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RESEARCH IN

DS107
(STRIP MALL)

NAME: Zen Marcus M. Rodas

PROF NAME: Charmaine E. Esguerra

REFERENCES:
https://www.planning.org/pas/reports/report59.htm
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3141/2060-11
General definition of a shopping center

A shopping center is a collection of retail establishments that are planned and


developed specifically for the location on which they are built, distant from the central
business district, to meet the shopping demands of new suburban and periphery
development. Every shopping center we know of features a supermarket (a major
retail food), and the supermarket is either the shopping center's primary traffic
generator or is only second to a department store. Shopping centers can be divided into
two types: those dominated by a supermarket or retail grocery, with a drug store or
variety shop as a subsidiary store; and those dominated by a department store, with a
supermarket or another department store as a secondary store.

The land requirements, the number and types of retailers, and the annual gross sales of
the two types of shopping centers will all differ significantly. They also differ in terms
of the trade areas they service and the types of shopping demands they provide.
Market area analysis for shopping centers and criteria and requirements for shopping
center stores were discussed in PLANNING ADVISORY SERVICE Information
Reports Nos. 44 and 47. The current study demonstrates how the previously outlined
analysis relates to a shopping center's gross acreage, parking, and site design needs.

Finally, the paper discusses some of the zoning restrictions that have already been
established for shopping centers, as well as some of the issues that shopping centers
have presented for city planners.

Mini-Malls

Strip malls (also known as plazas or mini-malls) can be found all over the world.

Ias well as many other industrialized countries throughout the world. A

A strip mall is a compact business unit made up of a row of multiple (usually


connected) stores that is located off a highway or major arterial route and has parking
spaces.
A strip mall typically has four to ten individual storefronts.

Despite the fact that a single stretch of road may have many strip malls. Traffic

The flow of people in and out is controlled, and there are normally few pedestrians.

ties to the adjacent areas

The strip mall, despite being relatively new in human history, reflects ancient times.

business concepts; a road concentrates people's mobility on a single path.

on a regular basis, and some passers-by will be interested in purchasing something.

Retail and commercial zones are generally concentrated in a small band along key
routes as communities adopt single-use zoning.

Nearby residential communities

Strip malls' accessible locations give a considerable advantage due to the separation of
residential and commercial regions. Minimalls are service-oriented shopping centers
that often house tiny businesses.

satisfy the needs of nearby inhabitants on a daily basis (e.g., video rental)

districts, as well as a decrease in social connections among shoppers. Strip mall


architecture, on the other hand, is basic and durable, optimizing usable space.

maximizing space and lowering real estate prices Businesses having a low profit
margin

due to low capital reserves and margins, they are able to rent or lease at a reasonable
price. give basic goods and services to the community in a shop areashops and modest
eateries). The majority of businesses in strip malls are small.

"Mom & pop" businesses are privately owned and run.


As a result, strip malls serve a dual purpose: convenience for residents and relatively
low-cost retail space for new businesses.

as well as small enterprises Therein lays the source of the conflict. The structure was
constructed at a minimal cost.

Strip malls are accused for being unsightly and contributing to the collapse of
conventional business because they are visible to thousands of people every day.

A Shopper's View of the Shopping Center

The planner is primarily concerned with the customer and his (her) excursion to the
shopping center, but only after the shopper has driven down the road and entered one
of the center's stores. We then send him off into the realm of stretchy hose and non-
stretchable funds. The planner is particularly concerned with four parts of the
shopper's journey: the route he takes to get to the center, the point at which he exits the
road and enters the center, the hunt for an empty parking place, and the walk to the
stores.

As highlighted in previous studies, shopping center developers must take into account
a number of factors that are not strictly within city planning jurisdiction, such as the
trade potential of the surrounding area and the types of retailers that should be put in a
particular shopping center. The planner becomes increasingly anxious when final
designs for the retail complex emerge, depicting the size and arrangement of the
stores, parking area, and service facilities. In fact, we feel there is enough information
available on the principles and practices of shopping center development for a planner
to be worried about potential shopping center zone placements even before one is
proposed for his area.

