[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
This district is intended to create a stable urban core that will preserve and enhance the many historic buildings while adding new buildings that will expand and contribute to the small town, urban environment that makes the downtown attractive for pedestrians. Every effort should be made to preserve and renovate the historic structures and to create new infill construction that is compatible with the old in terms of scale, proportion, materials, design and function without being imitative. The Downtown Business District is perceived as being a very specialized sector of the City, one that combines private and governmental businesses with entertainment and tourism.
This district is described as beginning at the corner of East McKinney Avenue and Glover Street then south to Miller Street, south to East Main Street, southeast to Baltimore Avenue, south to Jackson Street, west to South Hambrick Street, north to West McKinney Avenue and east to the corner of Glover Street.
The Downtown Business District is divided into Sub-Districts A to F.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-2-1. 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are allowed in each sub-district of the D-B-D Downtown Business District.
5-2-2. 
Uses are either permitted where marked with a "P" in the table, under the applicable district column, or are only permitted when approved as a conditional use where marked with a "C" in the table, under the applicable zoning district column.
5-2-3. 
Any regulations specific to an individual sub-district are found in the applicable sub-district regulations in § § 5-4 through 5-9.
5-2-4. 
Uses that are not listed as expressly permitted in the districts identified in Table 5-1 but which are similar in nature to a listed use may be authorized by the Zoning Board of Adjustment as a conditional use in the applicable district if the Board finds the similarity between uses is within the spirit or intent of this zoning district.
Table 5-1: Uses Allowed in Downtown Business District Sub-Districts
Use
Sub-Districts
A
B
C
D
E
F
Antique stores
P
P
P
P
Appliance stores
P
P
P
Art stores
P
P
P
Art supply stores
P
P
P
P
P
Auditoriums
P
Auto parts stores
P
P
P
Bakeries
P
P
P
P
P
Banks
P
P
P
P
Barbershops
P
P
P
P
P
Beauty shops
P
P
P
P
P
Bicycle shops
P
P
P
Bookstores
P
P
P
P
Bridal shops
P
P
P
P
Building, electrical, plumbing and heating supply
C
C
C
C
Card shops
P
P
P
P
City hall
P
Clothing stores
P
P
P
P
P
Community centers
P
P
P
Computer stores
P
P
P
P
P
Convenience stores
C
C
C
C
C
Craft stores
P
P
P
P
P
Dance studios
P
P
Dance/gymnastics studios
P
P
Delicatessens
P
P
P
P
P
Drugstores
P
P
P
P
P
Dry cleaning
P
Electronic stores
P
P
P
P
Fire stations
P
Florist shops
P
P
P
P
P
Furniture stores
P
P
P
P
P
Game rooms
P
P
Garden shops
P
P
P
P
P
P
Gift shops
P
P
P
P
P
Grocery stores
C
P
P
Hardware stores
P
P
P
P
Hobby shops
P
P
P
P
P
Ice cream parlors
P
P
P
P
Interior design shops
P
P
P
P
Jewelry stores
P
P
P
P
P
Launderettes, coin-operated
P
Leather goods
P
P
Libraries
P
Light manufacturing incidental to a retail business provided the goods are to be sold at retail on the premises
C
C
C
C
C
Loft apartments
P
Medical equipment stores
P
P
P
P
P
Mini storage
P
Municipal jails
P
Museums and art galleries
P
P
P
P
Music stores
P
P
P
P
P
P
Novelty stores
P
P
P
P
P
Office supply stores
P
P
P
P
P
Offices
P
Offices, including business and professional
P
Offices, including business, professional and governmental
P
P
Opticians
P
P
P
Paint and decorating stores
P
P
P
Parking lots and parking structures
P
P
P
P
P
P
Parks
P
P
Personal fitness establishments
P
P
Pet stores
P
P
Photo supply and developing stores
P
P
P
P
Photographic studios
P
P
P
P
P
Physical therapists
P
P
P
Playgrounds
P
P
Police stations
P
P
Post offices
P
P
Public utility facilities
P
Recycling centers
P
Repair shops for small appliances and similar services
P
P
P
Restaurants, except drive-in restaurants
P
P
P
P
P
Schools
P
P
Shoe repair shops
P
P
P
Shoe stores
P
P
P
P
P
Sporting goods stores
P
P
P
P
P
Tailor, dressmaking and millinery stores
P
P
P
P
P
Theaters
P
Theaters, indoor
P
P
P
P
Tobacco shops
P
P
P
P
Toy stores
P
P
P
P
P
Travel agents
P
P
Uses customarily accessory to permitted uses
P
P
P
P
P
P
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-4-1. 
