(a) Purpose. The purpose of the regulations of the Interstate Highway Interchange District (IHI) are to provide for the orderly development of commercial and service centers. Businesses in this district are intended to serve the daily conveniences and personal service needs of an immediate, countywide and regional area.
(b) Applicability. Interstate districts shall be defined as a 6,000-foot circle, having a radius of 3,000 feet, measured from the center point of the interchanges along I-40 and I-95.
(c) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Access road means a public or private one-way or two-way road for ingress and/or egress. Such access roads may be of various types including frontage roads, rear access roads, and cul-de-sac. This definition includes secondary roads but does not include driveways.
Interstate highway means any section of a highway that is part of the national system of interstate and defense highways.
(d) Regulation of uses, permitted uses. See section 14-90 for table of permitted uses as a principal use in the interstate highway interchange district. In addition to the uses permitted within the interstate highway interchange are the permitted uses within the underlying district.
(1) Additional specifications.
a. Accessory uses and structures are permitted when located on the same lot as the principal use, within the zoned area.
(e) Conditional zoning districts. For the interstate highway interchange district, a parallel conditional zoning district shall be authorized for establishment, pursuant to G.S. 160D-703. See section 14-90 for table of uses as a special use in the interstate highway interchange special use district. Uses listed as a special use district in the underlying zoning district are permitted as a special use in the interstate highway interchange special use district:
(1) Additional specifications.
a. Accessory uses and structures are permitted when located on the same lot as the principal use, within the zoned area.
b. Outdoor storage must be enclosed by an eight-foot fence; fencing must be opaque or sufficiently screened.
c. Automobile/vehicle junkyards and scrap metal operations shall enclose all storage area by an opaque fence or wall at least ten feet in height
(f) Minimum building setback requirements.
(1) The minimum building setback in the interstate highway interchange district shall be as follows:
a. From any street or access road right-of-way, 30 feet. This street setback requirement applies to all accessory structures, including gasoline pumps, underground tanks, canopies and other similar structures.
b. From interior lot line adjoining nonresidential property, ten feet.
c. From interior lot line adjoining residential property, 50 feet.
d. Parking and loading uses shall not be permitted within 50 feet from the right-of-way line of a street or highway or within 20 feet of any interior lot line.
e. From any access easement, 15 feet.
(g) Maximum building height requirement. The maximum building height for a building shall be:
(1) Adjacent to a residential zoning district shall be 40 feet.
(2) Adjacent to a nonresidential zoning district, no height restrictions.
(h) Landscaping requirements. The county encourages the property owner or developer to initiate a design for proposed development that preserves and/or enhances existing vegetation on the property, especially within required buffer areas so that the proposed development will be visually in harmony with natural forest vegetation along interstate highways and its access roads.
(i) Buffering requirements. All development within the interstate highway interchange district shall conform to the landscaping standards of the design manual and the following:
(1) Landscaping. All property lines shall either be landscaped or be left in a naturally wooded state in accordance with the design manual; and
(2) Screening and fencing. The planning board or board of commissioners, as appropriate, may require additional screening, fencing or natural buffer area to be provided in all or any part of those tracts where there is outdoor storage, outdoor recreation, accessory building, parking, or where any portion of a use or accessory use may be visible from the interstate highway or any streets within the interstate highway interchange district.
(j) Access and circulation. All development within the interstate highway interchange district shall conform to the following requirements:
(1) Principal vehicular access points to a development shall be located and designed to encourage smooth traffic flow and minimize hazard to vehicular traffic, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Accommodation for controlled turning movements into and out of a development and improvements to the approach street should be considered where existing or anticipated heavy traffic flows indicate need.
(2) Safe and convenient vehicular access shall be provided for emergency, service and school bus vehicles, where appropriate.
(3) Where a lot or tract abuts an arterial or collector road, no ingress or egress shall be allowed from the arterial or collector road if an alternative access is possible from a street of lower classification.
(k) Utilities and outdoor lighting. All utility lines in this district shall be placed underground, with the exception of three-phase electrical lines. All outdoor lighting shall be designed so that the lighting shall be shielded in such a manner that no direct glare from the light source can be seen from an interstate highway and its approach streets.
(Ord. of 7-10-2000, § 4.5.3; Ord. of 7-9-2001; Amend. of 3-8-2004; Amend. of 7-12-04, § B); Amend. of 12-06-2010; Amend. of 9-6-2011; Amend. of - - )