As a result, this report attempts to cover the stages of the shopper's journey that
concern the planner, as well as the challenges encountered along the way.
Economics in a Community

In a variety of ways, well-designed and well-managed urban landscapes contribute to


community economies. Talented employees and businesses

are drawn to areas with high levels of convenience and environmental quality (15).
More in-depth economic analyses reveal that

Landscape and vegetation improve the value of real estate. Market

The presence of trees in a residence increases the price by around 7%.

yards and property lines, as well as homes near a naturalistic setting

The value of free space increases by 10% to 20%. (16).

Trees and nature provide economic benefits to both business and non-commercial
enterprises.

as well as retail businesses. Rental rates were found to be 7% higher in one survey.

Questions to Ponder

Several research questions have arisen as a result of community concerns over retail
visual quality and new context-sensitive solution approaches.

were created in order to understand more about the public's reaction to the presence of

In strip malls, there are plants. These research questions served as a guide.

a social science investigation:

1. What effect does vegetation have on the public's perception of a scene?


What is the standard of strip mall developments?

2. Are there any disparities in patronage behavior among customers?

related to the visual appeal of a shopping mall?

3. Is the character of the landscape a factor in what customers are willing to pay?

to cover the cost of products and services?

Survey Construction

To conduct the study, survey methodologies were chosen. An eight-page report

A photo preference exercise kicked off the photo questionnaire. Several To evaluate
consumer perceptions and behavior in relation to various landscape scenarios, new
banks of variables were provided. Demographic characteristics solicited data on
respondents' age, gender, and education.

characteristics of the home, and race

For the survey, a photographic picture sample was created using

a mix of real-life strip mall photos and digital manipulation

editing. Building and parking were chosen as the three basic photos.

Strip malls in temperate North American cities are typical of these conditions.

The base photos included foreground and midground views of arterials.

one-story "little box" construction with mounted vendor signs, and the road border and
mall parking lot The images were chosen in order to
recognized confounds in public preference response, such as above utility lines, were
avoided to limit the unpredictability of visual content.

tidiness and maintenance (19, 20).

Each basic image was digitally altered to include eight different types of
circumstances.

a wide range of landscape treatments The vegetation structure was one of the
variations.

(combinations of trees and shrubs), and management strategy (manicured or natural).

spacing, and realistic) (linear equidistant or random). There were 26 black-and-white


photos in the final presentation set (one base image).

was omitted due to content similarities and survey space constraints) were presented in
a random order. Respondents were asked to rate how much they like it.

Each image was rated on a Likert scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very) (very much).

Two fictional business district scenarios were created.

plan sketches and photographic composites (Figure 1). The quantity and placement of
plants varied between scenarios.

Litter, building age, and utility are examples of secondary visual distractions.

lines) were left out. There is no vegetation in the "no vegetation" district scenes.

trees or shrubs, displaying a continuous row of stores The

A street scene with mature greenery is depicted in the "mature vegetation" scenario.

mature trees, as well as bushes that go with them There are no tree conflicts.
There are obvious structures or infrastructure.

Sketch of business area - plan


view not to scale

View
"A"

View
"B"

Sketch of business area - plan


view not to scale

View
"A"

View
"B"
The First Stage: Getting to the Shopping Center

A big regional retail center's market area, which might serve up to 500,000 people, is
currently limited to thirty minutes of driving time. The area enclosed within a thirty-
minute driving time must be calculated based on the state and congestion of the
roadways, and is not always proportional to linear distance. Five miles of freeway can be
covered in less time than five blocks of a congested business district.

Shopping center developers advocate traffic counts of the key streets servicing the center,
not so much as an indicator of the center's business potential, but as a check on current
traffic congestion and a tool for forecasting traffic when the center opens. Developers and
architects suggest additional research, including future road-construction projects in the
area, as well as future housing developments and population changes in the area, as a
matter of self-preservation, so that other effects on business and traffic can be
determined.

The average number of cars using the center daily can be determined once the center's
gross annual volume of business has been estimated. Also, peak traffic, both in and out,
can be estimated, as well as the time of day when peak loads will occur (see below: Stage
Two). The traffic created by the center must be added to the usual present and
prospective traffic loads of the highways serving the center, and the totals must be
compared to the routes' capacity. If the roadways do not have the additional capacity to
manage future traffic demands, new road building or relocating the center should be
considered. If at all possible, the location for a new shopping mall should be accessible
via existing public highways.

