Chapter 2.5 –
Highway Commercial District (HC)

Sections:

2.5.100    Purpose

2.5.200    Uses

2.5.300    Development Standards

2.5.100 Purpose

The purpose of the Highway Commercial (HC) District is to provide areas suitable for commercial uses and services. However, the HC District is also intended to achieve the following objectives:

2.5.200 Uses

A.    Permitted uses. Uses allowed in the Highway Commercial District are listed in Table 2.5.1 with a “P.” These uses are allowed if they comply with the development standards and other regulations of this Code.

B.    Special Provisions. Uses that are either permitted or conditionally permitted in the Highway Commercial District subject to special provisions for that particular use are listed in Table 2.5.1 with an “SP.” Uses subject to an SP shall comply with the applicable special use standards included in Chapter 2.15.

C.    Conditional uses. Uses that are allowed in the Highway Commercial District with approval of a conditional use permit are listed in Table 2.5.1 with either a Minor Conditional Use “MCU” or a Conditional Use “CU.” These uses must comply with the criteria and procedures for approval of a conditional use set forth in Chapter 4.4 of this Code.

D.    Similar uses. Similar use determinations shall be made in conformance with the procedures in Chapter 4.8 – Code Interpretations.

Table 2.5.1 Use Table for the Highway Commercial District 

Land Use Category	Permitted/Special Provisions/Conditional Uses
Residential
Dwelling(s) located above, within, or attached to a commercial building not including single family dwellings.	P/SP
Child care home (Care for no more than 16 children)	P
Residential facility	P/SP
Commercial
Amusement Uses	P
Artist studio	P
Assembly, Club	P
Concert Hall	P
Electric Car Charging Station	P
Gallery	P
Car Wash	CU/SP
Hotel or motel	P
Brewery and Distillery	MCU/See Section 2.5.300.L
Eating and drinking establishments	P/See Section 2.5.300.L
Retail Sales Establishment	P
Professional and personal services (dry cleaners, barber shops/salons, and similar uses)	P
Offices (medical, dental, professional)	P
Grocery stores, convenience store or neighborhood market	P
Health club	P
Ambulance service	P
Service stations	P/SP
Vehicle repair and servicing	MCU
Animal veterinary clinic	P
Light manufacture (e.g., small-scale crafts, electronic equipment, furniture, similar goods) when in conjunction with retail	CU
Permitted Uses with a drive-through	CU/SP
Recreation Uses (indoor)	P
Recreation Uses (outdoor)	CU
Theater	P
Public and Institutional
Museums	P
Community centers and similar uses	P
Public parking lots and garages	P
Public parks and recreational facilities	P
Schools (including child care centers)	CU
Utility Facility	CU
Churches and religious institutions	CU
Miscellaneous
Accessory Uses	P/SP
Adult business	P/SP
RV parks, including caretaker’s residence	CU/SP
Bed and breakfast inn	P
Short-term rental	P/SP
Communication facility	CU/SP
Home Occupation	P/SP
Hostel	P; accessory use to primary permitted use; 25 guest occupancy limit plus staff, and 14 day stay limit for each 30 day period.
Permitted Uses with a drive-through require a Conditional Use Permit (except for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations), see also Special Provisions

Key: P = Permitted SP = Special Provisions MCU = Minor Conditional Use Permit CU = Conditional Use Permit

[Ord. 489 § 2 (Exh. B), 2018].

2.5.300 Development Standards

The following property development standards shall apply to all land, buildings and uses in the Highway Commercial District:

A.    Lot Area, lot frontage, setbacks, lot coverage and building height. See Table 2.5.2.

 

Table 2.5.2 Development Standards for the Highway Commercial District 

Development Standard	Highway Commercial District	Comments/Other Requirements
Minimum lot size	No minimum lot size
Lot frontage	No minimum lot frontage	-
Front yard setback
a. Abutting local street	10 foot minimum	Through-Lots. For buildings on through-lots (lots with front and rear frontage onto a street), the front yard setbacks shall apply.
b. Abutting state highway	50 foot minimum; 30 foot buffer setback which shall not include parking or vehicular circulation (See Buffering)	The following features are allowed to encroach into the required setback by no more than five (5) feet: eaves, chimneys, overhangs, canopies, fire escapes, landing places, outside stairways, and similar architectural features.
c. Abutting Arterial	20 foot minimum
d. Abutting Collector street	10 foot minimum
Interior side yard setback
a. Abutting non-residential district	No minimum	-
b. Abutting residential district	15 foot minimum	See Buffering
Exterior side yard setback		The following features are allowed to encroach into the required setback by no more than five (5) feet: eaves, chimneys, overhangs, canopies, fire escapes, landing places, outside stairways, and similar architectural features.
a. Abutting local street	10 foot minimum
b. Abutting state highway	50 foot minimum building setback; 30 foot buffer setback which shall not include parking or vehicular circulation (See Buffering)
c. Abutting Arterial	20 foot minimum
d. Abutting Collector street	10 foot minimum
Rear yard setback
a. Abutting non-residential district	No minimum	-
b. Abutting residential district	15 foot minimum	See Buffering
Lot coverage	No maximum lot coverage	Compliance with other sections of the Code (landscaping, parking, pedestrian circulation, etc.) may preclude 100 percent lot coverage for certain uses
Building height	35-feet	See exceptions to building height in Section 2.5.300.B

B.    Exceptions to Building Height

1.    The building height increase allowed for housing shall apply only to vertical mixed use buildings, and shall only apply to that portion of the building that contains housing.

