Atwater Municipal Code Ch. 17.38 C-G, General Commercial District

To provide a location for the retail, wholesale, and heavy commercial uses and services necessary within the City but not suited to other commercial districts and too small for the M-1 area.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

The following shall be permitted uses:

A. Retail establishments.

B. Banking and financial institutions.

C. Business, professional and medical offices.

D. Massage establishment/therapist.

E. Personal service establishments.

F. Restaurants and cafes.

G. Any other use determined by the Community Development Director to be of a similar general character and intensity as the above permitted uses, and is consistent with the purpose of this zone as described in Section 17.38.010.

(Ord. CS 606, 1986; Ord. CS 768, 3-8-1999; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

The following shall require a use permit by the Planning Commission:

A. Seed and feed stores;

B. Agricultural and automotive equipment;

C. New and used car sales;

D. Truck, trailer and car rentals;

E. Retail plumbing and repair electric or electronic retail and repair;

F. Mobile home and RV sales;

G. Bakeries and creameries;

H. Laundries, cleaning and dyeing establishments;

I. Millinery stores, shoemakers, and upholsterers;

J. Lumber and contractor yards;

K. Carpentry and cabinet making;

L. Any other commercial or light manufacturing uses the Planning commission finds to be consistent with the purpose of this district;

M. Off-site alcoholic beverage sales;

N. Uses as identified as Conditional in the Central Commercial District, listed in Section 17.36.040;

O. Uses otherwise identified in Section 17.38.015 as principal permitted uses, when located adjacent to an existing use allowed as a conditional use.

P. Any other use determined by the Community Development Director to be of a similar general character and intensity as the above conditional uses, and is consistent with the purpose of this zone as described in Section 17.38.010.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 606, 1986; Ord. CS 780, 2-28-2000; Ord. CS 782, 5-8-2000; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

Any accessory uses incidental to the main use of the property.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

All development in this district shall also comply with the following:

A. A minimum of ten percent landscaping shall be provided on every property.

B. Landscaping shall comply with City landscape standards.

C. Street trees are to be planted in compliance with adopted City standards.

D. Parking to be in compliance with requirements elsewhere in this title.

E. Loading zones required in addition to alleys shall be not less than ten feet wide, 20 feet deep, with a clearance height of not less than 14 feet and shall provide space for vehicles loading and unloading while at the same time not in any way blocking the alley to moving traffic.

F. A six-foot high solid wall shall be required on the property line abutting any residential zone or land designated for future residential use in the General Plan.

G. Trash and recycling receptacles shall be located in an enclosure and screened from view. All enclosures must meet building-related standards.

H. All utilities shall be installed underground.

I. Refer to Section 17.03.100 for requirements for collection and loading recyclable materials in development projects.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 667, 1990; Ord. CS 721, 3-27-1995; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

A. Development Standards:

B. Building Height: No building constructed in this zone shall exceed a height of 35 feet unless the following has occurred:

1. The Fire Marshal and Chief Building Official, or designees, have both approved the site plans, improvement plans, and other required submittals for the project; and

2. The Planning Commission finds, based on the applicant's submitted study, that the project will not result in adverse visual, air quality, light, or privacy impacts on adjacent or surrounding properties.

Additional conditions of approval may be imposed by the Planning Commission relative to the project as it relates to this section.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 950, § 1, 3-10-2014; Ord. CS 1056, § 1, 1-23-2023; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)

Editor's note— Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), adopted June 8, 2026, repealed § 17.38.060, which pertained to exceptions and derived from Ord. CS 568, 1984.

Editor's note— Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), adopted June 8, 2026, repealed § 17.38.070, which pertained to sign regulations and derived from Ord. CS 568, 1984.

All uses in the C-G zone shall require site plan approval and design review, to the extent required elsewhere in this title.

(Ord. CS 568, 1984; Ord. CS 1059, § 1, 3-27-2023; Ord. CS 1081, § 4(Exh. A), 6-8-2026)