§ 6.5 MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS.

   6.5.1   Purpose and intent. The Mixed-Use Districts allow for a mix of nonresidential and residential uses within the same development or building. This type of development is intended to encourage the physical design characteristics of pedestrian oriented, storefront-style shopping streets.

   6.5.2   Gateway Districts. The Butner Gateway consists of five Base Zoning Districts described in § 6.5 and three floating Conditional Zoning Districts described in § 6.6 within separate specific areas. Using a hybrid of form based code and traditional land use based code, these Base Zoning Districts create a cohesive, integrated, and unified development consistent with the town’s Gateway Small Area Plan adopted December 3, 2015 and the town’s current Comprehensive Plan. The Base Districts are allowed only within the Gateway Area. Before development in the Gateway Districts may occur, a concept plan must be reviewed and approved by Town Council in accordance with 3.2.6. Uses allowed in each Gateway District are shown in Table 7-1, Table of Permitted Uses. Any property in the Gateway area can request a Conditional District rezoning to allow a use allowed in another Gateway District.

   (A)   Gateway Base Zoning Districts.

      (1)   Central Avenue Mixed-Use District (CX). The Central Avenue Mixed-Use District (CX) is established to accommodate a mix of commercial, office, and supporting higher density residential uses typically within a vertical mixed-use project. It is intended to serve as the Gateway “Main Street” promoting a compact urban form. This district utilizes build-to lines as compared to more traditional building setbacks, and minimum building/block standards. Uses which utilize and/or incorporate public space into the development (sidewalk cafes, and the like) shall be encouraged within this district, especially those properties fronting Central Avenue.

      (2)   South Interchange Gateway District (SI). The South Interchange Gateway District (SI) is established to accommodate a mix of convenience retail and restaurants, moderate intensity commercial development, as well as neighborhood serving commercial and professional office uses. The district may provide transient uses typically associated with higher volume thoroughfares and interstate interchanges. Multi-family residential uses may be provided as part of a vertically integrated mixed-use project.

      (3)   North Interchange Gateway District (NI). The North Interchange Gateway District (NI) is established to accommodate a mix of convenience retail and restaurants, including moderate and high intensity commercial uses typically associated with higher volume thoroughfares and interstate interchanges. This district may also provide large-scale, big-box oriented uses.

      (4)   Central Gateway West District (CW). The Central Gateway West District (CW) is established to accommodate an economic development and employment generating area including office, industrial, and institutional uses. Institutional uses are intended to be located across from Murdoch Center. Office and institutional uses are intended south of 26th Street up the Central Avenue Mixed-Use District to act as a transition between the mixed-use area and the more intense industrial uses. The area in between, north of 26th Street and extending across the railroad to the east, is intended to be the primary employment center for the Gateway area. This area focuses on nonresidential operations including employment and job generating uses. Uses within this district will likely use the railroad and interstate for the movement of goods. Properties in this area may be developed individually or as part of a business or office park. Supporting residential may be provided under limited situations, and shall not be primary uses in this district.

      (5)   Central Gateway East District (CE). The Central Gateway East District (CE) is established to accommodate the connection between the major commercial nodes via the parkway with a mix of uses including primarily office, institutional, and industrial. The district also includes “Opportunity Site A” which may be developed as either office and institutional or residential developments with increased densities. Nonresidential uses within the opportunity site are envisioned to include an academic/healthcare campus concept. Residential uses are envisioned as an age-targeted neighborhood and/or a variety of housing types and styles including attached and limited detached housing. Consistent with the Central Gateway West District, properties north of 26th Street and its continuation to Telecom Drive comprise the Gateway Area’s primary employment center.

   6.5.3   Gateway Base Zoning District Standards.

   (A)   Concept plan required. A concept plan is required prior to the use or development of any Gateway Zoning District.

   (B)   Preservation of environmentally sensitive areas. All areas of wetlands, steep slopes, floodways, and other environmentally sensitive areas must be preserved as open space.

   (C)   Density. The maximum residential density within the Butner Gateway districts shall be ten dwelling units per acre except where regulated by the single-family lot size set forth in division 6.5.3(D) below.

