Chapter 2
Permitted Uses by District

2.201 Permitted Uses and Uses Allowed by Special Exception.

In order to avoid intrusion of undesirable uses and to foster all possible benefits for a continued high quality environment, all residential and nonresidential land and structure uses have been classified into permitted uses and uses allowed by special exception permit. Permitted uses include those which require a minimum of limitations; but those uses presenting potential injurious effect upon residential and other property, unless authorized under specific imposed conditions, are controlled through the issuance of special exception permits. Uses requiring a planning commission special exception permit are permitted or prohibited in accordance with the procedure and regulations set forth in Article 6, Chapter 3.

2.202 Prohibited Uses and Uses Not Expressly Permitted.

A.    Prohibited Uses. Uses for enterprises or purposes that are contrary to federal, state, or local laws or ordinances are prohibited.

B.    Uses Not Expressly Permitted in a zoning district are prohibited unless a positive finding is made by the planning commission that both of the following criteria are met:

1.    The use which is not expressly permitted is not listed in any other zoning district.

2.    The use which is not expressly permitted has characteristics sufficiently similar to uses that are permitted principal uses or special exception uses in the zoning district in question.

3.    If both of the above considerations are met, the use may be permitted as a principal or special exception use as determined by the Planning Commission.

2.203 Permitted Uses by District.

A.    Uses Permitted in Each District. Except for adult-use marihuana business uses, Table 2 lists the permitted uses in each district. Table 2.1 and Table 2.2 list the permitted adult-use marihuana business uses in each Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay District as defined in this ordinance. Refer to Article 7, Chapter 2 for definitions of all uses listed in the following Table 2.1 and Table 2.2. In addition, primary caregivers shall be permitted by special exception in IP-1 and M-1 Zoning Districts.

B.    Development Standards Applicable to Uses. Whenever a specific development standard is included for a particular use in Table 2, Table 2.1 or Table 2.2, any development must comply with the requirements of the referenced section. All development standards are listed in Article 2, Chapter 5.

C.    Footnotes. Refer to the footnotes to the table of permitted uses in Section 2.205. Footnotes applicable to each zoning district or category of zoning district are listed in parentheses in the heading of Table 2, Table 2.1 and Table 2.2.

D.    Special Purpose Zoning Districts Not Listed in Table 2 or Table 2.1. Refer to Article 3 for the uses and development standards applicable in the special purpose zoning districts. Special purpose zoning districts are not listed in Table 2 or Table 2.1, and include the PURD Planned Unit Residential District, R-5 Manufactured Housing District, R-O Recreation-Open Space District, P-1 Parking District, G-O-T Government Office Technology District, C-C Civic Center District, MUD – Mixed Use District, TC Town Center District, and SP Special Purpose District.

(Ord. No. 2407, 4-4-23)

2.204 Zoning District Design Standards.

The following Table 2 and Table 2.1 list the uses that may be permitted in each zoning district; provided, that the development also meets the design and building standards set forth for each district in Chapters 3 through 6 of this ordinance, along with all other development standards contained in this ordinance. For instance, while multiple family apartment buildings may be permitted in various zoning districts, each zoning district will have different standards for building bulk, location, and design. The customized design standards set forth in each zoning district are tailored to the existing and intended character of each zoning district, and are further intended to prevent contextually inappropriate development from occurring within the City.