This section establishes basic site development standards for all the sub-districts within the D-B-D District. Additional standards may be identified under the provisions of each of the district regulations found in §§ 5-4 through 5-9.
5-4-2. 
Table 5-2 establishes the minimum lot area, lot width, and setbacks for each lot in the D-B-D sub-districts. The table also establishes the maximum building height and maximum building area coverage for buildings on such lots.
Table 5-2: Site Development Standards in the Downtown Business District Sub-Districts
Sub-District
Minimum Lot Area [1]
Minimum Setbacks
(feet)
Maximum Building Height
Maximum Building Area Coverage
Minimum Lot Width
(feet)
Front Yard
Rear Yard
Side Yard (total for all side yards)
A
None
None
0
0
0
2 stories
None
B
None
None
0
0
10 [2]
2 stories
None
C
None
None
0
0
10 [2]
2 stories
None
D
None
None
0
0
10 [2]
2 stories
None
E
None
None
0
0
10 [2]
2 stories
None
F
None
None
0
0
10 [2]
2 stories
None
NOTES:
[1]
It is the intent of this ordinance that lots shall be of a sufficient size to accommodate the use of the land and building, in additional to all required parking spaces, loading spaces, landscaping, and other space required for the other normal operations of the business or service.
[2]
In no case shall any side yard setback be less than five feet from an existing building.
[3]
No front yard setback is required except where nearby existing nonresidential establishments are set back from the street, in which case any new structure shall be set back no less than the average of the front yard setbacks of the existing establishments within 100 feet on each side of the proposed establishment.
[4]
No side yard setback is required unless the lot is adjacent to a residential zoning district, in which case there shall be a minimum side yard setback of 10 feet.
5-4-3. 
There shall be no outside storage of vehicles, equipment, or materials in any of the sub-districts.
5-4-4. 
All accessory structures and dumpsters shall be located in the rear yard and adequately screened to the maximum extent practicable, so as not to be visible from any street or by pedestrians.
5-4-5. 
A buffer strip, as specified in the definition of "buffer strip" in § 14-3, shall be planted and maintained along all side and rear lot lines that abut residential districts.
5-4-6. 
All exterior mechanical equipment, trash facilities and loading areas shall be adequately screened as well as practicable so as not to be visible from any street or by pedestrians.
5-4-7. 
The front facade of all new buildings shall be oriented toward a public street as shall the principal entrances.
5-4-8. 
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with § 7-3. Where parking is required, a paved parking lot is required for all new construction.
5-4-9. 
Signs are permitted in accordance with Article 8, Sign Compliance.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-5-1. 
Purpose. The purpose of Sub-District A is to continue the development of the downtown in such a way as to provide a strong sense of continuity with the past by continuing those characteristics that created its identity: a dense concentration of low-scale buildings, a pedestrian rather than car orientation, high-quality materials and design, a diversity of uses including street-level retail and service uses, and landscaping to soften the streetscape and buffer as needed. The streets in the downtown area are the networks of public open space that set the tone for the district. Because visual continuity is an important aspect in creating an identity for the downtown, a consistency in streetscape design should extend throughout the area. A two-story height limit assures that new construction will be compatible with historic structures; minimizes the wind tunnel effect between buildings; assures the penetration of sunlight to ground level; enhances the pedestrian streetscape; and is conducive to small-scale retail and service establishments.
5-5-2. 
Additional district standards.
(A) 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are permitted or permitted as a conditional use in D-B-D Sub-District A.
(B) 
In addition to the standards established in § 5-3 above, the provisions of this section shall apply to development in D-B-D Sub-District A:
(1) 
To maintain consistency with the existing historic streetscapes, new construction shall utilize natural materials for the exterior cladding of all visible wall surfaces. Acceptable materials include, but are not limited to, brick, stone, concrete stucco, terracotta, recast concrete and glass. Synthetic and imitation materials as well as metal, aluminum, vinyl and plastic materials are not acceptable.
