The purpose of the corporate park zoning district is to provide high-quality facilities for office, research and development, light manufacturing, office-showroom/office-warehouse, and warehousing/distribution uses. These uses shall be sited, designed, and operated in a manner compatible with adjacent properties. It is the intent of this area to increase the non-residential tax base in the city and the number of living-wage jobs available to the residents of River Falls. Employment opportunities that offer living wages contribute to a rising standard of living for those employed and contribute to the overall quality of life in the community. The corporate park zoning district is also intended to support the diversification of the local economy by providing employment opportunities in a variety of industry types.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

As used in this chapter, the following definitions shall apply and control over any inconsistent definition elsewhere in Title 17:

"Building supply stores and yards" means facilities providing retail or wholesale building and/or landscaping materials and supplies.

"Bulk storage buildings, yards and terminals" means facilities providing storage for bulk raw materials which could become an airborne nuisance and which are not being used in a manufacturing process on the premises.

"Church" means a building, together with its accessory buildings and uses, where persons regularly assemble for religious worship and which the building, together with its accessory buildings and uses, is maintained and controlled by a religious body organized to sustain public worship.

"Clear height" means distance from the floor to the lowest-hanging ceiling member or hanging objects, beams, joists or truss work descending down into a substantial portion of the work area.

"Cross dock" means loading docks on opposite sides of a relatively shallow distribution facility that allow for quick loading, sorting or unloading from one vehicle to another (i.e., materials from one truck at a loading dock are unloaded, sorted and reloaded onto one or more trucks).

"Heavy manufacturing" means any operation which assembles, improves, treats, compounds, and/or packages goods or materials in a manner which would not qualify the operation as light manufacturing, including manufacturing that requires outdoor storage of bulk, raw, or finished materials used in or resulting from the manufacturing process.

"Indoor entertainment" means facilities providing indoor entertainment, including but not limited to, concerts, theater, music, or similar uses.

"Indoor exercise or sport clubs" means facilities providing indoor exercise or sports clubs, including but not limited to, weight lifting, gymnastics, martial arts, tennis, basketball, indoor batting cages, indoor golf, or similar uses.

"Light manufacturing" means any operation which assembles, improves, treats, compounds, and/or packages goods or materials in a manner which does not create a noticeable amount of noise, dust, odor, smoke, glare, or vibration outside of the building in which the activity takes place, which does not require outside storage of bulk, raw, and finished or unfinished materials used in or resulting from the manufacturing process. Clear height in any warehouse component accessory to the manufacturing use shall not exceed thirty-two (32) feet. There is no clear height limit within manufacturing areas of a building.

"Offices" means structures, or portions of structures, in which commercial or professional activities take place but where goods are not produced, sold, or repaired. Includes medical office uses, but excludes hospitals and residential medical treatment facilities.

"Office-showroom/office-warehouse" means a use in which a portion of the floor space is devoted to office activities, the remainder being used for either a showroom (display of materials, goods, or equipment) or warehousing (storage of materials, goods, or equipment). Clear height in the warehouse component shall not exceed thirty-two (32) feet.

"Open sales, rental, or storage lots" means the sale, storage, or rental of, including but not limited to, cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, recreational vehicles, trailers, boats, mobile homes, machinery, lumber, building materials, landscape materials, or similar items. This definition includes any land used or occupied for the purpose of buying and selling any goods, materials, or merchandise, and for the storing of same under the open sky prior to sale.

"Outside storage" means exterior storage of raw or unfinished goods, materials, or non-functional equipment.

"Research and development" means medical, chemical, electrical, metallurgical or other scientific research conducted in accordance with the provisions of Title 17.

"Schools" means unless otherwise specifically described in the ordinances of the city or other applicable laws or regulations, the term school shall mean any building used for educational purposes by five or more persons at one time.

"Self-service storage facilities" means real property used for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage space to persons who are to have access for the purpose of storing and removing personal property. The term does not include:

1.

Property of a financial institution that contains vaults, safe deposit boxes, or other receptacles for the uses, purposes, and benefits of the financial institution's customers;

2.

Warehousing as defined by this chapter; or

3.

A commercial parking garage or parking lot that provides short-term motor vehicle parking.

"Truck terminals, freight terminals, and freight forwarding services" means a specialized distribution building that facilitates simultaneous incoming and outgoing inventory, or the immediate redistribution of goods from one truck to another (including cross-docking facilities); a building or area devoted principally to the transfer and/or storage of goods brought by truck.

"Warehousing" means the storage of materials, goods, or equipment within an enclosed building with minimal or no associated office, research and development, or manufacturing component. Maximum clear height shall be thirty-two (32) feet.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

A.

