§ 134-230. LI light industrial district.

The regulations for the LI light industrial district are as follows:

(1)

Purpose and intent. The LI district is established to provide locations for light industrial uses such as low intensity automobile repair and service, animal care facilities, commercial greenhouses, livestock, poultry, business distribution centers, warehousing and storage, and transportation terminals, which are on properties delineated within or on the perimeter of an industrial compatible and industrial category as defined and shown on the Cobb County Comprehensive Land Use Plan: A Policy Guide, adopted November 27, 1990. When located on the perimeter of an industrial node, the LI district should provide for uses that are low in intensity and scale such as to ensure compatibility with surrounding properties.

(2)

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.

a.

Accessory retail sales and service means retail sales of products and services related to the principal use located wholly within limited areas of any primary permitted structure. The area devoted for such sales and service shall not exceed 25 percent of the gross floor area of such primary principal structure.

b.

Designated recycling collection locations means metal or heavy duty plastic containers designed for shortterm holding of pre-bagged recyclable items such as tin, aluminum, glass and paper (no perishable or food items allowed) for scheduled minimum monthly pickup, with no on-premises sorting. The center must be maintained in a safe, clean, neat and sanitary fashion and shall not encompass an area larger than 280 square feet.

1.

Such location shall be visually screened and maintained.

2.

Such location shall be within the building setbacks unless otherwise approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee due to topography, safety, internal traffic flow, site distance or other site-related circumstances not created by the property owner.

c.

Noncommercial club or lodge means a nonprofit club or organization as defined under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended from time to time.

(3)

Permitted uses. Permitted uses are as follows:

Accessory retail sales and services.

Ambulance services.

Animal hospitals.

Appliance repair (major).

Assembly halls.

Automobile, truck and trailer lease or rental facilities (principal or accessory use).

Automotive and truck sales and service.

Automotive paint shops and body repair shops. Such uses shall not be established on lots which are either adjacent to or directly across the street from any residential districts.

Automotive parking lots and garages.

Automotive repair and maintenance facilities.

Automotive upholstery shops.

Aviation airports (private).

Boat sales and service facilities.

Breeding and boarding kennels.

Building materials stores.

Bus stations.

Bus stations for freight.

Carwashes.

Churches, chapels, temples, synagogues, and other such places of worship.

Clinics.

Clubs or lodges (noncommercial).

Colleges and universities (private), including research and training facilities.

Commercial greenhouses and plant nurseries.

Commercial produce and agricultural product stands.

Community fairs.

Contractors (general, heavy or special).

Corporate or administrative offices.

Dairies.

Designated recycling collection locations.

Dry cleaning plants.

Electrical supply stores.

Emissions and inspection stations. (No temporary buildings/tents to be utilized after June 30, 1998.)

Executive golf courses (see section 134-270).

Exterminators.

Farm and garden supply stores.

Farm equipment stores and repair facilities.

Farmers' markets (fully enclosed).

Film and movie studios.

Freight terminals.

Fuel and ice dealers.

Full service gasoline stations.

Funeral homes.

Golf courses, 18-hole regulation, public and private (see section 134-270).

Golf courses, par 3 (see section 134-270).

Group homes.

Heavy automotive repair services and trade shops.

Helicopter landing areas, provided that the area is fenced.

In-home day care.

Laundry and dry cleaning pickup stations.

Light automotive repair facilities.

Light manufacturing establishments.

Linen and diaper services.

Livestock, nondomestic and wild animals, and poultry.

Livestock sales pavilions.

Medical and dental laboratories (with no limitations except that such uses must have required federal and state permits).

Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and three-wheel vehicle sales and service facilities.

Newspaper publishing facilities.

Nonautomotive repair service establishments.

Office service and supply establishments.

Other service establishments.

Outdoor golf driving ranges.

Parking for vehicles.

Plumbing and heating equipment dealers.

Poultry hatcheries.

Printing, publishing and lithography establishments.

Pro shops, if accessory to driving ranges or golf courses.

Radio and television stations.

Radio, television and other communication towers and antennas subject to section 134-273.

Rail stations.

Railroad car classification yards.

Railroad stations for freight.

Recreation grounds other than tennis courts and golf courses.

Research and development centers.

Research testing laboratories.

Reupholstery and furniture repair establishments.

Sawmills (temporary).

Self-service storage facilities (subject to 134-279).

Shelters (homeless).

Signs and outdoor advertising facilities.

Sports training facilities.

Taxistands and taxi dispatching agencies.

Telephone business offices.

Temporary uses.

Trailer salesrooms and sales lots.

Transportation equipment storage and maintenance facilities.

Truck terminals.

Utility facilities (private).

Vending machine sales, service, rental or repair establishments.

Vocational schools (commercial).

Warehouse and storage facilities.

Wholesale sales offices.

Wholesale trade and distribution facilities.

