City of Encinitas, CA Chapter 30.24 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONES

§ 30.24.010 Development Standards.

A. The development standards described in the table below shall apply to the light industrial zones and are minimums unless otherwise stated. These standards shall apply to all land and buildings permitted in their respective light industrial zone. In addition to the development standards provided in this chapter, each specific plan identified in Chapter 30.84, Specific Plans, may have separate development standards for industrial zones in their jurisdictional boundaries. Refer to individual specific plans, as referenced in Chapter 30.84, for development standards in industrial zones within adopted specific plans.

ZONE REQUIREMENT	ZONE
	LI	BP
1. Net Lot Area (sq. ft)	20,000	20,000
2. Lot Width (ft.)	100	100
3. Lot Depth (ft.)	150	150
4. Front Yard Setback (ft.)	20	20
5. Side Yard Setback (ft.) for each interior side	10/10	10/10
6. Side Yard Setback (ft.) street side	20	20
7. Rear Yard Setback (ft.)	0	0
8. Lot Coverage (maximum %)	40%	40%
9. Building Height (maximum) see Section 30.24.010C6	30 feet or 2 stories, whichever is less
10. Floor Area Ratio (maximum)	0.75	0.75
11. Off-Street Parking	(See Ch. 30.54)
12. Landscaping	15%	15%

B. Site Planning. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to general site planning shall apply:

1. Site planning shall include consideration of adjoining parcels in terms of building configuration, building design, scale of landscaping materials, circulation/parking configuration and access.

2. The location of freestanding signs shall be integrated with other site planning elements, particularly building location and orientation, landscaping, and access points.

3. All uses shall be located within an enclosed building unless authorized by a minor use permit.

C. Building Design. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related building design shall apply:

1. Visual relief shall be provided for linear buildings by the use of architectural projections or recessed areas that create the appearance of smaller adjoining buildings.

2. The proportion, size, and shape of new or renovated buildings shall be compatible with existing structures in the same area.

3. All buildings are encouraged to minimize energy consumption, using such features as:

a. Cogeneration;

b. Solar access;

c. South facing windows with eave coverage;

d. Double glazed windows;

e. Deciduous shade trees;

f. Earth berming against exterior walls;

g. Good ventilation;

h. Efficient lighting;

i. Day lighting.

4. Buildings with a monochromatic appearance shall be avoided through the use of complementary colors.

5. All signs associated with the buildings and site shall be integrated in terms of both architecture and color and shall comply with applicable City sign regulations contained in Chapter 30.60.

6. Building heights may be modified or lowered in order to maintain a reasonable portion of the significant views enjoyed by nearby properties.

7. Floor area ratio (FAR) shall limit the amount of floor area of a building on a lot or lots. For purposes of determining FAR, the following floor area is excluded.

a. Floor area covered by a roof of open construction, such as a trellis, sunscreen or lattice work, where the total square footage of the open spaces of the covering is 50% or more of the total square footage of the floor area below.

b. Floor area whose walls are of open construction, such as a trellis, sunscreen or lattice work, or partial wall where 50% or more of the total square footage of the vertical planes of the perimeter of the bulk floor area is open. Columns to support structure above shall not count toward this 50%, such that typical open building recess areas and patios are not counted as floor area.

c. Floor area which has less than five feet of headroom between the floor and the ceiling.

d. That portion of the floor in the basement.

e. Floor area used solely for the capture, distribution or storage of solar energy.

D. Additional Setbacks and Separation from Adjacent Land Uses. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to setbacks and separation from adjacent land uses shall apply:

1. A minimum setback of 25 feet shall be required wherever a lot in the light industrial zone abuts a lot in any residential zone. This setback may be used for required open off-street parking areas.

