(a)

The I-1 Light Industrial Districts are so designed as to primarily accommodate wholesale activities, warehouses and industrial operations whose external, physical effects are restricted to the area of the district and in no manner affect in a detrimental way any of the surrounding districts. The I-1 district is so structured as to permit along with any specified uses, the manufacturing, compounding, processing, packaging, assembly, or treatment of finished or semi-finished products from previously prepared materials. It is intended that the processing of raw material for shipment in bulk form for use in an industrial operation at another location shall not be permitted.

(b)

The general goals of this use district include, among others, the following specific purposes:

(1)

To provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations, to meet the future needs of the city for all types of manufacturing and related uses.

(2)

To protect abutting residential district by separating them from manufacturing activities, and by prohibiting the use of such industrial areas for new residential development.

(3)

To promote manufacturing development which is free from danger of fire, explosions, toxic and noxious matter, radiation, and other hazards, and from offensive, noise, vibration, smoke, odor and other objectionable influences.

(4)

To protect the most desirable use of land in accordance with a well considered plan.

(5)

To protect the character and established pattern of adjacent development, and in each area to conserve the value of land and buildings and other structures and to conserve the city tax base.

(Ord. No. 401, § 1200, 5-2-2005)

In an I-1 Light Industrial District, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected except for one or more of the following specified uses, unless otherwise provided in this article:

(1)

Any use charged with the principal function of basic research, design and pilot or experimental product development when conducted within a completely enclosed building.

(2)

Any of the following uses when the manufacturing, compounding, or processing is conducted wholly within a completely enclosed building. That portion of the land used for facilities for storage of materials or equipment used in the manufacturing, compounding, or processing shall be totally obscured by a wall on those sides abutting RA-1 and RA-2, RB, RC, OS-1, B-1, and B-2 districts, and on any front yard abutting a public thoroughfare, except as otherwise provided in section 44-509. In I-1 districts, the extent of such a wall may be determined by the planning commission on the basis of usage. Such a wall shall not be less than four feet six inches in height and may, depending upon land usage, be required to be eight feet in height and shall be subject to the requirements of article XVIII of this chapter, General Provisions. A chainlink fence, with intense evergreen shrub planting, shall be considered an obscuring wall. The height shall be determined in the same manner as the wall height is above set forth.

a.

Warehousing and wholesale establishments, and trucking facilities.

b.

The manufacture, compounding, processing, packaging, or treatment of such products as, but not limited to, bakery goods, candy, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, toiletries, food products, hardware and cutlery, tool, die, gauge and machine shops.

c.

The manufacture, compounding, assembling, or treatment of articles or merchandise from previously prepared materials: bone, canvas, cellophane, cloth, cork, elastomers, feathers, felt, fiber, fur, glass, hair, horn, leather, paper, plastics, rubber, precious or semiprecious metals or stones, sheet metal, shell, textiles, tobacco, wax, wire, wood and yarns.

d.

The manufacture of pottery and figurines or other similar ceramic products using only previously pulverized clay, and kilns fired only by electricity or gas.

e.

Manufacture of musical instruments, toys, novelties, and metal or rubber stamps, or other molded rubber products.

f.

Manufacture or assembly of electrical appliances, electronic instruments and devices, radios and phonographs.

g.

Laboratories—experimental, film or testing.

h.

Manufacturing and repair of electric or neon signs, light sheet metal products, including heating and ventilating equipment, cornices, eaves and the like.

i.

Central dry cleaning plants or laundries provided that such plants shall not deal directly with consumer at retail.

j.

All public utilities, including buildings, necessary structures, storage yards and other related uses.

k.

Ministorage facilities.

1.

The area used for all structures must occupy less than 50 percent of the property. Access to the facility shall be from a public street. The storage units shall be arranged so that the ends of the units are parallel with the front of the lot, however, alternate arrangement could be considered by the planning commission. Internal driveway aisles shall be designed with one ten-foot-wide loading/unloading lane and one 15-foot travel lane. The use of the ministorage units shall be limited to storage only, and shall not be used for any auction other than four auctions per year held by the owner of the ministorage facility for the purpose of disposing of material forfeited by clients of that facility. Nor shall it be used for sales or transfer business; for the servicing, repair or fabricating of any vehicle, boat, trailer, appliance or similar item; or for the operation of power tools, compressors, kilns or other similar equipment.

