In addition to the general purposes established in SMC § 10.10.030 (Title and purpose), the specific purposes of the commercial zoning districts are as follows:
A. 
To provide space for diverse types of commercial activity to serve people and industry, while maintaining and strengthening the economic base of the City of Sausalito;
B. 
To implement the general plan by designating a variety of commercial districts so that all appropriate types of commercial activity may have a suitable location;
C. 
To permit the establishment of varying commercial uses in locations suitable both to individual enterprises and the entire City of Sausalito;
D. 
To promote the constructive improvement and orderly growth of the existing well-located commercial centers and districts; and
E. 
To protect residential districts adjacent to commercial uses.
(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003)
The additional purposes of each commercial district are as follows:
Central Commercial (CC):
A. 
To provide for a wide variety of retail and service businesses to serve Sausalito residents and visitors;
B. 
To provide for enhanced quality and reduced redundancy of downtown's available merchandise;
C. 
To maintain an inviting shopping environment for visitors and residents, utilizing the area's natural attributes;
D. 
To provide for, and encourage, ground-floor retail business with upper-floor residential uses;
E. 
To promote continuous retail frontage and prohibit establishments that tend to break up such continuity; and
F. 
To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.
Mixed Commercial and Residential (CR):
G. 
To provide for local-serving retail and service businesses and residential uses where mutually compatible;
H. 
To provide for local-serving commercial uses;
I. 
To provide a pedestrian-oriented experience for local residents; and
J. 
To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.
Neighborhood Commercial (CN):
K. 
To provide local-serving retail and service businesses in a location and manner that serve nearby commercial and residential areas;
L. 
To provide one-stop convenience services in the three distinct neighborhood commercial centers; and
M. 
To provide for accessory manufacturing uses, incidental to primary commercial activity.
Shopping Center (SC):
N. 
To provide for sales of frequently-purchased household necessities and services for local residents.
Commercial Waterfront (CW):
O. 
To protect the waterfront area, while promoting uses that benefit from, and need, a waterfront location.
Waterfront (W):
P. 
To protect the waterfront area while promoting marine-oriented uses which will benefit from, and need, a waterfront location. The waterfront (W) district is divided into two subdistricts for the purposes of Table 10.24-1, including the base district (W) and combined with the marinship overlay (W-M) (SMC § 10.28.050, Marinship (-M)).
(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1251 § 1 (Att. 1), 2018)
Table 10.24-1 (Land Uses Allowed in Commercial Districts) outlines the uses that are allowed in each commercial district. The notations indicate whether each use is permitted or requires one of two permits, as indicated in the legend. Blanks indicate the use is not allowed in that particular district. The last column identifies sections of the Zoning Ordinance where additional requirements are found and apply to the land use, including those from Chapter 10.44 SMC (Specific Use Requirements). Additional requirements may also be applicable.
