C-2 Thoroughfare Commercial District Regulations in Fayetteville
The C-2 Thoroughfare Commercial district in Fayetteville is primarily designed to accommodate commercial enterprises that cater to highway travelers through functional groupings. In the City of Fayetteville, the C-2 district allows for a maximum building height of six stories and requires a minimum buildable street frontage of 50% of the lot width when developed using urban form standards. Development within this district emphasizes a mix of retail, service, and recreational uses, with specific provisions for both conventional and urban-style setbacks ranging from 10 to 50 feet depending on site configuration and proximity to residential zones.
Purpose and General Character
The City of Fayetteville established the C-2 Thoroughfare Commercial district to encourage the functional grouping of commercial enterprises that serve highway travelers. The general character of the C-2 district is defined by its location along major transit corridors and its flexibility in development styles. The City of Fayetteville intended this district to allow for administrative approval of projects if the developer chooses to utilize "urban form," which includes adhering to a specific build-to zone and meeting minimum buildable street frontage requirements [Section 161.23(A)].
Permitted Land Uses
The Fayetteville Unified Development Code (UDC) categorizes land uses in the C-2 district into those permitted by right and those requiring a conditional use permit.
Uses Permitted by Right
The following use units are permitted by right within the C-2 Thoroughfare Commercial district:
- City-wide uses by right (Unit 1)
- Cultural and recreational facilities (Unit 4)
- Government Facilities (Unit 5)
- Eating places (Unit 13)
- Hotel, motel, and amusement facilities (Unit 14)
- Shopping goods (Unit 16)
- Gasoline service stations and drive-in/drive-through restaurants (Unit 18)
- Commercial recreation, small sites (Unit 19)
- Commercial recreation, large sites (Unit 20)
- Offices, studios, and related services (Unit 25)
- Adult live entertainment club or bar (Unit 33)
- Liquor store (Unit 34)
- Sidewalk Cafes (Unit 40)
- Accessory Dwellings (Unit 41)
- Cluster Housing Development (Unit 44)
- Small scale production (Unit 45)
- Short-term rentals (Unit 46) [Section 161.23(B)(1)]
Conditional Uses
The following uses may be permitted in the Fayetteville C-2 district subject to the approval of a conditional use permit:
- City-wide uses by conditional use permit (Unit 2)
- Public protection and utility facilities (Unit 3)
- Warehousing and wholesale (Unit 21)
- Center for collecting recyclable materials (Unit 28)
- Dance Halls (Unit 29)
- Sexually oriented business (Unit 32)
- Outdoor music establishments (Unit 35)
- Wireless communications facilities (Unit 36)
- Mini-storage units (Unit 38)
- Clean technologies (Unit 42)
- Animal boarding and training (Unit 43) [Section 161.23(B)(2)]
Development Standards
The City of Fayetteville imposes specific dimensional requirements for the C-2 district, offering a choice between conventional standards and "Urban Form" standards.
Setback Requirements
Setbacks in the C-2 district vary based on whether parking is located between the building and the street, and whether the property adjoins a residential district.
| Setback Type | Conventional Standard | Urban Form Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 15 feet | Build-to zone: 10 to 25 feet from front property line |
| Front (with parking in front) | 50 feet | N/A |
| Side | None | None |
| Side (adjoining residential) | 15 feet | 15 feet |
| Rear | 20 feet | None |
| Rear (adjoining residential) | 20 feet | 15 feet |
[Section 161.23(E)]
Height and Frontage Standards
The City of Fayetteville limits the scale of buildings while ensuring they contribute to a cohesive streetscape.
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Building Height | 6 stories* |
| Minimum Buildable Street Frontage | 50% of the lot width (Urban Form only) |
*Note: If a building exceeds 2 stories, it must have an additional setback from any side boundary line of an adjacent residential district. This additional setback must be equal to the difference between the total height of that portion of the building and two stories [Section 161.23(F)].
Specific Use Regulations
Developments in the City of Fayetteville C-2 district must also adhere to general standards for the district's character:
- Urban Form Intent: For developments utilizing urban form, the Fayetteville UDC requires that buildings be placed close to the street to create a pedestrian-oriented environment.
- Building Area: On any lot, the total area occupied by all buildings shall not exceed 60% of the total lot area. Accessory ground-mounted solar energy systems are not counted as buildings for this calculation [Section 161.23(G)].
Sections Cited
- Section 161.23 - District C-2, Thoroughfare Commercial
- Section 161.23(A) - Purpose
- Section 161.23(B) - Uses
- Section 161.23(E) - Setback Regulations
- Section 161.23(F) - Building Height Regulations
- Section 161.23(G) - Building Area
- Section 161.23(H) - Urban Form Minimum Buildable Street Frontage