C1-1 through C1-5 and C2-1 through C2-5 districts are commercial overlays mapped within residence districts. Mapped along streets that serve local retail needs, they are found extensively throughout the city’s lower- and medium-density areas and occasionally in higher-density districts.
Typical retail uses include neighborhood grocery stores, restaurants and beauty parlors. C2 districts permit a slightly wider range of uses, such as funeral homes and repair services. In mixed buildings, commercial uses are limited to one or two floors and must always be located below the residential use.
When commercial overlays are mapped in R1 through R5 districts, the maximum commercial floor area ratio (FAR) is 1.0; when mapped in R6 through R10 districts, the maximum commercial FAR is 2.0. Commercial buildings are subject to commercial bulk rules.
Overlay districts differ from other commercial districts in that residential bulk is governed by the residence district within which the overlay is mapped. All other commercial districts that permit residential use are assigned a specific residential district equivalent. Unless otherwise indicated on the zoning maps, the depth of overlay districts ranges from 100 to 200 feet.
Generally, the lower the numerical suffix, the more off-street parking is required. For example, in C1-1 districts, typically mapped in outlying areas of the city, a large food store would require one parking space for every 100 square feet of floor area, whereas no parking is required in C1-5 districts, which are well served by mass transit.