Stage 2: Off the Highway and Into the Heart

Although congested highway crossroads have traditionally been regarded attractive


commercial locations, the issue of access to shopping developments is now being given
much more attention in modern shopping center planning. The density of traffic going
through the center, not the volume, is the key to solving the access problem. As traffic
surveys have repeatedly demonstrated, as the density approaches the saturation point, the
total number of cars passing a particular spot on a road (the volume) gradually decreases.
The rationale for this connection is straightforward. The slower the cars must travel the
closer they are crowded together. Tie-ups and delays are more common and costly in
terms of highway efficiency in such thick traffic, as can be said to characterize rush hour
traffic on various Los Angeles freeways or the Chicago Outer Drive. The roads with the
most traffic are those where automobiles are spaced widely apart and may travel at higher
speeds while being relatively safe.

Access to the shopping mall is difficult on both high-density and high-volume roadways.
It will be difficult for drivers to navigate into a position to turn off on the high-density,
relatively slow-moving road. On high-speed routes, the motorist must be given adequate
warning that an exit is approaching, and exits into the center must be provided with safety
elements that account for the higher speeds.

High-speed, limited-access roadways will serve a small number of shopping centers.


Shopping malls being built in developing areas will be served by an existing road
network, which may not be suitable to handle the traffic that will emerge once the
shopping center is finished and the area has been developed.

The points of access from the roads to the shopping center should be sufficient to support
traffic during the center's busiest hours. According to Victor Gruen, a shopping center
architect and designer (in "Traffic Impact of the Regional Shopping Center," see library),
a continuous flow exit or entry can manage up to 750 cars per hour. The peak load of a
shopping center can be calculated using the facility's annual gross income. The problem
is threefold: first, determine the largest single-day gross business; second, determine how
many cars will be in and out of the center on that day (based on the average purchase per
car); and third, estimate the number of cars that will enter and leave the center during the
busiest hours of that day (based on the average purchase per car).

According to Gruen, a major regional shopping mall may expect a peak volume of 3,000
automobiles per hour. In this situation, four exits appear to be required to discharge the
3,000 automobiles.
Stage 3: Putting the Car in the Garage

The shopping center's primary benefit over the central business district is parking.
Despite the fact that this is stated often, the shopper may not always be able to get the
parking space he desires. The shopper wants a parking spot that is easy to identify, has
minimal difficulty moving around the parking lot, and is close to the store or store group
where he is going to shop. The developers are sometimes to blame, as they misjudged the
requirement for parking spaces or believed the site was too expensive to be used for
parking. There are sometimes insufficient parking spaces simply because there are too
many individuals looking for them.

The shopper sees parking at the retail center as a series of steps:

circling the parking lot in his car until he finds a spot;


putting the automobile into the parking spot;
From the space to the stores, you'll be walking.
When he leaves the center, he must follow the same steps in reverse, including finding
his car, which can be more difficult than finding the space in the first place.

1. Finding a suitable location. The amount of parking space originally supplied


determines whether the consumer finds a space at all. The amount of space is addressed
further down. The layout and width of the aisles between the rows of parked automobiles,
especially near the most attractive stores, the department store(s), supermarket(s), and
drug store(s), are the most important considerations in moving cars throughout the
parking lot (s). The width of the aisles is mostly determined by whether they are one-way
or two-way. The aisle lengths of eight parking lots with one-way aisles averaged 14 feet
and ranged from 7.5 to 21 feet, according to a survey conducted by the Eno Foundation
(Parking Lot Operation). When you consider that the largest 1947 car was nearly 6 feet,
10 inches wide, the low figure of 7.5 is incredible. In around twenty parking lots, the
width of two-way aisles averaged 23.7 feet and ranged from 16 feet to 37 feet. If
customers park their own cars, as is the case in practically all shopping centers, the aisles
should not be too narrow to make the process onerous, nor should they be too narrow that
one car parked in the aisle will momentarily clog traffic. The width of one-way aisles
should be at least 10 feet, and the width of two-way aisles should be around 20 feet.
2. Getting the automobile into the space: We're going to assume that most parking lots
are planned out in a similar fashion. For example, the spaces and aisles could be
organized as follows:

