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Huntsville City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 42.

PLANNED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS

Purpose. The purpose and intent of the planned industrial district regulations are to provide for a comprehensively planned district for the orderly growth and development of certain industrial uses which are, by virtue of controls, mutually harmonious with other industries permitted in said planned industrial district and also harmonious with residential, commercial, and other uses permitted in nearby districts. The planned industrial district caters to basic industries requiring large tracts of land; it is intended to be protected from encroachment by commercial, residential, and other land uses adverse to the location and expansion of industrial development. The planned industrial district regulations are intended to promote the health, safety, morals, welfare, comfort, and convenience of the inhabitants of this district and the surrounding lands. Within a planned industrial district as shown on the official Zoning Maps of the City of Huntsville, Alabama, the following regulations shall apply:


42.1.- Uses permitted.

No building, structure, or land shall be used and no building or structure shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, enlarged, or maintained except for one or more of the uses herein cited and subject to the conditions stated herein:

Agricultural operations on tracts of ten acres or greater, provided no sales are made on the premises, but not including commercial animal or poultry farms or kennels.

Commercial heliports and/or helipads.

Computer and data processing services.

Educational, scientific, and research organizations.

Engineering, architectural, and design services.

Federal, state, county, city or public utilities owned or operated buildings and uses.

Manufacturing, processing, fabrication or assembly of the following:

(1)

Apparel.

(2)

Automotive and implements.

(3)

Chemicals and chemical products.

(4)

Electrical and electronic machinery, equipment and supplies.

(5)

Food and kindred products intended for human consumption.

(6)

Lumber and wood products.

(7)

Machinery other than electrical.

(8)

Metal and metal products.

(9)

Ordnance and accessories.

(10)

Plastics, glass and rubber products.

(11)

Printing and publishing.

(12)

Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments.

(13)

Research and development operations.

(14)

Textile mill products.

(15)

Transportation equipment.

Medical and dental laboratories.

Office buildings for general office purposes.

Research, experimental and testing laboratories.

Trucking terminals.

Warehousing, interior storage, and distribution in conjunction with manufacturing, assembly and office use.

Exterior storage in conjunction with the above mentioned uses, completely screened from adjacent property lines and streets.

Accessory structures and uses to those permitted herein.

Signs shall be permitted in accordance with the provisions of article 72—Sign control regulations.

Permitted uses as special exceptions as defined and regulated by subsection 92.5.3 hereof.

(Ord. No. 09-815, § 4, 12-17-2009; Ord. No. 09-1053, § 1, 12-17-2009; Ord. No. 18-1001, § 1, 12-20-2018; Ord. No. 21-46, § 1(Exh. A, § B.2.), 2-25-2021)

42.2. - Performance standards.

The performance standards set forth in section 50.2 hereof shall be required for all uses located in the planned industrial district.

42.3. - Required yards.

42.3.1. Yards facing an existing or proposed street other than a controlled access highway shall be considered front yards. Such yards shall have a minimum depth of 100 feet.

42.3.2. All other yards shall have a minimum depth of 50 feet, except as provided for in section 42.3.4.

42.3.3. All required yards shall be kept clear of parking areas, driveways and vehicular access ways except as provided for in sections 42.6.4 and 42.6.5, and shall be kept clear of loading areas, exterior storage areas, and accessory uses and buildings, provided however, a gate or security station may be located in a required yard.

42.3.4. Railroad setback: Where a tract of land abuts a railroad right-of-way, the rear or side yard setback requirements for principal or accessory structures may be reduced to 25 feet from the railroad right-of-way.

42.3.5. Easements: There shall be provided an easement of not less than 25 feet along each side and rear lot line for utilities, drainage, and railroad purposes.

(Ord. No. 09-430, § 12, 7-9-2009)

42.4. - Density controls.

