Setback Standards for GC: General Commercial District in Reno
In the City of Reno, the GC: General Commercial district generally requires a minimum front setback of 10 feet and allows for 0-foot side and rear setbacks. However, the City of Reno mandates that if a GC: General Commercial property is located immediately adjacent to residentially zoned property, the minimum side and rear setbacks must be increased to 10 feet. Furthermore, for buildings in the GC: General Commercial district exceeding 35 feet in height, an additional one-foot step-back is required for every foot of height above that threshold [Section 18.02.309].
GC: General Commercial Setback Requirements
The following table outlines the specific lot and building standards for the GC: General Commercial district in the City of Reno. Unlike some other urban districts where setbacks are measured from the curb, setbacks in the GC: General Commercial district are measured from the property line [Section 18.04.1003(a)(2)b.1].
Table: GC: General Commercial Setbacks
| Setback Type | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Front Setback | 10 feet [1] |
| Side Setback | 0 feet [1] [2] [3] |
| Rear Setback | 0 feet [1] [2] [3] |
Notes to Table:
- [1] Alley Access: A minimum zero-foot setback is permitted if the property line abuts an alley and at least 24 feet of backup space (including the alley) is provided from all garage doors and parking spaces [Section 18.02.309, Table 2-22].
- [2] Residential Adjacency: If the GC: General Commercial building is located immediately adjacent to a residentially zoned property, a minimum setback of 10 feet is required [Section 18.02.309, Table 2-22].
- [3] Height Step-backs: One foot of additional step-back is required for every one foot of building height above 35 feet [Section 18.02.309, Table 2-22].
Additional Adjacency and Design Constraints
Residential Interface
For any nonresidential development in the GC: General Commercial district built on or within 300 feet of a residential zoning district or a mobile home park, specific residential adjacency standards apply. This includes requirements to orient higher activity areas (such as loading and delivery) away from abutting residential uses whenever feasible [Section 18.04.1402 & 18.04.1405].
Grading Near Property Lines
The City of Reno regulates grading within the GC: General Commercial district to protect adjacent properties. No fill may be placed within five feet of a shared property line. For distances between 5 and 20 feet from the shared property line of a residentially zoned property, fill depths may not exceed four feet above the natural grade [Section 18.04.1404].
Street-Facing Garages
When a GC: General Commercial development includes a street-facing garage, the garage door must be set back at least 20 feet as measured from the sidewalk (or planned sidewalk) to the face of the garage [Section 18.02.309, Table 2-22].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.02.309 GC: General Commercial
- Section 18.04.1003 General Standards for Urban Districts
- Section 18.04.1402 Applicability (Residential Adjacency)
- Section 18.04.1404 Grading
- Section 18.04.1405 Site and Building Orientation