§ 35-204. Commercial Center.
commercial center
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
A commercial center provides shopping, service and employment opportunities within walking or driving distance of residential areas. The center is spatially defined and concentrated in a nodal pattern, as opposed to conventional strip shopping centers. Commercial centers feature urban design guidelines such as zero setbacks and streetscapes with windows and entryways. The commercial center use pattern implements the following policies of the master plan:
• Urban Design, Policy 1a: Based on a comprehensive land use plan, encourage more intensive development in and near neighborhood centers with less intensive development between neighborhood centers, and implement these changes through zoning.
• Urban Design, Policy 1e: Permit zero setbacks for commercial developments.
The provisions of this section are designed to permit commercial centers in a wider variety of districts and situations, subject to strict design standards that prohibit strip development and encourage walkable streetscapes. Freestanding commercial uses that do not meet the standards of this section shall be located in the "C" commercial zoning district.
(a)
Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to any application meeting the requirements of subsections (c) through (o) of this section and which is designated a "commercial center" by the applicant.
(b)
Processing Procedures.
(1)
Generally. A commercial center shall require approval of a building permit unless otherwise indicated in subsection (c), below. A commercial center may also be approved as part of a master site plan or PUD. Variances shall be processed as set forth in subsections (2) and (3), below, except for applications within the Edwards Recharge Zone District (ERZD) or utility conversion districts.
(2)
Variances—Incorporated Areas. Within the incorporated areas of the city:
A.
A variance to the requirements of subsection (c) shall be processed in accordance with section 35-482 of this chapter.
B.
A variance to the requirements of subsections (b) and (d) through (n) shall be processed in accordance with section 35-483 of this chapter.
(3)
Variances—Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. Within the ETJ, variances shall be processed in accordance with section 35-483 of this chapter.
(c)
Size and Location of Site.
(1)
A commercial center may be located at the intersection of any of the street classifications and within the zoning districts as set forth in Table 204-1. In Table 204-1, an "asterisk" indicates that a commercial center may be established as of right (unless otherwise indicated below) at the intersection of the street classifications listed in column (A) and in the zoning district designated in columns (B) through (F). A dash ("—") indicates that the commercial center is not permitted at that location. An "S" indicates that a commercial center may be permitted only upon approval of a specific use permit.
(2)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Table 204-1, a commercial center may not be established as a matter of right at a location permitted in Table 204-1 which is outside of an area designated for commercial uses in a neighborhood plan. A commercial center in such areas may be established upon the approval of a specific use permit.
Table 204-1
Location of Commercial Center(A)
(B) (C) (D) (E) (F) Street Classification
RP, RE, R-20 R-6, RM-6,
R-5, RM-5,
R-4, RM-4MF (all) NC, O,
C1, C2,
C3, DMXD, IDZ Freeway - Freeway S * * * * Freeway - Principal Arterial S * * * * Freeway - Arterial S * * * * Freeway - Collector S * * * * Principal Arterial - Principal Arterial S * * * * Principal Arterial - Arterial S * * * * Principal Arterial - Collector S * * * * Arterial - Arterial S * * * * Arterial - Collector S * * * * Arterial - Local — * * * * Collector - Collector — * * * * Local - Collector — — * * * Local - Local — — — — — (3)
A commercial center shall not exceed six hundred sixty (660) feet of frontage. No commercial center shall be approved in locations where the combined lineal frontage, including the proposed development, exceeds three thousand six hundred (3,600) feet.
(4)
The establishment of a commercial center shall not establish a precedent for higher-density zoning between the nodes or intersections where the commercial centers are established.
(d)
Uses and Density. A commercial center may include any of the uses permitted in the "NC" neighborhood commercial,"C-1" commercial district, "C-2" commercial district, "O-1" office district, or "O-2" office district. Dimensional requirements shall conform to Table 204-2.
Table 204-2
Category
Zoning District (A)
(B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) RP, RE R-20, R-15 R-10, R-8 R-6, RM-6, R-5,
RM-5 R-4, RM-4
NC, O-1,
O-2 MF (all)C-1, C-2,
C-3, DMXD, IDZ Minimum Frontage 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Maximum Height (stories) 2 2 2 2 3 5 5 Minimum Front Setback 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Maximum Front Setback (Principal Arterial, Arterial) 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 Maximum Front Setback (Collector, Local) 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 (e)
Traffic Impact Analysis. A commercial center shall comply with the traffic impact analysis standards of this chapter.
