(A) General purposes. The manufacturing districts are designed to:
(1) Achieve the manufacturing objectives of the Comprehensive Plan;
(2) Meet the needs for industrial services and goods of Posey County; and
(3) Preserve and promote the development of efficient industrial areas and to minimize the adverse effects of industrial uses on other land uses and thoroughfares by:
(a) Differentiating the types and purposes of industrial activities;
(b) Establishing bulk and area controls;
(c) Requiring off-street loading and parking facilities;
(d) Controlling the number, area, location, and types of signs; and
(e) Protecting the character of industrial districts and their peculiar suitability for manufacturing use.
(B) Purposes of the M-1 - Light Manufacturing and Research and Development District. The M-1 District is designed to provide an environment conducive to the development and conservation of modern manufacturing and scientific research facilities. Additionally, it is to provide areas suitable for manufacturing, wholesaling, warehousing, and other industrial activities which have no objectionable environmental influences. All activities and storage are to be entirely within a completely enclosed building.
(C) Purposes of the M-2 - Medium Manufacturing District. The M-2 District is designed to group together a wide range of industrial uses which may produce moderately objectionable environmental influences in their operation and appearance. All processes and activities are to be within an enclosed building; while outdoor storage is permitted, it must be completely screened from the public right-of-way and abutting properties (unless permitted through a use requiring a special exception approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals).
(D) Heavy manufacturing. Heavy manufacturing generally involve the conversion of raw materials to products; processes often entail nuisances such as light, noise, vibration, fumes, and raw materials and products are delivered and shipped by a variety of transportation modes (truck, train and barge). Further, processes may not be fully enclosed within a building; and, while visually screened to the extent possible, raw material storage and final products may prove difficult to fully screen due to their size and height. Because a unique zoning district does not exist for heavy manufacturing uses, these uses are permitted in the M-2 Medium Manufacturing District by special exception approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
(Ord. 12-16, passed 8-8-12)