The primary purpose of this district is to establish an area where the principal use of land is for heavy commercial and industrial operations, which may create some nuisance, and which are not properly associated with, nor compatible with, residential, institutional and neighborhood commercial service establishments. The specific intent of this district is to:

7.1B-1-1 Encourage the construction of and the continued use of the land for heavy commercial and industrial purposes.

7.1B-1-2 Prohibit residential and neighborhood commercial use of the land and to prohibit other uses which would substantially interfere with the development, continuation or expansion of commercial and industrial uses in the district or compromise the investment in industrial activity.

The following regulations shall apply in all HI Districts:

7.1B-2-1 Prohibited uses:

7.1B-2-1.1 All residential structures and uses, excluding a night watchman, caretaker or resident security facility limited to five percent (5%) of the structure.

7.1B-2-2 Permitted uses:

7.1B-2-2.1 All principal uses in the LI District.

7.1B-2-2.2 All conditional uses in the LI District except for debris landfill and transfer stations (7.1A-2-3.3), public gathering facilities (7.1A-2-3.7), Public Utilities/Utilities, and Utility Power Generation and Storage Facilities, and Data processing and computing, secure messaging services and customer support (7.1A-2-2.10). The continued operation of solid waste transfer stations, including recycling facilities which existed on or before January 1, 2011 and the expansion of such facilities on current or adjacent property is a permitted use, not requiring a conditional or special use permit.

7.1B-2-2.3 Additional heavy and high intensity commercial and industrial uses deemed by the Zoning Administrator to be similar in nature to other permitted uses in the HI zoning district.

7.1B-2-3 Conditional uses:

The following uses may also be permitted subject to securing a use permit as provided for in Article 17:

7.1B-2-3.1 Amphitheaters, amusement parks, arenas, auditoriums, fairgrounds, race tracks, stadiums or similar public gathering facilities mainly intended for recreational uses. Ancillary and related uses such as associated offices, equipment testing facilities, assembly, food services and the like are also permitted.

7.1B-2-3.2 Debris landfill and transfer stations, subject to screening and acceptable soil conditions, state permitting, annual inspection and restriction on any burning. Adequate buffer and demonstration of compatibility with adjacent uses without nuisance as required prior to special permit approval.

7.1B-2-3.3 Other uses not allowed as either permitted or conditional uses in any other zoning district of this ordinance.

7.1B-2-3.4 Public Utilities/Utilities.

7.1B-2-3.5 Utility Power Generation and Storage Facilities.

7.1B-2-3.6 Data Processing and computing, secure messaging services and customer support.

(Ord. of 5-7-2024, Att.; Ord. of 9-2-2025)

7.1B-3-1 Performance standards:

It is the intent of this Article to prevent any building, structure or land in the HI District from being used or occupied in any manner so as to create any dangerous, injurious, noxious or otherwise objectionable fire, explosive, radioactive or other hazardous condition; noise or vibration; smoke, dust, odor or other form of air pollution, electrical or other disturbance; glare or heat; liquid or solid refuse or wastes; condition conducive to the breeding of rodents or insects; or other substance, condition or elements in a manner or amount as to adversely affect the surrounding area. Any use proposed and/or established under the HI District may be undertaken and maintained if it conforms to all County regulations, including the regulations of this section referred to herein as "performance standards." No use shall hereafter be established or conducted in any HI District in any manner in violation of the following performance standards. If requested by the Zoning Administrator, the owner of property subject to these standards shall provide documentation of compliance with any or all of these standards.

7.1B-3-2 Noise:

All noise shall be muffled so as not to be objectionable due to intermittence, beat frequency or shrillness. In no case shall the sound-pressure level of noise radiated from any establishment, measured at the nearest lot line, exceed the values in any octave band of frequency set forth in Table I below or in Table I as modified in the correction factors provided in Table II below. The sound-pressure level shall be measured with a sound level meter and an octave band analyzer conforming to standards prescribed by the American Standards Association.

Table I
Maximum Permissible Sound Pressure Levels
(Measured at the Lot Line or Midpoint of Distance In Between Two Buildings on the Same Lot with Different Uses)

Table II
Correction Factors

*Note—Apply only one (1) of these corrections. All other corrections [including any one (1) of the starred corrections] are cumulative.

7.1B-3-3 Vibration:

No vibration that can be detected at the lot line without the aid of instruments shall be permitted, except that vibration resulting from blasting shall be regulated by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and/or any other applicable state or federal agency.

7.1B-3-4 Dust and emissions:

There shall not be discharged into the atmosphere from any operation any dust or emissions in violation of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Standard For Dust And Emissions, Rule 4-1.

7.1B-3-5 Reserved.

7.1B-3-6 Odor:

There shall not be discharged or permitted to escape into the atmosphere from any operation on any lot odorous or noxious gas or any other odorous or noxious material in such quantity as to be offensive beyond the premises from which such odors emanate. As a guide in determining such quantities of offensive odors, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Standard For Odor, Rule 4-2 shall be used.

7.1B-3-7 Radioactivity:

There shall be no radioactive emission that would be dangerous to the health and safety of persons on or beyond the premises where such radioactive material is used. Determination of the existence of such danger and the handling of radioactive materials, the discharge of such materials into the atmosphere and streams and other water, and the disposal of radioactive wastes shall be by reference to and in accordance with applicable current regulations of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Virginia Department of Health, and in the case of items which would affect aircraft navigation or the control thereof, by applicable current regulations of the Federal Aviation Agency, and any applicable laws enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

7.1B-3-8 Electrical interference:

There shall be no electrical disturbance emanating from any lot that would adversely affect the operation of any equipment on any other lot or premises or violate any regulation imposed by the Federal Communications Commission, and in the case of any operation that would affect adversely the navigation or control of aircraft, the current regulations of the Federal Aviation Agency shall apply.

7.1B-3-9 Liquid or solid wastes:

There shall be no discharge of any liquid or solid wastes from any establishment into any stream except as authorized by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and/or the Board of Supervisors, nor shall any wastes, debris or other discarded material be permitted to accumulate in any yard or open space on the premises.

7.1B-3-10 Glare and heat:

No direct or sky-reflected glare, whether from floodlights or from high-temperature processes, such as combustion, welding or otherwise, so as to be visible beyond the lot line, shall be permitted except for signs, parking lot lighting and other lighting permitted by this Article or required by any other applicable regulation, ordinance or law. In all cases, lighting shall be diffused and hooded or screened so as not to spread to adjacent properties or roadways. There shall be no discharge of heat or heated air from any establishment so as to be detectable beyond the lot line.

7.1B-4-1 Maximum building height:

Buildings may be erected up to seventy-five (75) feet in height from the adjacent ground elevation.

7.1B-5-1 Minimum lot size:

The minimum lot size shall be one-half (0.5) acre.

7.1B-6-1 Maximum lot coverage:

Lots may be covered up to seventy-five percent (75%) and may have a maximum floor area ratio of one (1.0).

7.1B-7-1 Setback line:

The setback line shall be located fifty (50) feet from any street right-of-way.

7.1B-8-1 Minimum width:

None.

7.1B-9-1 Side yard:

Ten (10) feet on each side and one (1) additional foot for every ten (10) feet above the first fifteen (15) feet of structure height. Where the side property line of a lot abuts an A, R, or RA District, there shall be a minimum side yard of twenty-five (25) feet.

7.1B-9-2 Rear yard:

The rear yard shall be equal to the height of the principal structure measured from the nearest rear grade level. There shall be a minimum rear yard of thirty-five (35) feet where the lot abuts an A, R, or RA District.

(Ord. of 1-4-2011)