Regional Commercial (RC) District

Purpose and Intent

The RC District is established to accommodate large-scale, region-serving nonresidential development and activity centers. The RC District is intended to create regional destinations and allow limited high density residential development as a supporting use to help activate nonresidential areas throughout the day. Land zoned to Regional Commercial after September 1, 2025 (the date of adoption of this chapter) shall be located at highly visible and accessible locations along I-25 and E-470 to facilitate convenient access and minimize traffic congestion while supporting multimodal transportation options through internal and external site connections. 

Summary of Allowable Uses

Please refer to Section 18-168 for a complete list of principal uses; Section 18-334 contains a list of accessory uses; and Section 18-366 contains a list of temporary uses.

Legend:

• (SUP): Special Use Permit required 
• (L): Limited use standards apply
• (TUP) Temporary Use Permit required

Note: If no item in the legend is listed next to a listed land use, it is permitted by right in the RC district

Main Uses

Agriculture and Animal Related Uses

• Animal Clinic / Day Care, with Outdoor Runs
• Animal Clinic / Day Care, without Outdoor Runs
• Animal Kennel, without Outdoor Runs (SUP)
• Community Garden
• Crop Production (L)

Commercial Uses

• Artisan Manufacturing
• Bank, Credit Union, Financial Services 
• Bar / Lounge / Tavern (L)
• Equipment Rental 
• Food Truck Court
• General Commercial, 5,000 sq ft or less
• General Commercial, more than 5,000 sq ft 
• General Office / Professional Services, 5,000 sq ft or less
• General Office / Professional Services, more than 5,000 sq ft 
• Liquor Store
• Marijuana Store (L)
• Medical Clinic 
• Micro Alcohol
• Natural Medicine Healing Center
• Pawnshop
• Personal Services 
• Private Convention Center (SUP)
• Private Event/Banquet Facility
• Restaurant 5,000 sq ft or less
• Restaurant more than 5,000 sq ft
• Tobacco Store

Entertainment Uses

• Cultural and Arts Facility
• Private Entertainment / Recreation / Fitness Facility, Indoor 
• Private Entertainment / Recreation / Fitness Facility, Outdoor 
• Movie Theater
• Shooting Range, Indoor

Industrial, Automotive, and Transportation Uses

• Brewery / Winery / Distillery
• Car Wash 
• Catering
• Commercial Bus Station and Terminal
• Commercial Kitchen
• Heliport (SUP)
• Mining (SUP)
• Motor Vehicle Pawnbroker (SUP)
• Parking Structure (SUP) 
• Recycling Collection Center (SUP)
• Transit Passenger Shelter
• Transit Station
• Truck, Machinery, Heavy Equipment Sales, Rental, Service or Repair (SUP)
• Vehicle Fueling Station (SUP)
• Vehicle Leasing / Sales (L)
• Vehicle Rental
• Vehicle Service - Major Repair / Body Work
• Vehicle Service - Minor Repair / Maintenance
• Warehouse – Distribution (SUP)
• Warehouse Showroom / Office
• Warehouse - Storage (SUP)
• Well / Production Sites

Lodging Uses

• Hotel and Motel 

Public and Institutional Uses

• Business / Technical / Trade School, Indoor Activity Only 
• Cemetery / Mausoleum (SUP)
• Civic Meeting Facility
• Crematorium (SUP)
• Day Care Facility
• Emergency Shelter
• Funeral Home / Mortuary 
• Hospital / Sanitarium 
• Institutional Residential, Assisted Living and Long-Term Care 
• Library
• Park
• Post Office
• Public Entertainment / Recreation Facility 
• Public Service / Safety Facility
• Recovery Residence
• Religious Institution
• Transitional Housing (SUP)

Residential Uses

• Dwelling, Live-Work (L)
• Multi-Unit Dwelling (single lot) (L)
• Multi-Unit Dwelling Complex (single lot) (L)
• Multi-Unit Dwelling, Above Ground Floor (single lot)

Utilities and Infrastructure Uses

• Commercial Satellite Dish (SUP)
• Public Utility Facilities
• Utility or Government Installation Other than Listed (SUP)
• Water Treatment Plant, Reservoir and Water Storage Tanks
• Wireless Telecommunications, Tower and Equipment (SUP)

Accessory Uses

• Accessory Building / Structure
• Accessory Fleet Vehicle Storage / Maintenance (SUP)
• Accessory Food Truck Court
• Accessory Outdoor Merchandise Display and Sales
• Accessory Outdoor Seating
• Accessory Outdoor Storage
• Accessory Retail / Restaurant
• Amateur Telecommunications Facility
• Drive-Through Facilities (SUP)
• Golf Safety Net (SUP)
• Home Occupation 
• Solar Energy Collection System, Canopy
• Solar Energy Collection System, Ground-Mounted
• Solar Energy Collection System, Roof-Mounted
• Wind Energy Conversion Systems
• Wireless Telecommunications, Building/Structure Mounted (L)

• Mobile Vendor
• Pop-Up Retail / Restaurant 
• Seasonal Sales 
• Special Event
• Temporary Concrete or Asphalt Batch Plant
• Temporary Donation Collection Bin
• Temporary Grazing
• Temporary Parking Lot
• Temporary Use, Other

Development Standards:

To access the complete development standards for the RC zone district, use this link to Section 18-93 of the Code.

Table 18-93.1. RC District dimensional standards by use.

Table 18-93.1 footnotes:

1. Residential uses may not have front vehicular access directly from the street. Vehicular access shall be rear access through an alley or parking lot. Otherwise, parking locations and vehicular access shall be consistent with the allowable locations identified in Section 18-648.
2. Standard shall not apply if fire rated partition wall meeting all Thornton Building Code requirements is provided. 
3. Standard shall depend on required buffer yards as detailed in Section 18-600.
4. Buildings over 45 feet in height shall meet the height transition standards in Section 18-142.

RC District, Additional Standards 

Use this link to Section 18-93(b) to access the additional provisions. 

Residential uses shall not exceed 25 percent of the total land area of the development site unless otherwise indicated in the Comprehensive Plan. Buildings that contain 100 percent nonresidential uses on the ground floor are exempt from this requirement.