CHAPTER SEVEN
INDUSTRIAL AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED LAND USE
Over time, the City of Lawrence and portions of unincorporated Douglas County have experienced business and industrial development and growth. In recent years, this growth and development has taken the form of new industrial and business development, as well as expansion of existing industries and businesses. As Douglas County continues to grow, and with more residents expected to commute outside of the community for employment, there is a recognized need that more industrial and business development is necessary to provide local job opportunities. Of particular interest to the community is the attraction of industries and employment-related uses that are based in biosciences, agriculture and natural resources, technology, and telecommunications.
Both Douglas County and the City of Lawrence consider a healthy natural environment, a diversified economy, and a fiscally stable government as being interdependent and further recognizes that new industrial and employment-related land uses contribute to the local tax base and the creation of a full-service community where residents can live and work. Douglas County and the City of Lawrence are in the unique position of being able to fulfill this vision by tying into the needs and services related to the various University of Kansas research programs and technological developments. It is also recognized that growth in the greater Kansas City and Topeka metropolitan areas indicate the potential for substantial new future job opportunities and industrial development within Douglas County. This Comprehensive Plan, in conjunction with the ECO2 report, provides a methodology to weigh specific criteria to identify and recommend a number of new business and industrial development locations in the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County. The City and County shall review and evaluate every five years the industrial site selection criteria and make changes as necessary.
While industrial land uses and employment-related land uses share some similar characteristics, such as the need for large areas of land and the ability to provide employment opportunities, they also each have very distinct characteristics, such as their locational requirements within the community and the types of services/industries provided. For this reason, this chapter has been divided into two sections. The first section deals with industrial land uses and the second section deals with employment-related land uses.
STRATEGIES: INDUSTRIAL AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED LAND USE
The principal strategies for the identification, development, and maintenance of industrial and employment-related areas are:[bse2]
• Increase the number and diversity of jobs available to the citizens of Douglas County to stabilize the future employment base and generate additional wealth in the community.
• Identify an adequate amount of available land in a number of locations in Douglas County to meet diverse industrial and business related development needs.
• Protect, enhance, and retain existing industrial-related land use areas serving the community.
• Continue to address the needs of existing businesses and industries to ensure their retention in the community and to help facilitate expansion plans of those businesses and industries for the future.
• Encourage site availability, site improvements, and community amenities which best respond to the market demands for industrial and business development while maintaining the community objectives for the type and quality of such development.
• Encourage bicycle, pedestrian and public transit access from neighborhoods to industrial and business employment centers.
• Minimize impacts to the natural environment in the identification of new industrial and business development areas or in the redevelopment of existing areas. Whenever possible, industrial and business development should encourage the retention of open space to serve a variety of purposes, including stormwater management, preservation of wildlife habitat and ecological functions, recreational opportunities, and reduction of visual impacts on surrounding areas.[bse5]
INDUSTRIAL LAND USE CATEGORIES
Industrial development in Douglas County has taken on many shapes and forms in the past. This Comprehensive Plan recognizes this variety in development and establishes the following categories of industrial-related land use:
n Warehouse and Distribution - an area generally characterized by businesses involved in the warehousing and distribution of wholesale goods and supplies.
n Industrial - an area generally characterized by business activities that include manufacturing, assembly, processing, and similar operations.
n Work-live Campus-type Center [bse7] – an area that is a campus-like setting with a mix of uses that are compatible which may include industrial, business, retail commercial and residential developments. These areas will be held to a higher standard of design that accents and complements the natural environment and provides a comfortable environment for a live-work relationship where pedestrian activity is planned for and encouraged.
n Industrial/Business/Research Park [bse8] - an area generally characterized by a predominance of office, office research, warehouse and distribution, and/or industrial business activities that typically encompass a large area of land and are designed in a “campus” setting.
LAWRENCE - EXISTING INDUSTRIAL AREAS[bse9]
The City of Lawrence has several major industrial areas providing employment opportunities to the community. These larger areas include: 1) Santa Fe Industrial Area; 2) East Hills Business Park; 3) Santa Fe Railroad corridor; 4) Union Pacific Railroad corridor; 5) Lawrence Municipal Airport; and 6) Southeast Industrial Area. A description and plan recommendations for these areas are discussed below. In addition to these primary industrial areas, the City of Lawrence also has a number of smaller industrial locations throughout the city. While not specifically addressed in this section, these smaller industrial areas play an important role in the overall industrial and business development composition of the community as a whole. Refer to Figure 7-1, Map of Existing Industrial and Employment-Related Land Uses.
· Santa Fe Industrial Area
The Santa Fe Industrial Area, located north of the Kansas Turnpike/I-70 and south of the Kansas River in northern Lawrence, has developed as a large warehouse and distribution location. This Comprehensive Plan recommends an expanded role for this area in the future. The area north of Lakeview Road may alternately develop with more traditional industrial uses. It is also recommended that as additional industrial-related uses develop, impacts on nearby residential development along Riverridge Road will need to be minimized. Additionally, street improvements may be needed and land use transition areas are recommended to protect residential uses in the area.