The narrower aisles (a) are sometimes supplied as pedestrian pathways, while the larger
aisle (b) between rows of spots is used to move the cars. The layout can be changed to
accommodate several types of angle parking, such as:

The entire parking lot area per car slot (including aisles) has an impact on the customer's
ability (or lack thereof) to find a parking space. According to the Eno study, the lots
evaluated averaged 246 square feet per car for head-in, 90-degree parking, with a
minimum of 192 square feet and a maximum of 307 square feet. 250 square feet per car is
now regarded too little for parking lots in retail centers, with 300 being a more frequent
amount. According to Baker and Funaro in Shopping Centers: Design and Operation, a
minimum of 350 feet is required to be regarded satisfactory. Whatever figure is chosen,
the space itself should not be larger than 200 square feet. A space of 9 by 18 feet is
recommended by Baker and Funaro, and one of 10 by 20 feet should suffice. Aisles, exits
and entrances, and landscaping will take up the balance of the space (150 square feet per
car by their standards). Making spaces smaller than 9 feet wide will not save any land.
Because cars are around 7 feet wide, a smaller area will encourage people to straddle the
dividing lines, resulting in fewer useable places than if the spaces were 9 or 10 feet wide.

3. Walking from the parking spot to the stores: Once the shopper has parked his car
safely in the best available spot, all he has to do now is stroll to the stores. We assumed
that parking would be arranged around the perimeter of the shopping center, with the
main mall dedicated for foot traffic. (For examples of parking lot design in connection to
different types of store groupings, see Figures 5–11.) Some parking lots incorporate
concrete sidewalks between rows of parked cars (aisles marked "a" in figures 1, 2, and 3).
If they are installed, they should be at least 7 feet wide to accommodate the front ends of
the automobiles' overhang and to allow two individuals carrying parcels to pass each
other easily.
The Parkington Shopping Center, which has a five-story self-parking tower in the center
of the shopping center, can brag that no shopper has to walk more than 110 feet from his
parked car without being under protection. Covered pathways for shopping can be a
useful feature, especially where parking is limited and the weather is frequently severe.

Shopping center planners rarely advocate multi-story parking garages because of the
comparatively high cost per parking place, unless the amount of land available is limited
and the cost per square foot is high. For shopping center purposes, a self-service parking
garage is almost required, which provides certain architectural challenges in a multi-level
garage, particularly in terms of the size of the spaces and aisles on each floor, as well as
the width and design of the ramps leading to the floors. Separate ramps lead straight from
each story to the ground in the Parkington self-parking building.

How much room do you have?

There are two methods for calculating the amount of parking available. The former
method involved comparing the total parking area to the net retail area of the
establishments. As an example, if 50,000 square feet of floor space is dedicated to retail
and 150,000 square feet is dedicated to parking, the ratio is 3:1. The number of parking
spaces per 1,000 square feet of retail area is a relatively recently used metric. If each slot
takes up a total of 300 square feet of parking lot area (including aisles, landscaping, and
other features), then 3.3 automobiles can be parked per 1,000 square feet.
Facilities for loading and unloading trucks

The dimensions and overall size of truck loading berths, as well as the required number,
are detailed in the zoning laws section below (see especially the zoning provisions for
Bismarck and Kansas City). More serious issues arise from the design and location of
truck loading facilities.