Table 2. Uses Permitted by District

Key:	■ Principal Permitted Use	o Special Exception Use								[blank] Use Not Permitted
	*    Special Exception Permit Uses Outside the Medical Marihuana Overlay Districts				⚫    Principal Permitted Uses in the Medical Marihuana Overlay Districts
USE		Residential Districts (A)			Mixed Use Districts					Industrial Districts			DEVELOPMENT STANDARD
		R-1 (B)	R-2	R-3	C-O	C-1	C-2	C-3	C-4	M-1	M-2	IP-1
Residential Uses
Mixed Use Building – residential with non-residential				o	o	■	■	■					Section 2.501
Boarding or Lodging House				o	o								Section 2.502
Multiple Family Manor House (3-4 units)			o	■	o								Section 2.503
Multiple Family Apartment Building (3+ units)				■		o	■						Section 2.504
One Family Dwelling Unit		■	■	■	■								Section 2.505
State Licensed Residential Facility and/or Home (6 or fewer clients)		■	■	■	■								Section 2.506
State Licensed Residential Facility and/or Home (7 or more clients)			o	o	o								Section 2.506
Unlicensed Residential Facility and/or Home				o									Section 2.506.1
Townhouse (3+ units)			o	■	o	o	o						Section 2.507
Two Family Dwelling Unit			■	■									Section 2.505
Commercial, Office, and Service Uses
Automobile Service (Commercial)						o		o	o	■	■		Section 2.509
Bakery or Confectionary				o		■	■	■	■				Section 2.510
Bank or Financial Institution				o		■	■	■	■
Bar, Tavern, or Alcohol Service Establishment						■	■	■	■
Business Service Establishment						■	■	■	■
Child Care Center or Day Care Center			o	o	o	■	o	■	■				Section 2.511
Funeral Home or Mortuary						■	■	■
Gallery or Studio				o	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Lodging Uses
Bed & Breakfast		o	o	o	o	o	■						Section 2.512
Inn					o	o	■	■	■
Hotel							■	■	■
Learning Center				o	■	■	■	■	■
Medical Clinic						o	■	o
Medical Marihuana Grower (D)										⚫	⚫	⚫	Section 2.545
Medical Marihuana Processor (D)										⚫	⚫	⚫	Section 2.546
Medical Marihuana Provisioning Centers (D)							⚫	⚫*		⚫	⚫		Section 2.547
Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility (D)						*	⚫	⚫*	*	⚫*	⚫*	⚫	Section 2.548
Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter (D)						*	⚫	⚫*	*	⚫*	⚫*	⚫	Section 2.549
Mobile Food Parklet (allowed in the Mobile Food Parklet Overlay District only)													Section 2.550.1
Office				o	■	■	■	■	■
Pawn Shops					o	o	o	o					Section 2.513
Personal Service Establishment				o	■	■	■	■	■
Pet Boarding Facility						■		■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.532
Place of Assembly (<50 persons at maximum occ.)				o	o	■	■	■	■	■	■		Occupancy determined by fire code
Place of Assembly (51+ persons at maximum occ.)						o	■	■	■	■	■
Restaurant				o	o	■	■	■	■				Only on A or B Street
Retail Sales
Small indoor – up to 5,000 sq. ft.				o		■	■	■	■
Medium indoor – 5,001 – 75,000 sq. ft.						■	■	■	■
Large indoor – no area limit									■
Unlimited outdoor								o	o	■	■		Section 2.514
Retail Sales (packaged alcoholic beverages)						o	o	o	o				Section 2.515
Sexually Oriented Businesses										o	o	o	Section 2.508
Workshop/Showroom						o	■	■		■	■	■	Section 2.516
Industrial Uses
Automobile Service (Industrial)								o		■	■	o
Heliport										o	o
Manufacturing, Fabrication and Processing
Light								■		■	■	■	Section 2.517
General										o	■	o	Section 2.517
Heavy											o		Section 2.518
Mini-Warehouse								o		■	■		Section 2.519
Movie and Television Production Facility							■	o		■	■	■
Outdoor Storage or Outdoor Yard (major)										o	o	o	Section 2.520
Recycling Center										o	■
Recycling Plant or Scrap Processing											o
Research Facility (general)										■	■	■
Research Facility (major)										o	■	o
Salvage Yards/Resource Recovery Facilities/Junk Yards											o
Service and Repair (industrial)										■	■	■
Terminal, Public Transportation		o	o	o	o	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Terminal, Freight										■	■	o
Wholesale Storage/Distribution
Nontoxic, nonhazardous materials								■		■	■	■
Toxic or hazardous materials										o	■	o
Community, Education and Institution uses
Assisted Living Facility			o	o	o	■	■	■					Section 2.521
Cemetery or Crematorium		o	o	o		o		o		o	o	o	Section 2.522
Community Center Building		■	■	■
Community Service Facility			o	o	o	o		o		■	■		Section 2.523
Cultural or Municipal Use		o	o	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Hospital							■	■
Nursing Home			o	o	o	■	■	■					Section 2.521
Private Club, Fraternal Organization, or Lodge Hall				o	o	■	■						Only permitted along A or B street
Public Parking Lot/Structure						o	o	o
Religious Institution		o	o	o	■	■	■	■	■	■	■		Section 2.524
School, College or University		o	o	o	o	o	o	o					Only permitted along A or B street
School, Primary or Secondary		o	o	o	o	■	■	■
School, Vocational					■	■	■	■		■	■	■
Utility (minor)		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Utility (major)		o	o	o	o	o	o	o	o	■	■	■
Recreation Uses
Golf Course		o	o	o
Private Recreation
Small Indoor						■	■	■		■	■	o
Large Indoor						o	o	o	o	■	■	o
Small Outdoor		o	o	o	o					■	■	o	Section 2.525
Large Outdoor						o	o	■	o	■	■	o	Section 2.526
Park or Recreation Facility		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Animal and Agriculture Uses
Agriculture, Urban		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.527
Bee Keeping		■	■	■									Section 2.528
Community Gardens		■	■	■									Section 2.529
Greenhouse or Nursery						o		■		■	■	■	Section 2.530
Kennels										■	■	■	Section 2.531
Veterinary Hospital or Clinic						■		■		■	■		Section 2.533
Accessory, Temporary, and Other Uses
Accessory Building or Structure		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.205.C
Boarders or Roomers (up to 2 per d.u.)		■	■	■	■								Section 2.534
Drive-Through Facility (accessory to any principal use)						o	o	o	■				Section 2.535
Helipad							o	o		o	o	o
Home Occupation		■	■	■	■	■	■	■					Section 2.536
Outdoor Retail Sales (accessory to a permitted use)						o	o	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.537
Outdoor Retail Sales (temporary or seasonal)					■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.538
Outdoor Sidewalk or Patio Dining (accessory to a permitted use)				o	o	■	■	■	■				Section 2.539
Outdoor Storage (accessory to a permitted use)					o	o	o	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.540
Sustainable Energy Generation
Small Wind Energy System		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.541
Utility Wind Energy System											o		Section 2.541
Solar Energy System		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.541
Temporary and Special Events		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	Section 2.542
Temporary Construction Facilities		■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	■
Wireless Telecommunication Facilities		o	o	o	o	o	o	o	o	■	■	■	Section 2.543