· East Hills Business Park
East Hills Business Park is located on the eastern edge of Lawrence on the north side of Kansas Highway 10. Planned and developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, this is one of the community’s first true industrial park developments. The majority of land in this park is developed, with less than one-half of the total acreage still vacant. As this area reaches capacity, the closure of the Farmland Industries site (immediately to the west) makes expansion of East Hills Business Park a possibility and should be closely examined for such a purpose. East Hills Business Park serves as the eastern gateway to the community and the City should continue to examine future development plans for this area to ensure they reflect the image and quality the community seeks in gateway development.
· Santa Fe Railroad Corridor
The Santa Fe Rail Corridor stretches from East 31st Street to the Kansas River in East Lawrence and includes a south and north segment. The north segment, located north of East 23rd Street is undergoing development and redevelopment. In comparison to the sites located in Oread West Research Park and East Hills Business Park, this industrial corridor offers smaller land parcels and provides opportunities for small business owners. Future development in this area should seek to minimize traffic conflicts with surrounding residential areas, as well as potential conflicts between adjoining industrial land use operations and sites. In recognition of the adjoining residential areas and striving to reduce negative effects, this Comprehensive Plan emphasizes light industrial uses where manufacturing, assembly, and production operations minimize the use of potentially dangerous and noxious materials and compounds.
The corridor area south of East 23rd Street is also planned to preserve, protect, and expand existing industrial land uses. New development and redevelopment in this area should emphasize quality improvements to enhance its image and secure further private development and investment.
· Union Pacific Railroad Corridor
The Union Pacific Railroad Corridor serves North Lawrence and has historically been the site of a variety of industrial uses. Industrial development patterns along the corridor are somewhat fragmented with interspersed residential and commercial land uses. Many industrially zoned sites have been developed with residential structures or represent vacant lots originally divided for residential purposes. This corridor may also offer opportunities for small business owners to establish smaller industrial operations within the community.
New development and redevelopment in the area should be encouraged to establish standard size development parcels and upgrade and improve the appearance and image of the area. In general, Locust Street, Maple Street, and Lincoln Street west of North 7th Street should continue to serve as industrial collector streets in the neighborhood. Efforts to discourage non-residential traffic in other parts of the neighborhood are highly encouraged. It is also recommended that consolidation of industrial sites occur whenever possible to remove those residential and incompatible commercial uses located within predominantly industrial development land use patterns in a concentrated effort to minimize those impacts and conflicts between incompatible land uses. Where consolidation of industrial sites is impractical, it is recommended those properties be converted to residential and/or neighborhood commercial uses.
· Lawrence Municipal Airport
The Lawrence Municipal Airport, located in North Lawrence along US-24/40/59, is a newly developing industrial area of the community. Aviation enterprises are present and there is the potential for additional aviation and related enterprises. Currently, the airport is an island surrounded by county industrial and agricultural land uses. As development continues to occur in neighboring Leavenworth County, the US-24/40/59 corridor will become a major thoroughfare. As the City begins initiating long-range planning activities for improved municipal services to and stormwater management within this area, development pressures will increase for this area. It is recommended by this Comprehensive Plan that annexation be a part of any industrial development proposed for this area. As this area evolves into a community gateway, development proposals are also encouraged to employ sound site planning and design principles to make this area an attractive one. Interfacings with surrounding properties and neighborhoods are also encouraged to minimize negative impacts and employ appropriate and compatible industrial and business activities.
· Southeast Industrial Area
The Southeast Industrial Area is located on the south side of East 23rd Street/Kansas Highway 10, south of East Hills Business Park. This area consists of general industrial land uses and it is anticipated this area will experience increased industrial development as future planning of this area is undertaken. Like East Hills Business Park, the Southeast Industrial Area will serve as the eastern gateway to the community and the City should continue to examine future development plans for this area to ensure they reflect the image and quality the community seeks in gateway development.
LAWRENCE - NEW INDUSTRIAL AREAS[bse10]
This Comprehensive Plan recognizes the need for smaller scale industrial development opportunities. The following discussion relates to each of the industrial land use classifications mentioned earlier. This Comprehensive Plan also recommends general locations for the development of these land uses.
Warehouse and distribution activities require locations adjacent to major transportation corridors for easy access in the shipment and delivery of goods. Within the City of Lawrence, these major transportation corridors include the Kansas Turnpike/I-70 to the east and west; US-59 to the north and south; US-24/40 to the east and west; and the South Lawrence Trafficway/K-10 to the east. These connections link the community to the Topeka (west) and Kansas City (east) metropolitan areas and to Ottawa and I-35 to the south.
