The General Commercial (GC) district is intended as a Planned Development district only - no stand-alone GC districts shall be allowed. The standards specified in this section are intended as base standards only and are intended to serve as the basis by which a PD will be crafted for this district in accordance with Chapter 15 of this Ordinance. The GC district provides for larger scale office, retail and service uses intended to serve a regional consumer base. A GC district is only appropriate in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction adjacent to the northeast corner of F.M. 407, McMakin and Jeter Roads, at such time that it is annexed into the Town limits. It shall not be mapped at any other locations within the Town.
(Ordinance 361-05 adopted 3/22/05)
A. 
Those uses listed for the GC district as shown in Appendix C or as established in the applicable PD.
B. 
Accessory buildings and structures incidental to the operation of the retail business or service activities specified in Section 13.2 A. above shall be permitted, provided that the building or structure does not exceed four hundred (400) square feet, is located behind the primary structure, and is constructed with the same or similar building facade and material as the primary structure and pursuant to Chapter 19.
C. 
Outside display incidental to the operation of the retail business or service activities specified in Section [13.2 A.] above shall be permitted. However, outside storage of goods, merchandise or equipment is prohibited. Except as otherwise permitted as a conditional use, no outside display may be located outside a rectangular area extending no more than fifteen feet (15') from the front face of the primary structure on the lot or tract and limited in to the width of the primary structure. The display must be stored or removed daily at the close of business hours.
(Ordinance 361-05 adopted 3/22/05)
A. 
Minimum development standards for nonresidential uses, where applicable, shall be those set forth in Chart 13.1, and by the Minimum Design Criteria in Subsection B. below, the Special Regulations Criteria in Section 13.4, and the Special Requirements in Division IV.
Chart 13.1
Development Standards
GC ZONING DISTRICT
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
GC DISTRICT
Front Yard Setback
50 feet (or as specified in B. below)
Side Yard Setback
See B.1 Below
Rear Yard Setback
See B.1 Below
Maximum Height
35'1
Maximum Lot Coverage
60%
Maximum Floor Area Ratio
0.4:1.0
1.No building shall be more than two and one-half (2-1/2) stories in height.
B. 
Special Area Regulations:
1. 
Side and Rear Yard Setbacks:
a. 
Minimum Side and Rear Yard -
Twenty-five feet (25') unless adjacent to a residentially zoned property (see Subsection c. below)
b. 
Interior Side Yards -
When retail uses are platted adjacent to other retail uses and integrated into an overall shopping center site where lots or lease spaces abut one another no side yard is required provided it complies with the Town’s Building Code.
c. 
Minimum Side or Rear Yard Adjacent to a Residential District -
One hundred feet (100')
2. 
Minimum Lot Size -
One (1) Acre
3. 
Maximum Impervious Surface -
Eighty percent (80%) of total lot
4. 
Minimum Lot Width:
a. 
Lots Fronting Onto F.M. 407 or Arterial, as Designated on the Thoroughfare Plan, as Amended - Two hundred feet (200') at the front property line with shared access; three hundred feet (300') at the front property line without shared access
b. 
Lots Other Than Those Specified in a. Above - One hundred feet (100') at the front building line with shared access; Two hundred and fifty feet (250') at the front building line without shared access
5. 
Minimum Lot Depth:
a. 
Lots Fronting Onto F.M. 407 or Arterial, as Designated on the Thoroughfare Plan, As Amended - Three hundred feet (300')
b. 
Lots Other Than Those Specified in a. Above - None
6. 
Minimum Lot Frontage for Cul-de-Sac Lots:
a. 
Lots with frontage onto a cul-de-sac end shall provide for a minimum lot frontage of one hundred feet (100') at the front property line.
C. 
Minimum Design Criteria:
1. 
Orientation and Scale of Primary Structure(s):
a. 
Buildings located within fifty feet (50') of a street right-of-way shall have their primary orientation toward a front yard.
b. 
Primary Entrances:
1. 
Primary entrances shall have a clearly defined, highly visible customer entrance with distinguishing features such as a canopy, portico or other prominent element of the architectural design.
2. 
Buildings shall incorporate lighting and changes in mass, surface or finish to give emphasis to primary entrances.
2. 
Loading Docks or Loading Areas:
a. 
Shall not be permitted to be visible from a street and shall not be accessed directly from a street.
b. 
Shall conform to the Special Requirements in Division IV.
3. 
Building Materials for Primary Structures:
a. 
