Chapter 17.08 COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

The purposes of the Commercial Districts are to:

Designate adequate land for a full range of residential- and business-serving commercial uses and services, consistent with the General Plan, to maintain and strengthen the City’s economic resources, and meet the needs of local community for goods and services;

Establish development and design standards that improve the visual quality of commercial development to ensure appropriate buffers and transitions to adjacent neighborhoods; and

Ensure that new development is designed to minimize traffic and parking impacts and is appropriate to the physical characteristics of the area.

The specific intent of each District are as follows:

CR Regional Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a wide range of retail commercial uses, including, but not limited to, larger scale commercial uses that service the community, region, and traveling public through implementation of the Regional Commercial (C-R) land use designation in the General Plan.

CC Community Commercial. This District is intended for relatively small commercial centers that provide convenience goods and services to the surrounding residential neighborhoods while protecting the residential character of the area through implementation of the Community Commercial (C-C) land use designation in the General Plan.

OT Old Town—Commercial. This District is intended to permit a wide range of local- and community-serving retail and office uses to enhance the physical and economic environment for existing businesses and uses of the historic center by implementing the Old Town Commercial (OT) land use designation set forth in the General Plan. Regulations and development standards are intended to reinforce the character of the area as a pedestrian-oriented, retail business area with a mix of businesses and services and through consistency with the Goleta Old Town Heritage District Architecture and Design Guidelines.

VS Visitor Serving—Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a range of commercial uses of low to moderate intensity, often at or near scenic locations that serve as destinations for visitors, through implementation of the Visitor Commercial (C-V) land use designation of the General Plan.

CI Intersection or Highway Commercial. This District is intended to provide for a limited range of commercial uses of low to moderate intensity located at major roadway intersections by implementing the Intersection or Highway Commercial (C-I) land use designation of the General Plan.

CG General Commercial. This District is intended to provide appropriate sites for a diverse set of commercial uses that do not need highly visible locations or that may involve activities that are not compatible with other uses through implementation of the General Commercial (C-G) land use designation in the General Plan.

(Ord. 20-03 § 6)

§ 17.08.020 Land Use Regulations.

Table 17.08.020 below prescribes the land use regulations for Commercial Districts. The table also notes additional use regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right-hand column refer to other sections of this Title. Use classifications are defined in Chapter 17.72, Use Classifications.