Table 10.24-1
LAND USES ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS1
Land Use
CC
CR
CN
SC
CW
W
W-M
See SMC
Manufacturing and Processing Uses
Commercial fishing facilities
P
P
CUP
Drydocks
CUP
CUP
CUP
Marine industrial use
P
P
P
Printing and publishing
CUP
CUP
Recycling collection stations
MUP
MUP
MUP
P
MUP
MUP
MUP
SMC § 10.44.200 (Recycling collection stations)
Recreation, Education, and Public Assembly Uses
Religious institutions, clubs and fraternal organizations
P
CUP
P
SMC § 10.44.110 (Religious institutions, private clubs and fraternal organizations)
Libraries and museums
MUP
CUP
Parks, playgrounds
P
P
P
P
P
Piers and wharves
MUP
P
P
P
Private club or facility
CUP
CUP
Recreation and fitness centers
CUP
CUP
Schools – specialized education and training
P
CUP
CUP
P
P
Temporary uses and events
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.310 (Temporary uses)
Theaters and meeting halls
CUP
CUP
Yacht clubs
CUP
CUP
CUP
P2
Residential Uses
Accessory dwelling units
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.080 (Accessory dwelling units)9
Employee housing
SMC § 10.44.360 (Employee housing)
Employee housing, agricultural
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.44.370 (Employee housing, agricultural)
Home occupations
P
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.030 (Home occupations)
Houseboats
CUP3
Liveaboards
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.44.170 (Liveaboards)
Low barrier navigation center
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.380
Residential accessory uses
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.020 (Accessory uses and structures)
Senior housing projects
CUP
CUP
CUP4
SMC § 10.44.120 (Senior housing projects)
Residential care homes, seven or more clients
CUP
Single room occupancy housing
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.88.040 (Definitions)
Supportive housing, levels above first (street or ground) only8
P
P or CUP
P4
SMC § 10.88.040 (Definitions); SMC § 10.88.390 (Supportive housing)
Transitional housing, levels above first (street or ground) only8
P
P or CUP
P4
SMC § 10.88.040 (Definitions)
Upper floor residential
One to six dwelling units
P
P or CUP
P4
SMC § 10.44.190 (Residential use in commercial districts)
Seven or more dwelling units
CUP
CUP
CUP4
Retail Trade
Art galleries dealing in original art
P
CUP
SMC § 10.44.230 (Visitor serving stores and art galleries)
Building material stores
P
P
P
P
Drinking establishments
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP5
Formula retail (applies to all forms of retail trade)
P
SMC § 10.44.240 (Formula retail)
Full service supermarket
P
Furniture, furnishings and equipment stores
P
P
P
P
Grocery stores
P
P
P
P
Jewelry stores – precious metals and gems
P
P
Liquor stores
P
CUP
CUP
Lumberyard
CUP
Plant nurseries
CUP
CUP
CUP
Recreational equipment sales and rentals
P
P
P
P
Restaurants
P
CUP
CUP
P
CUP6
SMC § 10.44.210 (Restaurants) and 10.44.220 (Outdoor dining areas)
Outdoor dining (on public right-of-way or private property)
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
Retail stores, general merchandise (nonvisitor serving)
P
P
P
Secondhand or thrift stores
P
P
P
Visitor serving stores
CUP
SMC § 10.44.230 (Visitor serving stores)
Wholesale and retail fish sales
P
P
P
P
P
CUP
Wine shops
P
P
Service Uses
Banks and financial services – retail
P
CUP
P
SMC § 10.44.340 (Banks and financial service – retail in the CR District)
Business support services
P
P
P
P
Child day care
SMC § 10.44.100 (Child day care)
Centers
P
CUP
CUP
Large family care homes
MUP
MUP
Small family care homes
P
P
Columbariums and mortuaries
CUP
CUP
Marine applied arts
P
P
CUP
Marine commercial services
P
P
P
Marine fuel facility
CUP
CUP
CUP
Medical services – clinics and laboratories
MUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
Office conversion of an existing or previously existing retail trade, commercial services, drinking/eating or residential use
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.44.250 (Office conversions)
Offices (new structure or replacement of existing office)
P
P
CUP
CUP
Offices, temporary
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
SMC § 10.44.280 (Offices, temporary)
Personal services
P
P
P
Public safety facilities
P
P
P
P
P
Minor public utility facilities
MUP
MUP
MUP
MUP
Major public utility facilities
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
Repair and maintenance – consumer products
P
P
P
Service stations
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.44.260 (Service stations)
Storage, accessory
P
P
P
P
SMC § 10.44.050 (Storage, accessory)
Upholstery shops
P
P
P
Veterinary clinic
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.44.180 (Veterinary clinics)
Warehousing
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
Transient Lodging
Bed and breakfasts
CUP
CUP
Hotels
CUP
CUP
Transportation and Communications Uses
Wireless communications facilities
See Chapter 10.45 SMC (Standards and Criteria for Wireless Communications Facilities)
Chapter 10.45 SMC
Boat launching ramps
CUP
CUP
CUP
Dry boat storage
CUP
CUP
P
P
Harbor facilities and marinas
P
P
P7
SMC § 10.44.140 (Harbor and marina facilities)
Off-street parking facilities (private and commercial)
CUP
CUP
CUP
SMC § 10.40.100 – 10.40.120 (Parking – standards, requirements, design)
Pipelines and transmission lines
P
P
P
MUP
Transit stations and terminals
CUP
CUP
CUP
P
MUP
CUP
Permitted use
Minor use permit required
Conditional use permit required
 
Chapter 10.58 SMC
Chapter 10.60 SMC
Notes:
