Chapter 14 — Industrial and Mining Districts, Article 2 — HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT (M2)
Purpose and Intent.
Heavy industrial districts are intended to provide suitable areas for manufacturing, assembling, fabrication and processing, bulk handling, storage, warehousing and trucking. The uses associated with this district are likely to generate significant levels of truck traffic, noise, pollution, vibration, dust, fumes, odors, radiation, radioactivity, poisons, pesticides, herbicides, or other hazardous materials, fire or explosion hazards, or other undesirable conditions. Conditional uses permitted in this district are primarily those known to create a safety hazard or produce particulate matter, thus being subject to various state and/or federal environmental laws.
Heavy industrial districts are highly unsuitable adjacent to residential districts and are generally unfit for the sustained activity of humans and animals. Therefore, uses involving human activity such as dwellings, care centers, and certain commercial uses are not permitted. Conditional uses require impact statements to determine their compatibility with adjacent and nearby uses. Activity at heavy industrial sites consists predominantly of trucks, rather than passenger vehicles, and the road system is built to support truck traffic. Provisions for pedestrians are not required.
Permitted and Conditional Uses.
As provided in Table 14.1; and subject to the following provisions which apply to all uses in this district:
Certain specific uses are regulated by Chapter 16.
Performance Standards.
As provided in Table 14.2.
Site Development Regulations.
As provided in Article IV of this chapter.
Application Requirements for Conditional Uses.
In addition to the requirements for conditional uses as required by this Code, applications for a conditional use in the M2 district shall include an impact statement prepared by a qualified professional that addresses the impact of the proposed use on abutting and nearby buildings, uses, and properties. The impact statement shall address those external effects determined by the director to be likely to exist if said use is established, including but not limited to, electromagnetic interference, noise, vibration, fumes, odors, dust and air particulates, illumination, truck traffic, and water table protection. The impact statement shall recommend specific measures to mitigate such impacts and provisions for monitoring and enforcing mitigation measures, and, if approved, the recommendations of the impact statement shall be considered conditions of approval unless otherwise specified by action of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. At the option of the Board of Commissioners at the County’s expense, an independent impact statement may be secured prior to its taking action on a conditional use in the M2 district to review the impact statement submitted by the applicant or to otherwise address probable adverse impacts of the proposed development; provided that an application process for a conditional use in the M2 district shall be extended no more than sixty-two (62) days beyond normal processing times for the purposes of securing an independent impact statement.