17.47: Research and Business Zone
Chapter 17.47
RESEARCH AND BUSINESS (R&B) ZONE
Sections:
17.47.010 Purpose and objectives
17.47.020 Uses
17.47.030 Site design and maintenance
17.47.040 Lot, Building and yard requirements
17.47.050 Parking requirements
17.47.060 Landscaping objectives
17.47.070 Signs
17.47.080 Other requirements
17.47.090 Planning Commission and City Council review
Section 17.47.010 Purpose and objectives
1. The purpose of the Research and Business (R&B) zone is to provide an aesthetically attractive working environment exclusively for and conducive to the development and protection of offices, research and development institutions, and certain specialized assembling and packaging uses as a secondary use to the primary function of the building. The essential purpose of this zone is to achieve development in a park-like setting that is an economic asset to the owners, neighbors, and the community. This zone is more restrictive than other commercial and manufacturing zones in the city with grounds that have an abundance of landscaping, and land uses that do not create air, ground, noise, or water pollution. Because the zone may be located adjacent to residential development it must be properly screened with a wall and landscaping to create compatibility. The zone should always be located adjacent to collector or arterial streets. The zone is to be characterized by attractively designed buildings and off-street parking lots situated among lawns, shrubs, and trees which give a more pleasing appearance than other commercial and business zones.
2. The objectives of this chapter are to establish a zone with rules, regulations, standards, and procedures to:
a. Strengthen and sustain the economic potential of the city and to create jobs.
b. Advance and promote sound growth and the general welfare.
c. Implement the adopted policies of the Lindon City General Plan.
d. Ensure efficient, safe, and aesthetic land development.
e. Provide a unique work environment that will attract skilled and professional people.
f. Provide a work place that is architecturally and aesthetically pleasing and compatible with surrounding areas.
g. Preserve existing natural resources and give proper consideration to the physical constraints of the land.
h. Provide for safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
i. Provide for compliance with appropriate design standards to ensure adequate light and air, proper building arrangements, and minimum adverse effect on surrounding property.
j. Ensure the provision of adequate water supply, drainage and stormwater management, sanitary facilities, and other utilities and services.
k. Develop proper safeguards to minimize the impact on the environment, including but not limited to air and water pollution, hazardous waste contamination, noise levels, soil erosion and sedimentation.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.020 Uses
1. Permitted principle uses. The following principal uses are permitted in the R&B zone:
a. Research services-including laboratories, scientific, medical, chemical, applied physics, mechanical, electronic, biological, genetic or other similar experimental research, product development or testing facilities.
b. Professional, corporate, business, and administrative offices.
c. Communications-including radio and television broadcasting (studios only), telephone company offices, recording and sound studios, motion picture studio.
d. Data processing services.
e. Finance, insurance, and real estate services.
2. Permitted secondary uses. The following secondary uses that support or are accessory to the principal uses are permitted subject to the development and performance standards and conditions set forth herein. Secondary uses shall not occupy more than forty-nine percent (49%) of the total leasable floor space of a building.
a. Support and maintenance shops for the uses listed in subsection 17.45.020(1) above.
b. Concessions and services which are provided for the convenience of the occupants of the buildings, including but not limited to restaurants and retail uses incidental to and in support of the above permitted uses provided they are located within a main building of a permitted principal use.
c. Printing, publishing and allied industries.
d. Storage activities and warehouse facilities only as part of a principle use in a main building.
e. Day care center.
f. Off-street parking and parking structures.
g. Recreation facilities such as parks, swimming pools, gymnasiums, tennis courts, athletic fields, or similar activities.
3. Conditional Uses. The following uses are permitted in the R&B zones only after a conditional use permit has been issued, and subject to the terms and conditions thereof.
a. Light manufacturing uses. This use shall be limited to fabricating, processing, testing, assembling, packaging, and manufacture of products which have a high value in relation to bulk, from previously prepared materials, but not including uses involving primary production of wood, metal, petroleum, or chemical products from raw materials. Such operations shall not deal in large volumes of product handling, storage and distribution; nor shall such operations include on-site milling, forgoing, or heavy grinding of parts or similar manufacturing operations.
b. Marketing, telemarketing, and advertising services.
c. Other similar and compatible uses. Other similar uses not specifically listed above may be approved by the planning commission, which the issuance of a conditional use permit, upon findings that the proposed use most closely fits within one of the listed categories, and that any expected impacts will be no greater than that of other uses listed.
d. Police protection and related activities, branch (office only).
