§ 153.044 TECHNOLOGY FLEX (TF) DISTRICT.
   (A)   District purpose and intent. The Technology Flex (TF) District provides for a broad range of research, office, laboratory and clean manufacturing uses that will foster a well-rounded and diverse economy for the city. The TF District supports appropriate light-industrial options, while encouraging greater opportunity for research and office uses that will improve Dublin's competitive edge within the region. Flexible architectural spaces are desired that will accommodate the expansion and changing operations of small to medium size companies.
   (B)   District uses. Uses in the TF District are as shown on the following table. Descriptions and characteristics of use categories can be found in § 153.002(A) - uses definitions. Additional development requirements for particular uses are contained in division (C) of this section as referenced below within the "Use Specific Standards" column.
      (1)   Permitted uses. Uses denoted as "P" in Table 153.044(B)(4) indicate that the land use is allowed by right, subject to compliance with the use-specific standards referenced in the final column of the use table and all other applicable provisions of Chapter 153.
      (2)   Conditional uses. Uses denoted as "C" in Table 153.044(B)(4) indicate that the land use is allowed only upon approval of a conditional use permit as required by § 153.236, compliance with use-specific standards referenced in the final column of the use table and all other applicable provisions of Chapter 153.
      (3)   Size or time limited uses. Uses denoted with an "S" or "T" in Table 153.044(B)(4) indicate special limits regarding size or time duration of the use and are subject to compliance with the use-specific standards referenced in the final column of the use table and all other applicable provisions of Chapter 153.
      (4)   Table of uses.
P=Permitted C=Conditional S=Size Limited T=Time Limited
PRIMARY USES
USE CONDITIONS
USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS
P=Permitted C=Conditional S=Size Limited T=Time Limited
PRIMARY USES
USE CONDITIONS
USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS
Commercial Uses
Animal Care- General Services
P,T
153.044(C)(1)
Animal Care- Veterinary Offices
P,T
153.044(C)(2)
Animal Care- Veterinary Urgent Care and Hospitals
P,T
153.044(C)(2)
Data Center
P
Entertainment and Recreation- Indoor
C
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory
P
Office- General
P
Office- Call Centers
C
Office- Flex
P,S
153.044(C)(3)
Office- Medical
P
Parking Structures
C
Personal, Repair and Rental Services
P
153.044(C)(4)
Retail
P
153.044(C)(4)
Transportation- Park-and-Ride
P
153.044(C)(5)
Truck and Van Rental Establishments
C
153.044(C)(14)
Civic, Public & Institutional Uses
Day Care- Child
P
Educational Facility
P
153.044(C(6)
Government Services- General
P
Government Services- Safety
P
Government Services- Service
P
Parks and Open Space
P
Industrial Uses
Construction and Contract Service Trades
P
Manufacturing and Assembly
P
153.044(C)(7)
Mini-Storage
C
Motor Vehicle Repair- Major
P
153.044(C)(8)
Research and Development
P
Utilities- Electric Substation
C
153.044(C)(10)
Utilities- Essential Services
P
Utilities- Wireless Communications
153.044(C)(11)
Wholesaling and Distribution
C
153.044(C)(11)
Residential Uses
Dwelling- Single-Family
P
153.044(C)(12)
 
P=Permitted C=Conditional S=Size Limited T=Time Limited
ACCESSORY/TEMPORARY USES
USE CONDITIONS
USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS
P=Permitted C=Conditional S=Size Limited T=Time Limited
ACCESSORY/TEMPORARY USES
USE CONDITIONS
USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS
Accessory uses are permitted only in connection with a permitted or approved conditional use on the same property and must be clearly subordinate and incidental to that use. No accessory use may be operated when a permitted or approved conditional use does not exist on the property. Permitted primary uses are permitted as accessory uses.
