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THE ZONING REPORT Page Four a cap or buffer to further expansion of com- mercial zoning along the street, which would intrude into residential areas abutting the street. Height in the zone is limited to 25-35 ft and 1-3 floors, on sites up to a maximum of 1-2 acres. Development standards require ex- tensive landscaping, screening and large zone yards, with parking allowed only in the rear yard, extensively screened from residential view. All facades of the building must be arch- it ecturally finished. Many communities also have a general offices zone that allows any type of office use, medi- cal ~linics, financial institutions, multi-building office complexes and perhaps research and storage uses with an office setting. Develop- ment standards require extensive landscaping and screening, architectural finish on all fa- cades, access control, large zone yards abut- ting non-business zones and site plan review. There are no limits on maximum site size, but perhaps some codes might impose a minimum site area slightly larger than the maximum area required for its transitional office zone. Height is limited by FAR, subject to setback planes adjoining residential areas and spacing between adjacent office buildings. No business or resi- dential uses are allowed in this zone except small ancillary business convenience uses con- tained entirely within office buildings. Some communities have an office/research laboratory park zone. This is a specialized planned zone requiring extensive development standards, large amounts of open space and landscape design amenity, high-image e×terior site design requirements, unity of design for signage and street furniture and coordination of building facade design through extensive review procedures. Many central cities have an office-residential zone., often titled in zoning codes as R-O or as the highest density residential zone, typically as R-4 to R-6. The intent is to blend new of- fice buildings with existing apartment build- ings., to stabilize th~ viability of old establish- ed high-density residential neighborhoods near the downtown area. The zone provides quiet less expensive neighborhood sites for office businesses not needing or desiring commercial locations downtown or in office complexes. Development controls on these office build- ings maintain the high-density residential char- acter with setbacks~ maximum height and floor area similar to existing apartment buildings in the area. No drive-in facilities or banks are allowed, but some specific ancillary business convenience retail uses are allowed inside of- lice and apartment buildings with no exterior visibility. Signs are severe]~f limited and all yards must be landscaped. A parking zone is provided in many zoning Codes to function as a transitional buffer be- tween business and residential areas. The zone often is intended to accommodate the expan- sion of business areas surrounded by establish- ed residential neighborhoods. The zone allows this expansion by shifting business parking to the parking zone and allowing the former park- ing areas to be converted to business floor area. Since the zone allows parking as its only use, residential neighbors are assured that sites located within this district cannot be redevel- oped fo~ business uses except through another rezoning approval. Some codes further divide the parking zone into two zones~ a P-i zone for parking lots and a P-2 zone for parking buildings and lots. By the choice of zone, the type of parking facility is established on a site, to assure the charac- ter of building density acceptable to nearby residents. Most codes have overlay districts that relate to business zones. Overlays seek to accomplish land-use goals other than providing compatible locations for businesses within urban areas. The most common overlay is a historical and architectural preservation zone. But many com- munities tend to avoid mapping business areas within'.historic preservation districts because the stringent design standards and review proc- esses of t'his district often discourage business development in them. Communities might prefer that individual business buildings be subject to landmark designation. This designation could October 21, 1994 issue