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City of Rochester, NY
Monroe County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (59) Index Notes (1)
Public Documents
Misc. Documents (1)
The C-2 Community Center District provides diverse commercial development along gateway transportation corridors and neighborhood or village centers with a dense mixture of uses such as housing, retail and other complementary uses that serve the adjacent neighborhood and the community at large. The C-2 District is preserved through appropriate design elements, amenities or treatments that create, enhance and reinforce the design relationships between the buildings, sites and streets and still establish an ambience that is uniquely urban and pedestrian-oriented.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 12-20-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-394; 7-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-247[1]; 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363; 2-18-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-39; 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263; 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
The following uses are permitted in the C-2 District, when conducted entirely within an enclosed building with hours of operation limited to 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Hours of operation limitations do not apply to residential uses.
A. 
Single-family attached dwellings.
B. 
Multifamily dwellings.
C. 
Live-work space, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-142.1.
D. 
Bed-and-breakfast establishments, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-132.
E. 
Family and group family day-care homes.
F. 
Adult family day-care homes.
G. 
Day-care centers, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-135.
H. 
Animal hospitals when conducted entirely within an enclosed building.
I. 
Places of worship.
J. 
Convents and rectories.
K. 
Public and semipublic uses.
L. 
Funeral homes and mortuaries.
M. 
Retail sales and service; provided, however, that retail sales and service establishments licensed by New York State as adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries shall be restricted to liquor store hours.
[Amended 11-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-322]
N. 
Mixed uses, as listed in this section, not including industrial uses.
O. 
Public entertainment, not including sexually oriented uses, subject to the additional requirements for public entertainment in § 120-137.
[Added 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-325]
P. 
Limited entertainment, not including sexually oriented uses.
[Added 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-325[2]]
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsections P and Q as Subsections Q and R, respectively.
Q. 
Limited adult retail store when conducted entirely within an enclosed building.
R. 
Health clubs and similar facilities.
S. 
Office.
T. 
Bars, restaurants and banquet facilities, including accessory outdoor seating/assembly areas, provided that the outdoor areas only operate between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., excluding drive-through facilities.
U. 
On-site cannabis consumption lounges operating during bar hours, but no later than 11:00 p.m.
[Added 11-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-322]
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance provided an effective date of 9-1-2011.
The following uses are allowed as special permit uses in the C-2 District:
A. 
Any permitted or specially permitted uses open to the public or requiring loading/unloading between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
B. 
Accessory outdoor seating/assembly areas for bars, cocktail lounges, taverns, restaurants and banquet facilities with outdoor areas operating between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
C. 
Amusement center.
D. 
Ancillary parking lots , subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-131.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
E. 
Animal day care.
F. 
Community garages and parking lots.
G. 
Drive-throughs, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-136.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
H. 
Motels and hotels.
I. 
Private clubs.
J. 
Parking lots as a principal use.
K. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection K, regarding entertainment, not including sexually oriented uses, was repealed 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-325.
L. 
Public utilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-144.
M. 
Research laboratories including testing facilities.
N. 
Residential care facilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-146.
O. 
Homeless residential facilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-140.
P. 
Hospice.
Q. 
Rooming houses, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-147.
R. 
Vehicle service stations, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-154, that can dispense fuel to no more than eight vehicles at one time.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
S. 
Vehicle repair of noncommercial vehicles, excluding bodywork, with two bays or fewer, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-152, providing no storage of unlicensed, partially dismantled or wrecked vehicles and no accessory sales of vehicles occur on site.
T. 
Secondhand dealers.
[Added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363; amended 2-18-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-39; 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263]
U. 
On-site cannabis consumption lounges operating entirely within an enclosed building and during bar hours, including bar hours extending after 11:00 p.m.
[Added 11-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-322]
The following lot, area and yard requirements shall apply to the C-2 District:
A. 
Lot frontage requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, two units: 30 feet per unit.
(b) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, three or more units: N/A.
(c) 
Minimum lot frontage, multifamily: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage: N/A.
