C-2: General Commercial District Setback Requirements in Bentonville

In the C-2: General Commercial district within the City of Bentonville, front setbacks range from 20 feet to 50 feet depending on whether parking is provided in the front of the structure. Side and rear setbacks are determined by the nature of the adjacent property, requiring a minimum of 30 feet when the C-2: General Commercial district lot is adjacent to any residential district. For properties adjacent to non-residential districts, side setbacks are a minimum of 7 feet and rear setbacks are a minimum of 20 feet.

Minimum Setback Standards for C-2: General Commercial

The City of Bentonville establishes specific setback distances for the C-2: General Commercial district to ensure proper separation between commercial activities and neighboring land uses, as well as to coordinate the placement of parking and infrastructure [Section 401.08].

Setback Direction	Application or Adjacency Condition	Minimum Requirement
Front	With parking located in front of the building	50 feet
Front	Without parking located in front of the building	20 feet
Side	Adjacent to a non-residential district	7 feet
Side	Adjacent to a residential district	30 feet
Rear	Adjacent to a non-residential district	20 feet
Rear	Adjacent to a residential district	30 feet

Additional Regulations and Exceptions

Beyond the standard distances, the City of Bentonville applies several conditional regulations that may alter the effective setback for a development in the C-2: General Commercial district.

Height-Related Setback Increases

The maximum standard height in the C-2: General Commercial district is 60 feet. However, if a structure exceeds this limit, the City of Bentonville requires that all front, side, and rear setbacks be increased by one (1) additional foot for every one (1) foot of height that exceeds the 60-foot maximum [Section 401.08(d)(2)].

Permitted Setback Encroachments

Certain architectural and landscape features are permitted to extend into the required setbacks of the C-2: General Commercial district, provided they meet the following standards [Section 401.04(h)]:

Eaves, Sills, and Cornices: May project up to 18 inches into any required setback.
Bay Windows and Chimneys: May encroach up to 2 feet into any required setback, but must remain at least 3 feet away from side or rear property lines.
Open Porches and Balconies: May encroach into a required setback but must remain at least 12 feet from the front property line and at least 5 feet from the side or rear property lines.
Steps: May encroach up to 2 feet into a required setback but must remain at least 3 feet from side or rear property lines.
Awnings: May extend up to 6 feet into a required setback but must be no closer than 2 feet from the curb of any street or property line.

Sight Distance Requirements

Regardless of the minimum setback distances, the City of Bentonville prohibits any building, structure, or sign from being located in a manner that creates an obstruction in areas designated to be kept clear for sight visibility at intersections or driveways [Section 401.04(g)].

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