Zoning explained · Palm Beach County

Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District West Palm Beach, Florida

NC is West Palm Beach's small-scale, neighborhood-serving commercial district, codified at Sec. 94-144 of Chapter 94 (Zoning and Land Development Regulations), Article V (Commercial Districts). It sits in intensity between Office Commercial (OC) and General Commercial (GC). Permitted uses are NOT listed in Sec.

71 buildings zoned NC75 permitted business types

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Education › Zoning & land use › West Palm Beach — NC

Permitted uses

What you can operate in NC, West Palm Beach

The businesses the NC district in West Palm Beach allows. The ones on the left are permitted by right; the ones on the right need a special approval first. (Zoning codes are set by each municipality, so NC here means specifically West Palm Beach's NC district.)

Allowed by right

gift shop / boutiqueclothing / apparel storeshoe storebookstoreflorist / flower shopjewelry storestationery / card / party goods shopart gallery / picture framing shopantique / consignment shoppharmacy / drug store (no drive-through)small grocery / neighborhood marketspecialty food shop / deli / cheese shopbakery, retail storefrontcoffee shop / cafeice cream / frozen yogurt / juice baroptician / eyewear shopbarber shophair salon / beauty salonnail salon / manicure-pedicureday spa / facials / waxingmassage therapy (licensed)eyelash / brow bardry cleaning drop-off / laundry pickuptailor / seamstress / alterationsshoe repair / cobblerbusiness / professional officereal estate brokerage officeinsurance agencyaccounting / CPA / bookkeeping / tax preplaw officearchitect / engineer / design officetravel agencymedical office / physician practicedental office / orthodontistchiropractorphysical therapy clinicoptometrist / eye exam clinicbank / credit union branch (no drive-through)restaurant, sit-down (no alcohol, no drive-through)

With special approval

restaurant serving beer, wine, or liquorbar / tavern / cocktail loungepackage liquor / wine retail (off-premises)restaurant with outdoor / sidewalk seatingrestaurant with drive-throughquick-service / fast-food restaurantbrewery, distillery, or winery with taproomcoffee roasting on premisescommercial kitchen / cateringfitness studio / gymyoga or pilates studiospin / barre / CrossFit / functional-training gymmartial arts / jiu-jitsu / boxing gymdance studiomusic, art, or tutoring studio / instructional schoolpet grooming (no boarding)veterinary clinic (no outdoor kennel)pet supply storechild day care / preschooladult day careplace of worship / assemblyclub or lodge / community meeting hallurgent care clinictattoo or piercing studioconvenience store without fuelconvenience store with gasoline salesgas station / fueling facilityauto repair / tire shop / oil changecar wash / auto detailingvehicle sales or rentalself-storage / mini-warehousehotel / bed and breakfast innupper-floor or mixed-use residential dwellingslive/work unitparking lot or garage, principal usewireless communication antenna / small cell

Build envelope

Development standards

Headline dimensional limits for this district. Confirm exact figures against the current code for your specific parcel.

StandardNOT VERIFIED — no dimensional numbers are reported here because the NC row of the Schedule of District Regulations was not read; do not quote height, setback, FAR, or lot minimums from this record

StandardDimensional standards for NC are in Chapter 94, Article VIII - Schedule of District Regulations

StandardUse conditions and thresholds are in Sec. 94-273 - Extra requirements for special uses or permitted uses

StandardExpect a per-establishment floor-area cap and neighborhood-compatibility limits typical of a neighborhood-scale district — confirm the figure with WPB Development Services

StandardParking is governed citywide by Chapter 94, Article XV - Parking; landscaping by Article XIV

StandardSpecial Impact Zone (SIZ) notation on the future land use map does not change density or intensity but triggers heightened site plan review and possibly more restrictive requirements

The fine print

In plain English

BY RIGHT No hearing needed

If your business is on the by-right list, you can occupy a space in this district and open — no zoning hearing. Building permits and licensing still apply, but the use itself is already allowed.

SPECIAL Approval first

Special-approval uses can work here too, but they go through a public review before opening. Plan for extra time and possible conditions — we'll tell you which path a space needs.

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