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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2000-33 ORDINANCE NO. 2 0 0 0-3 3 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX C OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CITY CODE, SAID APPENDIX C BEING CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, ORDINANCE NO. 84-15, AS AMENDED, ORIGINALLY ADOPTED THE 19TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1984, AND BEING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY, BY ADDING A NEW 5UBSECTION M. OF SECTION 8, COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES AND OUTDOOR SALES; PROVIDING A PENALTY OF AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,000 FOR EACH DAY OF VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION HEREOF; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY. * � � � * � BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, STATE OF TEXAS: Section 1. Appendix C of the Fri�n��swood City Code, same being city of Friendswood, Texas, Ordinance No. 84-15, as amended, originally passed and approved the 19th day of November, 1984, and being the Zoning Ordinance of the City, is hereby further amended by adding the following new subsection M to Section 8 thereof as follows: M. Commercial Activities and Outdoor Sales 1. Commercial activities. (a) Permanent Structure Required. Except as herein provided, every business within the City must be operated out of a permanent, stationary, site-built building. (b) TernpoYary cor_s.*rri;�tion structures. Temporary buildings and building material stora�e areas to be used for construction purposes may be permitted for a specific period of time in accordance with a permit issued by the building official for a period not exceeding the period of construction. Upon completion or abandonment of construction, such field offices and buildings shall be removed at the owner's expense. Such uses shall be located on a platted lot, and may not be placed on-site until improvements are accepted by the Council, or in the case of developed sites where improvements exist, until a permit is issued. Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 1 Sept. 19, 2000 (c) Temporary sales structures. Temporary buildings for temporarv sales offices, and temporary off-street parking areas, ma be permitted in conjunction with new home sales. Such uses shall be located on a platted lot, mav not be placed on-site until improvements are accepted by the Council, or in the case of developed sites where improvements exist, until a permit is issued. Such structures and parking areas shall be removed when the subdivision is sold out. One temporarv sales office is permitted per builder in a subdivision. (d) Businesses creating nuisance. Anv business operating within a temparary structure as authorized above that constitutes a public nuisance to the surroundin� neighbors or endan�ers public health, safety or welfare shall be cited for nuisance violations under this Code and shall be required to cease operations as directed bv the Buil�ing Official, or other desi�nee. (e) Portable buildings or structures. Portable buildings or structures, includin� but not limited to cargo boxes or tractor-trailers, are not permitted for use as commercial or business operations. Provided, however, that such mav be used as accessory structures for storage for a main business, The number and location of such structures are subject to a site plan review and approval by the Cit of Friendswood Community Development Department. Mobile homes or RVs are not permitted to be used as accessorv buildings. (fl Restroom Facilities. Everv business within the City must provide permanent restroom facilities on-site available for use by the customers of that particular business. These facilities may be located within the same building as the business, or ma be provided in an adjacent business with evidence of a perpetual agreement for such with the owner of the adjacent business. Restroom facilities shall be in compliance with all applicable state, county and citv building and health code provisions, including restroom facilities for handicapped individuals, for the size and type of business to be conducted at that location. (g) Exceptions In the event of a natural disaster (e.g. flood, hurricane), or other catastrophic loss (e.g., fire), the Citv Council ma suspend this ordinance for such period of time as may be determined to be necessarv for re- construction of permanent structures. 2. Outdoor Sales Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 2 Sept. 19, 2000 For the purposes of this Section, outdoor sales are defined as the displav outside of a permanent structure, for the purpose of purchase b consumers, whether immediatelv or bv placing of arders, of anv merchandise, services, products, or goods irrespective of whether pavment for such is made outdoors or in a permanent structure. Outdoor sales for commercial or business purposes shall be allowed onlv under the followin�conditions and procedures: (a) Permit required. No person shall conduct outdoor sales either in the open or under a tent or other temporary cover for commercial or business purposes within the cit limits without first obtainin� a permit under this article. (b) Application for permit. Anv person desiring to conduct outdoor sales shall apply to the buildin� office for a permit. The application shall state: the name of the person conducting the activity; the proposed location; the name of the owner of the property where the sales are to be located; the nature of the intended activity; and the proposed dates of use; and other pertinent information on the form. Proof of insurance for the activity, in a minimum amount of coverage as determined bv citv council, or required by law, and a copv of the activity's sales tax certificate shall also be submitted prior to issuance of a permit A site plan shall also be submitted to city staff containin� all information required bv the zonin� ordinance for administrative review The city reserves the right to require additional information or verifications, such as health permits, depending upon the type of business and regulato oversight by other entities. (c) Fee. The buildin� department shall char�e and collect a fee before issuance of a permit, in an amount set b the citv council If the activity ceases, closes, or is terminated for an reason prior to the expiration of the permit, there shall be no refund of the above fee �d) Zoning compliance required. Outdoor sales will be allowed for commercial or business purposes onlv at locations which are properly zoned for the nature of commercial or business activitv to be