Chapter 20.28
C-2 HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
Sections:
20.28.040 Environmental performance standards.
20.28.070 Design and development guidelines.
20.28.100 Landscaping, buffering, fencing and solid waste receptacles.
20.28.120 Performance standards.
20.28.130 Addition of dwelling units in existing buildings.
20.28.010 Intent.
It is the intent of this district to:
A. Provide a park-like setting for commercial uses and to provide attractive entranceway to the city;
B. Permit commercial uses and activities which depend more heavily on convenient vehicular access than pedestrian access;
C. Limit location to sites having safe and efficient access to major transportation routes;
D. Identify the types of commercial uses appropriate or acceptable in the highway commercial district;
E. Provide development standards to enhance the efficient operation of these districts; and to achieve minimum adverse impact on the community as a whole, especially on adjacent properties having different land use characteristics. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.020 Permitted uses.
A. Permitted as provided in Chapter 20.11 CMC.
B. Other or Related Uses Permitted.
1. Home occupations, as provided in Chapter 20.69 CMC;
2. Signs. See Chapter 18.24 CMC; and
3. Temporary seasonal produce stands.
C. Conditional uses as provided in Chapter 20.11 CMC, Chapter 20.67 CMC, and the following:
1. Addition of dwelling units in existing buildings, in accordance with CMC 20.28.130.
D. Similar or related permitted uses, and criteria for determination of similarity or relatedness, are as follows:
1. Uses similar to, or related to, those listed in subsection (A) of this section are permitted upon a finding of the community development director and the site plan review committee that a particular unlisted use does not conflict with the intent of this chapter or the policies of the comprehensive plan.
2. The criteria for such finding of similarity shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
a. The proposed use is appropriate in the area surrounding the site;
b. The development standards for permitted uses can be met by the proposed use; and
c. The public need is served by the proposed use. (Ord. 2553 § 6, 2024; Ord. 2445 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2020: Ord. 2734 § 6, 2016; Ord. 2248 § 1, 2010: Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2190 § 3, 2007: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.030 Prohibited uses.
Uses other than those identified or described in CMC 20.28.020 are prohibited, including, but not limited to:
A. Autowrecking yards including junk, scrap metal and other material salvage operations including recycling centers;
B. Storage of explosives or materials of such character or in such quantities as to constitute a significantly greater hazard to persons, property or environmental health than that posed by materials commonly used or stored in the ordinary retail and service establishments permitted in this district. (Ord. 2395 § 12, 2017: Ord. 2248 § 2, 2010: Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.040 Environmental performance standards.
A. 1. It shall be the responsibility of the operator and/or the proprietor of any permitted use to provide such evidence and technical data as the enforcing officer may require to demonstrate that the use or activity is or will be in compliance with the environmental performance standards of Chapter 20.57 CMC.
2. Failure of the enforcing officer to require such information shall not be construed as relieving the operator and/or the proprietor from compliance with the environmental performance standards of this title.
B. An environmental impact assessment shall be made by the site plan review committee in accordance with the procedures contained in Chapter 20.84 CMC. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.050 Site area.
The size and shape of sites shall be as follows:
A. Minimum size of any parcel to be developed in this district shall be fifteen thousand square feet.
B. Maximum building coverage shall be forty percent. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.060 Building location.
Location of buildings or structures on site, if adjacent parcels are in same zoning district or in another commercial or industrial district, shall be as follows (refer to CMC 20.28.100 for the amount of setback landscaping required):
A. Setbacks from side property lines: ten feet;
B. Setbacks from rear property lines: fifteen feet;
C. Setbacks from front property lines: fifteen feet;
D. Setbacks from corner property lines: fifteen feet. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.070 Design and development guidelines.
Developments shall comply with the requirements of CMC 18.10.030, Design and Development Guidelines manual. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.080 Off-street parking.
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 20.72 CMC. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.090 Height.
The maximum height of buildings shall be eighty feet. (Ord. 2547 § 2, 2024; Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.100 Landscaping, buffering, fencing and solid waste receptacles.
Landscaping shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 20.50 CMC. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.110 Site plan review.
Architectural and building materials review will be critical in this district to ensure that new or remodeled structures maintain an appearance which is highly compatible with adjoining commercial and residential areas in accordance with Chapter 20.84 CMC. (Ord. 2209 § 2 (part), 2008: Ord. 2024 § 1 (part), 1999).