2.    Not included in the maximum height limit are bell towers, steeples, flagpoles, and similar features that are not intended for human occupancy and by their vertical orientation do not block views.

3.    Not included in the maximum height limit are western design theme facades (false front facades), which may extend to 40 feet for a maximum 25 percent of the street-facing building length.

C.    All uses shall be conducted wholly within a completely enclosed building, except for service stations, off-street parking and loading facilities and outdoor displays, sales and dining. The Planning Commission may permit the outdoor operation of other permitted use by approving a conditional use permit including display of larger items, such as automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, buses, recreational vehicles/boats, construction equipment, building materials, and similar vehicles and equipment.

D.    Outdoor Displays, Sales, and Dining. Outdoor display, sale of merchandise and dining associated with the primary use is permitted and shall be limited to the private property of that primary use. Merchandise shall be limited to items such as cards, plants, floral products, food, books, newspapers, bicycles, and similar small items for sale or rental to pedestrians. A minimum clearance of 4 feet shall be maintained at all times to allow pedestrians to pass by the displays, sales and dining areas. This section does not include public art; see Special Provisions.

E.    Buffering. When abutting residential districts or a state highway, the setback area shall include landscaping to screen parking, services and delivery areas, and building walls without windows or entries, as applicable. The buffer may contain pedestrian seating but shall not contain any trash receptacles, parking or vehicular circulation, loading facilities or storage of equipment, materials, vehicles, etc. The landscaping standards in Chapter 3.2 may require buffering of other activities, as well.

F.    Building Orientation Standards. The following standards shall apply to all development within the Highway Commercial District in order to reinforce streets as public spaces and encourage alternative modes of transportation such as walking and bicycling.

1.    Building entrances. Buildings shall have their primary entrance(s) oriented to (facing) the street. On corner lots, buildings shall have at least one entrance oriented to the street. All other street facing elevations shall comply with the Design Standards including ground floor windows. 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).

2.    Arterial street orientation and pedestrian connections. When the only street abutting the development is an arterial street, the building entrance may be oriented to an internal drive. The internal drive shall ensure a direct pedestrian connection between the street and buildings on the site, and between buildings and other activities within the site. In addition, options should be provided for extension of the pedestrian connection to adjacent sites, where feasible. The pedestrian connections must be hard-surfaced, and be at least 6 feet wide. Where the system crosses driveways, parking areas, and loading areas, the pedestrian system must be identifiable, through the use of elevation changes, speed bumps, different paving materials, or other similar methods and shall be in compliance with American Disability Act (ADA) Standards.

G.    Design Standards. The design standards in this section apply to all uses and buildings in the Highway Commercial District.

1.    Ground floor windows shall be provided along all street facing facades for viewing the activity inside the building and blank walls are prohibited.

2.    Architectural features include, but are not limited to the following: recesses, projections, wall insets, arcades, window display areas, awnings, balconies, window projections or other features that complement the design of the structure.

3.    Roofs should be designed to reduce the apparent exterior mass of a building, add visual interest and be appropriate to the Western Frontier Architectural Design theme. Architectural methods shall be used to conceal flat roof tops. Overhanging eaves, sloped roofs, articulated parapet walls and multiple roof elements are highly encouraged. Mansard style roofs are prohibited.

4.    Clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances using features such as canopies, porticos, arcades, arches, wing walls, and/or integral planters are required.

H.    Major Retail Development, as defined, shall refer to Chapter 2.15, Special Provisions.

I.    Pedestrian Amenity Standards. Development in the Highway Commercial District shall provide at least two (2) of the pedestrian amenities listed below. Pedestrian amenities may be provided within a public right-of-way (i.e., on the sidewalk, curb, or street pavement) when approved by the City (for city street), Deschutes County (for county roads) or ODOT (for state highways).

1.    A plaza, courtyard, square or extra-wide sidewalk next to the building entrance (minimum width of 8 feet).

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

3.    Building canopy, awning, pergola, or similar weather protection (minimum projection of 4 feet over a privately owned sidewalk or pedestrian space).

4.    Public art

5.    Water feature

J.    Screening. The screening standards address specific unsightly features which detract from the appearance of commercial areas.

1.    Garbage and recycling collection areas. Garbage and recycling collection enclosures are required and shall be orientated away from the street and adjacent properties. Enclosures shall be constructed of solid, durable and attractive walls/fences, a minimum of six (6) feet in height, with solid doors, and shall be visually consistent with project architecture. Trash receptacles for pedestrian use are exempt. Enclosures shall be compliant with all applicable fire codes.

2.    Mechanical equipment. Mechanical equipment located on the ground, such as heating or cooling equipment, pumps or generators, must be screened from the street and any abutting residential zones by walls, fences, or vegetation. Landscaping and screening shall be tall enough to screen the equipment. Mechanical equipment placed on roofs must be screened by a parapet around the facade or the equipment that is as tall as the tallest part of the equipment. Screening shall be compliant with all applicable fire codes and height requirements.

K.    Western Frontier Architectural Design Theme. See Special Provisions, Chapter 2.15.

L.    Formula Food Establishments. The city of Sisters has developed a unique community character in its commercial districts. The city desires to maintain this unique character and protect the community’s economic vitality by ensuring a diversity of businesses with sufficient opportunities for independent entrepreneurs. To meet these objectives, the city limits Formula Food Establishments to a maximum of six within this zone.