(2) 
Windows located at street level shall be transparent.
(3) 
All power, communication, and other wiring shall be located underground.
(4) 
Each building may contain along with an operating business a maximum of one single-family dwelling.
a) 
The maximum occupancy of a one-bedroom or studio apartment shall be two people.
b) 
The minimum square footage of a studio apartment shall be 400 square feet. The minimum square footage of a one-bedroom apartment shall be 500 square feet. The minimum square footage of a two-bedroom apartment shall be 800 square feet.
c) 
Single-family dwellings are prohibited on the first floor of buildings with more than one story.
d) 
Single-family dwellings in one-story buildings shall be located in the rear of the building with outside access in the rear of the building. The dwelling shall not encompass more than 30% of the first-floor area.
e) 
All single-family dwelling shall be constructed to comply with the applicable building and fire codes.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-6-1. 
Purpose. The purpose of the Sub-District B is to maintain an area comprised of a higher concentration of government and municipal activities. The majority of the commercial uses are financial and professional offices scattered throughout. The density is lower in this area and the style of the buildings is more modern.
5-6-2. 
Additional district standards.
(A) 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are permitted or permitted as a conditional use in D-B-D Sub-District B.
(B) 
In addition to the standards established in § 5-3 above, the provisions of this section shall apply to development in D-B-D Sub-District B:
(1) 
To maintain consistency with the existing historic streetscapes, new construction shall utilize natural materials for the exterior cladding of all visible wall surfaces. Acceptable materials include, but are not limited to, brick, stone, concrete stucco, terracotta, recast concrete and glass. Synthetic and imitation materials as well as metal, aluminum, vinyl and plastic materials are not acceptable.
(2) 
Windows located at street level shall be transparent.
(3) 
All power, communication, and other wiring shall be located underground.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-7-1. 
Purpose. The purpose of the Sub-District C is to maintain an area that contains a high concentration of multiple community and cultural uses. The district possesses some of the most important historic and cultural assets of the City.
5-7-2. 
Additional district standards.
(A) 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are permitted or permitted as a conditional use in D-B-D Sub-District C.
(B) 
In addition to the standards established in § 5-3 above, the provisions of this section shall apply to development in D-B-D Sub-District C:
(1) 
To maintain consistency with the existing streetscapes, new construction shall utilize natural materials for the exterior cladding of all visible wall surfaces. Acceptable materials include, but are not limited to, brick, stone, concrete stucco, terracotta, recast concrete and glass. Synthetic and imitation materials as well as metal, aluminum, vinyl and plastic materials are not acceptable.
(2) 
Windows located at street level shall be transparent.
(3) 
All power, communication, and other wiring shall be located underground.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-9-1. 
Purpose. The purpose of the Sub-District E is to establish the gateway from U.S. Highway 431 into the Downtown Core Business Area. It is important because it gives the first impression of the downtown area as well as establishes the identity of the City. There is a mixture of many types of commercial use throughout the district.
5-9-2. 
Additional district standards.
(A) 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are permitted or permitted as a conditional use in D-B-D Sub-District E.
(B) 
In addition to the standards established in § 5-3 above, the provisions of this section shall apply to development in D-B-D Sub-District E:
(1) 
To maintain consistency with the existing historic streetscapes, new construction shall utilize natural materials for the exterior cladding of all visible wall surfaces. Acceptable materials include, but are not limited to, brick, stone, concrete stucco, terracotta, recast concrete and glass. Synthetic and imitation materials as well as metal, aluminum, vinyl and plastic materials are not acceptable.
(2) 
Windows located at street level shall be transparent.
(3) 
All power, communication, and other wiring shall be located underground.
[Ord. No. 2030-26, 2-3-2026]
5-10-1. 
Purpose. The purpose of the Sub-District F is to maintain an area comprised of freestanding structures such as storage units, mini warehouses, warehouses and lower density development which accommodates light industrial activities.
5-10-2. 
Additional district standards.
(A) 
Table 5-1 establishes how uses are permitted or permitted as a conditional use in D-B-D Sub-District F.
(B) 
In addition to the standards established in § 5-3, windows located at street level shall be transparent.