42.4.1. Buildings shall not cover an area greater than 70 percent of the total area of the tract.

42.4.2. Minimum lot area shall not be less than four acres for each tract.

42.4.3. Minimum lot width of each tract shall not be less than 200 feet as measured at the building line.

42.4.4. Maximum number of stories and maximum height are unlimited except as provided for in article 63, airport obstruction and noise exposure district regulations.

(Ord. No. 18-232, § 1, 5-24-2018)

42.5. - Street access and frontage.

42.5.1. Each lot shall have a minimum frontage of 100 feet on a public road.

42.5.2. Access to building sites shall be via collector or arterial streets, wherever possible. No access roads serving plants shall be permitted which may place heavy traffic on residential streets that are not classified as major collector or arterial streets.

42.6. - Off-street parking and loading requirements.

Except as provided for herein all off-street parking and loading requirements shall be provided for as set forth in article 70 hereof.

42.6.1. All parking areas shall be paved and properly drained. No parking shall be permitted any place other than in paved parking areas.

42.6.2. Loading areas shall not be placed within any front yard or in any required yard and shall be located and properly screened, as well as practicable, so as to not be visible from any existing or proposed street.

42.6.3. Parking and loading areas shall be landscaped in accordance with section 42.7, landscaping requirements.

42.6.4. Off-street parking for visitors, executives and handicapped persons may be permitted in the required front yard not to exceed three spaces per 100 feet of frontage on a public street and shall not encroach within 70 feet of an existing or proposed street.

42.6.5. Off-street parking areas and accessways in required rear and side yards are not permitted within 30 feet of any side or rear property line.

42.6.6. Driveways and vehicular access ways in required rear and side yards, except as necessary to cross a required rear or side yard, are not permitted within 30 feet of any rear or side property line. Driveways and vehicular access ways shall be paved and properly drained.

Required bicycle parking spaces and facilities shall be provided as set forth in article 76 hereof.

(Ord. No. 09-430, § 13, 7-9-2009; Ord. No. 10-507, § 2, 8-26-2010)

42.7. - Landscaping requirements.

Every building site on which a building shall be placed shall be landscaped in the following manner. All landscaping must be installed in accordance with the provisions of section 73.19, installation of landscaping.

42.7.1. All yards required under this ordinance shall be landscaped and maintained. A minimum of one tree per 20 linear feet of distance for each boundary line shall be planted in the required yards.

42.7.2. All off-street parking, loading and unloading areas shall be screened, as well as practicable, from view from streets by the use of earth berms or landscaping materials.

42.7.3. Landscaping and lighting of off-street parking and vehicular use areas are required in accordance with article 71, off-street parking and vehicular use area landscaping requirements.

42.7.4. Each side and rear yard shall have not less than a 30-foot wide strip of land adjacent to the property line planted and maintained, except as provided for in [section] 42.3.4; however, if any yard faces an existing or proposed street, then it shall have not less than a 70-foot wide strip of land planted and maintained except for main access drives into the site.

(Ord. No. 99-1020, § 5, 1-13-2000)

42.8. - Industrial district plan.

42.8.1. Any landowner of property lying in a planned industrial district desiring to dedicate any street, road, or right-of-way to the public must submit to the planning commission a plan of the proposed street, road, or right-of-way for approval.

42.8.2. Anyone desiring to secure a building permit for the use of land lying in a planned industrial district must submit to the manager of planning (city planning division) a generalized plot plan of the tract to be developed for approval. Such generalized plot plan shall have shown thereon the following information:

(1)

Location map showing the boundaries of the tract to be developed.

(2)

The location of all buildings proposed to be constructed.

(3)

The general location of parking areas, loading docks, proposed railroad spurs, and public and/or private accessways.

(4)

Site grading and storm drainage plan.

(5)

Proposed utilities services.

(6)

Required screening.

(7)

Required and adequate easements.

The manager of planning (city planning division) shall review and approve by signature the proposed plot plan upon finding that the same complies with these regulations.

If the proposed plot plan is not approved, the manager of planning (city planning division) shall state in writing on the proposed plot plan the cause for such disapproval.