DRAFT Document - Light Industrial

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You'll need this for reference as you take the survey.

Summary

(Sidebar on right side of document)

This section summarizes the intent and rataionale for the "building blocks" of Place Types.  These "building blocks" range from Land Use to Transportation.

Please share any questions/comments you have on the following "building blocks".

Goals

• Contributes to the city’s economic viability by provising places where people work, create, build, store, and distribute goods and services throughout the city and beyond.
• The intensity of the use is appropriate for the context of the area in which it is located and impacts.

Land Use

• Uses within Light Industrial include office, research, studios, light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.
• Some Light Industrial uses, like small commercial kitchens and art studios, may be appropriate in contexts that allow them to integrate into a nearby Neighborhood or Center.

Urban Design

• Buildings in this area are not typically vertically integrated (multiple uses on different floors of a single building) as many are low-scale single use buildings.
• Typical building types are low-rise commercial, warehousing, and flexible office spaces.

Transportation

• Should be accessible from an Arterial Street, interstate, and/or freight rail. Local street networks typically serve the buildings directly to enable businesses to load and maneuver but have good access to the larger street network for semi-truck traffic.
• Semi-truck traffic should move goods and services on routes that minimize impacts on Neighborhoods and Centers.

Elements

(Items starting at lower left corner of document, eg. Typical Mix of Land Uses)

This section further refines the "building blocks" mentioned in the summary. These city-building characteristics range from Building Size to Sidewalks and vary from Place Type to Place Type.

Typical Mix of Uses

Zoning Districts

• This Place Type has a range of districts that acknowledge the diverse character of the areas they serve. Zoning Districts will have varying standards related to height, intensity, uses, parking, building placement, and other site design elements.
• Specific Zoning Districts will be developed for this Place Type – TBD.

Building Types

• Light Industrial places include light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution land uses that serve businesses across the Charlotte Region.
• The typical building types in Light Industrial are low-rise commercial, warehousing, and flexible spaces.
• Buildings in Light Industrial are not typically vertically integrated, as many are low-scale, single-use buildings. Vertical integration of uses (different uses on different floors within the same building) is not discouraged.

Building Size

• Buildings may vary in size depending on their context and the needs of the Light Industrial use.
• Building may range in size from 1,000 square feet to around 450,000 square feet.

Building Length Along The Street Frontage

• Building length varies based on the context of the area.
• When located near a Neighborhood or Center or near a transit station, shorter building lengths are needed to provide a more interesting and comfortable pedestrian environment and allow for better, more integrated block structure. In this case, buildings should be no longer than 200 feet in length along a street. 
• In a primarily industrial area, building lengths along the street may span an entire block, which is typically no more than 800 feet in length.

Building Height

• The height of buildings depends upon the context in which they are located, however most buildings will be 3 stories or less.
• Transitions to low intensity places, such as Neighborhoods, should be addressed with tapered height toward the lower intensity places and the placement of buildings to minimize impact and respect the character of the adjacent area.

Yards

• Varies by context.

Orientation

Note: Arterial Streets are higher volume streets (not freeways) that travel to and through Places. The terms Main Street, Avenue, Boulevard, and Parkway refer to the more specific design classifications (from the Urban Street Design Guidelines) that refine the generic Arterial Streets into context-based streets. Arterial Streets is used generically here, with USDG classifications applied where necessary to make distinctions between expected design and context. Local streets are lower-volume streets that provide direct access to land uses off of Arterial Streets.

• Light Industrial areas are typically located along arterials, and also include local streets external or internal to the site.
• Light Industrial areas may orient to Boulevards, Avenues, and Local Streets. Light Industrial areas may be located adjacent to Parkways, but should not orient towards them.
• Buildings should typically not be oriented toward a driveway, interior parking lot, or alley, particularly along Avenues, Main Streets and local streets. 
• Principal buildings should orient to streets and be set back far enough to ensure that pedestrians are well-separated from truck and automobile traffic.
• Buildings should provide direct pedestrian access from the street onto the site and to principal buildings. 

Building Frontage Along Streets

• Sites should be designed to provide direct Local Street connections and a safe, comfortable public realm from nearby neighborhoods and transit stops, thereby supporting walking, cycling, and transit use. When near Neighborhoods and Centers, Light Industrial areas may include more active street frontages such as show rooms and limited sale of goods and services.
• Buildings should include operable entrances and significant transparency along street frontages, particularly along Avenues, and Local Streets.
• Buildings set farther back from Arterial Streets (along Boulevards, e.g.) should still include clearly visible pedestrian connections and operable entrances from the arterial street at intervals no greater than 250 feet.
• Buildings on corner lots are encouraged to have entrances that front on both streets or provide an entrance from the corner of the building. Entrances should be aligned with existing or future planned pedestrian facilities where feasible.
• Corners of streets and driveways from arterial streets into Light Industrial places should be wrapped by a building to provide a safe and comfortable public realm along the Arterial Street.
• Parking (other than on-street parking) should typically not be located between the building and street, particularly along Local Streets and Avenues.
• If parking is located between the building and Local Streets or Avenues, it should be minimal and direct access should still be provided from the sidewalk through the parking to the building entrance.
• If parking is located between the building and Arterial Streets (along Boulevards, e.g.) it should be limited to 1-2 rows, primarily intended for customer parking, and buildings should provide a presence along the street by orienting toward them.
• On-street parking, typically provided on one side of Local Industrial Streets, allows for truck parking when necessary.
• Parking lots should be designed and located to provide vehicular cross-access between sites.
• Parking lot entrances should be designed and located so that driveways align on either side of streets, preferably off of Local Streets.