Wholesale trade offices in conjunction with office showrooms.

(4)

Lot size and setback requirements. Lot size and setback requirements are as follows:

a.

Minimum lot area: 40,000 square feet.

b.

Minimum lot width at front setback line: 100 feet.

c.

Minimum public road frontage: 50 feet.

d.

Minimum building setbacks: As shown and applied in the following diagram:

MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR LI DISTRICT

Note: All setbacks shall be measured from future right-of-way.

LI District

Notes:

^a  Property with shorter amount of road frontage will be the front setback for determining other setbacks (major side, side, rear).

^b  If structure fronts a major side setback, major side setback shall be 35 feet.

(5)

Landscape buffer and screening requirements. Unless otherwise noted within this district's requirements, any property within an LI district which abuts residentially zoned property shall have a minimum 50-foot landscaped screening buffer. Required buffers may be included within required setbacks; however, in such case that the required buffer is greater than the required setback, the required buffer shall be adhered to Additionally, necessary private utilities and access drives may be allowed through, over or across a landscaped buffer. Any such uses which are proposed through, over or across a designated undisturbed buffer must be approved pursuant to an original site plan or site plan modification as set forth under section 134-126.

a.

Objectives. Undisturbed, planted landscape buffers and berms shall be implemented in connection with a permitted project and shall address the following objectives:

1.

Screening to enhance aesthetic appeal;

2.

Control or direction of vehicular and pedestrian movement;

3.

Reduction of glare;

4.

Buffering of noise; and

5.

Establishment of privacy.

b.

Standards. Buffers and berms shall be required when an LI district is located within or adjacent to a residential district. The minimum buffer shall be 50 feet and the maximum buffer shall be 75 feet.

1.

Buffers. Landscape buffers are subject to review and approval by the county arborist or county landscape architect in accordance with the following standards:

i.

Plantings are to be a mix of evergreen trees and shrubs.

ii.

Species are to be ecologically compatible to the site and appropriate for the design situation.

iii.

Unless public safety concerns dictate otherwise, a buffer should provide a 100 percent visual barrier to a height of six feet within two years of planting.

iv.

Minimum height of plant materials at installation is five feet for trees and two feet for shrubs.

v.

Fencing or walls are to be a minimum of six feet in height as approved by the county landscape architect or county arborist.

vi.

Trees included in buffer plantings may be counted toward site density calculations as required by chapter 50, article VI, pertaining to tree preservation and replacement, subject to review and approval of county arborist.

vii.

Buffers shall be regularly maintained by the property owner to ensure that the objectives and standards set out in this subsection are met.

viii.

When topography and existing conditions allow, the required 50-foot buffer should be an undisturbed buffer.

ix.

Any appeals from a determination by the county landscape architect or county arborist shall be to the board of zoning appeals.

2.

Berms. Berms are subject to review and approval by the county landscape architect or county arborist in accordance with the following standards:

i.

Berms shall be utilized when consistent with surrounding property features.

ii.

Berms shall be stabilized.

iii.

Berms shall be constructed to be consistent with natural or proposed drainage patterns.

iv.

Berms shall be regularly maintained by the property owner.

(6)

Floodplain and wetlands preservation requirements. Any development must also meet state and federal requirements relating to areas subject to the provisions of section 134-283, regarding mountain and river corridor protection act areas, and section 134-284, regarding metropolitan river protection act areas.

(7)

Building and structure requirements. Maximum building height is four stories or 70 feet.

(8)

Parking requirements. See section 134-272 for paved parking specifications.

(9)

Lighting requirements. Any project permitted within the LI district which proposes a lighted facility must have a county department of transportation approved lighting plan in accordance with section 134-269.

(10)

Special exception uses. See section 134-271 for special exception use requirements for all districts. Special exception uses for the LI district are the uses listed in section 134-271.

(11)

Use limitations.

a.

Maximum floor area ratio is 0.75 for office uses.

b.

All refuse collection and designated recycling collection location facilities must be contained within completely enclosed facilities.

c.

Any outside storage shall be set back a minimum of 35 feet from any public right-of-way. In other cases, the setbacks as required for accessory buildings, structures, uses and decks shall apply.

d.

No drive-in establishments are permitted.

e.

No uses that emit noxious odors, fumes or sounds are permitted.

f.

No outside runs are permitted with any veterinary office use permitted within this district.

g.

Maximum impervious surfaces (80%-RAC, 70%-CAC and NAC) shall be established within activity centers as identified by the Cobb County Comprehensive Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

Required buffers may be included within required setbacks; however, in such case that the required buffer is greater than the required setback, the required buffer shall be adhered to. Additionally, necessary private utilities and access drives may be allowed through, over or across a landscaped buffer. Any such uses which are proposed through, over or across a designated undisturbed buffer must be approved pursuant to an original site plan or site plan modification as set forth under section 134-126.