20.28.120 Performance standards.
A. Intent. The following standards are intended to enhance the appearance of buildings and promote a high quality of design in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The intent of these standards is to:
1. Encourage greater design compatibility with surrounding areas and establish a precedent for high quality design in areas with no established character;
2. Achieve greater architectural variation and interest through standards for the design of roofs, exterior walls and the use of exterior finish materials;
3. Encourage greater architectural cohesiveness and compatibility within a new development of multiple buildings; and
4. Reduce the negative visual impact of features and site improvements such as mechanical equipment.
B. Urban Design. It is intended that these standards apply to the primary facade of the building and to all sides of the building that may be visible from the public rights-of-way or adjacent businesses or residential neighborhoods. The design character of a building should be compatible (share similar features such as color, scale, massing, height and materials) with adjacent buildings but is encouraged to have features or characteristics that are different.
1. Building Design. All building sides facing public streets shall incorporate a substantive use of building elements, as approved by the city, to achieve a distinctive character. A recognizable base treatment of the wall consisting of thicker walls, ledges or sills using integrally textured and colored materials such as stone, masonry, or a decorative concrete or some other architectural feature that breaks up the exterior horizontal and vertical mass of the wall. Building materials such as brick, stone, concrete, tile, steel, wood, and metal are required.
2. The climate in Centralia is such that in the summer months shade is preferred, and in the winter months protection from the rain and wind is necessary. Therefore, at least thirty percent of the horizontal length of the front walkway or facade shall be covered with awnings, porticos, arcades, or some other architectural feature or treatment which adds definition to the building openings, walkways or entrances.
3. Building Colors. Colors for buildings and other elements shall be medium to dark earth tones. Accent colors used to call attention to a particular feature or portion of a building, or to form a particular pattern, shall be compatible with predominant building base colors and may be incorporated using such elements as shutters, building trim and awnings and shall cover no more than five percent of a building facade.
4. Architectural and building materials review will be critical in this district to ensure that new, reoccupied or remodeled structures maintain an appearance which is highly compatible with adjoining commercial and residential areas.
5. New and/or extensively remodeled buildings (over fifty percent of the taxable value based on the most recent Lewis County PATS system) will be required to conform to these requirements and performance standards. (Ord. 2467 § 3, 2021; Ord. 2417 § 1, 2018).
20.28.130 Addition of dwelling units in existing buildings.
A. Existing buildings, or portions thereof, may be converted to residential uses or altered to have additional dwelling units pursuant to the requirements of this section.
B. Existing buildings that are converted to residential uses or have dwelling units added shall:
1. Retain all existing off-street parking spaces that existed prior to the addition of the dwelling units. No additional off-street parking spaces are required for the new or additional dwelling units;
2. Comply with all design standard requirements that are generally applicable to all residential uses within the underlying zoning district, including but not limited to setbacks, lot coverage, and floor area ratio requirements;
3. Comply with all exterior design and architectural requirements that are necessary for the health and safety of the use of the interior of the building or to preserve character-defining streetscapes;
4. Retain ground floor commercial uses if the building is located along a major pedestrian corridor. Only permitted or conditional commercial uses listed in Chapter 20.11 CMC are allowed on the ground floor;
5. Meet all requirements of the adopted energy code for those portions of the building that are converted to new dwelling units; and
6. Meet all building, fire, and life safety codes adopted by the city.
C. Existing buildings may have additional dwelling units at a density of up to fifty percent more than what is allowed in the underlying zoning district if the following requirements are met:
1. The existing building is located within a zoning district that permits multifamily housing;
2. The additional dwelling units are constructed entirely within the existing building envelope;
3. All portions of the building, including existing nonresidential uses, existing dwelling units, and the additional dwelling units, meet all of the requirements of the adopted building codes; and
4. The building complies with, or is brought into compliance with, all fire and life safety codes adopted by the city.
D. Existing buildings that add emergency housing or transitional housing dwelling units shall meet all of the requirements of Chapter 20.62 CMC.
E. Existing buildings that are nonconforming due to off-street parking requirements, height, setbacks, elevator size, or modulation may be prohibited from adding new or additional dwelling units if the city makes written findings that the nonconformities cause a significant detriment to the surrounding area.
F. The hearing examiner shall not impose conditions on the addition of dwelling units in existing buildings that exceed the regulatory limits found in RCW 35A.21.440. (Ord. 2553 § 7, 2024).