2. Off-street parking, driveways or other vehicular circulation shall not be placed between a building and the street. On corner lots, buildings and their entrances should be oriented to the street corner. Parking, driveways and other vehicle areas shall not be permitted adjacent to street corners. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.060 Building height.

All buildings in the corridor commercial district shall comply with the following building height standards. The standards are intended to allow for development of appropriately scaled buildings.

A. Maximum Height. Buildings shall be no more than 45 feet in height.

B. Method of Measurement. “Building height” is measured as the vertical distance above a reference datum measured to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to the average height of the highest gable of a pitched or hipped roof. The reference datum shall be selected by either of the following, whichever yields a greater height of building:

1. The elevation of the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface within a five-foot horizontal distance of an exterior wall of the building when such sidewalk or ground surface is not more than 10 feet above the lowest grade;

2. An elevation 10 feet higher than the lowest grade when the sidewalk or ground surface described in subsection (B)(1) of this section is more than 10 feet above the lowest grade. The height of a stepped or terraced building is the maximum height of any segment of the building. Not included in the maximum height are: chimneys, bell towers, steeples, roof equipment, flag poles, and similar features which are not for human occupancy.

C. Performance Option. The allowable building height may be increased to 55 feet, when approved as part of a conditional use permit. The development approval may require additional setbacks, stepping-down of building elevations, visual buffering, screening, and/or other appropriate measures to provide a height transition between the development and adjacent development. Roof equipment and other similar features which are necessary to a commercial or industrial operation shall be screened, and may not exceed eight feet in height without approval of a conditional use permit. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.070 Architectural guidelines and standards.

A. Purpose and Applicability. The corridor commercial district architectural guidelines are intended to provide detailed, human-scale design, while affording flexibility to use a variety of building styles. This section applies to all development applications that are subject to site plan review or conditional use permits.

B. Guidelines and Standards. Each of the following standards shall be met. An architectural feature used to comply with more than one standard in this title.

1. Pedestrian-Oriented Design. All buildings shall contribute to the desired pedestrian-friendly character of corridor commercial district buildings. This criterion shall be met by providing all of the architectural features listed in subsections (B)(1)(a) through (d) of this section, along the front building elevation (i.e., facing the street), as applicable.

a. Corner building entrances on corner lots. Alternatively, a building entrance may be located away from the corner when the building corner is beveled or incorporates other detailing to reduce the angular appearance of the building at the street corner.

b. Regularly spaced and similar-shaped windows with window hoods or trim (all building stories).

c. Large display windows on the ground floor. Bulkheads, piers and a storefront cornice (i.e., separates ground floor from second story) shall frame display windows.

d. Decorative cornice at the top of a building (flat roof); or eaves provided with pitched roof.

Figure 19.70.070.B(2) – Design of Large-Scale Buildings and Developments (Typical)

[Note: the example shown above is meant to illustrate examples of these building design elements, and should not be interpreted as a required architectural style.]

2. Design of Large-Scale Buildings and Developments. The standards in subsection (B)(2)(c) of this section shall apply to large-scale buildings and developments, as defined in subsections (B)(2) (a) and (b) of this section:

a. Buildings with greater than 20,000 square feet of enclosed ground-floor space (i.e., “large-scale”). Multitenant buildings shall be counted as the sum of all tenant spaces within the same building shell;

b. Multiple-building developments with a combined ground-floor space (enclosed) greater than 40,000 square feet (i.e., shopping centers, public/institutional campuses, and similar developments);

c. All large-scale buildings and developments, as defined in subsections (B)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, shall provide human-scale design by conforming to all of the following criteria:

i. Incorporate changes in building direction (i.e., articulation), and divide large masses into varying heights and sizes, as shown above. Such changes may include building offsets; projections; changes in elevation or horizontal direction; sheltering roofs; terraces; a distinct pattern of divisions in surface materials; and use of windows, screening trees; small-scale lighting (i.e., wall-mounted lighting, or up-lighting); and similar features.

ii. Every building elevation adjacent to a street with a horizontal dimension of more than 100 feet, as measured from end-wall to end-wall, shall have a building entrance, which is open during business hours. Pathways shall connect all entrances to the street right-of-way, in conformance with Chapter 19.162 FMC, Access and Circulation, unless waived by the approval authority when the applicant can demonstrate that the building(s) is unable to provide such an entrance because the function of the building and/or the characteristics of the site do not allow an alternative floor plan or building orientation that could reasonably provide it. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.080 Pedestrian and transit amenities.