One hundred percent (100%) of any exposed exterior wall of main buildings, parking structures, and accessory buildings excluding doors and windows shall consist of glass, native stone, clay fired brick or tile, or a combination of these materials. Other finishes and materials may be used at the sole discretion of the Town Council if adopted as a condition or standard of the planned development and if permitted by the Town of Bartonville building and fire codes.
b. 
The Town Council may allow, at its sole discretion, the use of concrete or concrete block on exterior walls that are not visible from a public right-of-way. These finishes must be consistent in color with the remainder of the building. These would include the walls of service courts and other facilities that are secluded from view by the specific design of a building or group of buildings.
c. 
Glass:
1. 
All exterior building materials comprised of glass shall have a maximum exterior visible reflectance of twenty (20) percent.
2. 
Glass shall not comprise more than fifty percent (50%) of the building skin.
4. 
Building Articulation for Primary Structures:
a. 
Exterior walls visible from a public street or a residentially zoned property shall have offsets, jogs or other distinctive changes in the building facade.
b. 
For every eighty (80) feet of building wall visible from a public street or a residentially zoned property, there shall be a change in the building footprint providing for a jog or offset measuring a minimum of five feet (5').
5. 
Large-Scale Projects:
a. 
These design standards shall apply to developments having 40,000 square feet and more in gross floor area of building space, inclusive of all primary, secondary, and accessory structures.
b. 
Large-Scale Design Criteria:
1. 
Developments shall design large building masses to relate to human scale by incorporating changes in building mass or direction, sheltering roofs, a distinct pattern of divisions on surfaces, windows, trees and small-scale lighting.
2. 
All on-site circulation systems shall incorporate a streetscape, which includes curbs, sidewalks, pedestrian-scale light standards, and street trees.
c. 
Public Spaces:
1. 
One (1) square foot of plaza or public space shall be required for every ten (10) square feet of gross floor area.
2. 
Plazas or public spaces shall incorporate at least three (3) of the five (5) following elements:
a. 
Sitting Space - at least one (1) sitting space for each two hundred and fifty (250) square feet of area included in the plaza. Seating shall be a minimum of sixteen (16) inches in height and thirty (30) inches in width. Ledge benches shall have a minimum depth of thirty (30) inches.
b. 
A mixture of areas that provide both sunlight and shade.
c. 
Trees in proportion to the space at a minimum of one (1) tree per eight hundred (800) square feet that measure a minimum of three inches (3") in diameter.
d. 
Water features or public art.
3. 
Mandatory Open Space:
a. 
A minimum of forty (40) percent of the total lot area of a project shall be devoted to open space.
b. 
Minimum open space requirements may be calculated on the basis of the overall development including required bufferyard(s), provided that the minimum open space on any individual lot within the development is not less than fifteen (15) percent.
4. 
On-Site Circulation:
a. 
Protected, raised walkways shall be installed through parking areas of fifty (50) or more spaces or more than one hundred (100) feet in average width or depth.
b. 
Parking lots with fifty (50) spaces or more shall be divided into separate areas divided by landscaped areas or walkways measuring a minimum of ten (10) feet in width or by a building or group of buildings.
c. 
Developments of one (1) acre or more must provide a pedestrian circulation plan for the site. Pedestrian walkways shall be directly linked to entrances and the internal circulation of the building.
d. 
Connections shall be made when feasible to any streets adjacent to the property and to any pedestrian facilities that connect to the property unless pedestrian and/or traffic hazards prohibit such connections.
e. 
Pedestrian areas shall be connected via a sidewalk to adjacent residential areas.
6. 
Roofs:
a. 
Flat Roofs:
1. 
Building walls shall extend to parapets that enclose the roof area. Said parapets shall be of a sufficient height to fully screen the roof and any mechanical equipment located on the roof.
b. 
Sloped Roofs:
1. 
Roofs shall have minimum slopes of seven (7) feet of rise for every twelve (12) feet of run (7:12).
2. 
Installed roofing shingles must consist of dimensional shingles with a minimum manufacturer’s rating of thirty (30) years. Roofing systems or materials exceeding the standards established herein may be used pursuant to approval by the Building Official or his designee.
7. 
Lighting:
a. 
Lighting may be used to accent architectural details, emphasize primary entrances, accent signs, illuminate sidewalks, and illuminate parking areas and service entrances for public safety concerns. Lighting should meet the following criteria:
1. 
Light fixtures and light standards visible from a public street or public right-of-way shall be of an architectural design that is consistent with the architectural design of the primary structure.
