Industrial Zones
Current Ordinance
In the Zoning Ordinance effective April 1, 2022, the industrial zones have been consolidated from five zones to two zones, which allow for either light industrial and employment areas or heavy manufacturing and industrial activities in other areas. See descriptions and purposes of the new zones below and reference the Zoning Ordinance for full details.
IE: Industrial, Employment Zone
The purposes of the Industrial, Employment (IE) Zone are:
- To provide for a mix of employment, research and development, and light industrial development, with an expectation of high-quality design that is set apart from the high-traffic-generating commercial zones and residential communities
- To provide lands to serve light industrial uses while prohibiting more intensive forms of industrial development
- To accommodate limited residential development
- To ensure compatibility between industrial development and nearby residential uses
IH: Industrial, Heavy Zone
The purposes of the Industrial, Heavy (IH) Zone are:
- To provide lands for intense industrial development that generally requires large sites, as well as industrial uses that are important for the County’s economic growth but may impact adjoining lands. Such uses generally involve greater potential for adverse off-site impacts on the environment and surrounding development (e.g., from dust, fumes, smoke, odors, noise, or vibration, or due to exterior movement of vehicles, materials, and goods)
- To accommodate limited residential uses, particularly as adaptive reuse opportunities
- To mitigate potential impacts to surrounding residential neighborhoods
Prior Ordinance
I-1: Light Industrial
Light intensity manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution uses; 10% green area required.
I-2: Heavy Industrial
Highly intensive industrial and manufacturing uses; 10% green area required.
I-3: Planned Industrial/Employment Park
Uses that will minimize detrimental effects on residential and other adjacent areas; a mixture of industrial, research, and office uses with compatible institutional, recreational, and service uses in a manner that will retain the dominant industrial/employment character of the zone; standard minimum tract size of 25 adjoining gross acres; standard minimum lot size of two acres; Conceptual and Detailed Site Plan approval required; 25% green area required; outdoor uses restricted; warehousing and wholesaling uses limited.
I-4: Limited Intensity Industrial
Limited intensity (0.3 FAR) commercial, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution uses; development standards extended to assure limited intensity industrial and commercial development, and compatibility with surrounding zoning and uses; 25% green area required.
U-L-I: Urban Light Industrial
Designed to attract and retain a variety of small-scale light industrial uses in older, mostly developed industrial areas located close to established residential communities; establishes a flexible regulatory process with appropriate standards to promote reinvestment in, and redevelopment of, older urban industrial areas as employment centers, in a manner compatible with adjacent residential areas.
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