A. Purpose and Applicability. This section is intended to complement the building orientation standards in FMC 19.70.050, and the street standards in Chapter 19.165 FMC, by providing pedestrian spaces within the corridor center commercial district. This section applies to all development applications that are subject to site design review or conditional use permits.

B. Guidelines and Standards. Every development shall provide at least one of the “pedestrian amenities” listed in subsections (B)(1) through (4) of this section. Pedestrian amenities may be provided within a public right-of-way when approved by the applicable jurisdiction.

1. A plaza, courtyard, square or extra-wide sidewalk next to the building entrance (minimum width of eight feet);

2. Sitting space (i.e., dining area, benches or ledges between the building entrance and sidewalk (minimum of 16 inches in height and 30 inches in width);

3. Building canopy, awning, pergola, or similar weather protection (minimum projection of four feet over a sidewalk or other pedestrian space);

4. Public art which incorporates seating (e.g., fountain, sculpture, etc.).

C. Transit Amenities. Development on sites that are adjacent to or incorporate transit streets shall provide improvements as described in this section at any existing or planned transit stop located along the site’s frontage, unless waived by the community development director.

1. Transit facilities include bus stops, shelters, and related facilities. Required transit facility improvements may include the dedication of land or the provision of a public easement.

2. Development shall at a minimum provide reasonably direct pedestrian connections, as defined in FMC 19.162.030, between building entrances and the transit facility and between buildings on the site and streets adjoining transit stops.

3. Improvements at Major Transit Stops. A proposed development that is adjacent to or includes an existing or planned major transit stop will be required to plan for access to the transit stop and provide for transit improvements, in consultation with TriMet and consistent with an agency adopted or approved plan at the time of development. Requirements apply where the subject parcel(s) or portions thereof are within 200 feet of a transit stop. Development requirements and improvements may include the following:

a. Intersection or mid-block traffic management improvements to allow for pedestrian crossings at major transit stops.

b. Building placement within 20 feet of the transit stop, a transit street or an intersection street, or a pedestrian plaza at the stop or at street intersections.

c. Transit passenger landing pads accessible to disabled persons to transit agency standards.

d. An easement or dedication for a passenger shelter and an underground utility connection to a major transit stop if requested by TriMet.

e. Lighting to TriMet standards.

f. Intersection and mid-block traffic management improvements as needed and practicable to enable marked crossings at major transit stops.

4. Any Type II land divisions where further divisions are possible, and all Type III land divisions, multiple-family developments, community services uses, and commercial or industrial uses located on an existing or future planned major transit street shall meet the TriMet transit facility requirements. Applicants shall consult with TriMet to determine necessary transit facility improvements in conjunction with the proposed development. Proposals shall be consistent with the road crossing improvements that are identified in the transportation system plan on streets with existing or planned transit service. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 2-2017 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)

19.70.090 Special standards for certain uses.

This section supplements the standards contained in FMC 19.70.030 through 19.70.080. It provides additional standards for the following land uses in order to control the scale and compatibility of those uses within the corridor commercial district:

•Accessory Uses and Structures

•Automobile-Oriented Uses and Facilities

•Sidewalk Displays

•Light Industrial

•Residential Mixed-Use Development

A. Accessory Uses and Structures. Accessory uses and structures are of a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use or structure on the same lot. Typical accessory structures in the corridor commercial district include small workshops, greenhouses, studios, storage sheds, and similar structures. Accessory uses and structures are allowed for all permitted land uses within the corridor commercial district, as identified in Table 19.70.020.A. Accessory structures shall comply with the following standards:

1. Primary Use Required. An accessory structure shall not be allowed before or without a primary use.

2. Setback Standards. Accessory structures shall comply with the setback standards in FMC 19.70.030, except that the maximum setback provisions shall not apply.