While the Santa Fe Industrial Area is home to the majority of the community’s warehousing and distributing activities, there is a need for additional land area for future users. Two locations along the SLT/K-10 have been identified appropriate for warehouse and distribution activities – at the interchange areas with West 6th Street/US-40 in West Lawrence (further articulated in the West 6th Street/K-10 Nodal Plan) and with South Iowa Street/US-59 in South Lawrence. Both of the areas provide easy access to the major east-west and north-south connections provided by the Kansas Turnpike/I-70 and I-35. With the completion of the SLT/K-10, the K-10 corridor to the Kansas City metropolitan area will also become a major industrial transportation corridor. While the primary emphasis for industrial development in these interchange areas is on office research uses, some warehouse and distribution uses may be appropriate if designed and developed as part of an overall concept plan that utilizes sound site planning and design elements that minimizes impacts to surrounding properties and neighborhoods.
Locations along the Eastern Parkway (the programmed eastern city bypass in the City’s long-range transportation plan, Transportation 2025), at the East 23rd and 15th Street interchange areas, may also be appropriate for warehouse and distribution activities if developed as part of an overall concept plan. Development of these areas is contingent on the completion of the Eastern Parkway and their current identification in this Comprehensive Plan represents a long-range vision of the community of foreseeable industrial and business uses along the parkway.
New traditional industrial uses, such as processing and manufacturing activities, are generally going to be limited to existing areas where similar activities currently take place. These areas are primarily located in North and East Lawrence along the railroad corridors. No new areas have been identified for heavy industrial users, although areas within the Southeast Industrial Area may be appropriate for development similar to the existing concrete and asphalt operations. The East Hills Business Park also has opportunities for expansion to the west and accommodating some heavy industrial uses on the former Farmland Industries site (in addition to expansion of its industrial research and business park uses). Any proposed development of a heavy, intense nature will be closely scrutinized to ensure impacts to surrounding areas are kept to a minimum and sound site planning and design considerations are highly encouraged. The community has expressed interest in promoting environmentally-friendly and natural-resource based industries and new opportunities for traditional heavy industrial activity, such as rendering plants or chemical and fertilizer production, are not encouraged.
· Industrial/Business/Research Park
As identified in the Economic Development element of this Comprehensive Plan, there is an expressed need of identifying an additional one thousand acres for industrial and business park development in Douglas County for the next twenty years. It has been recognized that there is a need for an additional two or three park sites containing two to three hundred acres to accommodate industrial users requiring large land areas. There is also a recognized need to identify a specific one hundred acre site to fulfill an immediate need. In recognizing these needs, this Comprehensive Plan identifies general locational criteria characteristics for industrial and business development, identification of general areas for such development, and identification of site-specific locational criteria characteristics once a general area has been identified.
n General Locational Criteria Characteristics – to assist in the identification of general locations throughout the City of Lawrence, its Urban Growth Area, and unincorporated Douglas County appropriate for industrial and business park development, there are some basic locational criteria characteristics that should be considered favorably. These include sites with land characteristics such as, but not limited to, locations that permit direct discharge to the floodplain, locations outside of the 100-year or regulatory floodplain, close proximity to transportation networks, close proximity to and availability of urban services, and adequate parcel size, generally over forty acres.
n Potential Locations for Park Development – using the above mentioned general locational criteria characteristics, this Comprehensive Plan identifies general areas appropriate for industrial and business park development throughout Douglas County. All areas identified fall within each community’s Urban Growth Area or Area of Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (that area lying three miles outward from a corporate boundary/city limit line). These areas are illustrated in Figure 7-2, Map of General Locations for Future Industrial and Business Park Development. The following represents a brief description of these general areas.
1. City of Baldwin City – this Comprehensive Plan identifies two general areas to the west of Baldwin City appropriate for industrial and business park development. The first area lies along US Highway 56 directly west of the city limits. The second area is in proximity to the US Highway 56/59 intersection. This area should not be developed until such time as the city is able to provide utilities and is annexed by the City of Baldwin.
2. City of Eudora – this Comprehensive Plan identifies general areas to the northeast and south of Eudora appropriate for industrial and business park development. Both areas are along the Kansas Highway 10 corridor. The area to the northeast encompasses an area adjacent to the existing industrial area. The area to the south is directly opposite of the existing industrial area and south of the highway.
3. City of Lawrence – this Comprehensive Plan identifies general areas to the north, east, and west of Lawrence appropriate for industrial and business park development. The area to the north encompasses the US Highway 24/40/59 corridor and in proximity to the Lawrence Municipal Airport. The area to the east is in proximity to the future intersection of Kansas Highway 10 and the South Lawrence Trafficway, including the Southeast Industrial Area and East Hills Business Park and former Farmland industrial property. The area to the west encompasses the Kansas Highway 10, US Highway 40, and Interstate 70 corridor. It is in this area where the City of Lawrence has identified the western half of the K-10/US-40 interchange for industrial and business park development (refer to the West 6th Street/K-10 Nodal Plan for further detail).