TABLE 17.08.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS
“P”—Zoning Permit or Exempt “MU”—Minor Conditional Use Permit “CU”—Major Conditional Use Permit “-”—Use Not Allowed
Uses	District						Additional Regulations
Uses	CR	CC	OT	VS	CI	CG	Additional Regulations
Residential Uses
Residential Housing Types
Multiple-Unit Development	-	P¹	P¹	-	-	-	See § 17.24.120, Mixed-Use Development
Accessory Dwelling Unit	See § 17.41.030, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)
Low Barrier Navigation Centers	-	P	P	-	-	P	See § 17.41.280, Low Barrier Navigation Centers
Residential Care Facilities
Small	-	P	P	-	-	-
Large	-	-	-	-	-	P	See § 17.41.220, Residential Care Facilities
Supportive Housing	See § 17.41.290, Supportive Housing
Transitional Housing	Subject only to those standards and permit procedures as they apply to other residential dwellings of the same type (use) in the same zone.
Public/Quasi-Public Uses
Colleges and Trade Schools	CU	CU	MU	-	-	P
Community Assembly	-	MU	MU	-	-	MU
Community Garden	P	P	P	-	P	P	See § 17.41.100, Community Gardens
Cultural Institutions and Facilities	P	P	P	-	P	-
Day Care Facility	MU	P	P	MU	MU	P	See § 17.41.110, Day Care Facilities
Emergency Shelter	CU	-	-	-	-	P	See § 17.41.130, Emergency Shelters
Government Buildings	P	P	P	P²	CU	P
Hospital	CU	-	-	-	-	CU
Parking, Public or Private	MU	MU	MU	MU	MU	MU
Public Safety Facilities	P	P	P	-	P	P
Schools, Private	CU	CU	MU	-	-	CU
Skilled Nursing Facility	MU	MU	MU	-	-	P
Social Service Facilities	MU	MU	MU	-	-	MU
Commercial Uses
Adult-Oriented Business
Adult Bookstore, Adult Novelty Store, or Adult Video Store	-	-	-	-	-	P	See § 17.41.050, Adult-Oriented Businesses
Animal Sales, Care and Services
Animal Sales and Grooming	P	P	P	-	-	P
Boarding, Kennel	CU	MU	MU	-	-	CU
Veterinary Services	-	MU	MU	-	-	P
Automobile/Vehicles Sales and Services
Auction	-	-	-	-	-	P
Automobile/Vehicle Sales, Rentals and Leasing	-	-	CU	-	-	MU	See § 17.41.070, Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair
Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair, Major	-	-	P3	-	-	CU	See § 17.41.070, Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair
Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair, Minor	-	-	P3	-	-	P	See § 17.41.070, Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair
Service and Gas Stations	CU	-	CU	-	P	CU	See § 17.41.230, Service and Gas Stations
Automobile/Vehicle Washing	-	P	CU	-	P	P	See § 17.41.080, Automobile/Vehicle Washing
Building Materials, Sales, and Service	P	P	CU	-	-	P	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Business Services	-	P	P	-	-	P
Cannabis Microbusiness	-	-	-	-	-	P⁴	See § 17.41.090, Cannabis Uses
Cannabis Retailer
Storefront	P	P	P	-	-	P	See § 17.41.090, Cannabis Uses
Non-Storefront	P	P	-	-	-	P	See § 17.41.090, Cannabis Uses
Catering Service	P	P	P	P	-	P
Check-Cashing Business	-	-	CU	-	-	P
Commercial Entertainment and Recreation
Banquet and Conference Center	CU	-	CU	P	-	-
Cinemas	P	P	-	P	-	-
Indoor Sports and Recreation	P	P	MU	P	-	P
Outdoor Entertainment	CU	-	-	CU	-	-
Eating and Drinking Establishments
Bars/Night Clubs/ Lounges	CU	P	P	-	-	P
Restaurant	P	P	P	P	P	P	See § 17.41.120, Eating and Drinking Establishments
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate Services	P	P	P/CU⁵	-	-	P
Food and Beverage Sales
General Market	P	P	P	-	P	P	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Liquor Store	P	P	MU	-	-	P
Specialty Food Sales and Facilities	P	P	P	-	-	P	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Hydrogen Fueling Stations	P	P	P	P	P	P	See § 17.41.270, Hydrogen Fueling Stations
Information Technology Services	-	-	-	-	-	P
Instructional Services	-	-	P	-	-	P
Live/Work Units	-	P	P	-	-	-	See § 17.41.180, Live/Work Units
Lodging and Visitor-Services
Hotels and Motels	P	P	CU	P	-	-
Recreational Vehicle Parks	-	-	CU	CU	-	CU
Time Share Use	-	-	-	P	-	-
Maintenance and Repair Services	P	P	P	-	-	P
Media-Production Facility	MU	MU	-	-	-	P
Medical, Dental, and Health-Related Services	P	P	P/CU⁵	-	-	-
Community Clinic Providing Reproductive Health Services	P	P	P	-	-	P	See § 17.41.300, Community Clinics Providing Reproductive Health Services
Nurseries and Garden Centers	P	P	CU	-	-	P	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Personal Services
General Personal Services	P	P	P	-	-	P
Restricted Personal Services	MU	MU	CU	-	-	P
Professional Services	-	P	P/CU⁵	-	-	P
Retail Sales
General Retail	P	P	P	-	-	P	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Large Format Retail	P	P	-	-	-	-	See § 17.41.200, Outdoor Sales
Industrial Uses
Automobile Wrecking/Junk Yard	-	-	-	-	-	CU
Cannabis Distribution	-	-	-	-	-	P	See § 17.41.090, Cannabis Uses
Construction and Material Yards	-	-	-	-	-	CU
Vehicle/Equipment Facilities
Heavy Vehicle and Large Equipment Sales/Rental, Service, and Repair	-	-	-	-	-	CU
Wholesale Trade, Warehouse, Storage and Distribution
Indoor Warehousing and Storage	-	-	-	-	-	P
Outdoor Storage Yard	-	-	-	-	-	CU
Personal Storage	-	-	-	-	-	MU	See § 17.41.210, Personal Storage
Wholesaling and Distribution	-	-	-	-	-	P
Transportation, Communication, and Utility Uses
Communication Facilities
Antennas and Transmission Towers	See Chapter 17.42, Telecommunications Facilities
Facilities within Buildings	-	-	-	-	-	P
Light Fleet-Based Services	-	-	-	-	-	CU
Transportation Passenger Terminal	-	-	-	CU	-	CU
Accessory Uses	See § 17.41.040, Accessory Uses
Animal Keeping	P	P	P	P	-	P	See § 17.41.060, Animal Keeping
Cannabis Personal Use Cultivation	P	P	P	P	P	P	See § 17.41.090, Cannabis Uses
Caretaker Unit	MU	MU	MU	MU	-	MU
Family Day Care
Small	P	P	P	P	P	P	See § 17.41.140, Family Day Care
Large	P	P	P	P	P	P	See § 17.41.140, Family Day Care
Home Occupation	-	P	P	-	-	-	See § 17.41.170, Home Occupations
Temporary Uses	See § 17.41.260, Temporary Uses for permit requirements for each type of temporary use
Nonconforming Uses	Chapter 17.36, Nonconforming Uses and Structures