1 Zoning permit required for all uses. (See Chapter 10.52 SMC.)
2 Tax-exempt yacht clubs only, subject to restrictions in the marinship specific plan.
3 No new houseboats are allowed. Existing houseboats may be legalized with a conditional use permit.
4 Residential uses are permitted above the ground floor in the CN zoning districts located in the Second and Main Street area and the Bridgeway and Spring Street area. Residential uses are not permitted in the CN zoning district located along Bridgeway between Coloma Street and Ebbtide Avenue.
5 Other than beer and wine for on-site consumption as an accessory use.
6 Not to exceed 20 seats.
7 Marine service harbors only.
8 Supportive housing and transitional housing shall be subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zoning district, except that supportive housing is allowed by right in all multifamily and mixed use zones.
9 Accessory dwelling units in the CC, CR, and CN districts are only permitted on lots containing an existing or proposed dwelling unit, subject to SMC § 10.44.080.
(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1223 § 4, 2014; Ord. 1205 § 1, 2012; Ord. 1224 § 2, 2014; Ord. 1251 § 1 (Att. 1), 2018; Ord. 1281 § 2, 2020; Ord. 06-2025-A, 12/2/2025; Ord. 03-2026, 3/3/2026)
A. 
Incidental Manufacturing. Incidental manufacturing, fabricating, processing, packaging, treating and related storage will be allowed in the CC, CR and CN districts, subject to the following:
1. 
Incidental use or storage shall be in the same line of merchandise or service as the retail or service business conducted on the premises;
2. 
Gross floor area occupied by incidental use shall not exceed 50%; and
3. 
No more than five employees shall be engaged in the activities.
B. 
Outdoor Display of Merchandise and Commercial Uses. All uses and related commercial activities shall be conducted in enclosed buildings except for the following uses or activities when related to permitted or conditionally permitted use within a commercial zoning district:
1. 
Delivery of fuel, lubricants, and incidental servicing of automobiles (service station);
2. 
Parking and loading facilities;
3. 
Outdoor eating and drinking areas (MUP required);
4. 
Recreation facilities;
5. 
Public utility substations;
6. 
Display of plants, flowers, and garden care and decoration items (nurseries, florist shops);
7. 
Display of household and garden hardwares (hardware stores);
8. 
Marine industrial uses;
9. 
Storage and lumber yards (CUP required);
10. 
Storage incidental to industrial uses.
C. 
Large Frontage Retail. Unless authorized as a conditional use pursuant to Chapter 10.60 SMC (Conditional Use Permits), retail trade businesses that front only one street and contain over 50 feet of lineal street frontage are prohibited. A conditional use permit shall also be required for any retail trade business located in a corner building with two street frontages on a corner lot that has more than 50 feet of lineal frontage on the primary street. The measurement of frontage shall be calculated separately for each tenant in a multitenant building. This requirement does not apply in the shopping center district.
D. 
Drive-Thru Facilities for Fast Food Restaurants Prohibited. Businesses that provide for the ordering of food while the customers are seated in vehicles are prohibited in all commercial zoning districts.