4. Prohibited uses. The following uses are prohibited in the R&B zone. This list of prohibited uses is not exhaustive, but is intended to be illustrative of the types of uses which are not allowed.
a. Terminals, including truck or bus terminals, and other distribution facilities.
b. Food processing operations except as incidental to permitted restaurant to cafeteria operations.
c. Sand, gravel, and other extraction mining.
d. Fabrication, manufacturing and assembly operations except as otherwise provided.
e. Repair establishments.
f. Junk or salvage yards.
g. Liquor stores.
h. Cabinet and carpenter shops.
i. Plumbing or sheet metal shops.
j. Petroleum storage, sales, processing or production.
k. Retail sales except as otherwise specified.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.030 Site design and maintenance
1. Unity of design. Overall unity of site design shall be accomplished through:
a. Architectural harmony of buildings and structures.
b. Design integration of the common open space systems and storm drainage system.
c. Unifying themes in an overall landscaping plan.
d. Unified design of street furniture, such as street signs, poles, light standards and luminaries, project entrances, perimeter fencing, pavement treatment, plazas, and handicapped curb ramps; housings for power facilities, telephone service boxes, and grouped mail box stanchions; illumination of buildings, walkway railings and steps.
2. Uses. All uses except surface parking, recreational activities and utilities shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building. All storage of product and material used shall be in a completely enclosed building constructed with the same exterior finish as the main building.
3. Solid waste. Solid Waste removal shall not take place between the hours of 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Any solid waste receptacle shall be placed in an entirely sight-obscuring enclosure that is at least one (1) foot higher than the receptacle with a minimum height of six (6) feet and constructed on three (3) sides of masonry with a similar exterior finish as the main building, and gated on the fourth side with a minimum access width of fourteen (14) feet. Solid waste receptacles shall be located a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet from any residential lot line. Solid waste removal practices by the property owner of the solid waste removal company shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission upon written complaint.
4. Utilities. All utilities shall be placed underground.
5. Mechanical Equipment. All mechanical equipment incidental to any building, including roof mounted mechanical equipment, shall be screened so as to be an integral part of the architectural design of the building to which it is attached or related.
6. Loading. Loading Operations shall not take place between the hours from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Loading operations shall either be conducted within the building or be screened so as to not be totally visible from a public street, and conducted in such a way that in the process of loading or unloading, no vehicle will block the passage of other vehicles on the service drive or extend into any other public or private drive or street used for traffic circulation.
7. Hazards and nuisances. No use shall cause the discharge of any harmful waste materials into or upon the ground, into or within any sanitary or storm sewer system, into or within any water system or water, or into the atmosphere. No use or activity shall be conducted or permitted which is dangerous or offensive to persons or property by reason of the creation of a fire, explosion, or other physical hazard, or by reason of air pollution, odor, smoke, noise, dust, vibration, radiation, or fumes. In addition, no use shall be permitted or conducted where the same creates a public or private nuisance. The following specific standards shall apply:
a. Incineration. There shall be no incineration on any site of any waste material.
b. Vibration. There shall be no activity on any site which causes ground vibration which is perceptible, without instruments, at the boundary line of the lot.
c. Air pollution. There shall be no emission on any site of air pollutants in excess of levels permitted by the Utah Bureau of Air Quality. Water vapor is not considered a pollutant. The normal venting of a building shall not be prohibited.
d. Wastes. The quality and nature of industrial wastes shall not overburden the public sewage disposal facilities or cause odor and unsanitary effects beyond the property line. Such wastes shall not be discharged into the ground, or any surface or subsurface waterways. Disposal of all hazardous wastes shall comply with all applicable federal and state regulations. Sewage shall also comply with all local, state, and federal regulations.
e. Storm water. All facilities shall be designed according to the requirements of Section 3.01 of Chapter 2 of the Lindon Land Development Policy handbook.
8. Vacant lots. Vacant lots shall be maintained free of unsightly storage of equipment, or overgrown weeds and nuisance vegetation.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.040 Lot, Building and yard requirements
1. Lot area. The minimum size of any lot shall be one (1) acres.
2. Building setbacks. Buildings on all lots shall be set back a minimum of thirty (30) feet from any property line.
3. Required open space. All building and parking areas on any lot shall not occupy more than seventy percent (70%) on the total area of the lot. The remaining portion of the lot shall be landscaped appropriately.
4. Building height. No building shall be constructed to a height exceeding three (3) stories with a maximum height of forty-eight (48) feet.
5. Buildings per lot. More than one (1) main building may be placed on a lot.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.050 Parking requirements
1. Parking spaces required. Off-street parking shall be provided at the ratio of four and one half (4 ½) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross building floor area.
2. Parking layout & construction standards. All parking spaces, parking areas and driveways shall be constructed in accordance with standards established in 17.18 and the Lindon Land Development Policies, Standard Specifications, & Drawings Handbook.
3. Parking setbacks. All parking areas shall be set back a minimum of thirty (30) feet from all dedicated public streets and ten (10) feet from exterior boundaries of the zone.
4. Screening of parking areas. Where topography permits, required parking setbacks shall be landscaped with lawn and shall be planted with trees of sufficient height to screen and buffer parking and loading areas from adjoining public access streets.
