Huntsville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 50.
RESEARCH PARK DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Purpose. The purpose and intent of the research park district regulations are to provide a protective district with a park-like development for the orderly growth and development of certain industries and uses which are, by virtue of control, mutually harmonious with other industries and uses permitted, as well as with residential, commercial, and other uses permitted in nearby districts. The research park district caters to industries requiring the benefits that accompany this zoning classification and protects these industries from encroachment by commercial, residential, and other land uses adverse to the location and expansion of such development.
These research park district regulations are intended to promote the physical and mental health, safety, morals, welfare, comfort, and convenience of the inhabitants of this district and its environs.
Within the research park district as shown on the official Zoning Maps of the City of Huntsville, the following regulations shall apply:
50.1.- 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 following uses:
Accessory uses permitted in the research park district such as recreational facilities and dining facilities in connection with the operation of an establishment and primarily for employees, students, or faculty.
Agricultural uses, provided no sales are made on the premises, but not including commercial animal or poultry farms or kennels.
Banks and credit unions.
Dwellings only in connection with bona fide agricultural operations, or as living quarters for bona fide caretakers and/or watchmen and their families; provided, however, that residential subdivisions recorded prior to April 12, 1962, may be developed for single-family use.
Educational, scientific and research organizations.
Federal, state, county, city or public utility owned or operated buildings and uses.
Heliports and radio and television studios but not including broadcast towers, provided such uses are in accordance with section 50.2 hereof.
Limited, temporary sleeping quarters for scientists, laboratory technicians, custodians and caretakers that are demonstrated to be necessary to carry out a permitted use in this district.
Mobile food vending sites.
Mobile food vending units.
Office buildings for general office purposes.
Permitted uses as special exceptions as defined and regulated by subsection 92.5.3 hereof.
Research and development and limited manufacturing and processing where at least 30 percent of the building area is devoted to nonmanufacturing activities to include offices, laboratories, technical support, etc. The remaining 70 percent may be used for manufacturing, assembly, storage and related uses.
Research, experimental and testing laboratories.
Retail sales and consumer service establishments (not including wholesale sales), accessory to any permitted uses other than agricultural or residential uses, and dealing primarily with employees, students, or faculty of establishments permitted as principal uses, provided that such commercial uses shall not occupy more than five percent of the total floor area of all buildings on any lot or group of contiguous lots in common ownership or control.
Structures accessory to uses permitted by section 50.1 hereof including, but not limited to, warehouses, storage buildings, and pump houses provided such accessory uses shall not exceed 20 percent of the total building area of the primary use.
(Ord. No. 96-1008, § 2, 1-23-1997; Ord. No. 05-547, § 1, 8-23-2005; Ord. No. 09-1053, § 1, 12-17-2009; Ord. No. 15-479, § 1, 8-27-2015; Ord. No. 17-883, § 1, 12-21-2017)
50.2. - Performance standards.
The following performance standards shall be required for all uses located in the research park district:
50.2.1. Air pollution. Every use shall be so operated as to comply with the emission limitations specified in Chapter 12, Article III, section 12-31, Code of Ordinances, City of Huntsville, Alabama, April 2003, as the same may be amended or revised, except that in the case of visible emission restrictions no visible emissions will be allowable.
50.2.2. Odor. No odors shall be emitted that are detectable without instruments at or beyond any property line.
50.2.3. Vibration. Maximum permitted vibration from any cause shall not exceed the following, when measured at the lot line:
50.2.4. Noise. Every use shall be so operated as to comply with the noise limitations specified in Chapter 12, Article V, Noise, Code of Ordinances, City of Huntsville, Alabama, April 2003, as the same may be amended or revised.
50.2.5. Fire and explosion hazard. All activities and all storage of flammable and explosive materials shall be in accordance with the National Board of Fire Underwriters, publications and other local ordinances.
50.2.6. Glare. No direct or reflected glare shall be produced so as to be visible at or beyond any lot line.
50.2.7. Radiation. Research operations shall cause no dangerous radiation at any property line as specified by the regulations of the Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Radiological Health.
50.2.8. Radioactive materials. The handling of radioactive materials, the discharge of such materials into air or water, and the disposal of radioactive wastes, shall be in conformance with the regulations of the Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Radiological Health.
50.2.9. Electromagnetic interference. Industries shall emit only that amount of unshielded spurious electromagnetic radiation as is necessary for the conduct of their operations. Federal Communications Commission requirements shall govern maximum radiation which tends to interfere with meaningful signals.
