DESIGN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR COMMERCIAL CENTER

DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Commercial center is the center in which economic, social, cultural and

administrative services of the town are concentrated. It is a complex of retail
store and related facilities planned as a unified group that offers goods and
services for profit and the performance of various financial and office function.
• Buffer is a tree planted zone intended to function as noise barrier/separator of
land uses.

• Common area is the total area within the commercial center that is not designed
for rental to tenants and which is available for common use by all tenants.
Example: parking, sidewalks, public toilets, etc.

• Gross saleable Area is the total area designed for tenants’ occupancy and
exclusive use; It is all that area on which tenants pay rent; It is the area
producing income.

• Parking Space is an area of definite length and width, said area shall be
exclusive of drives, aisles or entrances giving access thereto, and shall be fully
accessible for the storage or parking of permitted vehicles.

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

A. Performance Standards

1. Conformity to Land Use Plan/Zoning Ordinance

1.1 All commercial centers shall conform with the approved Land Use Plan
and/or Zoning Ordinance of the locality having jurisdiction over the site.
1.2 In areas/regions where Land Use Plans and Zoning Ordinances are not
available, there shall be an evaluation of the project location and site as to land
suitability and feasibility for commercial center development.
1.3 Commercial centers shall be planned to provide a judicious balance of Land
use and good layout to complement and integrate with the larger community.

2. National Building Code

2.1 All structures within the commercial center shall conform to the provisions of
the National Building Code.

3. Design Standards
3.1 Site Criteria
3.1.1 Location. Primarily the purpose of commercial center is to offer goods and
services to the population. Hence, the location of a commercial center,
ideally should be within at least one major traffic area. Situated near or
along a major highway means easy access both consumers and
distributors of goods. It is also imperative that commercial centers be
located near well populated residential area or a potential area for
development. Nay proposed commercial center should also be supportive
of existing commercial area/s.
Planning for expansion should be considered if the commercial is located in a
steadily growing area. The carrying capacity of surrounding public roads
must be sufficient to absorb additional traffic loads. The site must be large
enough for additional building, parking and traffic areas.

1.1.2 Land configuration/terrain. The particular site wherein a

commercial center would be located must preferably be in one
piece, free of intervening roadways that would force development
in separated portions. A site bounded by arterial streets is
preferable. The physical characteristics of the land must also
 permit advantageous planning and reasonable economical
construction. The land must be fairly compact and level.
1.1.3 Accessibility. The site must be served by a major road readily
accessible by public mass transport system. A secondary access
road which could service the site is considered an advantage over
a site with only one access.
1.1.4 Utilities and Facilities. The availability of utilities must be always
considered in choosing a site for a commercial center. It should be
within easy reach of required water supply, power and sewage
disposal facilities.

3.2 Site Planning

3.2.1 Layout. Layout of the center should effect an efficient circulation within and
among the various components of the center; Integration to over-all
development in the locality and provision for environmental quality and/or
character.
3.2.2 Land Allocation. Land shall be judiciously allocated for the required use and
amenities for efficient functioning of the commercial center.
3.2.3 Allowable Uses. The following uses shall be allowed within the commercial
center:

• Department store
• Drugstore
• Supermarket/grocery
• Restaurant/eatery
• Hotel/lodging house
• Sports facilities
• Theater, museum, art gallery
• Wholesale or retail stores (specialized such as jewelry shop,
florist, wine and liquor, books and magazines, etc.)
• Amusement center/ Entertainment facilities
• Banking and financing institutions
• Postal and Other Communication Services
• Business offices/Condominium (residential;-commercial)
• Personal services
• Appliance center
• Automotive center
• Furniture and fixture stores
• Filling stations
• Parking/garage
• Bus terminal
• Park/playground
• Memorial chapels
• Market/food terminal
• Protective services
• Public toilet
• Administrative offices
• Libraries
• Utilities (water tanks, power sub-stations, etc)
• Vocational and special schools
• Hardware
• Plant nursery
• Accessory uses to any of the above allowable uses
• Other that may be allowed by the commission

The aforementioned allowable uses are geared towards providing variegated

activities/facilities which could adequately support a city/town of its needs/requirements
ad at the time provide self-sustenance and diversity through intensity and multiplicity
functions/activities in the commercial center.
3.2.4 Common areas. The following common areas shall provided for
within the commercial center:
• Streets. Adequate and safe means of vehicular and pedestrian
circulation, sewerage/drainage and planting strips.
• Walks. Paved walks for convenient and safe access to store areas
from streets and parking areas and from store area/offices to
parks and playgrounds.
• Parks and playground. Recreational areas located at strategic
places and easily accessible to all either through streets or
pedestrian walkways.
• Parking. Off-street parking facilities which are of two types: the
surface lots and the multi-floor structures (ramp garages and
mechanical parking devices)

On-street parking is discouraged especially along main circulation

routes.