2.

The storage of combustible or flammable liquids, combustible fibers or explosive materials, as defined in the fire code, or toxic materials is expressly prohibited.

(3)

Warehouse, storage and transfer and electric and gas service buildings and yards. Public utility buildings, telephone exchange buildings, electrical transformer stations and substations, and gas regulator stations. Water supply and sewage disposal plants. Water and gas tank holders. Railroad transfer and storage tracks. Railroad rights-of-way. Freight terminals.

(4)

Storage facilities for building materials, sand, gravel, stone, lumber, storage of contractor's equipment and supplies, provided the same are enclosed within a building or within an obscuring wall or fence on those sides abutting all residential or business districts, and on any yard abutting a public thoroughfare. In any I-1 district, the extent of such fence or wall may be determined by the planning commission on the basis of usage. Such fence or wall shall not be less than four feet six inches in height, and may, depending on land usage, be required to be eight feet in height. A chainlink type fence, with heavy evergreen shrubbery inside of said fence, shall be considered an obscuring fence.

(5)

Municipal uses such as water treatment plants, and reservoirs, sewage treatment plants, and all other municipal buildings and uses, including outdoor storage.

(6)

Commercial kennels.

(7)

Greenhouses.

(8)

Trade or industrial schools.

(9)

Freestanding nonaccessory signs.

(10)

Other use of a similar and no more objectionable character to the above uses.

(11)

Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to any of the above-permitted uses.

(Ord. No. 401, § 1201, 5-2-2005; Ord. No. 433, § 1201, 9-20-2010)

The following uses shall be permitted, subject to the conditions hereinafter imposed for each use and subject to the review and approval of the planning commission:

(1)

Auto engine and body repair, and undercoating shops when completely enclosed.

(2)

Automobile or other machinery assembly plants subject to adequate control of noise and/or other nuisances.

(3)

Lumber and planning mills subject to the conditions of section 44-711(14).

(4)

Metal plating, buffing and polishing, subject to appropriate measures to control the type of process to prevent noxious results and/or nuisances.

(5)

Retail uses which have an industrial character in terms of either their outdoor storage requirements or activities such as, but not limited to, lumber yard, building materials outlet, upholsterer, cabinet maker, outdoor sales of boats, house trailers, automobile garages, or agricultural implements.

(6)

Communication towers affixed directly to the ground, subject to the conditions of section 44-711(6).

(7)

Communication towers affixed to existing structures, subject to the conditions of section 44-711(5).

(8)

Overhead or underground lines and necessary poles and towers to be erected to service primarily those areas beyond the city. Such review shall consider abutting property and uses as they relate to easements, rights-of-way, overhead lines, poles and towers and, further, shall consider injurious effects on property abutting or adjacent thereto and on the orderly appearance of the city. Essential services primarily for residents of the city shall be subject to the provisions of section 44-538.

(9)

Other uses of a similar character to the above uses.

(10)

Medical marihuana facilities subject to the conditions of article IV, chapter 8 of City of Caro Ordinances, sections 8-29 to 8-30.

(11)

Adult use marihuana establishments, subject to the conditions of chapter 8 of City of Caro Ordinances, sections 8-50 to 8-68.

(12)

Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to any of the above-permitted uses.

(Ord. No. 401, § 1202, 5-2-2005; Ord. No. 475, § 4, 12-2-2019; Ord. No. 479, 5-17-2023)

All storage shall be in the rear yard and shall be completely screened with an obscuring wall or fence, not less than six feet high, or with a chainlink type fence and a greenbelt planting so as to obscure all view from any adjacent residential, office, or business district or from a public street.

(Ord. No. 401, § 1203, 5-2-2005)

For area and bulk requirements, see article XVII of this chapter, Schedule of Regulations, limiting the height and bulk of buildings, the minimum size of lot by permitted land use and providing minimum yard setback requirements.

(Ord. No. 401, § 1204, 5-2-2005)