Light manufacturing.

B.

Offices.

C.

Office-showroom/office-warehouse.

D.

Research and development.

E.

Truck terminals, freight terminals, and freight forwarding services.

F.

Warehousing.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

All permitted accessory uses shall be located within or on the same property as a permitted principal use. Accessory uses not materially related to the principal use (of a different business type) shall provide services exclusively for the employees of the principal use but may be open to the general public via special use permit.

A.

Indoor exercise or sport facility.

B.

Nursery day care.

C.

Restaurant.

D.

Retail sale of items produced on site. Retail areas shall not exceed 20 percent of the total floor area of the principal use.

E.

Outdoor storage of goods and equipment directly related to the principal use. All outdoor storage areas shall be screened by an opaque fence or wall at least six feet in height. Chain link fencing with plastic slats is not considered opaque and is prohibited. Open outdoor storage of raw or bulk materials is prohibited.

F.

Workforce training or apprenticeship programs.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

All special uses shall be evaluated for compatibility with adjacent uses, traffic, parking, and consistency with the purpose of the corporate park zoning district.

A.

Animal hospitals. Outdoor relief areas may be provided and shall be appropriately fenced, screened, and maintained so as not to produce odors and noise. Outdoor kennels are prohibited.

B.

Hospitals and residential treatment facilities.

C.

Hotels.

D.

Indoor entertainment.

E.

Permitted accessory uses intended for use of onsite employees and open to the general public.

F.

Principal or accessory buildings or structures exceeding seventy-five (75) feet in height.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

A.

Billboards.

B.

Building supply stores and yards.

C.

Bulk storage buildings, yards and terminals.

D.

Churches.

E.

Heavy manufacturing.

F.

Open sales, rental, or storage lots.

G.

Outside storage.

H.

Schools.

I.

Self-service storage facilities.

J.

Any other use not listed as a permitted use or special use.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

A.

Height, Area, and Setback Requirements.

1.

Maximum building or structure height as measured to the tallest portion of the structure (including roof-mounted utilities and antennas) from the average grade at the base of the building: Seventy-five (75) feet. Buildings or structures taller than seventy-five (75) feet may be approved via Special Use Permit.

2.

Minimum lot size: Two acres (eighty-seven thousand one hundred twenty (87,120) square feet).

3.

Minimum lot width: One hundred (100) feet.

4.

Minimum building size (principal use): Twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.

B.

Building setback requirements (all structures including principal and accessory structures, trash enclosures, and ground mounted utilities).

1.

Front yard setback: Twenty (20) feet.

2.

Side yard setback for all structures: Twenty (20) feet.

3.

Rear yard setback: Twenty (20) feet.

4.

No structures shall be located within a drainage or utility easement.

C.

Parking setback requirements (including circulation drives).

1.

Front setback: Ten (10) feet.

2.

Side and rear setback: Five (5) feet.

3.

Parking and circulation may be located within a drainage or utility easement upon approval by the City Engineer and/or the Electric Superintendent.

D.

Impervious Coverage and Stormwater Management.

1.

All sites must comply with stormwater management requirements. A maximum of 90 percent of the site may be comprised of impervious surfaces (structures and pavement).

E.

Building Design Standards.

1.

The principal building on a lot shall be positioned with the main entrance facing a public street.

2.

Buildings shall be sited to utilize natural lighting into the interior of the building to the greatest extent practicable.

3.

Use of sustainable building materials and energy efficient equipment and fixtures is highly encouraged.

F.

Exterior Materials.

1.

One dominant material should be selected and expressed with its own natural integrity and at least two different materials or colors of exterior materials are required.

2.

Pre-engineered metal buildings featuring painted exteriors and corrugated metal-sided buildings are prohibited.

3.

Exterior materials of all accessory structures shall be consistent or complementary in material, color, and design with the principal structure.

G.

Adjacent Sites.

1.

On lots abutting properties that are not zoned corporate park, compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood shall be given consideration.

2.

Buildings shall relate to adjacent properties by being so situated on their lots to minimize abrupt height, bulk and scale changes and minimize the disruption of privacy and outdoor activities of residents or users in adjacent buildings. The building's height, bulk and scale shall create a transition from the adjacent development, rather than form abrupt changes.

3.

Screening using landscaping, fences, berms or a combination thereof shall be placed along the perimeter of the property adjoining a different zoning district.

4.

On properties abutting residential uses or districts, a landscape buffer of at least twenty (20) feet shall be established to a height of eight feet or greater and at least eighty (80) percent opacity at maturity within five years at or near the property line.

H.

