(a) Purpose. The Highway Business District is established to address the needs of commercial development along major thoroughfares. Automobile oriented development is prevalent within this district and a wide range of commercial uses is permitted. Due to the dominance of the automobile, a major objective within this district is to preserve the traffic capacity of the thoroughfare. This is attempted through minimizing the number of access points onto the thoroughfare, encouraging zero-lot line development, and promoting shared parking and access between adjacent businesses. Development which enhances the function of the thoroughfare and is sensitive to the appearance of the corridor is essential within this district. These major corridors are the gateways to Asheville and often define the first image of the city.
(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 Highway Business District shall be 35 dwelling units; or 70 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 developments in the highway business district shall not exceed a total of 200,000 square feet in gross floor area for multiple tenant developments and 100,000 square feet in gross floor area for single tenant development; existing developments shall not be expanded to exceed these limits. In multi-tenant developments, no single retailer may exceed those limits set forth in subsection 7-16-2(c)(10) and shall not constitute more than 75 percent of the total gross floor area of the development in order to receive a multi-tenant square footage allowance.
(3) Lot size standards. None.
(4) Lot width standards. There shall be no minimum lot width standards, however, the minimum lot frontage shall be 100 lineal feet or meet access requirements for non-residential lots as set forth in subsection 7-11-2(k). For through and corner lots, the minimum street frontage shall be required along the property line abutting the larger thoroughfare.
(5) Setback standards. The following minimum setbacks shall be required for uses in the Highway Business District.
Front: 35 feet, except that the minimum setback may be reduced to five 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: None required
Rear: 10 feet.
Corner lot, street side: 25 feet.
The landscape and buffering standards (section 7-11-3) may require additional setback; if so, the most restrictive requirement shall apply.
The minimum spacing between structures shall, in addition, be as per the Asheville Fire Prevention Code.
(6) Impervious surface standards. None.
(7) Height standards. The maximum height of structures in the Highway Business District shall be 60 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.
(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. Points of access to the street shall be determined by the city traffic engineer following review of the site plan and other relevant information.
(12) Open space standards. Open space shall be provided as required by section 7-11-4 of this chapter.
(13) Design and operation standards. None required.
(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. 2462, §§ 1(a), 2, 4-14-98; Ord. No. 2539, § 1, 1-26-99; Ord. No. 2649, § 1(a), 12-21-99; Ord. No. 2663, § 1(g), 2-8-00; Ord. No. 2664, § 1(p), 2-8-00; Ord. No. 2904, § 1(p), 3-12-02; Ord. No. 3002, § 1b, 2-25-03; Ord. No. 3010, § 1(c), 3-25-03; Ord. No. 3156, § 1, 8-24-04; Ord. No. 3209, § 1b, 1-25-05; Ord. No. 3272, § 1(b), 7-26-05; Ord. No. 3337, § 1(b), (c), 2-28-06; Ord. No. 3390, § 1(b), 9-12-06; Ord. No. 3483, § 1(b), 6-2- 07; Ord. No. 3582, § 1(b), 2-12-08; Ord. No. 3583, § 1(a), 2-12-08; Ord. No. 3643, § 1a, 7-22-08; Ord. No. 3685, §§ 1b, c, 1-13-09; Ord. No. 3711, § 1, 3-10-09; Ord. No. 3743, § 1a, 6-9-09; Ord. No. 3856, § 1b, 5-25-10; Ord. No. 3908, § 1b, 10-26-10; Ord. No. 3959, §§ 1n, p, 4-12-11; Ord. No. 4374, § 1g, 12-9-14; Ord. No. 4361, § 1m, 3-23-21; Ord. No. 4961, § 1a, 7-26-22)