3. Design Guidelines. Accessory structures shall comply with corridor commercial district design guidelines, as provided in FMC 19.70.070.

4. Restrictions. A structure shall not be placed over an easement that prohibits such placement. No structure shall encroach into the public right-of-way.

5. Compliance with Subdivision Standards. The owner may be required to remove an accessory structure as a condition of land division approval when removal of the structure is necessary to comply with setback standards.

B. Automobile-Oriented Uses and Facilities. Automobile-oriented uses and facilities, as defined below, shall conform to all of the following standards in the corridor commercial district. The standards are intended to provide a vibrant commercial character and encourage walking, bicycling, and transit.

1. Parking, Garages, and Driveways. On corner lots, parking lot or garage entrances shall be oriented to a side street (i.e., away from the more major street), unless topography, ownership patterns or unreasonable expense would make this requirement not practicable.

2. Automobile-Oriented Uses. “Automobile-oriented use” means automobiles and/or other motor vehicles are an integral part of the use. These uses are restricted because, when unrestricted, they detract from the pedestrian-friendly character of the district and can consume large amounts of land relative to other permitted uses. Automobile-oriented uses shall comply with the following standards:

a. Vehicle Repair, Sales, Rental, Storage, Service. Outdoor storage and display for these uses is prohibited unless the use is in a fully enclosed structure.

b. Drive-Up, Drive-In, and Drive-Through Facilities. Drive-up, drive-in, and drive-through facilities (i.e., associated with restaurants, banks, car washes, and similar uses) are permitted only when accessory to a primary commercial “walk-in” use, and shall conform to all of the following standards:

i. The facility receives access from an alley or driveway, and not a street;

ii. None of the drive-up, drive-in, or drive-through facilities (i.e., driveway queuing areas, windows, teller machines, service windows, drop-boxes, and similar facilities) are located within 20 feet of a street and shall not be oriented to a street corner. (Walk-up only teller machines and kiosks may be oriented to a corner); and

iii. The facility is subordinate to a primary permitted use. “Subordinate” means all components of the facility, in total, occupy less street frontage than the primary commercial or public/institutional building.

C. Sidewalk Displays. Sidewalk display of merchandise and vendors shall be limited to cards, plants, gardening/floral products, food, books, newspapers, bicycles, and similar small items for sale or rental to pedestrians (i.e., non-automobile-oriented). A minimum clearance of five feet shall be maintained. Display of larger items, such as automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, buses, recreational vehicles/boats, construction equipment, building materials, and similar vehicles and equipment, is prohibited.

D. Light Industrial Uses.

1. High Traffic-Generating Uses. Uses which are likely to generate “significant” levels of vehicle traffic (e.g., due to shipping, receiving, and/or customer traffic) shall require a conditional use permit. “Significant traffic” means that the average number of daily trips, or the average number of peak hour trips, on any existing street would increase by 10 percent or greater as a result of the development. The city may require a traffic impact analysis prepared by a qualified professional prior to deeming a land use application complete, and determining whether the proposed use requires conditional use approval. Applicants may be required to provide a traffic analysis for review by Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for developments that increase traffic on state highways. The conditional use permit shall include appropriate transportation improvement requirements, as identified by the traffic analysis and/or ODOT, in conformance with Chapter 19.165 FMC.

2. Wireless Communication Equipment. Wireless communication equipment, including radio (i.e., cellular), television and similar types of transmission and receiving facilities are permitted, subject to the standards for wireless communication equipment in Chapter 19.245 FMC. Wireless communication equipment shall also comply with required setbacks, lot coverage and other applicable standards of the corridor commercial district.

E. Residential Mixed-Use Development. The following standards apply to support the commercial and light manufacturing intent of the corridor commercial zoning district and the direction of the Comprehensive Plan:

1. Nonresidential uses must occupy the ground floor along 75 percent of the street-facing facade width.

2. Except for property located at the corner of NE 223rd and Sandy Boulevard, residential mixed-use development is prohibited within the corridor commercial zone east of NE 223rd Avenue. (Ord. 9-2019 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 6-2001 § 1)