If the shopping complex is exceptionally large, the stores may be served by an


underground tunnel with loading berths for all of them. According to one estimate, such a
facility would cost around $800,000, and only a few shopping complexes would be able
to afford it. The loading and unloading bays are more commonly located at the back of
the stores, which creates a new challenge. Two sides face other stores, one side confronts
a mall, and the fourth side faces the parking area, therefore there is no obvious "front"
and "back" to a shopping center's retailers. Obviously, the storefront facing the mall must
be appealing. The side facing the parking lot cannot be overlooked in terms of design
simply because it is the "back." For one thing, customers passing by on the road and
consumers exiting their parked automobiles will only see this side at first. Another
advantage is that the consumer can enter the store from the "back" side. If entrances face
the parking lot, they must be constructed in such a way that they are both attractive and
separate from the truck loading docks, as well as pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

One approach is to have depressed loading areas, which means that the trucks are parked
in a slight depression so that the store floor is level with the part of the truck that carries
the goods. As a result, the vehicle can be backed up to the loading dock (which is at
ground level) and the products unloaded without having to hoist or lower them.
Pedestrian activity may be more readily isolated from vehicle and freight traffic with
such depressed loading bays.
Shopping Center Zoning Regulations
A number of existing or proposed zoning rules now include important zoning provisions
for commercial malls. Two key provisions, one in the zoning law of Bismarck, North
Dakota, approved in 1953, and the other in a provision proposed for the zoning ordinance
of Kansas City, Missouri, adopted in 1953, have lately come to our attention. These two
clauses are being published in their entirety at this time because they are one of the rare
attempts in the zoning legislation to deal thoroughly with shopping centers, and because a
reading of them today will clarify some of the zoning issues generated by shopping
centers.
The following regulations apply in any CC Commercial district:
1. Description in broad terms. A CC Commercial district is one where the primary use of
land is for commercial and service uses to serve the surrounding residential districts, and
where traffic and parking congestion can be kept to a minimum to preserve residential
values and promote the general welfare of the surrounding residential districts. The
explicit goal of this provision is to promote the general purposes of this ordinance in the
CC Commercial district.
(a) To encourage the development of land for neighborhood, commercial, and service
purposes, as well as its continuous use;
(b) To restrict residential, heavy commercial, and industrial uses of the site, as well as
any other use that would significantly obstruct the development or continuation of the
district's commercial structures;
(c) To discourage any use that might interfere with the district's use as a shopping and
service hub for the neighboring residential areas due to its nature or size.

2. Uses are permissible. The following applications are permissible:

a. A retailer's group
b. A set of service providers
c. Station for filling up
d. Group of offices and banks
e. a commercial recreation organization
f. Medical group that focuses on health
3. Area of the parking lot. A CC Commercial district cannot be less than two acres in
size. A single building cannot be built on a zoning lot that is smaller than 5,000 square
feet. However, a building with one or more party walls and a common roof with one or
more comparable buildings, but owned separately, may be on any size lot as long as all
other provisions of this ordinance, including all provisions for off-street parking and
loading, are completely complied with on that lot.

4. The size of the district. Each CC Commercial district must have an average width of at
least 200 feet and a boundary line that is at least 100 feet long.

5. The ratio of floor area to total area. For single-story buildings, the floor area ratio of
the principal building and all auxiliary buildings must not exceed 0.25, and for buildings
with more than one story, it must not exceed 0.35. The total ground area occupied by the
major and accessory buildings must not exceed 25% of the entire lot area.

6. Yards. A building must be at least 50 feet away from any lot line.

7. There are height restrictions. No structure may have more than two stories or be taller
than 25 feet.

8. District that is divided. A single CC Commercial district cannot be on two sides of a


public street or lane for the purposes of calculating the minimum area, lot width, lot
dimension, floor area ratio, percentage of lot covered by building, and yard criteria
provided by this section. Any area zoned CC Commercial on both sides of a public street
or alley is considered to be two CC Commercial districts, and buildings on each side of
said public street or alley must meet all minimum requirements as distinct districts.

9. Uses that are not compliant. The aim of this ordinance and this section is to designate
no area as a CC Commercial district if there is any residential or other nonconforming
use on the date of approval of this code. This ordinance and this clause also state that, to
the extent practicable, all neighborhood commercial and service areas in newly
constructed parts of the city should be located in a CC Commercial district, in order to
reduce traffic and parking congestion and retain the city's residential values. If there is
any use in that district that would be a nonconforming use after the proposed amendment
is passed by the Board of City Commissioners, the City Planning Commission will refuse
to approve any request for an amendment rezoning any area of the city to a CC
Commercial district.