(f)
Lot Layout. A commercial center shall comply with the lot layout standards of this chapter.
(g)
Transportation. A commercial center shall comply with the transportation standards of this chapter.
(h)
Stormwater Management. A commercial center shall comply with the stormwater management standards, section 35-504 of this chapter.
(i)
Utilities. See utilities standards, section 35-507 of this chapter.
(j)
Parks and Open Space. A commercial center may incorporate plazas, courtyards or forecourts consistent with Table 503-2 of the parks and open space standards of this chapter (section 35-503). If the proposed development includes at least one hundred fifteen thousand (115,000) square feet of gross floor area (GFA), at least one hundred ninety (190) square feet of parks/open space shall be provided per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU). No other provisions of the parks and open space standards shall apply to a commercial center.
(k)
Natural Resource Protection. A commercial center shall comply with the natural resource protection standards of this chapter.
(l)
Buffers, Landscaping, Streetscape Planting and Tree Preservation. A commercial center within the incorporated areas of the city shall comply with the landscape, screening and buffering standards of this chapter. A commercial center within the city and the extraterritorial jurisdiction shall comply with the tree preservation standards of this chapter.
(m)
Parking. A commercial center shall comply with the parking standards of this chapter.
(n)
Outdoor Storage. A commercial center shall comply with the outdoor storage standards of this chapter.
(o)
Urban Design.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
San Antonio has a rich architectural tradition which has contributed significantly to the city's image, economic growth, and quality of life. The purpose of these regulations is to provide specific criteria so that new buildings blend into the historic architectural framework of the city. These criteria are not intended to restrict imagination, innovation, or variety, but rather to assist in focusing design principles, which can result in creative solutions that will develop a satisfactory visual appearance within the city, preserve taxable values, and promote the public health, safety and general welfare. Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, this section is applicable to all multi-family and commercial zoning districts.
The purpose of these criteria is to encourage a mix of uses designed to foster the growth of the city center, infill development areas, and commercial centers as special places of community and as mixed-use activity centers. These standards are designed to promote a quality, urban streetscape in the urban core, to promote a pedestrian friendly environment, to establish a variety of mixed uses in the core of the community, to provide an orderly development pattern, to maintain a supply of developable land while preserving the compact development, to improve traffic circulation and to promote alternatives to automobile travel, to provide housing opportunities within walking distances of employment, service and retail opportunities; to maintain an overall design theme; to preserve a human scale for new buildings; to provide economic development opportunities through clean industry, office and commercial uses; and to provide for the daily needs and services of the community.
This division implements the following provisions of the master plan:
• Urban Design, Policy 1b: [Adopt urban design guidelines which] preserve and enhance the city's important historic and cultural characteristics, including architectural styles and historic districts, as well as existing residential and commercial districts, and neighborhood centers.
• Urban Design, Policy 1b: Encourage public art in all public and private projects.
• Urban Design, Policy 1b: Develop unique and specific design standards for areas throughout the city, including neighborhoods and the downtown.
• Urban Design, Policy 1e: Permit zero (0) setbacks for commercial and multi-family developments.
In the historic areas of the city, street presence is predominant with the buildings located at the street with vehicular parking on-street or in joint use parking lots located to the side or rear of the buildings. This timeless pattern of architecture and site layout promotes pedestrian activity, a sense of community, and more efficient traffic circulation. The purpose of this subsection is to require new commercial buildings to respect the city's architectural heritage, while preserving flexibility to adapt to modern conditions.
(1)
Building Structure. Buildings exceeding two (2) stories shall incorporate a base, middle, and a cap as described below:
A.
The base shall include an entryway with transparent windows as set forth in the ground floor design standards, below, and a molding or reveal placed between the first and second stories or over the second story. The molding or reveal shall have a depth of not less than two (2) inches and a height of not less than four (4) inches.
B.
The middle may include windows and/or balconies.
C.
The cap shall include the area from the top floor to the roof of the building, and shall include a cornice or a roof overhang.