Notes:
1	Only mixed-use developments.
2	Limited to City Hall only.
3	Only for pre-existing uses. Any significant expansion requires a Major Conditional Use Permit and a finding that the expansion is consistent with adjacent uses.
4	Microbusinesses in CG are only allowed for cannabis businesses legally located prior to June 16, 2009.
5	Office uses are permitted on the street facing ground floor. Office uses on the second floor of a structure or behind the portion of a building adjacent to the street are subject to approval of a Minor Conditional Use Permit.

(Ord. 20-03 § 6; Ord. 21-11 § 4; Ord. 22-14 § 4; Ord. 23-05 § 4; Ord. 24-01, 4/16/2024; Ord. 25-10, 12/2/2025)

§ 17.08.030 Development Regulations.

Table 17.08.030 prescribes development regulations for the Commercial Districts for permitted and conditionally permitted uses. Letters in parenthesis (e.g., (A)) refer to the regulations following the table. When in the “Additional Regulations” column, the regulations apply to all districts. When in just one district’s column, the regulations apply only to that particular district. The numbers in each illustration below refer to corresponding regulations in the “#” column in the associated table. Regulations applicable to all zoning districts are in Part IV of this Title.

TABLE 17.08.030: DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS—COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS
	District						Additional Regulations	#
	CR	CC	OT	VS	CI	CG	Additional Regulations	#

Maximum Dwelling Unit Density (units/acre)	N/A	20	20	N/A	N/A	20	See § 17.24.120, Mixed-Use Development
Maximum Building Height (ft.)	35	35	35	35	25	35		1
Minimum Setbacks (ft.)	See also § 17.24.120, Mixed-Use Development Where the minimum required setback is 0 and a setback is provided, the setback shall be a minimum of 5 feet.
Front	20	10	0(A)	20	10	10		2
Interior Side	10	0	0	20	5	0		3
Street Side	OT District: 0(A) Other Districts: • Lots less than 100 feet in width: 20% of lot width, min 10 • Lots 100 feet or more in width: Same as required front setback							4
Rear	10% of lot depth, max 10			20(B)	10% of lot depth, max 10			5
Minimum Common Open Space	N/A	N/A	N/A	40% (combined)	N/A	N/A
Minimum Landscaping	5%	N/A	N/A		5%	N/A
Limitations on Curb Cuts	(C)	(C)	(C)	(C)	(C)	(C)
Parking	See Chapter 17.38, Parking and Loading

Front and Street Side Setback in OT Zone District. A setback is required to ensure 10 feet between the face of gutter and the back of sidewalk.

Reduced Rear Setbacks, Corner Lots Backing on Key Lots. The rear setback for a corner lot backing up on a key lot may be reduced to the size of the required side setback for the key lot or 10 feet, whichever is greater, provided the front, side, and rear setback area required by the applicable district regulations is not reduced. An accessory structure on a corner lot backing up on a key lot shall be set back from the rear property line by a distance equal to the side setback requirements applicable to the key lot.

Limitations on Curb Cuts. Wherever possible, parking and loading entrances must share curb cuts in order to minimize the overall number of curb cuts. Curb cuts are limited to one per parcel unless an absolute need is demonstrated. On corner lots, curb cuts must be located on the street frontage with the least traffic volume wherever feasible.

(Ord. 20-03 § 6; Ord. 23-05 § 4; Ord. 23-17 § 4; Ord. 24-01, 4/16/2024)