511 N Main St, Columbia, IL 62236

General Business District

The following regulations provide the standards and establish the procedure for review by the Plan Commission and City Council for mixed use development proposals in the C-2 General Business District. It is the intent of these regulations to provide a means of achieving greater flexibility in development of land and/or reuse of existing buildings in a manner not readily achievable with conventional zoning district regulations; to encourage a more imaginative and innovative design of land development and reuse of existing buildings; and to promote a desirable community environment.; The City Council, upon recommendation by the Plan Commission, may by ordinance, authorize a mixed use development within the C-2 General Business District when the proposed development or use of a specific tract of land or area warrants greater flexibility, yet greater scrutiny of development design, than is afforded under the standard C-2 regulations. These Mixed Use Development regulations are not intended to allow excessive densities, or the development of incompatible land uses, either within the development, or as the development relates to the general neighborhood. The City Council may, upon proper application, approve a Mixed Use Development to facilitate the use of flexible techniques of land development, site design and/or reuse of existing buildings, by providing relief from conventional zoning standards and/or place certain restrictions on a mixed use development in order to achieve one or more of the following objectives: Site planning that better adapts to site conditions and its relation to surrounding properties that would not otherwise be possible or would be inhibited under the C-2 District regulations; Encourages walkable urban neighborhoods; Functional and beneficial uses of public spaces; Creation of a safe and desirable living environment for mix of residential and commercial uses; Rational and economical in relation to public utilities and services; an