Bicycle Facilities
P
Day Care- Child
P,S
153.044(C)(13)
Community Activity
T
Construction Trailer/Office
T
Corporate Residences
P
Entertainment and Recreation- Indoor
C
Parking Structures
P
Special Event
T
Transportation- Transit Stop
P
Utilities- Renewable Energy Equipment
P
Utilities- Renewable Energy Facilities
P
Utilities- Renewable Wind Equipment
P
Vehicle Charging Station
P
Wholesaling and Distribution
P
 
   (C)   Use specific standards. The following requirements shall apply in addition to all other applicable development regulations for specific types of uses in the Technology Flex (TF) District:
      (1)   Animal care-general services. Services shall be provided indoors and may include grooming, sitting (daytime only), training and accessory retail sales of pet care products, or other similar uses. Overnight boarding is not permitted. Outdoor pet service areas shall be located at least 50 feet from any property line and 500 feet from any residential district or residential subarea of a planned development district. Use of outdoor pet service areas shall be limited to between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
      (2)   Animal care-veterinary offices and veterinary urgent care and hospitals. Boarding of animals shall only be permitted for the ongoing care of animals in treatment and must be provided within the principal structure. All outdoor pet service areas shall be located at least 50 feet from any property line and 500 feet from any residential district or residential subarea of a planned development district. Use of outdoor pet service areas shall be limited to between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
      (3)   Office-flex. Flex office must include a minimum of 30% office use. Remaining space may be used for any combination of research & laboratory space, clean manufacturing and assembly, wholesaling and/or related showroom, warehousing and or distribution purposes. Any showroom component shall not exceed 10% of the gross floor area of the principal structure and shall not count toward office calculations.
      (4)   Personal services and retail. Only those uses present as of the effective date of this section shall be permitted. Once removed, no further uses shall be permitted as a primary use.
      (5)   Transportation- park-and-rides. Park and ride facilities shall provide only one shelter per bus route.
      (6)   Educational facility. These uses shall have no rooms for the regular housing or sleeping of students.
      (7)   Manufacturing & assembly and wholesaling & distribution. Any auxiliary showroom areas associated with the primary use shall not exceed 10% of the gross floor area of the principal structure.
      (8)   Motor vehicle repair-major. Only those uses present as of the effective date of this section shall be permitted. Once removed, no further uses shall be permitted as a primary use.
      (9)   (Reserved)
      (10)   Utilities- electric substation. Electric substations shall be located at least 700 feet from all residential districts or residential subarea of a planned development district.
      (11)   Utilities- wireless communications. For regulations governing wireless communication uses, Chapter 99 of the Dublin Codified Ordinances shall apply.
      (12)   Dwelling- single-family. Only residential uses existing as of the effective date of this section are permitted. Once removed, no further single-family dwelling shall be permitted.
      (13)   Child day care. Day care components shall not exceed 20% of the gross floor area of the principal structure.
      (14)   Truck and van rental establishments.
         (a)   The minimum lot size shall be 20,000 square feet. For uses that have more than ten vehicles for rent, an additional 1,500 square feet of lot area shall be required for each additional vehicle over ten, provided that not more than 40 vehicles may be displayed on any site. Permitted vehicles shall not exceed 26 feet in length. To minimize views from adjacent streets, this use shall not be permitted on a lot abutting an arterial street or freeway, or Wilcox Road, or on any lot that abuts or is directly across the street from a residential district or use.
         (b)   Areas specifically set aside for parking of vehicles for rent shall be specifically designated on the site plan submitted with the application. Trucks and vans for rental shall not be parked in any other area, except as may be needed for the staging of vehicles for customer use. Minor servicing may be permitted on site provided it is done within an enclosed facility, not including vehicle washing or cleaning which may be permitted within the designated parking areas.
         (c)   The designated parking area for trucks or vans for rental shall meet the requirements of division (E)(2) of this section, provided that the required screening shall be a minimum of six feet in height and further provided that the remainder of § 153.133(C)(1) be satisfied.
   (D)   Site development requirements. In addition to the provisions of §§ 153.070 through 153.076, the following requirements for arrangement and development of land and buildings shall be met:
      (1)   Intensity of use. Lot size shall be sufficient to provide the yard spaces required by this section and the following provisions:
         (a)   Maximum lot coverage. Lot coverage for structures and impervious surfaces shall not exceed 70%.
         (b)   Building height. The height of principal and accessory structures shall be limited based upon setback requirements of this District as identified in § 153.044(D)(2)(c). Structures greater than 56 feet in height shall require conditional use approval in accordance with § 153.236.
      (2)   Setback requirements. Placement of structures and improvements shall provide sufficient separation to the adjacent site or use according to the following provisions. Setbacks shall be provided as necessary to accommodate any additional site requirements such as landscaping, mounding and buffering:
         (a)   Lot width. Lots shall provide a minimum of 60 feet in width at the public right-of-way.
