(a) Purpose. The Office District is established to reserve areas for the development of small scale office uses adjacent to residential uses. A mixture of office and residential uses is permitted in the Office District. This district may serve as a transition as residential areas convert to other uses or between residential and commercial areas. Due to the location of the Office District near residential areas, uses in this district shall conduct most of their activities during daylight hours.
(b) Allowable land uses. All permitted uses, special uses, conditional uses and uses expressly prohibited are identified in subsection 7-8-1(d), Table of Permitted Uses. Standards for special uses and conditional uses can be found in article XVI of this chapter.
(c) Reserved.
(d) Reserved.
(e) Reserved.
(f) Development standards.
(1) Density standards. The maximum residential density per acre within the Office District shall be 20 dwelling units; or 40 dwelling units if 20 percent of the dwelling units are designated affordable. Projects including affordable units must provide a declaration of deed restrictions ensuring that rents or sale prices will remain affordable for the first ten years after completion, increasing by no more than three percent per year, or the annual increase in the Consumer Price index, whichever is lower. Also, such units must be reserved for qualified households in a form satisfactory to the city attorney.
(2) Structure size standards. New structures in the Office District shall not exceed a total of 4,000 square feet in gross floor area for one story buildings and 8,000 square feet for multiple story buildings. Existing structures shall not be expanded to exceed these limits.
(3) Lot size standards. The minimum lot size in the Office District shall be 5,445 square feet.
(4) Lot width standards. Lots in the Office District shall have a minimum width of 50 feet.
(5) Setback standards. The following minimum setbacks shall be required for uses in the Office District.
Front: 15 feet, except that the minimum setback may be reduced to zero feet in pedestrian-oriented areas where road widening is not anticipated provided that all parking is located to the side or rear and not closer to the street than the façade of the principal structure, and where pedestrian-oriented design features are incorporated in building and site design.
Side: 10 feet.
Rear: 15 feet.
The landscape and buffering standards (section 7-11-3) may require additional setbacks; if so, the most restrictive requirement shall apply.
The minimum spacing between structures shall, in addition, be as per the North Carolina State Building Code, Volume V - Fire Prevention.
(6) Impervious surface standards. The maximum impervious surface coverage in the Office District shall be 80 percent.
(7) Height standards. The maximum height of structures in the Office District shall be 40 feet.
(8) Landscaping/buffering standards. Landscaping and/or buffering shall be provided as required by section 7-11-3
of this chapter.
(9) Parking/loading standards. Parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by section 7-11-2 of this chapter. No parking shall be permitted in any required setback.
(10) Sidewalk standards. Sidewalks shall be provided as required by and pursuant to the requirements for sidewalks as set forth in section 7-11-8 of this chapter.
(11) Access standards. None.
(12) Open space standards. Open space shall be provided as required by section 7-11-4 of this chapter.
(13) Design and operation standards. All activities associated with non-residential uses, including deliveries and refuse collection, shall be conducted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. The arrival and departure of guests at bed and breakfast homestays and inns shall be exempt from this standard.
(14) Emergency wireless communications. Communication requirements shall be provided as required by section 7-11-9 of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 2369, § 1, 5-27-97; Ord. No. 2490, § 1, 6-9-98; Ord. No. 2663, § 1(g), 2-8-00; Ord. No. 2664, § 1(i), 2-8-00; Ord. No. 2904, § 1(i), 3-12-02; Ord. No. 3010, § 1b, 3-25-03; Ord. No. 3156, § 1, 8-24-04; Ord. No. 3157, § 1(a)(3), 8- 24-04; Ord. No. 3272, § 1(b), 7-26-05; Ord. No. 3483, § 1(b), 6-2-07; Ord. No. 3583, § 1(a), 2-12-08; Ord. No. 3643, § 1a, 7-22-08; Ord. No. 3743, § 1a, 6-9-09; Ord. No. 3874, § 1c, 6-8-10; Ord. No. 3908, § 1b, 10-26-10; Ord. No. 3959, §§ 1n, p, 4-12-11; Ord. No. 4374, § 1a, 12-9-14; Ord. No. 4361, § 1m, 3-23-21; Ord. No. 4961, § 1a, 7-26-22)