4. City of Lecompton – this Comprehensive Plan identifies no areas appropriate for industrial and business park development for Lecompton. New industrial development has not been identified as a priority in Lecompton’s comprehensive plan and this Comprehensive Plan recognizes this intent.
n Site-Specific Locational Criteria Characteristics – after identifying a general location for potential industrial and business park development, further site analysis and environmental suitability should be conducted considering site-specific locational criteria. These criteria includes, but are not limited to, slope and soil suitability for such development, preservation of vegetative cover and wildlife habitat, avoidance of potential for flooding and/or standing water (wetlands), appropriate parcel size and ease in assembly, eminent availability and adequacy of municipal utilities, infrastructure and services, and zoning/land use patterns and positive compatibility with existing and future development.
UNINCORPORATED DOUGLAS COUNTY
Due to the need of industrial users requiring municipal services, primarily an adequate supply of water and sewer service capacity, the unincorporated areas of Douglas County maintain limited industrial uses. Existing individual sites are generally located in close proximity to the municipal boundaries of Baldwin City, Eudora, Lawrence, and Lecompton and are illustrated in Figure 9. It is recommended by this Comprehensive Plan that those areas located adjacent to municipal boundaries and capable of being served by municipal services be annexed, and that the development of individual sites be timed so that this annexation can be economical.
Adjacent to the City of Lawrence, these industrial areas are located north and east of the city within its urban growth area. This includes an area north of the Santa Fe Industrial Area, an area adjacent to the Lawrence Municipal Airport and Midland Junction, and the area located between East Hills Business Park and the eastern city limits. There is also a small area of existing industrial development located adjacent to the Vinland Airstrip, located southeast of Lawrence and north of Baldwin City.
New industrial uses requiring municipal level of services in unincorporated Douglas County are not recommended unless they are designated as future development sites within the urban growth area for the City of Lawrence or in defined planning areas for the Cities of Baldwin City, Eudora, and Lecompton, and are annexed prior to development. New industrial uses that do not require an urban level of service such as water or wastewater treatment may be permitted in appropriately designated areas of unincorporated Douglas County.
2. EMPLOYMENT-RELATED LAND USE[bse14]
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED LAND USE CATEGORIES
Employment-related and business development in Douglas County has taken on many shapes and forms in the past. This Comprehensive Plan recognizes this variety in development and establishes the following categories of employment-related land use:
n Office - an area generally characterized by a predominance of professional offices and service uses that are typically located in commercial areas.
n Office Research - an area generally characterized by businesses involved in technology, research, and scientific-related activities, although it may also include traditional light industrial uses, such as manufacturing or assembly.
n Work-live Campus-type Center [bse15] – an area that is a campus-like setting with a mix of uses that are compatible which may include industrial, business, retail commercial and residential developments. These areas will be held to a higher standard of design that accents and complements the natural environment and provides a comfortable environment for a live-work relationship where pedestrian activity is planned for and encouraged.
n Industrial/Business/Research Park [bse16] - an area generally characterized by a predominance of office, office research, warehouse and distribution, and/or industrial business activities that typically encompass a large area of land and are designed in a “campus” setting.
LAWRENCE - EXISTING EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AREAS[bse17]
The City of Lawrence has several business areas providing employment opportunities to the community. Three of the larger areas include: 1) the University of Kansas; 2) downtown Lawrence; and 3) Oread West Research Park. A description and plan recommendations for these areas are discussed below. In addition to these primary employment-related areas, the City of Lawrence also has a number of smaller business locations throughout the city. While not specifically addressed in this section, these smaller business centers play an important role in the overall employment and business development composition of the community as a whole. Refer to Figure 7-1, Map of Existing Industrial and Employment-Related Land Uses.
· The University of Kansas
The University of Kansas, with its main campus on the east side and its west campus on the west side of US-59/Iowa Street, serves as a major employment center for the City of Lawrence and Douglas County. As the university continues to grow and expand its research and technological abilities, opportunities for new and expanded related industrial and business development are a possibility and highly encouraged.
· Downtown Lawrence
Downtown Lawrence encompasses a significant number of non-retail employees and geographically represents a major employment area for the community as well. A substantial number of office and service employees are located in this area. The development of new major office employment centers within the community need to be evaluated to determine the potential effect on downtown Lawrence. A critical assessment shall be made to determine that such proposed development will not have a significant negative impact on the Downtown.
· Oread West Research Park
The Oread West Research Park, located at the intersection of Wakarusa Drive and Bob Billings Parkway (formerly West 15th Street) in West Lawrence, is one of the City's newest employment areas offering a high-quality development setting. Although this area has experienced continued development, vacant land still exists and this Comprehensive Plan recommends continued emphasis on office and research use for this area. The location has strong potential for new technology-related industries and should be the focus of an "industrial cluster" as described in the Economic Development element. This park has ties to the University of Kansas and a continued partnership in technological and research-based industrial and business opportunities is encouraged.
