Memorandum

City of Lawrence/Douglas County

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

Douglas County Board of County Commissioners

Lawrence City Commission

 

FROM:

Sandra L. Day, AICP, Planning Staff

 

Date:

May 14, 2008

 

RE:

Industrial District Comparison

 

 

In response to inquires made about city industrial zoning districts related to the proposed annexation located at the NW corner of N 1800 Road and E 900 Road staff has identified the key differences in the IG (Industrial General) and IL (Industrial Limited) zoning districts and have highlighted which specific uses may be permitted in the districts. Attached is a comparison and a summary table listing allowed uses between and within the IG and IL zoning districts. The IBP (Industrial Business Park) is included in the use table list. The purpose of this memorandum and supporting documentation is to clarify how the use groups are used by staff and to highlight the significant differences between the industrial districts.

 

The key difference between the two industrial districts is that “Intensive Industrial” uses are allowed in the IG district but not the IL district. Intensive Industrial uses have the following characteristics that have a potential to be detected off-site for prolonged duration of time:

 

  • Continuous, frequent, or repetitive noises or vibrations;
  • Noxious or toxic fumes, odors, or emissions;
  • Electrical disturbances; or
  • Night illumination into residential areas

 

In addition most retail uses are not allowed in the IG district, but many are allowed in the IL district.

 

Local examples of uses that would be found in the “Intensive Industrial” use group include Penny’s Concrete, LRM Industries and Hamm Companies.  

 

Most “industrial uses” can be categorized into General Industrial; such as Pur-o-zone, Hallmark Cards and Allen Press Manufacturing and Production Limited, or Manufacturing and Production, Technical use group. Martin Logan, M-Pact Worldwide, and Microtech are local examples of the “Manufacturing and Production, Technical” use group and would be allowed uses in either the IG or IL zoning district.

 

The Wholesale, Storage & Distribution: Light use group would include local examples such as O’Mally Beverage, Standard Beverage, Professional Moving and Storage, and the K-Mart distribution center and similar facilities.

 

Lastly, some businesses, such as Cottonwood Incorporated, provide many different functions depending on the customer but they are capable of operating warehousing, manufacturing, and product fulfillment orders. These types of uses will have to be individually evaluated and could be found to be consistent with more than one type of use category. In such instances staff has worked with a property owner to determine and define the primary activity and intensity to properly classify the use and identify the appropriate zoning district.