In CC Commercial Districts, Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements

Regardless of any other requirements of this section, all buildings erected in a CC


Commercial district must provide one off-street parking space for every 100 square feet
of floor space, not including basement storage space, and one off-street loading berth for
every 25,000 square feet of aggregate gross floor space.

Comparative Standards for Shopping Center Districts

Kansas
Bismarck (adopted
Standards City (proposed
1953)
1953)

varies from: 3
Maximum building
2 stories (25 feet) stories (45 feet) to: 6
height
stories (75 feet)

20 feet (may be 10
feet adjoining an
established
Minimum yards 50 feet commercial district
or may be waived if
fire lane deemed
unnecessary.

1-1/2 acres with C-1


Minimum area of 2 acres (86,500
district; 5 acres with
the entire district square feet)
C-2 and C-3

No provision for
Minimum lot area 5,000 square feet
commercial lots;
Residential lots
same as R-4 3- & 4-
family dwelling:
1,500 sq. ft. per unit
apartments - 1,000
sq. ft. per unit.

Total area of
Maximum lot buildings 25% or
25% of the lot
coverage less of the net area
of district

0.25 for one-story;


Maximum floor area
0.35 for two-story None
ratio
buildings

Retail Group A; In C-S1: all C-1 uses


Service Group A; except two; In C-S2:
Filling Station; C-1 and C-2 uses
Uses Permitted * Office-bank group; with exceptions: In
Commercial C-S3: C-1,C-2; and
recreation group; C-3 uses with
Health medical group exceptions.

11 spaces for each


Off-street parking 1 space per 100 sq. ft.
1,000 sq. ft. of floor
spaces required of floor space
space

200 square feet plus 144 sq. ft. plus


Minimum size of a
safe & adequate access (8 ft. by 18
single space
maneuvering space ft.)

1 space for each


Loading space 25,000 sq.ft. of
"Ample"
required aggregate gross floor
space

10 feet by 25 feet for


minimum 10 feet by small trucks; 10 feet
Minimum size of a
50 feet; 14 foot by 45 feet for large
loading space
clearance trucks. At least 14
foot clearance
* See Table 4
Table 4 compares the uses permitted in the CC Commercial district of Bismarck with
those permitted in the CS Shopping Center districts (C-S1, C-S2, C-8S) of the Kansas
City proposal.
Table 4

Uses Specifically Identified as Permitted in the Shopping Center Districts of


Bismarck and Kansas City1

C- C- C-
CC
S1 S2 S3

(Bismarck) (Kansas City)

Antique store yes - - -

Appliance, radio and


yes - - -
television store

Artists studios - yes yes yes

Art supply store yes - - -

Auto accessory store yes - - -

Auto laundry no no yes yes

Auto repair garage no - - -

Automobile or trailer
- no yes yes
sales rooms

* Bakery (retail) yes yes yes yes

* Bank yes yes yes yes

Bar yes no yes yes

Barbecue stands - no yes yes

* Barber shops yes yes yes yes


* Beauty shops yes yes yes yes

Bicycle repair shops - yes yes yes

Billboards (See Outdoor


Advertising)

* Book, magazine,
yes yes yes yes
newspaper store

Bowling alley yes - - -

Bus stations - no yes yes

Business or commercial
no no yes yes
schools

Butcher shop yes - - -

Camera store yes - - -

* Candy store yes yes yes yes

Cat and dog hospitals no no no yes

* Clinics yes yes yes yes

* Clothing, clothing
yes yes yes yes
accessories store

Commercial school yes no yes yes

Dance hall yes no yes yes

Dancing schools - yes yes yes

* Delicatessen yes yes yes yes

Department store yes - - -

Diaper services no no no yes


Drive-in businesses
(exc. restaurants & no no no yes
theaters)

Drive-in restaurants - no yes yes

* Drug store yes yes yes yes

Dry cleaning, dyeing - yes yes yes

Electrical shops - yes yes yes

Feed stores (no


- no yes yes
grinding)

Fiestas and street fairs - no no yes

Film exchanges - no no yes

Five and ten cent stores yes - - -

Fix-it, radio or
- yes yes yes
television repair shops

* Flower shop yes yes yes yes

Frozen food lockers (not


yes no yes yes
commercial)

* Furniture store yes yes yes yes

Garage no yes yes yes

* Gasoline filling
yes yes yes yes
station

* General office yes yes yes yes

* Gift shop yes yes yes yes

Governmental office yes no - -


* Grocery store yes yes yes yes

* Hardware store yes yes yes yes

Hobby store yes - - -

Ice cream parlor yes - - -

Ice delivery stations - no yes yes

Insurance office yes - - -

* Jewelry store yes yes yes yes

Job printing, publishing,


- no yes yes
etc.

