Chapter 18.34
VEHICLE SALES FACILITIES
Sections:
18.34.06 Definition of Vehicle Sales Facility.
18.34.08 Property Development Standards.
18.34.02 Intent and Purpose.
These regulations are intended to provide uniform criteria and standards for vehicle sales facilities; which, because of the outdoor nature of their activities, require a level of review and standards greater than otherwise required.
18.34.04 Applicability.
The property development standards for vehicle sales facilities, as provided in this chapter, shall govern vehicle sales facility uses within any zone of the City wherein such a use is permitted; and shall be in addition to and supplemental to those property development standards in the zone in which said use is permitted, and any conditions for such use as imposed by a permit therefor. If there is any conflict between the provisions of this Chapter and any property development standards for vehicle sales facility uses in a particular zone, the more restrictive provisions shall apply.
18.34.06 Definition of Vehicle Sales Facility.
For the purposes of this Chapter, vehicle sales facility shall mean the use of any lot or land in the City of Norco, or portion thereof for the conducting of any business involving the sale of any vehicle required to be registered under the Vehicle Code of the State of California, whether new or used and any business involving the sale of a camper or vessel as those terms are defined in said Vehicle Code, whether new or used.
18.34.08 Property Development Standards.
(1) Building Area: The gross building area of a main sales building shall not be less than 225 square feet, with larger facilities required as are consistent with the size and location of the development. Accessory buildings thereto shall be constructed as approved by the Planning Commission in conformity with the intent of this article.
(2) Building: The building shall be a permanent structure which conforms with good taste, western motif design, and, in general, not so at variance with the appearance of other existing structures in the neighborhood as to cause the nature of the local environment to depreciate materially in appearance of value.
(3) Artificial Surfacing: The entire surface of the lot on which a vehicle sales facility is located shall be covered by paving in accordance with Site Plan Approval therefor, except for that portion used for buildings and/or landscaping.
(4) Landscaping: Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in Title 18 of the Municipal Code of the City, all property developed with a building or structure shall have landscaping in an amount equal to no less than five percent (5%) of the total area of the property having land improvements thereon and at least twenty-five percent (25%) of such required landscaping shall be located in that portion of the property being used for off-street parking. In addition to said amount of landscaping there shall be additional landscaping installed to a depth not less than five feet (5’) immediately adjacent to and along the extension of those lot lines of the property, including front and side yards which abut streets, including the sidewalk portion thereof, provided, however, that portion of the area, required for landscaping, which constitutes an access way from the property to the street need not be landscaped.
Any portion of and all of said required landscaped area shall be separated from any portion of the property which is used for parking or movement of vehicles by a wall or curb not less than six inches (6") higher in elevation than the adjacent area being used for vehicular parking or movement.
Any landscaping installed immediately adjacent to a lot line, which abuts a street, shall not exceed three feet (3’) in height at any point within twenty feet (20’) of the intersection of a vehicular drive-way and a street or sidewalk or the intersection of two or more vehicular driveways or streets. A permanent irrigation system shall be installed and maintained in an operable condition at all times for irrigation of all such required landscaped areas, and said landscaped areas shall at all times be maintained in a clean, neat and healthy condition, which maintenance shall include but not be limited to pruning, weeding, fertilizing, mowing of lawns, removal of litter, regular watering and replacement of landscaping when it has become incurably unhealthy or has died.
No building permit or occupancy permit shall be issued for any building or structure until landscaping plans for the property on which a building or structure is proposed has been submitted for review and approval by the City’s Planning Department and/or Planning Commission pursuant to Site Plan approval. Such plans shall include, but not be limited to showing the following data and information on drawings and plans:
(1) The size and dimension of all landscaped areas;
(2) The type and location of irrigation system to be installed and maintained;
(3) The type of proposed plant material for each area to be landscaped;
(4) Manner of constructing planter curbs, including location thereof, height, width and type of materials therefor. (Amended by Ord. 311 Sec. 1 (part), 1974)
(5) Parking:
(a) Each vehicle sales facility shall provide as customer parking, in addition to parking places for vehicles, campers or vessels to be sold, not less than one (1) parking space for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross land area used for open display or sales; provided, however, that if such area exceeds ten thousand (10,000) square feet, only one (1) parking space need be provided for every five thousand (5,000) square feet of such gross land area in excess of ten thousand (10,000) square feet.
(b) Vehicles, campers or vessels used for open display or sales shall be so located on the property as to afford sufficiently wide aisles to protect the customers from accident; and a stopping device shall be installed to prevent said vehicles, campers or vessels from entering or leaving the property except at the designated places of ingress and egress.
(c) No parking of vehicles, campers or vessels for customer or display purposes shall be provided within five (5) feet of an abutting sidewalk or right-of-way. The intervening 5 feet shall be landscaped, as hereinabove specified.
(6) Underground Utilities: All utilities to be installed on the site shall be underground. Underground wiring shall extend to all lighting standards on the site.
(7) Walls: If a vehicle sales facility abuts property in the OS, LD, or any “A” or “R” zone on any side, or is divided from such property by an alley, a solid wall six (6) feet in height shall be erected on all interior property lines of said site; provided, however, said wall shall not exceed three (3) feet in height if it is located within a required yard or corner cut-off area. There shall be established around all landscaped areas a planter wall not less than six (6) inches and not more than twenty-four (24) inches in height. All such walls shall be constructed and designed in accordance to the guidelines for such construction in the city’s adopted General Plan.
(8) Trash Storage Areas: All storage areas for trash, including but not limited to junk tires, shall be screened from public view on all sides by a fence, the height and design thereof being as approved pursuant to Site Plan Approval hereunder.
(9) On Site Lighting: All on site lighting shall be in accordance with Section 18.38.20(10) of this Ordinance; and in addition, festoon lighting (a string of outdoor lights suspended between two points) shall not be permitted.
(10) Signs: Any sign shall comply with the City’s Building Codes, and Chapter 18.37 (SIGNS) hereof.
(11) Noise: No vehicle sales facility shall be conducted at any time in such a manner as to cause such noise which results in discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity. In determining whether such noise exists, the following factors shall be considered:
Volume of the noise; intensity of the noise; whether the origin of the noise is natural or unnatural; whether the nature of the noise is usual or unusual; the volume and intensity of any background noise; proximity of the noise to non-service station uses; nature and zoning of the area within which the noise emanates; the density of inhabitation of the area within which the noise emanates; the time of the day or night the noise occurs; the duration of the noise; and whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent, or constant.