(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 03-2026, 3/3/2026)
Table 10.24-2 (Site Development Standards – Commercial Zoning Districts) establishes parcel requirements, residential density and site development standards for the commercial zoning districts. Minimum standards are provided for parcel size, lot width and setbacks. Residential density, floor area ratio, building coverage and height limits are maximum amounts allowed. Specific uses may be subject to additional, specific standards. Certain standards vary depending on the applicable situation. Refer to noted sections. The commercial neighborhood (CN) district is divided into two subdistricts (CN-1 and CN-2) for regulating maximum floor area ratio and maximum coverage.
Table 10.24-2
SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS
Development Requirement
CC
CR
CN
SC
CW
W
W-M
See SMC
Minimum parcel size
5,000 sf
5,000 sf
5,000 sf
10,000 sf
5,000 sf
25,000 sf
See Table 10.28-1 for site development standards
SMC § 10.40.030 (Minimum parcel standards) and SMC Title 9
Minimum lot width
50 feet
50 feet
50 feet
50 feet
50 feet
50 feet
SMC § 10.28.060 (Planned development (-Pd))
Maximum density
1 du per
1,500 sf
1,500 sf
1,500 sf
N/A
10% of total berths (1)
10% of total berths (1)
SMC § 10.44.170 (Liveaboards)
Maximum floor area ratio (5)
1.3
1.00
-1
-2
.20
.30
.30
SMC § 10.40.040 (Floor area ratio)
.50
.35
Maximum building coverage
100%
70%
70%
50%
50%
30%
30%
SMC § 10.40.050 (Building coverage limits)
Minimum Setbacks (2)
SMC § 10.40.080 (Exceptions to required setbacks), 10.40.070 (Setbacks and yards), and Chapter 10.44 SMC (Specific Use Requirements)
Front
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
See Table 10.28-1 for site development standards
Side (3)
10 feet
10 feet
10 feet
(4)
(4)
(4)
Rear (3)
15 feet
15 feet
15 feet
20 feet
20 feet
15 feet
Maximum building height
32 feet
32 feet
32 feet
32 feet
25 feet
32 feet
SMC § 10.40.060 (Height requirements)
Notes:
(1) Density allowed for liveaboard residential uses.
(2) Per SMC § 10.40.080E, a multifamily rental project that is located on a single site composed of multiple contiguous lots shall only be subject to setback requirements along the exterior lot lines for projects that include a lot merger.
(3) Setback required only when adjacent to residential zoning district. See noted section for additional setback requirements between structures on the same site and in other situations. Different setbacks may also apply if district is combined with other zoning districts.
(4) One-half the building height, but no less than five feet.
(5) Pursuant to Cal. Gov’t. Code § 65913.11(b), a housing development project consisting of three to seven units shall be allowed to have a floor area ratio of up to 1.0, and for a housing development project consisting of eight to 10 units, the project shall be allowed a floor area ratio of up to 1.25, except for projects within a historic district or property included on the State Historic Resources Inventory, as defined in Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 5020.1, or within a site that is designated or listed as a city or county landmark or historic property or district pursuant to a city or county ordinance.
The following requirements also apply:
A. 
Minimum Lot Size. New parcels proposed in a subdivision shall also comply with applicable provisions of SMC Title 9 (Subdivisions). Existing parcels which do not meet the minimum lot area or width requirements specified by this section may be developed in accordance with the development standards outlined in Table 10.24-2 (Site Development Standards – Commercial Zoning Districts); provided, that the subject parcel has been legally created.
B. 
Setbacks. Setbacks will only be required where the subject parcel is adjacent to a residential zoning district. Additional requirements for setbacks between structures on the same site, and setbacks in other situations, are established by SMC § 10.40.080 (Exceptions to required setbacks) and by Chapter 10.44 SMC (Specific Use Requirements) for certain specific land uses.
C. 
Residential Density. Allowed density for liveaboard residential uses in the W district shall be one unit for each 10 berths in a marina.
(Ord. 1167 § 2, 2003; Ord. 1205 § 2, 2012; Ord. 06-2025-A, 12/2/2025)