2. 
A lamp that conveys the color spectrum that is similar to natural daylight is preferred. Metal halide and color-corrected sodium lamps are appropriate.
3. 
Installed light sources may not use the equivalent of more than 1,200 lumens per bulb and shall be installed in such a manner so as to be shielded from public view and mitigate glare and light spill.
4. 
There shall be no direct illumination of any residential use or zoning district adjacent to a proposed GC District development.
5. 
Lights shall be fully shielded to minimize light trespass onto any residential zoning district. “Fully shielded” means a technique or method of construction or manufacture that does not allow any light dispersion to shine above the horizontal plane from the lowest light-emitting point of the light fixture. Any structural part of the light fixture providing this shielding shall be permanently affixed to the light fixture.
8. 
Open Storage:
a. 
Open or outside storage is prohibited.
9. 
Outside Display:
a. 
Outside display of merchandise and seasonal items, such as Christmas trees and pumpkins, shall be limited to the following:
1. 
Outside display areas shall not be placed or located more than fifteen feet (15') from the main building.
2. 
Outside display areas shall not occupy any of the parking spaces that are required by this Ordinance for the primary use(s) of the property, except on a temporary basis only, which is a maximum of thirty (30) days per display and a maximum of two displays per calendar year.
3. 
Outside display areas shall not pose a safety or visibility hazard, nor impede public vehicular or pedestrian circulation, either on-site or off-site, in any way.
4. 
Outside display areas shall not extend into public right-of-way or onto adjacent property.
5. 
Outside display items shall be displayed in a neat, orderly manner, and the display area shall be maintained in a clean, litter-free manner.
10. 
Trash Storage Areas and Mechanical Equipment:
a. 
All mechanical equipment, trash storage areas, and satellite dishes shall be fully screened from public view. This shall include equipment on the roof, ground or otherwise attached to the building or located on the site. The following standards shall be met:
1. 
Mechanical Equipment Screening:
a. 
Ground-Mounted Mechanical Equipment:
1. 
Mechanical equipment and similar items shall be fully screened with a masonry screening wall constructed of like and similar materials to those of the primary structure.
b. 
Roof-Mounted Equipment:
1. 
Mechanical equipment and similar items mounted to the roof of a structure shall be fully screened on for sides to a height equal to or greater than that of the mechanical equipment.
2. 
The structural screen specified in Subsection 1. above shall be of a design consistent with that of the primary structure and shall be of like and similar materials to those of the primary structure.
3. 
Screening Elements Extending More than Five Feet (5') Above the Roof Elevation:
a. 
Portions of screening elements that extend more than five feet (5') above the roof elevation shall be set back one foot (1') of height for every one foot (1') of height they exceed the roof elevation.
2. 
Trash Receptacle Screening:
a. 
Trash receptacles shall not be placed between the primary structure and the street and shall not be located within a street yard.
b. 
Trash receptacles shall be fully screened by an eight-foot (8') screen constructed of masonry materials of like and similar materials to those of the primary structure on three (3) sides and an opaque gate on one (1) side.
11. 
Loading and Service Areas:
a. 
Loading and service areas shall be located at the side or rear of the primary structure.
b. 
A minimum eight-foot (8') solid screening wall shall be required to screen views of loading docks and loading spaces intended for tractor/semi-trailer delivery from any public right-of-way. The screening wall shall be provided adjacent to any property zoned or planned for residential use as specified on the Town of Bartonville Comprehensive Plan, as amended. The screening wall shall screen each entire loading dock or space. Screening materials shall be of masonry materials that are of like and similar materials to those of the primary structure.
c. 
The accommodation of adequate access for service delivery trucks shall be evaluated to determine the extent of the screening required.
d. 
Development shall comply with the on-site loading standards specified in Chapter 17 of this Ordinance.
12. 
Parking:
a. 
Development shall comply with the on-site parking standards specific in Chapter 17 of this Ordinance.
b. 
All parking shall be designed so as not to obstruct the passage of cars as well as emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles and service vehicles (i.e. garbage trucks).
13. 
Pump islands and canopies of uses selling gasoline shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet.
14. 
Compatibility with Residential Uses:
a. 
Compatibility Buffer:
1. 
A landscape buffer shall be located on the site of the nonresidential use along all property lines adjacent to existing or proposed residential uses or any public street as specified on the Town of Bartonville Comprehensive Plan, as amended. Said landscape plan shall be subject to the following standards:
a. 