Parking must be distributed for convenience to stores having the

largest number of customers during peak hours; farthest space
should not be more than 100 meters from the store.

Provision for parking space for buses and service trucks shall also
be taken into consideration.

• Terminal. Area for bus/jeep terminal shall be provided at strategic

locations of the commercial center.
• Utilities/Services. Area for utilities/equipment such as power sub-
station, water tanks and pumps, public toilet, etc. shall be provided
and designated in the plan.

3.2.5 Access Points. The commercial Center shall be served by a public

mass transport system by providing loading/unloading areas for service
lanes.

Service approaches shall be constructed at main entry and exit points to

provide safe diversion from and immersion to amin traffic flow.

3.3 Site Alteration/preservation

3.3.1 Clearing and grading. Clearing shall be undertaken to eliminate site

obstruction but with care as to cause no damage to adjacent properties
and to the existing utilities in the site.
3.3.2 Cut and fill. Depression in the site which might from a collection area for
rainwater or be a hazard to circulation or detrimental to pedestrian shall
be filled up to an appropriate grade, or designed as an integral part of the
park and open space system. Existing ground level should be retained
wherever possible.
3.3.3 Preservation of site assets. Suitable trees, shrubs and desirable ground
cover shall be preserved. Where a good quality top soil exists in a
buildable area, it shall be removed and preserved for finishing grades of
yards, playground and parks.
3.3.4 Landscaping. Grass, shrubs, plants and other landscaping materials used
for ground cover shall be of a variety appropriate for its intended use and
location.

They shall be so planted as to provide screening of undesirable views and

mitigation of noise. Spacing of trees depends on their verieties and
growing habits should therefore be carefully studied.
3.4 Utilities and Facilities

3.4.1 Water Supply

• Specific rules
a. Whenever possible, water supply for commercial center shall be
connected to an approved public or community water supply
system provided such connection would not be prejudicial to the
needs of the locality.
b. When connection to public or community water supply system is
not possible nor practical, a centralized water supply system shall
be provided with the following conditions:
• The water source shall be, as shown by initial tests
conducted, sufficient to meet the commercial water
requirements including other services requirements. The
water, as shown by initial tests conducted, shall be safe
and potable and that no hazard exists in the immediate
vicinity that might reduce or pollute the supply/ source as
certified by appropriate authority.
• An approval from the National Water Resources Council
shall be required to operate a well.
c. Water Supply line maybe located under sidewalk easement, or
under street. Minimum design requirements will locate it at least
3.5 meters from nearest sewer or gas main and above highest
sewer or gas main.

• Water Requirements
a. Average daily demand. Commercial center shall provide water
equal to the average use computed to 227 liters per capita
(employee) per day.
b. Fire protection demand. A fire reserve required by local/district fire
department of INP shall be maintained.
3.4.2 Sewerage Disposal System

• Specific Rules
a. Where available, connection shall be made to an existing
approved public sewerage system.
b. Where a public sewerage system is not available, a sewer system
which meets the standards prescribed by the Commission shall be
provided.

• Septic Tanks. The location of a septic tank shall be at the lower

point of the site as possible. Its function is to retain the raw
sewage out of contact with air until anaerobic bacteria can break
down the solids into gases and an effluent liquid.

3.4.3 Drainage system

• Surface and sub-surface drainage system shall be provided for

the proper disposal of storm and sub-surface water. Rain water
shall be channeled to street gutters and unto a storm sewer.
• Storm sewer shall be located at a distance from curb line to
centerline of street always at the opposite side of the street from
the water line.

3.4.4 Electrical Power supply Communications

• Street Lights. The commercial center shall be provided with street

lighting with light poles distances measured at a maximum of 60
 meters in between. The height of the street lights for roadway
lighting shall be 9.0 meters.
• Lamps on walkways. Lamp on Walkways shall be provided with
36.0 meters distance between lamp posts. The height of the lamp
on walkways shall be 3.6 meters.
• Wiring may be underground or overhead. Underground
construction saves on maintenance costs, caused by storm
damage and tree trimming expenditures are eliminated.
• Where wires have to be overhead, pole lines may either be along
streets or on easements rear lot lines. It may be desirable to keep
pole lines out of the street since they are usually unsightly and
interfere with street trees.
• Power Supply requirements. Average daily consumption per
establishment is 18 kwh. Line voltage is 230 volt.
• The telephone and other wire communication systems including
telegraph, fire and traffic signal controls and security alarm are
vital to commercial centers such that their installation should be
integrated with other utilities for economy and aesthetics.
3.4.5 Refuse Environmental Sanitation

• The commercial center shall have a sanitary and efficient refuse

collection and disposal system. Its operation shall be governed by
Sanitation Code and local ordinances.