LAWRENCE - NEW EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AREAS
This Comprehensive Plan recognizes the need for smaller scale business development opportunities. The following discussion relates to each of the employment-related land use classifications mentioned earlier. This Comprehensive Plan also recommends general locations for the development of these land uses as new employment and business areas of the community.
New office uses will generally be restricted to existing commercial areas of the city, including the downtown area. Currently, there is an abundance of vacant retail and office space in the City of Lawrence that can absorb the demand for leased office space. However, the City is currently experiencing a shortage of owner-occupied office space. While this plan makes no new recommendations for such office space, it is anticipated owner-occupied office space could be absorbed into the commercial areas of the city, as well as existing and new office research areas of the community.
It is desirable that a mix of uses be established for these areas in a planned and unified manner. Like other locations visible from major street corridors, development of these areas should express a high quality living and working environment. Consideration of good site planning and design principles that minimize unnecessary impacts to surrounding neighborhoods and promote compatible land use activities and appropriate neighborhood connections and interfacings are encouraged for any development proposed for this area.
Office research uses have been recommended as an appropriate land use activity at gateways into the community. Developments occurring at gateways to the community are required to be of high-quality design and visual character utilizing best management practices for site planning and design. Such developments are intended to promote an integrated and contextual design approach that minimizes unnecessary impacts, such as noise, odor, glare, or other similar intrusions, to the community and surrounding neighborhoods. This Comprehensive Plan identifies three areas appropriate for new office research development. While only one is located at a major gateway to the community, all new office research development is encouraged to take into consideration high-quality design and visual characteristics that complement its surroundings.
An area at the community’s western gateway designated appropriate for office research uses is located on the western half of the SLT/K-10 and West 6th Street/US-40 intersection (identified in the West 6th Street/K-10 Nodal Plan). Compatible office uses and warehouse and distribution uses may also be appropriate for this area if developed as part of an overall concept plan. This area is a major gateway into the community and any development proposed for the area will need to incorporate good site planning and design elements to establish a unified and organized development pattern that minimizes impacts to surrounding neighborhoods and properties. The scale of development at this location will largely be based on the scale of existing and foreseen development for the areas surrounding this intersection,
Another new office research area is recommended at the intersection of East 23rd Street/K-10 and E1650 Road (Franklin Road). This location would provide a significant new opportunity for office and office research land uses. This office research area is anticipated to be surrounded by low- to medium-density residential uses, including a planned medium-density residential area to the west. Good site planning and design considerations should include substantial screening and buffering between different land use intensities foreseen in the development of this intersection area. This area includes the site of the new county jail facilities and its anticipated additional county facilities may be located nearby to provide a complex of county services. In keeping with the intent of good design practices, proposed development of this entire area shall be developed in a planned and unified basis taking into consideration interfacings with adjacent properties and surrounding neighborhoods to minimize impacts between incompatible land uses. This overall area has the potential to develop into a model mixed-use, “live, work, and play” environment where the possibility of shared and interconnected park and recreational opportunities, together with links to the larger bicycle and pedestrian network of the community should be encouraged.
The final area identified for office research activities are in East Lawrence for the areas along a programmed Eastern Parkway at interchanges with East 23rd Street and East 15th Street. Additionally, office research uses are also recommended at the intersection of US-24/40 and North 3rd Street in North Lawrence. While there is no immediate need to develop these areas, their identification serves to meet the long-range intent of this Comprehensive Plan of identifying appropriate areas for office research activities when the demand does exist. These three intersection areas present opportunities for quality development with high visibility along the entry corridor (North 3rd Street) into Lawrence from the airport and along the community’s eastern programmed primary north-south corridor (Eastern Parkway) that links the airport to K-10.
· Work-Live Campus-type Center
Office uses, office research and Industrial or Business Park land uses are all appropriate choices for development as part of a work-live campus-type center. The emphasis in this option for industrial development is that the mixture of land uses is compatible and the design and development of the center takes into consideration the natural environment while providing the opportunity for employees to work and live within a narrowly defined area. Ancillary commercial (retail and service) uses would also be appropriate in this type of center to serve the needs of the residents and employees. This type of development would work well for newly annexed lands within Service Area 1 of the Urban Growth Area and as a larger-scale infill development project. Potential sites currently under discussion for such campus-type work-live centers are the parcels of ground within the southeast area of the city, east of O’Connell Road and south of K10: the area in north Lawrence that is near the Airport , between US 24/40 highways and North Street; and industrially zoned, residentially developed areas in East Lawrence and North Lawrence.
· Industrial/Business/Research Park
Refer to the Industrial/Business/Research Park text in Section 1 - Industrial Land Use for recommendations relating to this type of land use.
