Gainesville › Unified Land Development Code
Article 9 — Use Provisions, Chapter 9-8 — INDUSTRIAL USE STANDARDS
§ 9-8-1
Aircraft Landing Area.
No person shall construct or use or authorize the construction or use of an aircraft landing area (including private use heliport) on any property owned, leased, or controlled by such person, unless and until the following requirements are met:
(a)No person shall use or authorize the use of an aircraft landing area on any property owned, leased, or controlled by such person until such person has obtained liability insurance coverage on the operation and use of such area. Such coverage shall be obtained from an insurer authorized or licensed to transact insurance business in Georgia and shall provide a minimum liability coverage of at least $500,000 per claim.
(b)The proposed aircraft landing area shall be of sufficient size to meet the Federal Aviation Administration requirements for the class of airport or aircraft landing proposed, and it must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration or other agency of the federal government with jurisdiction. There shall be sufficient distance between the end of each landing strip and the property boundary to satisfy the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(c)There shall be no existing or proposed flight obstructions such as towers, chimneys or natural obstructions outside the proposed aircraft landing area which would be in the approach zone to any of the proposed runways, landing strips, or landing areas.
In cases where air rights or easements have been acquired from the owners of abutting properties to protect approach zones, satisfactory evidence thereof shall be submitted with the application.
(d)The owner of the aircraft landing area shall erect a safety barrier around the peripheral area surrounding the takeoff and landing area. The safety barrier shall be a fence, wall or hedge no less than 3 feet in height and fully enclosed with a self-locking gate.
(e)An environmental impact report shall be submitted, addressing whether the facility is consistent with the comprehensive plan; whether the use will have an adverse impact on the surrounding area; and whether the noise level will impact the surrounding area.
Additionally, the applicant shall submit a plan with any mitigation techniques that may be required. The Director shall review the environmental impact report, evaluate proposed mitigating techniques, and determine the sufficiency thereof, require any additional information relevant to the application, and make a recommendation to the Governing Body regarding approval or denial of the special use application.
(f)In approving an aircraft landing area, the Governing Body may provide that the approval is conditioned on measures or restrictions designed to mitigate any negative impacts of the use. The proposed location of an aircraft landing area within 600 feet of a residential zoning district or existing residential use may form the basis for denial of the application.
§ 9-8-2
Heavy Industrial.
(a)Borrow Site.
(1)A natural or landscaped buffer of at least 50 feet shall be provided along all property lines, except for areas of ingress or egress to the site.
(2)Borrow sites must be associated with an active construction permit issued by the City.
(3)Permits for borrow sites shall be active a period of 6 months from the date of issuance. The Director may extend the permit when provided evidence that a longer period of time is necessary for the operation of the site.
(4)A reclamation and rehabilitation plan must be submitted and shall include a detailed procedure for the rehabilitation of excavated land, the future use of the land, the type of ground cover, fill, and landscaping, methods for disposing of all equipment and structures, and an estimate of the timing of phases of rehabilitation including estimated time of completion.
(5)Stockpiles or storage of extracted materials shall not exceed 35 feet in height above the original contour.
(b)Food Processing Plant.
(1)The minimum lot size is 5 acres.
(2)Loading zones and areas for truck turnarounds and truck queuing must be separate from employee parking and must be provided on-site. No public right-of-way shall be used for these purposes.
(3)Access shall only be provided be from an arterial or collector street.
(4)Any noise, dust or odors shall be subject to the regulations established in the City’s Code of Ordinances and this ULDC, as may be amended from time to time.
(c)Resource Extraction, Mining or Quarrying.
(1)All applicants for resource extraction shall submit to the Director the following information for review:
i.A copy of the recorded plat for the subject property.
ii.A site plan identifying areas proposed for the handling and storage of overburden, by-products, or excavated materials including the estimated type and volume of extraction.
iii.An operations plan, which shall include: the date of commencement of operation and its expected duration; proposed hours of operation, which shall not be permitted to include the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily, Sundays, and national holidays.
iv.A copy of all documents submitted or prepared for submission to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of obtaining a state mining permit.
v.A statement from the Georgia Department of Transportation which shall identify any state-maintained road within or adjacent to the subject property, and which shall identify any repaving, repairs, alterations, turning lanes, or other additions necessary to accommodate the potential increase in traffic volume or weight occasioned by the proposed operations.
vi.A statement from the Director of Public Works or other qualified professional which identifies all city roads within or adjacent to the property and which shall identify any repaving, repairs, alterations, turning lanes, or other additions necessary to accommodate the potential increase in traffic volume or weight occasioned by the proposed operations.
vii.A statement as to the intended use or production of explosives or other hazardous materials and the methods and procedures proposed for the handling, use, storage, and disposal of such materials.
viii.A reclamation and rehabilitation plan, which shall include a detailed procedure for the rehabilitation of excavated land, the future use of the land, the type of ground cover, fill, and landscaping, methods for disposing of all equipment and structures, and an estimate of the timing of phases of rehabilitation including estimated time of completion.
(2)Roads within the excavation site intended to be used for a period to exceed one year shall be surfaced with a dust-free material.