   (D)   Lot standards.

      (1)   Minimum lot sizes in each area of the Butner Gateway are established by the concept plan. Where a residential area abuts a platted or developed single-family residential subdivision, the minimum lot size shall not be less than one-half of the minimum lot size of the adjoining district. However, no residential lot shall be less than 6,000 square feet in gross area.

      (2)   Minimum lot width for detached single-family detached residential lots shall be 50 feet. Minimum lot width for all other lots shall be established by the concept plan.

      (3)   Lots may not exceed a width to depth ratio of 4:1. Exceptions to this standard may be granted based on existing environmental features, required stormwater facilities, or other site specific considerations which must be approved by the Town Council as part of the required concept plan.

      (4)   Double frontage lots including those served by alleys may be provided within the Butner Gateway Area consistent with the concept plan.

   (E)   Setbacks and building zones. Setback requirements for residential development in any of the Gateway Districts are established by the approved concept plan.

      (1)   Development in the NI District and nonresidential uses in the CE District shall have the following minimum building setbacks:

 

Front	35 feet
Side	15 feet
Rear	25 feet
Adjacent to existing residential uses and the perimeter of the Gateway Area	50 feet

 

      (2)   Development in the SI District shall have the following building zones (minimum and maximum building setbacks).

         (i)   The front building zone shall be between eight and 25 feet from the back of the sidewalk to provide for public space. Public space areas are intended to function as a portion of the streetscape and shall provide for an attractive, safe, and functional environment. These areas shall be designed for the type of development that they serve and be reflected on approved site plans. Public space areas shall enhance the development’s aesthetics. Street side public space areas shall be a minimum of eight feet in width beginning at the back edge of the public sidewalk and may be included within the build-to-zone and/or setback. Public space shall include at least one item from List A and at least items two List B.

 

List A

Benches

Café style seating

Increased sidewalk widths along public roadways

Seatwalls

List B

Awnings, canopies, or similar shade structures (excludes gas canopies)

Decorative bollards

Decorative railing

Exterior, pedestrian scale lighting (excludes required street lights)

Potted planters

Public art

Similar items as may be approved by the Ordinance Administrator

 

         (ii)   The side building zone shall be between zero and ten feet, except where parking in the side yard is provided; however, the side building line shall not exceed 45 feet except where approved by the Ordinance Administrator.

         (iii)   There is no minimum rear building zone in order to allow for parking in the rear of buildings and/or necessary utilities and infrastructure.

         (iv)   Buildings which face a public road or right-of-way, including the side and rear of the buildings, shall be designed and constructed to provide the appearance of the front of the building through use of windows, doors, awnings, canopies, or similar feature. In cases where the main entrance to the building is not from the street, the building must also be designed for a main entrance on the street side in case a future tenant wants the building to face the street.

      (3)   Development in the CX and CW Districts shall have the following building zones (minimum and maximum building setbacks).

         (i)   The front building zone shall be between 0 and 30 feet. Parking should be provided to the side and/or rear of the building. In areas where cross access to adjacent development connects to existing parking in front of the building, a single row of parking is allowed in front of the building and the front building zone can be up to 50 feet. Corner lots may only have parking in one front building zone.

         (ii)   The side building zone shall be between zero and ten feet, except where parking in the side yard is provided; however, the side building zone shall not exceed 45 feet except where approved by the Ordinance Administrator.

         (iii)   There is no required rear building zone in order to allow for parking in the rear of buildings and/or necessary utilities and infrastructure.

         (iv)   Buildings which face a public road or right-of-way including the side and rear of the buildings shall be designed and constructed to provide the appearance of the front of the building through use of windows, doors, awnings, canopies, or similar feature.

      (4)   All setbacks and building zones for uses or districts not specifically noted in this division shall be established by the approved concept plan.

   (F)   Building frontage.

      (1)   Within the CX and SI Districts, the minimum building frontage shall be 65% of the lot width. This standard may be modified by the Ordinance Administrator based on required utility and drainage easements and/or vehicular accesses (i.e., public streets). In the case of a corner lot and/or double frontage lot, the Ordinance Administrator shall determine the front yard. Minimum building frontage in all other Gateway Districts shall be no less than 30% of the lot width. Building frontage may be provided as follows.

