For the purpose of this chapter, the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction is divided into the following classes of zones.
(A) RA-20 Residential District. The RA-20 Residential District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for low density residential and agricultural purposes and is located outside the city limits. The regulations of this district are intended to protect the agricultural sections of the community from an influx to render it undesirable for farms and future development, and to ensure that residential developments dependent upon septic tank systems for sewage disposal will occur at sufficiently low densities to ensure a healthful environment. Minimum residential lot sizes shall be 20,000 square feet.
(B) R-20 Residential District. The R-20 Residential District is established as a district in which the principal use of the land is for single-family residences. The regulations of this district are intended to protect existing residential areas with minimum lot sizes of 20,000 square feet and to encourage, in selected portions of the incorporated area, the subdivision of undeveloped property into lots with a minimum of 20,000 square feet.
(C) R-12 Residential District. The R-12 Residential District is established as a district which the principal use of land is for single-family residences. The regulations of this district are intended to discourage any use which, because of its character, would substantially interfere with the development of single-family residences in the district which would be detrimental to the quiet residential nature of the areas included within this district. Minimum residential lot sizes shall be 12,000 square feet.
(D) R-6 Residential District. The R-6 Residential District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for single-family residences. The regulations of this district are intended to provide areas of the community for those persons desiring relatively small residential lots and duplex structures in relatively high density neighborhoods. The regulations are intended to discourage any use which, because of its character, would interfere with the residential nature of this district. Minimum residential lot sizes shall be 6,000 square feet.
(E) R-6MF Residential District. The R-6MF Residential District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for multi-family use. The regulations for this district are intended to provide areas for multi-family use for up to ten units per acre, provided height, setback, parking and buffers are provided. These districts shall be located near higher intensity land uses (commercial, office and institutional uses) and away from lower density uses such as the RA-20 and R-20 Districts. Minimum single-family residential lot sizes shall be 6,000 square feet.
(F) R-6MHP Manufactured Home Park. The R-6 Manufactured Home Park District is established as a district in which the principal use of the land is for manufactured home parks which complies with the requirements below:
(1) The intent of this overlay zone is to provide low and moderate income individuals the opportunity for adequate housing as set forth in G.S. § 160D-910. The criteria set forth is designed to accomplish this goal. The interpretation of this zone is not designed to benefit one individual, but rather to assist those individuals mentioned above.
(2) The overlay area shall:
(a) Be no less than ten acres;
(b) Be located as to protect the surrounding area and property value;
(c) Preserve the existing character of the neighborhood/community;
(d) Promote health, safety and welfare of the area residents;
(e) Conform with established RA-20 standards as follows:
1. Buffer required. Overlay zones placed within an established RA-20 Zone must have a visual buffer between them and adjacent properties. The buffer shall be a compact evergreen hedge or other type of evergreen foliage, or shall be a combined fence and shrubbery screen, or a natural tree line, or stand of trees with the minimum height of six feet and width of 20 feet. The buffer shall be established along perimeter lot lines.
2. Maximum height: 35 feet
3. Minimum lot size: 20,000 square feet
4. Minimum lot width: 100 feet
5. Required setbacks:
a. Corner-side: 30 feet
b. Front: 35 feet
c. Rear: 30 feet
d. Side: 12 feet
(g) Installation requirements:
1. Front door shall face a paved state or rural road. Exception: the manufactured home may face a private road or drive if the road is covered with gravel and/or properly graded and maintained, and the manufactured home is more than 250 feet from any state or rural road;
2. Approved and properly installed skirting/underpinning material shall be placed around the manufactured home perimeter. Note: metal roofing material or wood lattice is not permitted for skirting/underpinning material around the perimeter. The intent is to prevent seeing underneath the home;
3. Porches and decks are allowed but shall be freestanding and shall meet all setback requirements. The underside shall be skirted with wood lattice or approved skirting/underpinning material, and shrubbery shall be planted which is at least 18 inches in height;
4. Steps must meet the State Building Code requirements. Wooden steps at the front of the home must have a riser board and sides shall be skirted with wood lattice or approved skirting/underpinning material and shrubbery (no minimum height required); and
5. Trailer tongue may remain; however, it shall be enclosed to prevent viewing from the road. The use of wood lattice or approved skirting/underpinning material and shrubbery at least 18 feet high is required.
(G) O & I Office and Institutional District. This district is established as certain land areas with structures that provide office space for professional services and for certain institutional functions and residential accommodations, usually medium or high density in nature. Except for commodities directly associated with the operation of a professional office, the display of goods and commodities is prohibited. The district is normally small and may include older homes undergoing conversion. This district is usually situated between business and residential districts, and the regulations are designed to permit development of the permitted functions and still protect and be compatible with nearby residential districts.
(H) I-1 Light Industrial District. The I-1 Industrial Light District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for industries which can be operated in a relatively clean and quiet manner and which will not be obnoxious to adjacent residential, business or office and institutional districts. The regulations are designed to prohibit the use of land for heavy industry which should be properly segregated and to prohibit any other use which would substantially interfere with the development of industrial establishments in the district.
(I) I-2 Heavy Industrial District. The I-2 Heavy Industrial District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for heavy industries that by their nature may create some nuisance and which are not properly associated with nor compatible with residential, business, office and institutional and light industrial districts.
(J) B-1 Central Business District. The regulations for this district are designed to permit a concentrated development of business uses within the central portion of the city.
(K) B-2 Neighborhood Business District. The B-2 Neighborhood Business District is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for commercial and service uses to serve the surrounding residential districts.
(L) B-3 Highway Serving Business District. These districts are generally located on the major radials leading into and around the developed area and provide for retailing goods and services to the passing motorists and local residents. Because these commercial areas are subject to public view, which is a matter of important concern to the whole community, they should provide and appropriate appearance, ample parking and designed to minimize traffic congestion.
(M) B-4 Retail/Office Complex. The regulations for this district are designed to permit a concentrated development of retail businesses and offices within the corporate limits of the city. The districts shall be limited to those areas in the city where concentrated development occurred prior to the adoption of a Zoning Code and existing and/or planned uses do not conform to the more restrictive business defined in the chapter.
(N) O-S Open Space District. The Open Space District is established as a district in which the primary use of the land is predominantly reserved for flood control, future thoroughfare right-of-way, public recreation, community facility sites, airport approaches, natural or human-made bodies of water, forests and other similar open space uses. In promoting the general purpose of this chapter, the specific intent of this section is:
(1) To encourage the preservation of, and continued use of, the land for conservation purposes;
(2) To prohibit residential, commercial and industrial use of the land, and to prohibit any other use which would substantially interfere with the preservation of this district; and
(3) To encourage the discontinuance of uses that would not be permitted as uses in the district.
(2009 Code, § 155.045) (Ord. passed 10-27-1992; Ord. 2021-Z-19, passed 6-22-2021) Penalty, see § 155.999