Building Coverage and Impervious Surface

• Impervious surfaces typically cover up to 40% of development within a Light Industrial site.
• Building coverage is typically up to 20% of a site.
• Impervious surfaces may be made up of buildings, driveways, streets, and parking, among other site elements.
• Approximately 60% of land on a Light Industrial site is pervious. These areas are typically grassed or landscaped. Some are areas that provide buffers either from adjacent places or along a major street. These areas should generally remain as open space.
• Pervious areas can accommodate trees that contribute to the city’s tree canopy.

Open Space and Yards

• Common Open space is less prevalent in Light Industrial than in many other Place Types. 
• Common Open Spaces of various types should occupy about 5-10% of a Light Industrial site. Open spaces are typically in the form of pervious surface areas like courtyards or passive landscaped areas.
• Public open spaces such as parks and greenways may also be in Light Industrial areas.
• Buildings that front on open spaces such as plazas, courtyards, parks, and greenways should orient to it and include accessible building entrances from the space.

Connectivity

• Connectivity is important for Light Industrial sites to enable appropriate distribution routes. Sites with distribution operations should have access to major Arterial Streets that do not traverse residential neighborhoods.
• A Light Industrial site located in an area with an established street network should continue that pattern and connect to the adjacent network.
• Light Industrial sites without distribution needs may be appropriate along a Local Street network and/or near a transit station; for example maker spaces, studios, small urban farms, and similar uses.
• Ideally, block lengths should short to promote walkability, particularly if the Light Industrial site is also within a Transit Station Area. Preferred block length is no more than 800 feet.

Pedestrian Network

• The Local Street network provides a high-quality pedestrian environment by being both well-connected and designed to accommodate pedestrians.
• Arterial Streets also support walkability by providing a highquality public realm and frequent crossing opportunities.
• There should be clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections from streets directly to buildings.

Parking

• On-street parking, typically provided on one side of Industrial Local Streets, allows for truck parking when necessary.
• Parking (other than on-street parking) is preferably located to the side or rear of buildings. If located between the building and the street, parking should be limited to 1-2 rows and provide clear pedestrian connections from the street to the building(s). This parking should be primarily for customers and employees and should not accommodate semi-trucks and work trucks.
• Some buildings may require drop-off facilities at the entrance, and these should be designed to also facilitate direct pedestrian connections from the sidewalk to the entrance.
• Parking lots for storing vehicles and loading docks should be located to the side or rear of buildings.
• Parking lots should be designed and located to provide vehicular cross-access between streets.
• Parking lot entrances should be designed and located so that driveways align on either side of Local Streets.

Vehicular Access

• Direct access from streets into sites is typical. Sites are encouraged to be accessed from Local Streets or shared driveways where feasible.

Streets

• Arterial Streets traversing Light Industrial areas should be designed to serve the operational requirements of freight vehicles, while recognizing that other modes and complementary land uses should be accommodated.
• Arterial Streets should be designed to allow convenient crossings and a public realm that supports pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access.
• Local Streets are typically Local Industrial Streets, which are wider than other Local Streets to support maneuverability of larger trucks.
• Target speeds should be low (preferably maximum 20-25 mph on internal streets; XX mph on arterials).

Sidewalks

• Although industrial areas are assumed to have relatively low levels of pedestrian activity compared to other Place Types, the higher volumes of truck traffic and the more auto-oriented street design necessitate safe and comfortable pedestrian pathways.
• Internal Local Streets should have minimum 5’ wide unobstructed sidewalks.
• Arterial Streets should have minimum 6’ wide unobstructed sidewalks.
• There should be clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections from Arterial Streets directly to buildings and to the internal pedestrian network.

Green Zone

• The Green Zone is typically no less than 8’ wide to accommodate shade trees, grass, and/or hardscape elements. It provides separation between pedestrians and vehicles, helps calm traffic, provides an attractive public realm, contributes to the City’s healthy tree canopy, and shades the streets and users.
• A hardscape amenity zone is inappropriate in most industrial areas. 

Bicycle Facilities

• Dedicated facilities are expected on most Arterial Streets, due to higher speeds and volumes.
• Dedicated bicycle facilities are not typical on internal Local Streets and Main Streets, since speeds and traffic volumes should be low.
• Design of the bicycle facility varies (see general provisions p. XX for factors influencing bike facilities).

Street Furnishings

• If provided, street furnishings should be located in the Green Zone or setback, not in the sidewalk.
• Bus stops located in or near industrial areas should be accessible via a sidewalk and ideally include a shelter, benches, and/or trash receptacles.