Many of the City's older industrial areas were developed along the two railroad lines which brought goods and services into the City. These industrial lands create a string of industrial property that runs throughout the City instead of being concentrated within a defined industrial park. Businesses in these industrial areas provided needed goods and services and this district is the only opportunity for certain uses to locate. These industrial uses and surrounding residential areas have grown towards one another, in some cases creating tension between uses and limiting the ability for industrial redevelopment.

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.1)

The purpose of the IT district regulations is to permit rehabilitation, improvement and redevelopment in a manner that is consistent with the character of the neighborhood and respects adjacent residential uses. Traditional industrial areas consist of external areas which border residential or other uses, where buffering may be an issue, and internal areas which border only other industrial uses. Necessary buffering and transition differs between these two. This section:

(1)

Creates buffers and transitional zones between industrial corridors and abutting neighborhoods;

(2)

Provides standards and incentives for design including site planning, architectural design, signage and lighting; and

(3)

Establishes guidelines to shield storage areas, walls and fences to provide a better visual environment.

Flexibility is provided to encourage high quality economic development.

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.2)

A.

Uses in this district shall be allowed as provided in the Matrix: Use Permissions and Parking Requirements.

B.

The size of an accessory use which is related to the principal use is subject to any size limits set forth in the plan.

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.3)

Achieving maximum development potential will depend upon market forces, such as minimum desirable size, and development standards, such as minimum lot size, parking requirements, height restrictions and building setbacks.

Minimum Lot Size, Maximum Density and Maximum Intensity

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.4; Ord. No. 203-H, § 25, 11-23-2015)

Maximum Building Height

Minimum Building Setbacks

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.5; Ord. No. 876-G, § 10, 2-21-2008)

As development and redevelopment occurs within the district, industrial land uses shall be shielded from view from non-industrial zoned property or major streets through the utilization of buffers. The buffer width required is determined by the type of fence or wall installed and maintained on the industrial-zoned property. Flexibility is provided based upon the type of fence utilized to create the required buffer. Such buffers shall be landscaped and not used for off-street parking or off-street loading or unloading of trucks. The required landscaping shall be provided and maintained on the exterior side of any fence or wall used to create the required buffer.

Buffer Requirements

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.6)

The following design criteria allow the property owner and design professional to choose their preferred architectural style, building form, scale and massing, while creating a framework for good urban design practices which create a positive experience for the pedestrian.

Site layout and orientation. The City is committed to creating and preserving a network of linkages for pedestrians. Consequently, pedestrian and vehicle connections between public rights-of-way and private property are subject to a hierarchy of transportation, which begins with the pedestrian.

Building and parking layout and orientation.

1.

All mechanical equipment and utility functions (e.g. electrical conduits, meters, HVAC equipment) shall be located behind the front façade line of the principle structure. Mechanical equipment that is visible from the primary street shall be screened with a material that is compatible with the architecture of the principle structure.

Building and architectural design standards. All buildings should present an inviting, human scale façade to the streets, internal drives, parking areas and surrounding neighborhoods. The architectural elements of a building should give it character, richness and visual interest.

Building style. New construction shall utilize an identifiable architectural style which is recognized by design professionals as having a basis in academic architectural design philosophies.

1.

Renovations, additions and accessory structures shall utilize the architectural style of the existing structure, or the entire existing structure shall be modified to utilize an identifiable architectural style which is recognized by design professionals as having a basis in academic architectural design philosophies.

Building materials. Building material standards protect neighboring properties by holding the building's value longer thereby creating a greater resale value and stabilizing the value of neighboring properties.

1.

Building materials shall be appropriate to the selected architectural style and shall be consistent throughout the project.

Accessory structures and equipment. Accessory structures should reinforce the pedestrian character of the City. Above-ground utility and service features shall be located and designed to reduce their visual impact upon the streetscape.

1.

Outdoor storage shall not be visible from any non-industrially zoned property or major street. This can be accomplished through the construction of walls, fences or landscaping in accordance with the Code.

2.

Solid waste containers shall not be located within the public rights-of-way. Solid waste containers shall be fully enclosed within a solid, opaque fence or wall that is architecturally compatible with the principal structure and includes shielding gates. Chain link fencing with inserted slats is prohibited.

3.

Solid waste container enclosures located within the front yard shall be landscaped in accordance with the Code.

4.

Mechanical equipment that is visible from the right-of-way, an adjacent neighborhood zoning district or adjacent residential use shall be screened with material compatible with the architecture of the principal structure.

(Code 1992, § 16.20.100.7; Ord. No. 1029-G, § 23, 9-8-2011; Ord. No. 287-H, § 41, 7-20-2017)