Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17C Land Use Standards

Chapter 17C.120 Commercial Zones

Section 17C.120.030 Characteristics of Commercial Zones

1. Office (O).
   The office zoning category is located in areas designated office on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan. The office (O) zone is used on small sites in or near residential areas or between residential and commercial areas. It is intended to be a low intensity office zone that allows for small-scale offices in or adjacent to residential neighborhoods. The allowed uses are intended to serve nearby neighborhoods and/or have few detrimental impacts on the neighborhood. Development is intended to be of a scale and character similar to nearby residential development to promote compatibility with the surrounding area.
    
2. Office Retail (OR).
   The office retail zoning category is located in areas designated office on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan that are within the higher intensity office areas around downtown Spokane in the North Bank and Medical Districts shown in the Downtown Plan. The office retail zone is also applied to sites outside of the areas designated for higher intensity office use that are already developed with higher intensity retail and services uses. It is intended to be a higher intensity office zone that allows for larger scale offices and supporting retail and service uses. The size of retail uses is limited to reduce detrimental impacts on nearby residential uses and to assure that the commercial uses are supporting rather than primary uses.
    
3. Neighborhood Retail (NR).
   The neighborhood retail zoning category is located in areas designated neighborhood retail or neighborhood mini-center on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan. Businesses that are neighborhood serving and pedestrian-oriented are encouraged in neighborhood retail locations. Drive-through facilities, including gas stations and similar auto-oriented uses are subject to limitations to reduce the impact of these activities on nearby residential uses.
    
4. Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU).
   The neighborhood mixed use zoning category may be located in areas designated neighborhood mini center on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan. The uses permitted and the development standards are comparable to the neighborhood retail zoning category. New residential development is encouraged in these areas by allowing greater floor area for commercial uses when residential uses are constructed in conjunction with commercial development.
    
5. Community Business (CB).
   The community business zoning category is located in areas designated general commercial on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan. These areas are already predominantly developed with auto-accommodating commercial uses. A full range of retail and service businesses with a local or regional market are allowed. Because this zoning category is usually located near residential neighborhoods, the size of some allowed uses is more limited than the general commercial zoning category.
    
6. General Commercial (GC).
   The general commercial zoning category is located in areas designated general commercial on the land use plan map of the comprehensive plan. A full range of retail and service businesses with a local or regional market as well as industrial uses are allowed. Industrial uses are limited in size to avoid adverse effects different in kind or amount than commercial uses and to ensure that they do not dominate the character of the commercial area.

Date Passed: Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Effective Date: Wednesday, July 6, 2005

ORD C33636 Section 1