         (b)   Front yards. The required front yard setback for principal and accessory structures shall be determined in accordance with § 153.072.
         (c)   Side and rear yards. The following setbacks for components of principal and accessory structures shall be determined based upon the height of each individual component.
 
Building Height
Required Minimum Setback
15 feet
15 feet
>15–29 feet
20 feet
>29–43 feet
35 feet
>43–56 feet
50 feet
 
Required side and rear setbacks for principal and accessory structures shall in no case be less than 25 feet from any residential zoning district or a residential subarea of a planned development district as listed in § 153.016.
         (d)   Side pavement setbacks. Required side yard setbacks for pavement, which includes open storage, service and loading areas, shall be at least five feet, except for common access drives or shared service courts. Required side pavement setbacks shall be at least 25 feet from any residential zoning district or a residential subarea of a planned development district as listed in § 153.016.
         (e)   Rear pavement setbacks. Required rear yard setbacks for pavement, which includes open storage, service and loading areas, shall be at least ten feet, except for common access drives or shared service courts. Required rear pavement setbacks shall be at least 25 feet from any residential zoning district or a residential subarea of a planned development district as listed in § 153.016.
   (E)   Additional outdoor requirements.
      (1)   Outdoor operations. Uses shall operate entirely within an enclosed structure, unless it is determined by the Director that operations are harmonious to the surrounding area and are adequately screened.
      (2)   Outdoor storage. Exterior storage shall be screened in accordance with § 153.133(C)(1). Storage must be located to the side or rear of all buildings and shall not be visible from adjacent properties or from the public right-of-way.
      (3)   Off-site impacts. Uses must be conducted in a manner harmonious with the surrounding area and comply with minimum requirements as set forth by the provisions of § 153.076 and § 132.03 of the Dublin Codified Ordinances.
      (4)   Service areas. Overhead doors shall be located to the side or rear of structures to minimize visibility from public streets. Open service areas and loading docks shall be screened by walls a minimum of six feet in height, but not greater than 12 feet. Walls, fences or landscape screening shall have 100% opacity to effectively conceal service and loading operations from adjoining streets and from any residential zoning district or a residential subarea of a planned development district as listed in § 153.016. Compliance with the provisions of § 153.133(C) shall also be required.
   (F)   Architecture and design requirements.
      (1)   Architectural intent. In order to provide for flexible space required for uses within the district, architectural standards are intentionally non-prescriptive. However, all structures within the district are expected to be thoughtfully designed with materials, detailing, scale, and proportion that is intentional and carefully thought through and with specific attention toward aesthetics. Buildings may utilize any combination of exterior materials from the list of permitted materials however, in all cases, such materials shall be applied in a manner that provides well-detailed and aesthetically pleasing facade surfaces. Characteristics of a well-detailed facade include, but are not limited to, deliberate joint patterns, finished edge detailing, and durable, rust and fade resistant finishes.
      (2)   Applicability of architectural requirements. Architectural requirements as specified by this section shall apply to new construction. Design of additions to structures existing as of the date of this section may coordinate with architecture of the existing structure, but to the extent possible shall meet the requirements of this section. The city may contract with a qualified architectural consultant to determine compliance with the architecture and design requirements contained in this section.
      (3)   Rooftop mechanicals. Mechanical equipment and other functional components shall be screened from view from the ground by parapets not lower than the height of the roof equipment, screens with materials and details compatible with the building's facades, pitched roof areas, or special architectural features. Parapets on flat roofs shall not be included in the calculation for building height.
      (4)   Materials. At least 80% of exterior walls shall be constructed of one or more of the primary materials listed below. The following are acceptable primary and secondary building materials, as noted.
         (a)   Primary materials.
            1.   Brick. Brick shall be uniform in color within any one specific color range but using more than one color range to create patterns is acceptable. Bricks that have been flashed to change color in the individual unit, distressed bricks and wood mold bricks are not acceptable.
            2.   Glass. Transparent, tinted, reflective, coated, opaque, translucent, and textured glass, are permitted.
            3.   Stone. Stone such as limestone, granite and marble are acceptable. Synthetic stone of a high quality that is indistinguishable from natural stone is also acceptable.
            4.   Pre-cast concrete. Pre-cast concrete panels developed with shadow lines, reveals, textural changes, color variations and/or exposed aggregate are acceptable.