         (i)   The building frontage minimum requirement may be achieved completely by building facade or a combination of building facade, porte cochere, and similar decorative structural feature, including the use of street walls. These elements when used to meet this standard shall be designed with similar building materials and architectural appearance as the primary structure. Street walls, if provided, must be no less than 24 inches and no more than 60 inches above grade.

         (ii)   The following items may encroach up to one half of the minimum building zone distance so long as a minimum of eight feet of vertical clearance is provided: awnings; canopies; signs limited to awning and canopy; and balconies.

   (G)   Maximum height.

      (1)   The maximum height for single-family residential structures is 35 feet.

      (2)   The maximum height for the CX District is 45 feet.

      (3)   In nonresidential designated areas in the SI, Nl, CE, and CW Districts the maximum height is 60 feet.

      (4)   With the exception of single-family residential development, increased building heights above the maximum stated may be considered up to a maximum of 50% of the maximum height standard, providing height mitigation measures such as a building stepback or setback are proposed and approved by the Ordinance Administrator. Buildings exceeding the maximum height shall provide a stepback of at least 15 feet along all sides facing a public roadway.

      (5)   Any single-story structure in which the floor to ceiling height exceeds 15 feet or the exterior facade height exceeds 25 feet, shall be designed to appear like a multistory structure.

   (H)   Open space and recreation facilities.

      For developments greater than ten acres as identified by a concept plan, subdivision, or site plan, a minimum of 5% of the gross area of the development must be dedicated to open space exclusive of any existing wetland area; parcels less than ten acres shall be exempt from this standard. No more than 50% of the dedicated open space may be used for active recreation purposes (i.e., soccer fields, multi-purpose fields, tennis courts, and the like). At least 50% of the passive recreation/natural areas must be usable and accessible (i.e., not including wetlands, steep slopes, or other marginal lands); stormwater features including ponds, lakes, or similar may count towards this total providing they are publicly accessible and provide a public edge through a sidewalk, trail, or similar.

      Within mixed-use and residential developments, the open space can be provided in the form of neighborhood parks, plazas, greenways, or similar, subject to approval by the Ordinance Administrator. These areas shall include a minimum of three or more of the following program elements: community building; public gathering space; playground; pet park; trails; picnic area; shade structures; and benches. The minimum open space area shall be 10,000 square feet.

      The approved concept plan shall provide a listing of acceptable open space uses, types, and generalized locations.

   (I)   Connectivity/access.

      (1)   All buildings and/or lots shall front on a public street either existing or a new street constructed to the town’s standards.

      (2)   All development must be arranged in such a manner that convenient pedestrian access is provided between and within those developments and uses through sidewalks, greenways, trails, or similar features. Connectivity shall also be provided to civic and recreational spaces, where practical.

      (3)   Cross access shall be provided to the adjacent properties except where not practical due to environmental features, utilities/infrastructure, or other site specific features. Any request to waive the requirement for cross access shall be approved by the Ordinance Administrator.

      (4)   Placement and width shall be consistent with the Gateway street standards as described in the town’s street design standards.

      (5)   Due to the nature and intent of the Gateway area, division 13.4.3(A)(1) shall not apply. Except where approved by the Ordinance Administrator, adjacent parcels shall provide for cross access.

   (J)   Parking and loading. Off-street parking and loading areas must be provided in accordance with Article 13 of this ordinance.

      (1)   Cross access. Cross access to adjacent properties in the Gateway Districts shall be provided in accordance with the approved concept plan, consistent with the town’s Gateway Small Area Plan adopted December 3, 2015.

      (2)   Off-site parking. If parking required by this ordinance cannot be reasonably provided on the same lot as the principal use, a portion of the required off-street parking can be located on-street or on a separate lot no more than 400 feet from the lot on which the principal building or use is located. A continuous paved pedestrian pathway or sidewalk a minimum of five feet in width shall be required between the off-site parking area and the entry to the principal use.