B. 
Lot area requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Single-family attached.
[1] 
Minimum lot area, attached, two units: 2,600 square feet.
[2] 
Minimum lot area, attached, three or more units: N/A.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(1)(a)[3] and [4], providing maximum building coverage and maximum lot coverage, respectively, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323.
(b) 
Multifamily.
[1] 
Minimum lot area: 1,000 square feet per unit for one or two bedrooms.
[2] 
Minimum lot area: 1,800 square feet per unit for three or more bedrooms.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(1)(b)[3] and [4], providing maximum building coverage and maximum lot coverage, respectively, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot area: N/A.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(2)(b) and (c), providing maximum building coverage and maximum lot coverage, respectively, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323.
C. 
Yard requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Front yards.
[1] 
Minimum front yard setback, principal use or structure: average front yard depth of building(s) on the block on which the property is located, but in no case more than five feet larger than the average of the front yard depth on buildings on the two adjoining lots.
[2] 
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages: the front yard of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet.
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Single-family attached.
[a] 
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure: N/A.
[b] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
[2] 
Multifamily dwelling.
[a] 
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure: N/A.
[b] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: N/A.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Maximum front yard setback: zero to five feet. In cases where a specific design guideline or concept plan has been adopted, the recommended setbacks shall be followed.
[Amended 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323]
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure: zero feet unless adjacent to a residential district, in which case the side yard shall be the same as the adjacent residential district.
[2] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: zero feet unless adjacent to a residential district, in which case the rear yard shall be the same as the adjacent residential district.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
D. 
Corner lots. Corner lot front setbacks shall reflect the front setbacks of the other corner buildings at that intersection, but in no case shall be less than the average front yard depth of building(s) in the commercial district in which the property is located.
The following requirements shall apply to buildings constructed in the C-2 District:
A. 
Building heights, residential and nonresidential uses.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
(1) 
Minimum building height, principal use or structure: two stories or 20 feet.
(2) 
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure: 20 feet.
B. 
Square footage.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Maximum square footage, principal use or structure: N/A.
(b) 
Maximum square footage, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Maximum square footage, principal use or structure: 6,000 square feet.
(b) 
Maximum square footage, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(3) 
Mixed uses.
[Added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363]
(a) 
Maximum square footage, each nonresidential use: 6,000 square feet.
(b) 
Maximum square footage, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
The following summarizes the requirements for the C-2 District.
Summary Chart of C-2 Regulations
Requirement
Residential
Nonresidential
Single-Family
Multifamily
Attached 2 Units
Attached 3 or More Units
1 or 2 Bedroom Units
3 or More Bedroom Units
Minimum lot frontage
30 feet per unit
N/A
N/A
N/A
Minimum lot area
2,600 square feet
N/A
1,000 square feet per unit
1,800 square feet per unit
N/A
Front Yard
Minimum front yard setback, principal use or structure
Average front yard depth of buildings on the block on which the property is located, but in no case more than 5 feet larger than the average of the front yard depth on buildings on the 2 adjoining lots
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages
The front yard depth of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet
Maximum front yard setback
N/A
0 feet to 5 feet; in cases where a specific design guideline or concept plan has been adopted, the recommended setbacks shall be followed
Side Yard
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure
N/A
0 feet unless adjacent to a residential district, in which case the side yard shall be the same as the adjacent residential district
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
N/A
Rear Yard
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure
N/A
0 feet unless adjacent to a residential district, in which case the rear yard shall be the same as the adjacent residential district
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
N/A
Bulk
Minimum building height, principal use or structure
20 feet
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure
20 feet
Maximum square footage, principal use or structure
N/A
6,000 square feet
Maximum square footage, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
N/A
Personal wireless telecommunication facilities in the C-2 District shall be regulated as outlined in § 120-143, Personal wireless telecommunication facilities.
The applicable City-Wide Design Guidelines and Standards (Article XIX) and Requirements Applying to All Districts (Article XX) in this chapter shall apply to all uses in the C-2 District.