            5.   Architectural metal. Smooth face, and textured face insulated or un-insulated metal panels are acceptable. Careful attention to how the panels are joined, detailed at edges and corners and attached is required. Use of corrugated or long span, high-profile fluted or ribbed metal panels is not encouraged.
            6.   Synthetics. Synthetic siding materials such as cementitious siding and EIFS are acceptable if carefully integrated into the building's design and detailed with a high level of shadow lines and reveals. Pre-approval is recommended.
            7.   Concrete masonry units. Architectural masonry units with special aggregates and finishes are acceptable. Split face masonry units may be acceptable if combined with other masonry products to raise the level of visual quality. Pre-approval is recommended.
            8.   Tilt-up panels. Concrete tilt-up panels are acceptable if they contain a high degree of detail by the use if shadow lines, textural variations and/or applied projections and limited to large footprint buildings. Pre-approval is recommended.
            9.   Other primary building materials may be approved if demonstrated to be of similar quality to the permitted primary materials.
         (b)   Secondary materials. In addition to the permitted materials above, the following may be used as secondary building applications:
            1.   Gypsum fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Fiber reinforced concrete products may be used for trim or architectural features.
            2.   Frost-proof ceramic tile. Porcelain or other frost-proof ceramic tiles may be used as accents or to create special features.
            3.   Architectural metal. Metal extrusions, panels and structural components may be used as accents or for special features such as canopies and sunshades. These materials must be finished to prevent fading, staining, rust or corrosion and shall be carefully detailed with attention toward aesthetics. Use of corrugated or long span, high-profile fluted or ribbed metal panels is not encouraged.
            4.   Split faced block. Split faced block shall be used in limited quantities for components like foundations or site walls.
            5.   EIFS. Exterior insulated finishing systems may be used.
            6.   Other secondary building materials may be approved if demonstrated to be of similar quality to the permitted secondary materials.
      (5)   Color. Structures shall incorporate combinations of color that will provide visual interest and be harmonious with the surrounding area.
         (a)   Base colors. Main building colors shall be neutral, off-white or earth tone. Base colors shall constitute a predominance of the visible building exterior and be muted with low reflectivity.
         (b)   Accent colors. Building trim and/or detailing may utilize brighter accent colors to create visual interest and/or to identify main public entrances. Application of accent colors may be used up to an amount not to exceed 10% of the total area of all building elevations.
      (6)   Accessory structures. Accessory structures shall be constructed of identical materials, style, quality and appearance as the principal building.
   (G)   Landscape requirements.
      (1)   Compliance. All sites shall be required to comply with applicable Code requirements for landscaping in Chapter 153 with the following modifications:
         (a)   In cases where § 153.132(B) requires full landscape compliance for site and/or building modifications exceeding 25%, the following landscape components shall apply to those structures when the exterior materials, finish or design of the building facades are being improved without expanding the overall footprint of the structure:
            1.   Section 153.133(A)(5) Vehicular Use Perimeter Requirements;
            2.   Section 153.133(C) Screening of Service Structures;
            3.   Section 153.133(D) Additional Site Landscaping;
            4.   Section 153.134 Street Trees.
         (b)   To encourage maintenance and marketability of existing structures, in cases as noted in paragraph (a), § 153.133(A)(3) and (4) and § 153.133(B) may be deferred until such time as the building is expanded or the site redeveloped further.
   (H)   Alternative energy & design.
      (1)   Alternative energy integration. Use of on-site alternative energy sources for greater self-sufficiency is highly encouraged. Other types of alternative energy not addressed by this Code may be approved if demonstrated to be of similar character or impact of those types permitted.
         (a)   Wall and roof-mounted or applied thermal and PV solar units are permitted within the TF District and shall include side and rear screening as applicable for supporting infrastructure;
         (b)   Due to proximity to residential areas, commercial wind turbines shall not be permitted within the TF District; and
         (c)   Residential-scale wind turbines shall be permitted in accordance with applicable setback requirements.
      (2)   Alternative design methods. Integration of architectural and site design methods and materials that promote sustainability and lower energy use are strongly encouraged.
      (3)   For regulations pertaining to renewable energy equipment - solar refer to § 153.074, Accessory Uses and Structures.
(Ord. 18-11, passed 5-23-11; Am. Ord. 19-12, passed 4-23-12; Am. Ord. 101-13, passed 1-27-14; Am. Ord. 17-21, passed 4-26-21; Am. Ord. 70- 22, passed 6-12-23)