UNINCORPORATED DOUGLAS COUNTY
The unincorporated areas of Douglas County maintain limited employment-related uses. Where sites do exist, they are located in close proximity to the municipal boundaries of Baldwin City, Eudora, Lawrence, and Lecompton. It is recommended by this Comprehensive Plan that those areas located adjacent to municipal boundaries and capable of being served by municipal services be annexed.
New employment-related uses requiring municipal level of services in unincorporated Douglas County are not recommended unless they are designated for such future use within the urban growth area for the City of Lawrence or the planning areas for the Cities of Baldwin City, Eudora, and Lecompton and are annexed prior to development. New limited use, industrial uses that do not require an urban level of service such as water or wastewater may be permitted in appropriately designated areas of unincorporated Douglas County.
INDUSTRIAL AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED LAND USE GOALS AND POLICIES
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Guidelines and incentives are needed to allow for the retention and expansion of development in established industrial and employment-related areas of the City of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County. |
GOAL 1: Development in Established Industrial and Employment-Related Areas[bse24]
Allow for the retention, redevelopment and expansion of established industrial and employment-related areas.
Policy 1.1: Retain Established Development and Encourage New Development in Existing Industrial and Employment-Related Areas[bse25]
a. Actively market undeveloped sites in a manner which will stabilize long-term development patterns.
b. Encourage parcel consolidation to provide infill sites for redevelopment and expansion opportunities.
c. Provide incentives for expansion of existing facilities and redevelopment of vacant facilities and/or land.[bse26]
Policy 1.2: Ensure Compatibility of Development[bse27]
a. Establish design guidelines and standards for redevelopment of existing sites and facilities.[bse28]
b. Encourage best management practices for site planning and design that include, but are not limited to, building placement and orientation, vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns, open space, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management, and interfacings with adjacent neighborhoods and development, and appropriate accommodation of the design to the site’s natural features.[bse29]
c. Encourage building design techniques that include, but are not limited to, the consideration of facade and exterior wall articulation, materials and colors, rooflines, entryways, signage, and energy and resource conservation[bse30]
Policy 1.3: Concentrate Industrial and Employment-Related Development
1. Develop a methodology to identify parcels as potential industrial sites.
2. Annually evaluate current land use and land availability.
b. Services to existing industrial and employment-related areas should be improved and upgraded as required to support redevelopment opportunities. Overall stormwater management, vehicular and pedestrian access, water and wastewater abilities, and site maintenance should be undertaken where necessary. Encourage partnerships for redevelopment and improvements.[bse32]
Policy 1.4: Provide Opportunities for Limited Industrial and Employment-Related Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Douglas County[bse33]
Encourage redevelopment and limited expansion of existing industrial and employment-related areas where adequate services and facilities can be provided.[bse34]
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Guidelines are needed to provide direction on
how much, where and at what scale industrial and employment |
GOAL 2: Criteria for Location of Industrial and Employment-Related Development [bse35]
Provide industrial and employment-related areas to meet the economic needs of the community.
Policy 2.1: Utilize Locational Criteria for All Industrial and Employment-Related Development
Utilize the following criteria in reviewing industrial and employment-related development requests:[bse36]
1. Limit development to designated areas as indicated on the land use maps of this Chapter, this Comprehensive Plan, and any relevant area plan applicable to such designated areas.[bse37]
2. Consider adjacent zoning and land use patterns. Ensure new industrial and employment-related development is compatible and appropriate with surrounding development.[bse38]
3. Proximity to and/or the availability and adequacy of urban services, such as utilities (water, wastewater, electricity, natural gas, telecommunications) and public safety (fire and police protection).[bse39]
4. Adequate parcel size to support industrial and employment-related development. Promote the assembling of small tracts to form larger, more cohesive parcels encouraging well planned and orderly clusters of new and/or infill industrial and employment-related development.[bse40]
5. Proximity to major transportation networks, including highways, railways, and airways.[bse41]
6. Consider topography and soil characteristics. Encourage industrial and employment-related development to locate on sites having minimal slope to avoid substantial disruption of natural drainage and vegetation. Encourage industrial and employment-related development to locate on sites that are not considered prime agricultural farmland for cultivation or ranching.[bse42]
7. Consider vegetative cover and wildlife habitat. Retain stands of mature trees, natural vegetation, and environmentally sensitive areas to act as natural buffers between developments and as site amenities within developments[bse43] .