Not more than eight (marihuana) retailers are to be located in any one of the four Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay Districts; social equity retailers authorized by City ordinance are allowed in any one of the four Downtown Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay Districts; not more than five Class A microbusinesses are allowed across all Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay Districts; and not more than six designated consumption establishments shall be allowed in the Downtown Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay District with three designated consumption establishments permitted north of Huron Street and three designated consumption establishments permitted south of Huron Street; grower, safety compliance facility, secure transporter, are allowed in the East Walton Boulevard and Cesar E. Chavez Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay Districts; temporary marihuana events shall be allowed only in the Downtown Adult-Use Marihuana Business Overlay District; and primary caregivers or caregivers shall be located by special exception approval in the IP-1 and M-1 Zoning Districts.

Table 2.1. Uses Permitted by District

Commercial, Office, and Service Uses
USE		Residential Districts			Commercial Districts					Industrial Districts			DEVELOPMENT STANDARD
		R-1	R-2	R-3	C-O	C-1	C-2	C-3	C-4	M-1	M-2	IP-1
Designated Consumption Establishment													Section 2.555
Adult-Use Marihuana Grower Facility													Section 2.551
Adult-Use Marihuana Class A Microbusiness													Section 2.554
Adult-Use Marihuana Processor													Section 2.552
Adult-Use Marihuana Retailer or Social Equity Retailer													Section 2.553
Adult-Use Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility													Section 2.556
Adult-Use Marihuana Secure Transporter						X		X		X	X		Section 2.557
Adult-Use Marihuana Temporary Marihuana Event													Section 2.558
Caregiver										X		X	Section 2.559

X = Permitted use.