(3)All other roads within the excavation site shall be treated with dust inhibitors to reduce the generation of dust due to wind or vehicular action.
(4)The proposed extraction shall not take place within 100 feet of any property line.
(5)Product piles, spoil piles, and other accumulations of by-products shall not be created to a height more than 35 feet above the original contour.
(6)Blasting operations shall only be permitted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
§ 9-8-3
Light Industrial.
(a)Brewery, Winery, or Distillery.
(1)Any brewery, distillery, or wine manufacturing facility shall comply with state law and Department of Revenue licensing requirements.
§ 9-8-4
Storage Lot or Yard.
(a)General Storage Lot.
(1)Outdoor storage areas shall be screened from view from any public right-of-way with a continuous evergreen hedge at least 36 inches in height at the time of planting. A wall at least 6 feet in height may be substituted for landscape screening upon approval from the Director.
(b)Impound Lot.
(1)Areas used for the storage of vehicles shall be screened from view with a fence or wall at least 6 feet in height.
(2)No impound lot shall be located within 500 feet of a residential district or use.
(c)Truck Yard.
(1)The minimum lot size is 2 acres.
(2)Parking or storage may be overnight but shall not exceed a period of 48 hours.
(3)No loading or unloading may occur on the premises.
(4)No truck yard shall be located within 500 feet of a residential district.
§ 9-8-5
Warehouse and Distribution.
(a)Data Center.
(1)No data center shall be located within 500 feet of a residential district or use.
(2)All accessory utility infrastructure shall be screened with a solid fence or wall at least 8 feet in height.
(3)A natural buffer at least 250 feet in width is required along all property lines not adjacent to a street.
i.When adjacent to property zoned for residential use, the natural buffer shall be at least 500 feet in width.
ii.When adjacent to property zoned L-I or H-I, or a planned district that includes data centers as a permitted use, no buffer is required along the shared property line.
(4)A landscape buffer at least 50 feet in width shall be provided along all property lines adjacent to a street.
(5)All exterior lighting shall comply with applicable City and State regulations concerning illumination levels, shielding requirements, and fixture specifications.
(6)Facilities may not emit noise that exceeds 70 decibels (db) measured at the interior of the required buffer. With an application for Special Use, a sound study of the proposed property shall be submitted showing ambient noise levels at the exterior property line prepared to industry standards. If noise levels exceed the allowable threshold, the developer or property owner shall implement mitigation measures including, but not limited to, acoustically treated enclosures for generators, cooling systems, and other operations equipment. All mitigation measures shall be designed to attune sound impacts on adjacent property which can be achieved through directing sound upward or other methods. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for each building and with all systems functioning, a sound study showing compliance with this section shall be provided to the Director. Said study shall follow industry standards.
(7)All mechanical equipment, whether roof or ground mounted, visible to adjacent property or roads, shall be screened using opaque fences or walls. Mechanical equipment includes, but is not limited to, meter boxes, utility conduits, HVAC equipment, vent and exhaust pipes, and cooling towers. Where air flow is desired, perforated brick walls and other methods may be considered.
(8)All generators shall be located away from any adjacent property, to the interior of a site or proposed building complex, and shall not be placed within a buffer or building setback. Generator testing will only be allowed between the hours of 9:00AM and 5:00PM for no more than two hours daily on weekdays only and shall not occur on Federal holidays. Testing is further limited to once per calendar month. Except for generator testing or commissioning activities, generator use is limited to backup/emergency use only.
(9)Any upgrades required to utilities shall be the sole responsibility of the applicant.
i.Prior to issuance of a land disturbance permit or building permit, whichever occurs sooner, for the site, a letter from the electrical utility provider shall be submitted to the Director verifying that the owner, operator, or developer is in compliance with all policies, procedures, and guidelines provided by the provider.
(10)The development shall not utilize wells to provide water for any purpose.
Development of this use is limited to areas that are served by City of Gainesville Water Utility.
(11)The development shall meet all local, state, and federal requirements in regard to applicable environmental regulations.
§ 9-8-6
Waste Related Services.
(a)Junk or Salvage Yard.
(1)All such uses shall be at least 500 feet from any single-family or multi-family residential zoning district boundary.
(2)All such uses shall be screened by a solid fence or wall at least 8 feet in height.
The screening fence or wall shall be located to the inside of the landscape strip required by this section.
(3)A landscape strip at least 10 feet in width shall be provided along the rear and side property lines, and landscape strip at least 20 feet in width shall be required along the front property line.
(b)Landfill, construction and demolition.
(1)Vehicular access shall only be provided from an arterial or collector street. Access shall not be allowed through any residential subdivision or residential development.
(2)The entire landfill shall be screened from view from all property lines with a natural, undisturbed buffer at least 100 feet in width.
(3)A solid fence or wall at least 8 feet in height shall be required inside buffers adjacent to any property line abutting a residential use or district.
(4)The owner shall provide the Director with a current copy of a Georgia solid waste handling permit, or pending application thereof, prior to applying for a land disturbance permit.
(5)Vehicles shall be allowed into a landfill site only if waste is covered to prevent loss of material from the vehicle.
Reserved.