5. Interior parking lot landscaping. A ten (10) foot wide landscape strip shall be provided between at least every other double-loaded row of parking located between a building and a public street. Planting islands at least eight (8) feet in width shall be provided throughout the lot at the ends of parking rows. These strips and islands are to be planted with lawn, shrubs. ground covers. and trees. Landscaping shall be used to define circulation routes and separate traffic on site for safety as well as aesthetic purposes.
6. Structured parking. Any parking structure above the finished ground elevation shall have the same setback requirements as outlined for buildings, and shall be architecturally integrated through use of the same or similar materials, colors, rhythm, landscaping, etc.
7. Parking structure height. Freestanding parking structures shall comply with the same height requirements as main buildings.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.060 Landscaping objectives
1. Landscaping objectives. Landscaping plans shall be prepared with a view toward accomplishing the following design objectives (plans will be approved or denied based on how well these objectives are satisfied):
a. Enhance the visual environment by:
i. Adding visual interest through texture, color, size, shape, etc., and
ii. Enhancing perspective by framing views complimenting architecture, screening and creating points of interest and activity.
b. Ensure public safety by:
i. Guiding the circulation of cars and people,
ii. Controlling access to parking lots,
iii. Making traffic diverters prominent, and
iv. Creating street identification by varying the species, height, and location of landscaping.
c. Minimize noise and glare.
d. Conserve energy.
e. Complement architecture by landscaping around buildings.
f. Screen areas of low visual interest.
2. Overall landscaping plan. With the application for site plan approval, an overall landscaping plan shall be submitted.
3. Open space. A minimum of thirty percent (30%) of each lot shall be maintained in permanent landscaped open space.
4. Landscaped berms. Where possible, landscaped berms shall be constructed within required landscaped strips along public street frontages according to the following standards:
a. Berms shall be at least three (3) feet high, shall be sculptured with enclaves, protrusions, etc., and shall be varied in height.
b. The slope of the berm shall be such as to be mowable with a standard rider mower.
c. Berms are not required where slopes within the required landscaped strip are excessive and would not reasonably accommodate berms.
5. Trees.
a. Along perimeter public street frontages trees shall be a minimum of two and one half (2 ½) inches in caliper planted thirty-five (35) feet on center and planted at least seven (7) feet from any impermeable surface.
b. Tree size. Thirty percent (30%) of the deciduous trees shall be one and one half (1 ½) to two (2) inches in caliper, fifty percent (50%) of the deciduous trees shall be two (2) to three (3) inches in caliper, and twenty percent (20%) of the deciduous trees shall be three (3) inches or more in caliper.
c. No deciduous trees less than one and one half (1 ½) inches in caliper shall be accepted, nor will evergreen trees less than six (6) feet in height be accepted. No bare root stock will be accepted.
d. The recommended species are Sycamore, Shademaster Honey Locust, Sunburst Honey Locust, Little Leaf Linden, or Norway Maple, and all flowering tree types.
6. Shrubs. Shrubs shall be planted throughout the site and shall be planted at a ratio of seventy percent (70%) at least five (5) gallons in size, an thirty percent (30%) planted at least one (1) gallon in size.
7. Sprinkling and irrigation. All plantings shall be serviced by an acceptable irrigation or sprinkler system, and maintained in a healthful living condition. Dead plant materials shall be replaced as necessary within the first year of planting.
8. Landscaping around buildings. A perimeter landscape strip at least five (5) feet wide shall be placed around all buildings.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.070 Signs
All signage shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the standards of the City of Lindon Sign Ordinance. (Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.080 Other requirements
1. Walls and fences. Fencing of individual lots in the R&B zone is prohibited except as otherwise provided for herein.
2. Perimeter screening. Where the R&B zone adjoins a residential zone, a seven (7) foot masonry wall shall be constructed. A fence taller than seven (7) feet may be required by the Planning Commission if it is deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare. A fifteen (15) foot landscaped planter shall be provided on the R&B zone side of the masonry wall with deciduous trees having a minimum three (3) inch caliper, or evergreen trees having a minimum height of ten (10) feet, planted on a minimum spacing of every twenty-five (25) feet. All building lighting fixtures shall be designed to shine away from neighboring residential property.
(Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000)
Section 17.47.090 Planning Commission and City Council review
Prior to the construction of any building or structure in the R&B zone, a site plan meeting all requirements of section 17.12 of the Lindon City Code, shall be submitted to the City of Lindon for its review. Additionally, an application for conditional use approval shall be submitted for any use allowed only as a conditional use and shall be subject to the standards contained in section 17.20 & 17.22 of the Lindon City Code.
The Planning Commission shall approve or deny an application for site plan approval, and shall approve or deny an application for conditional use approval. The action of the Planning Commission or City Council may impose conditions, limitations, or amendments to the site plan to insure that the standards of the R&B zone are met and that the health, safety and general welfare of the community are preserved. (Ord. 98-7, Add, 10/03/2000) |