      (3)   Shared parking. Shared parking is encouraged within the Gateway Districts in order to provide opportunities to reduce the amount of land needed for parking and create opportunities for more compact development, more space for pedestrian circulation, or more open space and landscaping. Up to 50% of required parking may be shared between uses with different peak use times as approved by the Ordinance Administrator.

      (4)   On-street parking.

         (i)   On-street parking may be provided on the local commercial collector streets within the Gateway Districts except for:

            (a)   Gate 2 Road: from the right-of-way of Interstate 85 to the northerly railroad right-of-way; and

            (b)   E C Street: from the right-of-way of Interstate 85 to the intersection of S. 33rd Street.

         (ii)   On-street parking within 300 feet of the building entry may provide for up to 10% of the required parking spaces. Parking spaces proposed to meet this standard shall be striped/dedicated on-street parking spaces and recognized by the town.

         (iii)   The minimum sidewalk width for public streets providing on-street parking shall be 12 feet.

      (5)   Parking location.

         (i)   Parking within the SI, CX, and CW Districts in the Gateway shall be located to the rear or side of the building. In the CX District where cross access to adjacent development connects to existing parking in front of the building, a single row of parking is allowed in front of the building.

         (ii)   No parking space other than on-street parking shall open directly onto a public street (single-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses are exempt).

         (iii)   Except for single-family and two-family dwellings, aisles, driveways, and joint access (cross access) driveways shall not be used for parking vehicles.

         (iv)   Required parking spaces for all uses except single-family and two-family dwellings shall be designed to permit entry and exit without moving any other vehicle.

         (v)   No parking space shall be located so as to block designated emergency access.

         (vi)   No portion of any required parking space shall be located within the right-of-way of a street or alley.

      (6)   Change in use. If the change in use requires an increase in required parking greater than 50% of the previously required parking, all parking must be brought into compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, including, but not limited to, location, size, materials, and access.

      (7)   Bicycle parking. Bicycle parking shall be provided per division 13.7.3 of the town’s land development ordinance.

   (K)   Street design. Streets must be designed and located so that they are integrated into and provide continuation of the surrounding street network. A minimum street connectivity index score of 1.5, as outlined in division 14.3.4(B), shall be maintained throughout the development.

   (L)   Signs.

      (1)   A common signage plan must be included as part of the concept plan. This common signage plan shall specify the size, type, height, setback, location, design, illumination, and number of signs to be allowed in the Gateway Districts. All signs included in the common signage plan shall utilize the same coordinated colors, styles, and lettering schemes throughout the development.

      (2)   Single-family residential portions of the Gateway Districts shall follow the standards set forth for signs in the RT District.

      (3)   Non-single-family residential portions of the CX, SI, and CW Gateway Districts shall follow the standards set forth for signs in the CB District.

      (4)   Non-single-family residential portions of the NI and CE Gateway Districts shall follow the standards set forth for signs in the HB District.

      (5)   Developments may exchange one free standing sign for additional square footage of wall, canopy, awning, or window signage. Wall, canopy, awning, or window or similar signage may not be exchanged for free standing signage.

   (M)   Landscaping. Landscaping standards for the Gateway Districts are established by the approved concept plan and shall follow Article 9 of this ordinance.

   (N)   Buffering. Buffering standards for the Gateway Districts are established by the approved concept plan. Due to the nature of the Gateway Area, there are no buffers required between uses except as noted here.

      (1)   Between industrial land uses and residential land use a Type B buffer according to Article 10 of this ordinance is required.

      (2)   Between industrial land uses and all other land uses a Type A buffer according to Article 10 of this ordinance is required.

      (3)   Buffering between uses separated by a road or railroad may reduce the buffer standards by one-half.

      (4)   The Ordinance Administrator may require the installation of a Type A buffer strip along the frontage of all lots. Individual single-family lots and development along Central Avenue shall be exempt from this standard.

      (5)   In the case of a conflict, the Ordinance Administrator is authorized to interpret and require the application of the buffer standard.

(Amended 8-2-2018; Ord. A.22.01, passed 4-7-2022; Ord. TA. 24.05, passed 6-6-2024)