50.2.10. Water pollution. No effluent shall be discharged in any stream. Discharge into the Huntsville sewerage system shall be as approved by the City of Huntsville City Engineer.
50.2.11. Waste. All industrial wastes shall be treated and disposed of in such a manner as to comply with all federal, local, and state standards.
50.3. - Required yards.
50.3.1. 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, provided that no building shall project through an imaginary height plane as described in section 51.8.1.
50.3.2. All other yards shall have a minimum depth of 50 feet, provided that no building shall project through an imaginary height plane as described in section 51.8.2.
50.3.3, 50.3.4. Reserved.
50.4. - Density regulations.
50.4.1. Buildings shall not cover an area greater than 85 percent of the total area of the tract upon which the buildings are located. (17-)
50.4.2. Minimum required depth of front yard: 100 feet, but shall conform to the building setback lines established by the approved subdivision plat. (17-)
50.4.3. No principal or accessory structure shall be located less than ten feet from any side or rear lot line, except that when the side or rear of lot abuts a residential district, a minimum of 30 feet is required. (17-)
50.4.4. Exterior storage of materials shall not be placed in any required yard and shall be contained by fencing in such a manner as to be neat in appearance when viewed from any street. (84-70)
50.5. - Street access and frontage.
50.5.1. Each lot shall have a minimum frontage of 150 feet on a public road; provided however, the director of planning may approve a lesser frontage to a minimum of 100 feet for lots located on cul-de-sacs or on street curves, or having other extraordinary characteristics.
50.5.2. Access to building sites shall be via collector or arterial streets. No access roads serving plants shall be permitted which may place heavy traffic on residential streets which are not classified as major collector or arterial streets.
50.6. - 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.
50.6.1. Driveways and vehicular access ways in required front yards, except as necessary to cross the required front yards, are not permitted within 75 feet of any existing or proposed street.
50.6.2. Parking areas in required front yards are not permitted within 75 feet of any existing or proposed street.
50.6.3. Parking areas shall be paved and properly drained. No parking shall be permitted any place other than paved parking areas.
50.6.4. Loading areas for supplies and service shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of each use. Loading areas shall not be placed within any front yard and shall be located and properly screened so as to be not visible from any existing or proposed street.
Required bicycle parking spaces and facilities shall be provided as set forth in article 76 hereof.
(Ord. No. 05-547, § 2, 8-23-2005; Ord. No. 09-430, § 20, 7-9-2009; Ord. No. 10-507, § 2, 8-26-2010; Ord. No. 17-883, § 5, 12-21-2017)
50.7. - Signs permitted.
Signs shall be permitted in accordance with the provisions of article 72—Sign control regulations.
(Ord. No. 21-46, § 1(Exh. A, § B.2.), 2-25-2021)
50.8. - Height requirements.
Minimum height: Unlimited, except where the property abuts a residential district; in such cases, no portion of any building shall project through imaginary height planes leaning inward from any yard other than a front yard, as defined in section 51.3.2, at a slope of .6 foot of height for each foot of horizontal distance measured perpendicularly to the property boundary, except as provided for in section 73.9.1.
50.9. - 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.
50.9.1. All side and rear yards shall have not less than a ten-foot wide strip of land adjacent to the property lines planted and maintained, except that where a rear or side yard abuts a residential district, then a 30-foot wide strip of land shall be provided. Within the 30-foot strip there shall be a 15-foot wide planting screen as provided for in section 3.1—Buffer of Screen Planting. (84-70, 92-4, 17-)
50.10. - Off-street parking and vehicular use area (PVA) landscaping and lighting.
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.
(Ord. No. 99-1020, § 2, 1-13-2000)
50.11. - Development procedure for tracts or parcels.
50.11.1. Any landowner of property lying in a research park 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.
50.11.2. Anyone desiring to secure a building permit for the use of land lying in a research park district must submit to the director of planning 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 general location of main buildings proposed to be constructed.
(3)
The general location of parking areas, loading docks, and public and/or private access ways.
(4)
Site grading and storm drainage plan.
(5)
Proposed utilities services.
(6)
Required screening.
(7)
Required and adequate easements.
(8)
Landscaping provisions.
The director of planning 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 director of planning shall state in writing on the proposed plot plan the cause for such disapproval. (84-70)