Trash Handling and Utilities.

1.

All mechanical equipment, utility meters, transformers, and trash enclosures shall be screened from view of the public right-of-way and neighboring properties. Utility meters and transformers shall be screened in a manner that does not restrict the accessibility of the municipal utilities. All screening devices are to be compatible with the architecture and color of the adjacent structures.

2.

Development of a comprehensive waste reduction plan for each business is strongly encouraged.

I.

Landscaping.

1.

All areas not covered by buildings or paved surfaces shall be landscaped with a combination of overstory trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, and ground cover (grasses, perennials, annuals, mulch).

2.

Use of drought and salt-tolerant plants and native species is encouraged.

3.

A single tree species shall not account for more than twenty (20) percent of the total number of trees.

4.

One tree per eight hundred (800) square feet of landscaped area shall be provided. Trees may be clustered.

5.

One tree per forty (40) linear feet shall be planted in the boulevard between the sidewalk or trail and the curb and one tree per sixty (60) linear feet shall be planted within fifteen (15) feet of any property line abutting the right-of-way (these trees count toward the total number of trees required on the site). Trees may be clustered.

J.

Lighting.

1.

A photometric plan and exterior lighting details shall be submitted showing the type, height, and location of all site lighting.

2.

All lighting potentially visible from an adjacent street except for bollard lighting less than forty-two (42) inches high shall be indirect or shall incorporate a full cut-off shield-type fixture.

3.

The parking lot illumination level shall achieve a uniformity ratio of three to one (average to minimum) with a maintained average of one foot-candles and a minimum of 0.3 foot-candles. The light source shall not be visible from the street. Properties abutting residential districts shall have a 0.0 foot-candle measurement at the property line.

4.

Building illumination and architectural lighting shall be indirect in character and allowed only at the main entry to the building.

5.

Parking and security lighting shall not be taller than the adjacent structures or a maximum of thirty (30) feet above the pavement, whichever is less.

K.

Signage.

1.

All signage shall conform with the requirements of Chapter 17.84 as applicable to signage in industrial districts.

L.

Fences.

1.

All boundary line or screening fencing shall be constructed of high-quality durable materials and maintained in good condition. All screening structures shall be completely opaque and complement the architecture, materials, and color of the principal use. Chain link fencing with plastic slats is prohibited. Gates providing entry to secured areas are not required to be opaque.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

A.

Parking and Interior Site Circulation.

1.

All driveways and parking areas shall be surfaced with asphalt or concrete paving and curbed with cast-in-place barrier concrete curbs.

2.

Parking areas shall have painted stalls, divider lines and directional arrows as needed for the protection and designation of vehicular traffic patterns.

3.

Separate areas shall be designated for automobile parking and semi-truck parking.

4.

There are no minimum parking requirements for uses within the corporate park zoning district. All parking for the use(s) shall be provided on the premises. On-street parking shall not be considered in providing for typical operational parking needs.

5.

Areas for future parking expansion shall be noted on the site plan.

6.

District parking and shared parking are permitted and encouraged. A shared parking agreement shall be executed and recorded against all participating properties. The agreement shall address ongoing maintenance responsibilities. All cross-access agreements shall be duly executed and recorded. Copies of these documents shall be provided to the city.

7.

All parking areas shall be screened by landscaping, fencing, or a combination of the two. Parking areas adjacent to public roadways shall be screened to a height of three feet with an opacity of approximately eighty (80) percent at maturity within three years.

8.

Five percent of the area used for parking and circulation shall be landscaped with islands at least three hundred sixty (360) square feet or peninsulas at least one hundred eighty (180) square feet. All landscaping within parking lot areas shall be irrigated. Drought and salt-tolerant plants are encouraged to reduce the need for irrigation.

9.

Areas for snow storage shall be shown on the site plan. Snow storage must be provided entirely on-site or removed from the site and disposed of properly. Snow storage is prohibited in stormwater management areas.

B.

Loading.

1.

All loading and large truck parking shall be located on the side or rear of the building and shall be screened from public view with an opaque wall, fence, landscaping that will achieve fifty (50) percent opacity at the time of maturity or a combination of screening methods.

C.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Circulation.

1.

Bicycle and pedestrian circulation shall provide safe, efficient access to facilities for employees and visitors. The following bicycle and pedestrian circulation site plan elements shall be included:

a.

All site plans shall illustrate designated pedestrian circulation areas. Designated pedestrian circulation areas shall include, but not be limited to, pedestrian walkways/paths, sidewalks, and bench seating areas.

b.

Cross circulation between vehicles and pedestrians shall be minimized. A continuous, clearly marked walkway shall be provided from the parking areas to main entrances of the buildings.

c.