(2)
Windows. Windows above the ground floor shall have a ratio of height to width of not less than two to one (2:1).
(3)
Alignment. Window sills, moldings and cornices shall align with those of adjacent buildings, as provided herein. The bottom and top line defining the edge of the windows (the "window sill alignment") shall vary not more than two (2) feet from the alignment of surrounding buildings. If the adjoining buildings have a window sill alignment which vary by more than two (2) feet from one another, the proposed building shall align with one (1) of the adjoining buildings as provided herein.
(4)
Ground Floor Design.
A.
All buildings subject to this section shall have their principal entrance opening to a street, square, plaza, or sidewalk. The principal entrance shall not open onto a parking lot. Pedestrian access from the public sidewalk, street right-of-way or driveway to the principal structure shall be provided through an improved surface.
B.
The ground floor of the entryway shall align with the sidewalk elevation. Sunken terraces or stairways to a basement shall not constitute entryways for purposes of this subsection or subsection (3). It is not the intent of this section to preclude the use of below-grade entryways provided, however, that such entryways shall not constitute a principal entryway and shall not be used to satisfy the distancing requirements of subsection (3).
(5)
Streetwall Standards. Where a maximum front setback has been established, the front building wall or a courtyard shall adjoin the sidewalk. The side setback shall be a minimum of zero (0) and a maximum of ten (10) feet.
(6)
Windows and Entryways.
A.
The ground floors of all buildings shall be designed to encourage and to complement pedestrian-scale activity by the use of windows and doors arranged so that the uses are visible from and/or accessible to the street on not less than fifty (50) percent of the length of the first floor street frontage. Not less than fifty (50) percent or more than ninety (90) percent of the total surface area of the front elevation (facade) shall be in public entrances and windows (including retail display windows). Where windows are used, they shall be transparent. Solid walls shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in length. All street level retail uses with sidewalk frontage shall be furnished with an individual entrance and direct access to the sidewalk in addition to any other access that may be provided. This standard shall not apply to any lot with a street frontage of less than twenty-four (24) feet.
B.
Doors shall be recessed into the face of the building to provide a sense of entry and to add variety to the streetscape. An entryway shall not be less than one (1) square foot for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor area, and in all cases shall not be less than fifteen (15) square feet.
C.
The maximum setback requirements may be waived by the director for an area not to exceed ninety (90) percent of the frontage in order to accommodate courtyards.
(7)
Articulation. Buildings shall be articulated so that facades which face public streets and exceed fifty (50) feet in horizontal length shall include vertical piers or other vertical visual elements to break the plane of the facade. Such vertical piers or any other vertical visual elements shall be between fifteen (15) feet and thirty-five (35) feet apart along the facade. This provision shall not apply to the conversion of a residential building to a commercial use.
(8)
Pedestrian-Oriented Uses.
• In order to stimulate pedestrian activity, the first floor (street level) of any new building abutting a major arterial roadway, minor arterial roadway or major collector roadway shall devote not less than fifty (50) percent of the net first floor area to retail uses.
• Residential dwellings shall be permitted above or below the first floor of any building with commercial and/or retail uses.
(9)
Canopies. Canopies, awnings, and similar appurtenances may be constructed at the entrance to any building, subject to the criteria established in the Uniform Building Code.
(10)
Mechanical Equipment. Mechanical equipment, electrical meter and service components, and similar utility devices, whether ground level, wall mounted, or roof mounted, shall be screened from view at the front property line. Exterior screening materials shall be the same as the predominant exterior materials as the principal building. In cases where the front property line is higher than the roof line of the subject building, no screening shall be required for a line of sight exceeding five (5) feet six (6) inches above the finished elevation of the property at the front property line.
(11)
Open Space.
A.
Not less than one (1) linear foot of seating shall be provided for each fifty (50) square feet of open space. Seating dimensions shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the Texas Accessibility Code, as applicable.
B.
At least two (2) of the following amenities shall be provided in an open space area: ornamental fountains, ornamental lamp posts, stairways, waterfalls, sculptures, arbors, trellises, planted beds, drinking fountains, clock pedestals, awnings, or canopies.
(Ord. No. 96564 § 2; Ord. No. 97568 § 2)