Table 2.2. Adult Marihuana Uses By Overlay District, Including Limits Per Overlay District

Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts (AUMOD)
USE		Downtown Overlay (District 3)	Cesar E. Chavez Overlay (District 2)	East Walton Overlay (District 1)	Woodward Gateway Overlay (District 4)	DEVELOPMENT STANDARD
Designated Consumption Establishment		O 3 – N of Huron 3 – S of Huron				Section 2.555
Adult-Use Marihuana Grower Facility1			O	O		Section 2.551
Adult-Use Marihuana Class A Microbusiness (5 across all districts)		O	O	O	O	Section 2.554
Adult-Use Marihuana Processor2			O	O		Section 2.552
Adult-Use Marihuana Retailer3		O 5	O 5	O 5	O 2	Section 2.553
Adult-Use Marihuana Social Equity Retailer4		O 1	O 2	O 2	O 1	Section 2.553
Adult-Use Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility5			O	O		Section 2.556
Adult-Use Marihuana Secure Transporter6			O	O		Section 2.557
Adult-Use Marihuana Temporary Marihuana Event		#				Section 2.558

1 Adult-use marihuana growers are only permitted to operate on parcels zoned M-1, M-2, and IP-1 within the above Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts.

2 Adult-use marihuana processors are only permitted to operate on parcels zoned M-1, M-2, and IP-1 within the above Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts.

3 Adult-use marihuana retailers may operate only on parcels zoned C-1, C-3, M-1, and M-2 within the Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts.

4 Adult-use marihuana social equity retailers may operate only on parcels zoned C-1, C-3, M-1, and M-2 within the Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts.

5 Adult-use safety compliance facilities are only permitted to operate on parcels zoned C-3, M-1, M-2, and IP-1 within the Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts.

6 Within the Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay Districts, adult-use marihuana secure transporters are only permitted to operate on parcels zoned C-3, M-1, M-2, and IP-1.

o = Special Exception Permit required. Applicants must have a conditionally approved Adult-Use Marihuana Business Permit from the City of Pontiac.

# = Temporary Use Permitted with the proper City of Pontiac permitting with any necessary building and zoning approvals.

Note: If a number is listed in Table 2.2, that is the maximum allowed in that overlay district. If a number is not listed, there is no limitation per overlay district, but applicants must receive proper adult-use marihuana permits from the City.

(Ord. No. 2316, § 1, 3-17-14; Ord. No. 2361, 3-12-19; Ord. No. 2363, 4-9-19; Ord. No. 2415, 6-20-23; Ord. No. 2407, 4-4-23; Ord. No. 2436, 3-19-24; Ord. No. 2443, 5-28-24; Ord. No. 2444, 6-4-24)

2.205 Footnotes to the Table of Permitted Uses.

A.    Commercial, Office, and Service Uses in Residential Districts. Commercial, office and service uses that are permitted in the R-1, R-2, or R-3 district may be permitted following special exception approval. Commercial uses shall only be permitted in a building with the front facade located within 60 feet of an A or B street. The front facade and entrance to the building shall be oriented towards the A or B street.

B.    R-1 Districts. The list of permitted uses for the R-1 district applies to the R-1, R-1A, and R-1B zoning districts.

C.    Accessory Buildings and Structures.

1.    Accessory Building standards are listed in the zoning district development standards, Section 2.304 through Section 2.314.

2.    Accessory Structure standards are listed in Article 4, Chapter 1.

D.    Not more than five medical marihuana provisioning center facilities are to be located in any one of the three medical marihuana overlay districts (MMOD), described in Section 3.1106.

E.    The maximum allowable number of adult-use marihuana retailers in the City of Pontiac shall be 17 and the maximum number of adult-use marihuana social equity retailers shall be six. The maximum number of marihuana retail permits in each Adult-Use Marihuana Overlay District (AUMOD) shall be as set forth in Table 2.2, Adult Marihuana Uses by Overlay District, Including Limits Per Overlay District.

(Ord. No. 2361, 3-12-19; Ord. No. 2363, 4-9-19; Ord. No. 2407, 4-4-23)