conducted at that location. Further, all outdoor sales activities must complv with the setback requirements, parking requirements and other standards in City ordinances (e) Number of permits. There shall not be more than three (3) permits issued to a person or business, or for a location, within a calendar vear, nor shall permits be allowed to run consecutively Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 3 Sept. 19, 2000 during two twelve month periods. Permits shall be issued a minimum of thirty(30) days apart. (fl Hours o f Operation A permit for outdoor sales shall be for a period not to exceed fifteen (15) consecutive calendar days. The commercial or business activity shall be allowed to conduct business no earlier than 9:00 a.m., and must close activities no later than 10•00 p m, or until dark (official sundown) whichever comes first, unless the applicant shows adequate lighting on the site plan or it is an outdoor sales activity related to the primarv business activitv on the site and adequate lighting is provided on-site. Permittee must remove all items, tents, and materials used for the conduct of the outdoor sales from the location not later than 5:00 o'clock p m of the day after the final date of the permit. However, anv such permit issued for an activity commencing on the Friday, Saturdav, or Sunday immediatelv preceding Thanksgiving shall be effective from that date until midnight, December 25 that vear, and all materials shall be removed by 5:00 o`clock p.m.,December 26_ (g) Compliance with all codes. All tents or other coverings and materials used for commercial and business purposes must otherwise comply with all applicable fire, safety, and other codes in effect during the dates of the permitted activity. (h) Posting. A copy of the permit shall be conspicuously posted at or upon the er�tr�nce to the outdoar sales activity at all hours during the approved dates of the activity. (i) Operating without a permit; False infoYmation. Any person or entitv conducting outdoor sales for commercial or business purposes without complying with this article, or who gives false, misleading, or incomplete information on an application, shall within one (1) dav of notice of violation obtain the required permit for a fee in an amount which shall be triple the normal fee, or immediately cease and desist from all activity covered by this article, and remove the outdoor sales activity from the premises before midnight of that day. �j) Existing Outdoor Sales Any person conducting outdoor sales as defined above on the effective date of this ordinance must either apply for and receive a permit, or cease the use and remove the activity no later thar. 5:00 o'clock p.m. on the seventh(7t ) calendar day after the effective date of this Section. Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 4 Sept. 19, 2000 (k) Exemptions This article shall not apply to: (1) Charitable or non-profit events. The conducting of outdoor sales or commercial activity by a governmental entity, public utility, or tax exempt not-for-profit organization formed for education, philanthropic, scientific, or religious purposes, where any proceeds and profits are designed to be contributed to such entity conducting the activiry, or where the activity occurs on property owned by a governmental entity. However, such entities and organizations shall comply with all other ordinances and laws applicable to their activity, and no such activities shall be allowed on the public rights of way. (2) Outdoor displays of inerchandise. Outdoor displays of merchandise by retail businesses shall be allowed if the display involves items for sale by a commercial retailer located within a permanent structure. Such displays may not cover more than half of the width of the pedestrian walkway between the storefront and the curb, unless other accommodations for pedestrian travel satisfactory to the building official are made. A permit shall be required for the placement of outdoor sales activities or items within any parking lot, and a permit shall not be granted if the proposed area eliminates required parking areas. Provided, however, that special events shall be exempt from this latter provision, where emergency access and parking is approved bv the building official in advance of the event. For the purposes of this section, "special event" is defined as a temporary outdoor use on private property that extends beyond the normal uses and standards allowed by the zoning ordinance of the citv and which runs not longer than four days. Special event includes, but is not limited to, art shows, sidewalk sales, pumpkin and holiday sales, festivals, craft shows, and church bazaars. (3) Suspension in the event of disaster or loss. In the event of a natural disaster• (e.g. flood, hurricane), or other catastrophic loss (e.g., fire), the City Council may suspend this ordinance far such period of time as may be determined to be necessarv for re- construction of permanent structures. Section 2. Except as otherwise herein expressly amended, all other provisions of Appendix C of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Friendswood, Texas, said Appendix C being the Zoning Ordinance of the City, Ordinance No. 84-15, originally adopted the 19th day of November, 1984, as it may have been previously amended, remain unchanged and in full force and effect. Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 5 Sept. 19, 2000 Section 3. Any person who shall violate any provision of this Ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed $2,000. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense. Section 4. In the event any clause phrase, provision, sentence, or part of this Ordinance or the application of the same to any person or circumstances shall for any reason be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall not affect, impair, or invalidate this Ordinance as a whole ar any part or provision hereof other than the part declared to be invalid or unconstitutional; and the City Council of the City of Friendswood, Texas, declares that it would have passed each and every part of the same notwithstanding the omission of any such part thus declared to be invalid or unconstitutional, whether there be one or more parts. PASSED AND APPROVED on first reading this25th day of September , 2000. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED on second and final reading this 16th day of October , 2000. , arold L. Whitaker Mayor ATTEST: � . . Deloris McKenzie, T C City Secretary MOTION: Councilmember Mel Drteaseles 2ND: Councilmember Kim Brizendine APPROVED: Unanimously Commercial and Outdoor Sales Regulations Revised Page 6 Sept. 19, 2000