8. Consider floodplain, wetlands, and drainageways. Avoid intensive industrial and employment-related development in flood prone areas. Encourage the retention of such areas for natural stormwater management and open spaces that can be used to buffer and/or connect adjacent development. [bse44]
9. Consider as a review criterion the number of owners of parcels eligible for development with the acreage of land in the parcels. Preference should be given to the larger parcels with the fewest number of owners.[bse45]
10. Review criteria should be designed in a weighed manner so that extra-ordinary costs or expenses to develop parcels are identified and used in the evaluation process for determining the eligibility of parcels for industrial land use and development.[bse46]
Policy 2.2: Require Impact Analysis to Ensure Adequate Infrastructure Facilities
Utilize fiscal impact analysis for developments seeking tax abatements or other forms of public assistance to ensure that the costs for public services or facilities by the development can be recovered from revenues generated.
Policy 2.3: Adhere to Designated Land Uses
b. Designate new industrial, office research and warehouse distribution areas to support job creation. Ensure that new industrial, office research and warehouse distribution developments are concentrated in areas with similar compatible uses.
c. Large-scale industrial and employment-related development should be located in planned parks to help ensure coordination of circulation systems, lot configuration, site layout [building, parking and access facilities], and environmental amenities.
Policy 2.4: Maintain an Inventory of Industrial and Employment-Related Land Uses and Develop a Method to Monitor Related Growth
a. Develop and maintain a methodology for site selection.
b. Maintain an appropriate supply of industrially zoned land.
c. Annually evaluate current and approved land uses and land availability.
d. Develop a technique to monitor the aggregate size of industrial and employment-related developments within the community.
e. Formulate a method to evaluate the capacity of the community to pursue or accommodate additional industrial and employment-related development.
Policy 2.5: Ensure Compatibility of Development
a. Establish design guidelines and standards for new industrial and employment-related development.
b. Encourage best management practices for site planning and design that include, but are not limited to, the consideration of natural site features, building placement and orientation, vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns, open space, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management, and interfacings with adjacent neighborhoods and development.
c. Encourage building design techniques that include, but are not limited to, the consideration of facade and exterior wall articulation, materials and colors, rooflines, entryways, signage, and energy and resource conservation.
d. Major entrances into industrial and business parks should be identified by attractive "gateway" features. Gateways should include special signage, landscaping and accent lighting, and/or a common sculptural feature and should be located outside the public street rights-of-way.
e. Access to individual building sites within industrial and business parks should be from an internal circulation system. Site access from peripheral arterial and collector streets should be limited to major entrances serving the overall development area. Industrial and employment-related traffic and related conditions should not adversely affect other nearby land use areas.
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Guidelines are needed to allow for compatible transition from industrial and employment-related development to other less intensive land uses. This framework is needed both in existing areas and new development areas. |
GOAL 3: Compatible Transition from Industrial and Employment-Related Development to Less Intensive Uses
Ensure a compatible transition between industrial and employment-related developments and less intensive land uses.
Policy 3.1: Use Appropriate Transitional Methods
a. Encourage industrial, office research and warehouse distribution facilities to have a positive impact on neighboring land uses through the use of natural area separations, broad landscaped yards or other means of buffering.
b. New industrial, office research and warehouse distribution facilities should be designed and developed so that offices, showrooms, and similar uses occupy high-visibility locations around park peripheries.
c. Less compatible development should be located to the interior of industrial and employment-related development sites or adjacent to arterial streets rather than adjacent or in close proximity to residential neighborhoods or incompatible commercial uses. A use may be considered less compatible because of height, massing, parking, and light, noise, traffic generation or hours of operation.[bse50]
d. Compatible transition and appropriate interfacings from industrial and employment-related development to less intensive land uses should consider:
1. Site Orientation
a. Site design should be oriented toward major streets.
b. Site access should be from collector or access/frontage streets to arterials.
c. Streets which are designed with elements to provide visual or physical buffering may be used as boundaries between industrial and employment-related development and commercial or higher-density residential land uses.
d. Encourage the consolidation of access and driveways serving two or more uses within the industrial/business park development..
2. Building Relationships
a. A back-to-back relationship is preferable between industrial-related and residential uses, and may require substantial screening to provide compatibility. A front-to-front relationship is encouraged for all non-residential uses.[bse51]
b. Industrial and employment-related buildings and parking areas should have greater setbacks than the required setbacks of abutting residential uses. A buffer of two times the required setback is highly encouraged when abutting residential neighborhoods and development[bse52] .
c. The height and massing of industrial and employment-related buildings and accessory structures should be oriented away from residential neighborhoods to avoid creating a negative [bse53] visual effect. Industrial building height and massing should be complementary and reflect the residential architecture and neighborhood character when adjacent to such development.[bse54]
3. Land Features
a. Retain mature trees, natural vegetation, natural and environmentally sensitive areas to naturally separate industrial and employment-related developments from residential land uses.
b. Use existing topography to naturally separate industrial and employment-related developments and other less intensive land uses.
