15.270 B-3, General Business District.

(1) Intent. This district is intended to provide for the establishment of stores, shops and service establishments, at the central focal points of the City’s arterial and transportation system, where they can conveniently serve the population of the entire urban area of Manitowoc with a specialized and varied selection of goods and services.

(2) Specific Uses Permitted. Land shall be used and buildings shall be erected, altered, enlarged, or used for only one or more of the following uses, subject to the provisions of this section and other applicable sections of the Zoning Ordinance:

(a) Any use permitted in the “B-2” Neighborhood Business District except multiple-family dwellings on the first floor;

(b) Alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages store;

(c) Advertising agencies;

(d) Animal hospitals, veterinarians;

(e) Antique shop;

(f) Art supplies store;

(g) Automobile accessories and parts store, including minor automobile repairs;

(h) Automobile laundries in shopping centers;

(i) Automobile repair shops in shopping centers;

(j) Bakery, wholesale or retail;

(k) Bicycle sales, rental, and repair stores;

(l) Bottling beverages, such as milk, soft drinks, etc., to be sold in package lots, from the premises at retail only;

(m) Blueprinting and photosetting establishment;

(n) Book store;

(o) Brewpubs;

(p) Building supplies, providing there is no bulk storage of products on the premises;

(q) Camera or photographic supplies store;

(r) Catering establishment;

(s) Circuses and carnivals and other uses as per MMC 11.170(1) and (2);

(t) Clocks, sales and repair store;

(u) Clothing and costume rental store;

(v) Repealed by Ord. 12-529;

(w) Creamery store, providing products are not processed on the premises;

(x) Department stores;

(y) Electric household appliance repair shops; small gasoline motor appliances, sales and service;

(z) Employment agencies;

(aa) Exterminating or pest control stores;

(bb) Floor covering store;

(cc) Food products store;

(dd) Freezing lockers for rental;

(ee) Fuel and ice sales offices, providing there is no bulk storage of products on the premises;

(ff) Funeral homes and crematories;

(gg) Furniture, household, and office furnishings sales and manufactured products of the above three, sold only on the premises;

(hh) Garages for storage;

(ii) Vacant lot residential garden;

(jj) Hat cleaner shops;

(kk) Hobby shops;

(ll) Hotels and motels;

(mm) Interior decorator shops;

(nn) Jewelry stores;

(oo) Laundry and dry cleaning services;

(pp) Leather goods and luggage stores;

(qq) Letter mailing service;

(rr) Lighting fixtures stores;

(ss) Live bait stores;

(tt) Locksmith shops;

(uu) Music instrument sales and repair;

(vv) Newspaper distributing stations;

(ww) Notions or novelty stores;

(xx) Office supplies, pens, and stationery stores;

(yy) Paint, varnish, stain, and wallpaper stores;

(zz) Parking facilities including ramps or garages;

(aaa) Pet shops, excluding kennels;

(bbb) Physical culture and health service establishments;

(ccc) Piano, organ, phonograph, radio, and television set stores;

(ddd) Contractor shops, with no outdoor storage;

(eee) Radio and television studios;

(fff) Radio or television repair shops;

(ggg) Religious articles stores;

(hhh) Rental agencies other than for automobiles, trailers, trucks, and heavy equipment;

(iii) Restaurants, all types;

(jjj) Schools operated for profit;

(kkk) Seed stores;

(lll) Sporting goods stores;

(mmm) Shopping centers;

(nnn) Taverns;

(ooo) Taxicab dispatching, storage and minor repair;

(ppp) Telephone, radio, or telecommunication offices;

(qqq) Tire sales and repairs.

(rrr) Theaters;

(sss) Tobacco shops;

(ttt) Travel agencies and ticket sales;

(uuu) Upholstering shops;

(vvv) Used merchandise sales without exterior storage;

(www) Variety store;

(xxx) Vegetable and fruit stores;

(yyy) Business building owner’s or operator’s dwelling unit on the same premises;

(zzz) Apartments or apartment hotels above a permitted business use on the first or ground floor, subject to the regulations of the “R-5” Multiple-Family District; and

(aaaa) Laboratories, except a physical testing laboratory.

Accessory buildings and uses to the specific uses permitted shall also be permitted.

(3) Conditional Uses Permitted. The following uses are permitted subject to MMC 15.370(27):

(a) Wrecker service, sale or rental of used vehicles after approval of the site plan by the Plan Commission;

(b) Apartments or apartment hotels on the first or ground floor, subject to the regulations of the “R-5” Multiple-Family District;

(c) Private clubs and lodges;

(d) Homes for the elderly and nursing homes;

(e) Amusement establishments – bowling alleys, indoor archery ranges, gymnasiums, swimming pools, trampoline centers, skating rinks, miniature golf courses, volleyball courts and similar uses;

(f) Permitted uses which require outside storage of merchandise;

(g) Outside storage or sales of merchandise as a principal property use where the Plan Commission has found the following criteria are met; and

(h) Conditional uses permitted in the “B-2” Neighborhood Business District.

(4) Area Regulations.

(a) Front Yard. No principal or accessory building shall be located closer to the street line as established by the Official Map than any abutting Residential Zoning District. If there is no abutting Residential Zoning District within the same block, no setback from the street line as established by the Official Map shall be required, except that the vision clearance area and the MMC 15.390(14) setback, if any, must be maintained.

(b) Side Yard. No side yard required, except that lots when bordering one of the “R” Zones shall provide a side yard as required for the Residential Zone it abuts and shall be effectively sight screened by a fence or compact hedge of a minimum height of four and one-half feet and a maximum height of seven feet. Street side yards, however, shall be provided as required in MMC 15.390(14).

(c) Rear Yard. No rear yard shall be required except where the rear of a lot adjoins an “R” Zone without an intervening alley. Such rear yard shall not be less than 15 feet in depth.

(5) Height Regulations. No building shall exceed 60 feet in height, subject also to airport height provisions.

(6) Vision Clearance. The vision clearance for this district shall be the same as required in the “B‑2” District.

[Ord. 21-700 § 1, 2021; Ord. 16-1027 § 1, 2016; Ord. 16-326 § 3, 2016; Ord. 16-208 § 1, 2016; Ord. 12-529 §§ 33 – 35, 2012; Ord. 06-487 § 6, 2006. Prior code § 15.27]