A close coordination with the local refuse collection and disposal

services is necessary.
• Incinerators. Incinerators with pollution control devices to dispose
contaminated rubbish may be included in the facilities of a
commercial center.

Table 1. Recommended distances expressed in travel time of commercial center to

different functional zones

From To Travel Time

Commercial Center Residential
Recreational
Educational Center
Health facilities
Police Station
Fire Station
Garbage or Disposal area
(public transport)
15 to 30 minutes
5 minutes
15 minutes
10 to 20 minutes
5 minutes
3 to 5 minutes
15 to 20 minutes travel of
garbage truck (average of 5
kms.)

B. Design Requirements

1. Size of Commercial Center/Shopping Center

a. Commercial Center

Minimum size of commercial center shall be 12,890.0 sq.m. to serve a population

of 30,000. The land shall be allocated as follows:

a.1 Saleable Area 70 %

a.2 Common areas 30 %
a.2.1 Park 3%
a.2.2 Parking 5%
a.2.3 Streets Variable
a.2.4 facilities Variable
The foregoing land allocation was arrived at by using minimum space standards for
selected structures/establishments deemed to be essential in a commercial center.
These are the following:

1. Theater (seat capacity 500)

2. Amusement Center
3. Gas Station
4. Commercial Condominium/Business Office
5. Lodging House
6. Memorial homes/Parlor
7. Department Store/supermarket
8. Public Library/Museum gallery
9. Retail Shops
10. Government Offices (branch or extension office)
11. Bus/jeep Terminal
12. Restaurant/eatery
13. market (area of one hectare to be added to 1.289
hectares when included in the commercial center)

Existing commercial areas applied for development into commercial centers shall be
allowed to reduce the minimum size requirement provided that the reduction is due to
the presence of selected structures/establishments enumerated in this section. Provided
further that said structures/establishments are within the limits of the proposed
commercial center. Allowable reduction shall correspond only to lot area occupied by the
existing structures/establishments. All other provisions of this standards and guidelines
should be complied with.

b. Shopping center

Minimum area for a shopping center shall be 3,150 sq.m. Area od a unit/shop shall be
100 sq.m. or 10 m x 10 m.

2.Building Density

Building density shall have a proportionate balance to the public open space and
shall conform to the zoning ordinance of the locality.

3. Size of Blocks

Block measurement shall have a minimum length of 150 meters and a minimum
width of 32 meters.

4. Lot Size

Lot size shall correspond to the building occupancy requirements of the National
Building Code according to type of establishment.

5. Setbacks

Setback requirement of building from property/lot lines shall conform to the

National Building Code.

6. Parking

Area requirement for common parking shall be five percent (5%) of Gross Area;
average size of parking space is 12.0 square meter or 2.4 meters x 5 meters (exclusive
of driveways).
Passenger bus/jeep terminals for 1.289 hectares commercial center shall be 560
sq.m. for at least six vehicles. Requirement for more than 1.289 hectares shall be as
prescribed by the commission.
7. Streets

a. Specification of Streets

Type Carriage 5 Number Width of Sidewalk Planting Total

-way Grade of Pavement Strips Roght-
(min.) (max.) Lanes of-way
Major 12.0 15% 4 3.0 3.0 2.0 17.0
Road
Secondary 9.0 13 % 3 3.0 3,0 3,0 14.0
road
Service 6.0 12 % 2 3.0 2.0 2.0 10.0
Road

b. Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles.

Number of streets intersecting at one point should be minimized.
c. Dead end streets should not be longer than 100 meters and must be provided
at the closed end with a turn-around having an inside roadway diameter of at
least 12.0 meters.
d. Corner lot should be cut off with a 4 meter chord for streets with right-of-way
widths of 12.0 meters and width of 6 meters chord for streets with right-of-
way widths of more than 12.0 meters.
e. Bus turns-out along major roads shall be provided with a minimum of 3.0
meters width and 70.0 meters length.

8. Pedestrian Walkways/pathways

Pathways shall have minimum width of 2.0 meters with maximum tolerable slope
of 25% and paved to connect road network and facilities within the center.

9. Parks

Parks and other recreational spaces shall be 3% of the total land area properly
landscaped and free from any risk or hazard.

10. Buffer

A planting screen/buffer of 3.0 meters wide (minimum) may be provided along

the periphery of the area to demarcate the extent of growth of the center. The
screen/buffer shall be treated as an integral part of the open space element ans as such
shall accessible to and utilized by the consumers.