A brick or masonry wall with stucco or mortar wash finish, both exterior finishes being the same, shall be constructed along the property line. Said wall shall be a minimum of six feet (6') in height, except that the first twenty-five feet (25') in from the street line may be stepped down to a minimum height of four feet (4').
b. 
The landscaped setback shall consist of a minimum twenty-five foot (25') landscape buffer. Understory plants of species included in the approved plant list contained in Chapter 31 shall be provided in order to achieve a continuous dense six-foot (6') screen.
c. 
Native shade trees, a minimum of three inches (3") in trunk diameter and of a species included in Chapter 31 shall be provided at a ratio of one (1) tree per four hundred (400) square feet of buffer area. Native shade trees shall not be planted closer than thirty feet (30') on center.
15. 
Drive-Throughs and Restaurants (with Drive-Throughs):
a. 
Drive-through shall be located on the side or rear of the building.
b. 
Menu boards and speakers shall not face a public street.
c. 
Canopies shall be provided and shall match the building architecture.
d. 
Drive-through shall not be located adjacent to or facing a tract of land zoned or used as a residence.
(Ordinance 361-05 adopted 3/22/05; Ordinance 417-07, sec. 3, adopted 4/17/07; Ordinance 700-21, sec. 2, adopted 3/16/21; Ordinance 718-21 adopted 10/19/21)
A. 
Driveway Spacing
(distance between driveways, measured edge-to-edge):
1. 
U.S. Highway 407 - One driveway per three hundred (300) linear feet of frontage.
2. 
Arterial street - One driveway per two hundred and fifty (250) linear feet of frontage.
3. 
Collector street - One driveway per one hundred (100) linear feet of frontage.
4. 
Local street - One driveway per fifty (50) linear feet of frontage.
5. 
Minimum distance from driveway to street corner - Fifty feet (50'), as measured from the street corner radius point of tangency.
B. 
Driveway Separation from Intersections
(distance measured from the centerline of the rights-of-way to the pavement edge of the driveway):
1. 
U.S. Highway 407 intersection with another street - Three hundred feet (300').
2. 
Arterial street intersection with another street - Two hundred and fifty feet (250').
3. 
Collector street intersection with another street - One hundred feet (100').
4. 
Residential street intersection with another street - Fifty feet (50').
C. 
Site Plan Review -
Review and approval of a site plan by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Town Council (in accordance with Chapter 3) shall be required for any tract/lot within the RB district. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued unless all construction and development conforms to the Site Plan as approved by the Town Council.
D. 
Landscaping Requirements -
See Chapter 18.
E. 
Screening Requirements -
See town code Chapter 3, article 3.10.
F. 
Outside display of merchandise and seasonal items shall be limited to the following:
1. 
Shall not be placed/located more than thirty feet (30') from the main building.
2. 
Shall not occupy any of the parking spaces that are required by this Ordinance for the primary use(s) of the property (except on a temporary basis only, which is a maximum of 30 days per display and a maximum of two displays per calendar year).
3. 
Shall not pose a safety or visibility hazard, nor impede public vehicular or pedestrian circulation, either on-site or off-site, in any way.
4. 
Shall not extend into public right-of-way or onto adjacent property.
5. 
All outside display items shall be removed at the end of business each day (except for large seasonal items such as Christmas trees).
6. 
All merchandise shall be displayed in a neat, orderly manner, and the display area shall be maintained in a clean, litter-free manner.
G. 
Building facade or elevation plans shall be submitted for review and approval along with the Site Plan. Facade plans shall clearly show how the building(s) will look, especially as viewed from the major thoroughfare upon which the property faces and/or sides, and will portray a reasonably accurate depiction of the materials and colors to be used. The Town may, as is deemed appropriate, require submission of additional information and materials such as actual samples of proposed exterior building materials during the Site Plan review process.
H. 
Recreational vehicles, travel trailers or motor homes may not be used for on-site dwelling or nonresidential purposes.
I. 
Maintenance Requirements for Common Areas -
A property owners’ association is required for continued maintenance of any common land and facilities provided within the development (see the Subdivision Ordinance for POA/HOA requirements).
J. 
Tents are not permitted on property unless there is maintained a permanent structure.
K. 
Other Regulations -
As established in the Special Requirements in Division IV.
(Ordinance 361-05 adopted 3/22/05; Ordinance 376-05, sec. 2, adopted 11/15/05; Ordinance 760-23 adopted 11/21/2023)