4. Screening and Landscaping
a. Encourage the creative and extensive use of landscaping and berming techniques for effective buffering between differing intensities of land uses.
b. Fences shall not be used as a sole method of providing screening and buffering. Where fencing is proposed, additional landscaping may be required to soften the monotonous effect of a fenceline.
c. Encourage the[bse55] use of existing vegetation, such as stands of mature trees, and other natural site features into the landscape design as natural buffers or focal points.
d. Use high quality materials in the construction of screening and landscaping to decrease long-term maintenance costs. Quality of site landscaping shall mirror the quality of the overall development.[bse56]
e. Unsightly views and light trespass should be screened from neighboring properties and the public right-of-way. Building materials or structures incompatible with the image of a high-quality development, such as chain-link fences, outdoor storage facilities, etc., should not be the means of screening areas visible from public streets or adjacent parcels.[bse57]
5. Lighting
Any lighting used to illuminate parking areas, signs or structures shall be placed to deflect light away from any adjoining property or from public streets through fixture type, height and location.
Policy 3.2: Consideration of Transitional Uses
a. Consider low-intensity commercial or office development as a transition between industrial and employment-related development and low-density residential neighborhoods. The low-intensity commercial or office development should include:
1. Design elements such as: height, massing, and scale compatible with the surrounding low-density residential uses;
2. Site design compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods with consideration given to extensive screening, building and parking orientation, and preservation of natural site amenities; and
3. Site access provided from arterial, collector or access/frontage streets and traffic directed away from surrounding residential areas.
b. Encourage the integration of higher-density residential development through compatible design with industrial and employment-related developments and the surrounding low-density residential neighborhoods. Compatible design includes proper building transition and buffers.[bse58]
c. Utilize medium- or high-intensity recreational facilities as a transitional use to lesser-intensity uses. Encourage the joint use of parking facilities to serve the recreational uses[bse59] .
d. Incorporate open spaces and natural site features as a transitional use between industrial and employment-related development and low-density residential development.[bse60]
Policy 3.3: Consider Image and Appearance in Site Layout
a. Establish design guidelines and standards for new industrial and employment-related development.
b. Encourage best management practices for site planning and design that include, but are not limited to, the consideration of natural site features, building placement and orientation, vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns, open space, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management, and interfacings with adjacent neighborhoods and development.
c. Encourage building design techniques that include, but are not limited to, the consideration of facade and exterior wall articulation, materials and colors, rooflines, entryways, signage, and energy and resource conservation.
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Traffic impacts continue to be a major concern in industrial and employment-related developments, with much of the concern related to ensuring safe and efficient access and circulation within and around industrial and employment-related areas. |
GOAL 4: Transportation Considerations
Promote a multi-modal transportation system which provides or improves access and circulation within and adjacent to industrial and employment-related areas.
Policy 4.1: Level of Service
Do not permit the expansion of existing or construction of new industrial and employment-related development in areas where, even with street and traffic signal improvements, the additional traffic generated by such development would result in an unacceptable Level of Service.[bse62]
Policy 4.2: Evaluate Traffic Impacts
An evaluation of the traffic impacts of a development on the surrounding area should consider the existing and projected traffic conditions and their impact on the existing transportation system and should be based on planned improvements which are identified in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the Comprehensive Plan, or the Long-Range Transportation Plan. The Capital Improvement Plan, the Comprehensive Plan, and the Long-Range Transportation Plan shall be updated periodically to recognize changes in priorities and to add new projects with designated priorities.
Policy 4.3: Vehicular Circulation and Access
a. Require, wherever possible, vehicular circulation within compatible developments that allows internal access to adjacent industrial and employment-related buildings and developments.
b. Prohibit direct vehicular access from industrial and employment-related developments to local residential streets. Industrial and employment-related traffic through residential areas is strongly discouraged.
c. Limit the principal access for industrial and employment-related centers to arterial, collector or access/frontage roads. There shall be no curb cuts on arterial streets unless a hardship can be shown.
d. Adequate ingress and egress from industrial and employment-related centers should strive to provide a minimum of two access points.
e. Encourage shared access between adjacent industrial and employment-related developments. Plan for coordinated traffic circulation within and adjacent to proposed development areas.
Policy 4.4: Pedestrian Access and Circulation
a. Provide sidewalks on both sides of all streets (public and private).
b. Provide safe, convenient pedestrian access from parking areas and avoid pedestrian and vehicular conflicts within these industrial and employment-related developments.
c. Include bicycle access, or the potential for such access, within industrial and employment-related developments, between major employment areas within the community, and with the community’s overall bicycle network.
d. Strongly consider public transit facilities and pedestrian-related facilities as a requirement of industrial and business park development.
e. Encourage public transit.
Policy 4.5: Parking and Loading
a. Develop parking areas in convenient locations to support industrial and employment-related traffic.
b. Identify potential parking areas which will serve mass transit and carpooling.
c. Ensure adequate loading space, within a building or a side or rear yard, in such a way that all storage, standing and maneuvering of trucks will take place solely on private property.
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Appendices for supplemental reports
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