Walkways shall be provided between buildings, parking areas, and all site facilities for safe access.

e.

Walkways shall be accessible to disabled persons and in conformance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).

f.

Bicycle and/or pedestrian pathways shall connect the main building entrance(s) to publicly accessible paths and trails in the development.

g.

Sidewalks and/or trails shall be installed on both sides of all public and private roadways at the time of development.

h.

Walking paths shall be installed around the perimeter of all surface stormwater management features of 0.5 acres or larger as feasible and connected to the pedestrian circulation system within and adjacent to the development.

D.

Bicycle Parking.

1.

Bicycle parking is encouraged to be provided at one space per ten employees.

2.

Provided bicycle parking spaces shall be at least two feet by six feet. Racks shall be situated to allow a minimum of two feet between adjacent bike parking stalls.

3.

Inverted-U or similar style racks specifically designed for bike parking are recommended. Racks shall support the bike frame at two points and be mounted on an adequately sized concrete pad that also provides solid surface for bike access and storage in the rack.

4.

Bicycle parking shall be located near building entries or within the building, shall not interfere with pedestrian circulation, and shall be well-lit.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

A.

Buildings and structures shall be sited to maximize the opportunities for creating usable, attractive, well-integrated open space. The following site plan elements shall be included.

B.

Safe and efficient access to designed open space of at least three hundred (300) square feet shall be provided for each principal use in the development.

1.

The design and orientation of these areas shall take advantage of available sunlight and shall be sheltered from the wind, noise, and traffic of adjacent streets and provide a combination of seating, landscaping, pathways, patios, and other amenities.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)

Uses which pose an unreasonable risk of hazard, including fire, explosion, or the emission of odor or toxic gases are prohibited. All uses shall comply with the following standards to avoid generating nuisance conditions:

A.

Noise.

All noise shall be muffled or otherwise controlled so as not to become objectionable due to intermittence, duration, beat, frequency, impulse character, periodic character, or shrillness. Sound levels at the property boundary of any individual parcel shall not exceed the following decibel levels:

B.

Vibration. There shall be no operation or activity which would cause ground transmitted vibrations in excess of the limits set forth below the boundary of this district under any conditions, nor beyond the property line if it would adversely affect the use of any other property.

C.

Smoke. Industries which operate on coal and produce smoke will not be permitted in corporate park zoning districts, and no operation may produce obnoxious or continuous smoke, as measured at the point of emission, by any means.

D.

Fumes and Gases. Fumes or gases shall not be emitted at any point in concentrations or amounts that are noxious, toxic or corrosive. In no event shall the emission of fumes or gases from a facility exceed at the point of emission any standards set forth in any law, regulation or ordinance of any federal, state, or local entity or agency having jurisdiction.

E.

Dust. Solid or liquid particles shall not be emitted at any point in concentrations exceeding 0.3 grains per cubic foot of the conveying gas or air.

F.

Odors. Obnoxious odors shall not be permitted. Measurements shall be at the property line.

G.

Fire or Explosive Hazard. All operations shall be carried on with reasonable precautions against fire and explosion hazards. Buildings and structures shall be constructed in accordance with all applicable codes regarding such hazards.

H.

Toxic Matter. No use shall, for any period of time, discharge across the boundaries of the parcel wherein it is located, toxic matter in such concentrations as to violate any existing regulations or be detrimental to, or endanger the public health, safety, comfort, or welfare, or cause injury or damage to property or individuals.

I.

Liquid Waste. No waste shall be discharged into a storm sewer or drainage area except clear and unpolluted water. All waste discharged into the city's sanitary sewer shall meet the requirements established by the State of Wisconsin and the City of River Falls.

J.

Electrical Emissions. There shall be no electrical emission beyond the property line which would adversely affect any other use.

K.

Glare and Heat. There shall be no reflection or radiation, directly or indirectly, of glare or heat beyond the boundary of this district under any conditions, nor beyond the property line if it would adversely affect any the use of any other property.

L.

Ionizing Radiation. No operations in the corporate park district shall cause any dangerous radiation, at any property line, in accordance with the United State Atomic Energy Commission, Title 10, Chapter 1, Part 20 "Standards for Protection Against Radiation" dated August 9, 1986 (or any subsequent revisions of these regulations), the Radiation Protection Standards issued by the Federal Radiation Council, and the National Committee Radiation Handbook.

M.

Compliance Generally. All activities must comply with all laws, regulations, ordinances, and standards established by any authority having jurisdiction with regard to such activities.

(Ord. No. 2023-11, § 1, 8-8-2023)