* Launderettes yes yes yes yes

Laundries - no yes yes

Laundry collection
- yes yes yes
offices

Liquor store (package) yes no yes yes

Meat markets - yes yes yes

Motels no no no yes

* Music store yes yes yes yes

* Notion, variety store yes yes yes yes

* Office (general) yes yes yes yes

* Office supply store yes yes yes yes

Outdoor advertising
no no no no
sign
* Parking lot
yes yes yes yes
(commercial)

Personal loan agency yes - - -

Pet shops - no yes yes

* Photographic studio yes yes yes yes

Plumbing shops (no tin


- yes yes yes
work or outside storage

Pool or billiard parlor yes no yes yes

Professional office yes - - -

Public utility stations - no yes yes

Real estate office yes - - -

RESIDENTIAL USES no yes yes yes

Roller skating rink yes no no no

Saloon yes no yes yes

* Shoe store yes yes yes yes

Shooting galleries - no no no

Sign painting and sign


- no no yes
shops

Sporting goods store yes - - -

Sports arena yes no no no

* Stationery store yes yes yes yes

Steam bath no - - -

Tavern yes no yes yes


Taxicab office yes - - -

Taxidermy - no no yes

Telephone exchange yes no yes yes

Theater yes no yes yes

Tire and battery repair no no yes yes

Tourist camps no no no yes

Toy store yes - - -

Trade schools yes no no yes

Undertaking
no no yes yes
establishment

Utility office yes - - -

* Variety store yes yes yes yes

Warehousing no no no yes

Wholesale sales office,


no no yes yes
sample rooms
1. Blank spaces indicate that the use is not specifically or clearly permitted or prohibited
in the district.
* Indicates permitted in all four districts
Also permitted in CC Commercial Districts: hospital for human beings, nursing or
convalescent home, old people's home, orphans home and sanitarium.
The "Intent" or "Idea" of the Shopping Center Provision
To write laws that take "everything" into account is out of the question. Often, problems
will arise in connection with legislation, such as the zoning ordinance, which were not
foreseen by the authors of the law. Such matters sometimes find their way into the courts,
and the courts sometimes judge these matters in terms of the "spirit" of the law or the
"intent" of those who enacted the law. Therefore, the Bismarck ordinance includes a
number of specific statements detailing the intent of the law so clearly that a court
reviewing the ordinance could hardly be in doubt about the purposes of the law. Note that
under "1. General Description" the ordinance states that the purpose of the CC
Commercial district is:
(a) To encourage the construction of, and continued use of land for neighborhood,
commercial and service purposes;
(b) To prohibit residential, heavy commercial and industrial use of the land, and to
prohibit any other use which would substantially interfere with the development or
continuation of the commercial structures in the district;
(c) To discourage any use which, because of its character and size, would interfere with
the use of land in the district as a shopping and service center for surrounding residential
districts.
Note also that under Section 9, "Nonconforming Uses" the ordinance clearly states its
intent. No area can be designated as a CC Commercial district if there is any pre-existing
residential or other use which would be nonconforming in a CC district. The ordinance
also gives a clear directive to the City Planning Commission not to approve any request
to rezone any portion of the city to CC Commercial if there is any use that would thereby
become nonconforming.
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ARCHITECTURAL RECORD. October 1953. Shopping Centers, Building Types Study
Number 203, pp. 179–205.
BAKER, Geoffrey, and FUNARO, Bruno. Shopping Centers: Design and
Operation. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1951. 288 pp.index. ($12.00).
(The most complete manual on shopping centers yet published. Seven chapters on
analysis, design and operation. Descriptions and analyses, some in more detail than
others, of 63 shopping centers.)

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