(12)

Special exception uses for industrial areas only. The following uses, with the proper scrutiny and conditions, may or may not be considered as special exception uses within the LI district, only if they are within properties delineated as industrial or industrial-compatible as defined and shown on the Cobb County Comprehensive Plan: A Policy Guide, adopted November 27, 1990. Any special exception use for industrial areas only shall adhere to the landscape buffer and screening requirements in subsection (5) of this section and the lighting requirements in subsection (9) of this section.

a.

Amusement centers, subject to the following minimum requirements:

1.

Minimum acreage is five acres.

2.

Such use shall not be located closer than 500 feet to any school property.

3.

Such use shall not be located closer than 200 feet to any residential property line.

4.

An overall parking and landscape plan shall be approved by county staff. The plan will provide for safe and efficient vehicle and pedestrian circulation and aesthetics.

b.

Automobile and truck sales and service facilities (used or pre-owned separate from a new car dealership):

1.

Minimum of one acre of a paved surface is required for parking of vehicles, excluding any area used for, but not limited to buildings, offices, service or sale area:

2.

If an entity sells more than five cars per year, they are considered a dealer which requires a county business licenses.

3.

A special land use permit is required (see section 134-37).

4.

All vehicles are required to be parked off any right-of-way or easement.

c.

Crematories, human or animal, with the following minimum requirements:

1.

Minimum lot size is two acres.

2.

When abutting any residential property line, a 50-foot natural or landscaped buffer shall be approved by county staff (see subsection (5) of this section).

d.

Drive-in theaters, subject to the following minimum requirements:

1.

Minimum acreage is two acres.

2.

Driving and parking areas shall be paved.

3.

The theater screen, projection booth or other buildings shall be set back not less than 50 feet from any property line (unless the front setback is greater).

4.

The theater screen shall not be visible from an expressway, arterial or major collector roadway.

5.

No damaged or confiscated vehicles shall be stored on-site.

(13)

Accessory buildings, structures, uses and decks. Any accessory building or structure in excess of 1,000 square feet of gross space shall be located to the rear of the primary structure and at least 40 feet from any residential property line. Any accessory building or structure which exceeds 1,000 square feet of gross space must have the approval of the division manager of zoning or his designee as to the location, architectural design and size prior to commencing construction. The division manager of zoning or his designee shall consider the following criteria for determining the appropriateness of the architectural design and size of the accessory building or structure: compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, style of exterior (the exterior is to be compatible in style with the primary structure), use of the proposed accessory structure, impact on adjacent properties, and requirements as deemed appropriate by plan review as set forth in this subsection. All accessory buildings, structures and uses in excess of 1,000 gross square feet shall be required to submit for plan review through the community development department or receive approval from the director of the community development department or his designee. Permitted accessory structures and uses are as follows:

a.

Accessory storage buildings, to include parking garages, subject to the following conditions:

1.

Maximum height is two stories.

2.

Such structures shall be located on the same lot as and to the rear of the principal building to which they are accessory.

3.

No accessory building shall be constructed upon a lot until construction of the principal building has commenced.

4.

On a corner lot, no accessory building shall be located closer to the side street right-of-way line than the principal building.

5.

When abutting any other nonresidential district, no garage or other accessory building shall be located closer than five feet to a side or rear lot line.

6.

When an accessory building is attached to the principal building by a breezeway, passageway or similar means, it shall comply with the yard requirements of the principal building to which it is accessory.

7.

Where any nonresidential lot adjoins the side or rear of a residential lot, an accessory building shall not be located within any required buffers.

b.

Antennas and satellite dishes, which shall meet the requirements set forth in section 134-274.

c.

Heating and air conditioning units, subject to the following conditions:

1.

When abutting any residential property line, heating and air conditioning units shall not be located within any required buffers.

2.

When abutting any other nonresidential district, no heating and air conditioning units shall be located closer than five feet to a side or rear lot line.

3.

Heating and air conditioning units may be installed on the roof of any structure zoned commercially so long as the heating and air conditioning unit does not exceed the height restrictions stated in this section and the units are placed so as to be hidden from a front or side view.

d.

Incidental storage, provided that the material stored is incidental to the permitted use, as determined by the division manager of zoning or his designee, and stored completely within a portion of the enclosed principal structure permitted within the district, or within a permitted accessory structure.

(14)

Temporary uses. Carnivals are a permitted temporary use in the LI district.

(Ord. of 12-26-72; Ord. of 12-11-90, § 3-28-7.37; Ord. of 8-13-91; Ord. of 6-9-92; Ord. of 7-11-95; Ord. of 6-24-97 (eff. 7-1-97); Ord. of 12-9-97 (eff. 1-1-98); Ord. of 2-9-99; Ord. of 11-23-99; Ord. of 7-10-01; Ord. of 7-27-04; Ord. of 2-28-12; Amd. of 2-23-16)