2. Where a light industrial use abuts property in any residential zone, a masonry wall (or equal) of no less than size six feet in height and may be increased to eight feet to resolve any noise or visual impacts measured from the highest finished grade at the property line shall be erected and maintained as separation between the industrial and residential uses. Where the adjacent grade of the abutting residential property is four or more feet lower or higher than the industrial site, the masonry wall shall be a minimum of six feet in height. In addition, 15-gallon trees, 25 feet on center, and shrubbery between the trees shall be installed and maintained along the inside of the wall in a raised planter at least five feet in width to provide a dense landscape screen. Smaller sized trees may be approved provided said trees reach a desired maturity height within three years after project occupancy.

3. To allow for flexibility in building design and variation/offset in the line of exterior building walls, an average setback may be used for front and street side yards which is not less than the minimum setback required by this chapter. Where an averaged setback is used, the minimum setback for any portion of the building shall be no less than 10 feet.

4. Required front and street side yards shall be landscaped. This landscaping shall consist predominantly of plant materials except for necessary walks and driveways.

5. Whenever off-street parking areas are situated across the street from property in a residential zone, a masonry wall or berm three feet in height shall be erected in the landscaped area, between the required landscape area and the parking area, to adequately screen the parking area from the residential properties.

E. Access, Circulation, and Parking. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to access, circulation, and parking shall apply:

1. Where feasible, access shall be taken from adjoining collector or local roadways, rather than from a primary arterial or major roadway.

2. Where access to a primary arterial or major roadway is necessary, access shall be limited to one point for each 300 feet of frontage or one point per parcel if frontage is less than 300 feet.

3. Access points to adjoining lots shall be shared wherever feasible.

4. Major access points to centers or groups of parcels sharing a single point of ingress and egress shall be coordinated with openings in existing or planned medians and access points on the opposite side of the roadway.

5. Reciprocal ingress and egress, circulation, and parking arrangements shall be required to facilitate the ease of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular movements between adjacent residential and non-residential land uses to the extent feasible;

a. Pedestrian and bicycle interconnecting circulation includes, but is not limited to, safe and clearly designated passages, walkways, trails, courtyards, breezeways, and/or bridges.

b. The interconnection of pedestrian and bicycle circulation shall include, but not be limited to, the dedication of easements for future connectivity and circulation between adjacent land uses.

6. Sidewalks or other safe pedestrian walkways shall be located along streets in all light industrial areas.

7. Parking areas shall be screened by earth mounding, landscaping, low decorative walls, lowering the grade of the parking area below the street grade, or a combination of any of these methods.

F. Auxiliary Structures/Equipment and Utilities. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to auxiliary structures/equipment and utilities shall apply:

1. All roof appurtenances including, but not limited to, air conditioning units, and mechanical equipment shall be shielded and architecturally screened from view from on site parking areas, adjacent public streets and adjacent properties.

2. All ground-mounted mechanical equipment, including heating and air conditioning units, and trash receptacle areas, shall be completely screened from surrounding properties by use of a wall, fence, or landscaping, or shall be enclosed within a building.

3. All utility connections shall be designed to coordinate with the architectural elements of the site so as not to be exposed except where necessary. Pad mounted transformers and/or meter box locations shall be included in the site plan with an appropriate screening treatment. All new and existing utility connections within the boundaries of the project shall be placed underground, with the exception of existing overhead power transmission lines in excess of 34.5 KV and long distance and main trunk communications facilities. Transformers, terminal boxes, meter cabinets, pedestals, concealed ducts and other facilities may be placed above ground provided they are screened with landscaping.

4. Trash receptacles and adequate areas for collecting and loading recyclable materials enclosed by a six-foot high masonry wall with view obstructing gates shall be provided in an acceptable location.

5. Outdoor storage and sales areas shall be entirely enclosed by solid masonry walls not less than six feet in height to adequately screen such areas from view. Reasonable substitutions such as masonry, wood or metal pilasters with wrought iron or chain link and view obscuring material may be approved during design review.

G. Landscaping. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to landscaping shall apply:

1. Landscaping in parking areas shall be predominantly trees to provide shade and visual relief.

2. A combination of deciduous and evergreen trees shall be used for site landscaping, but deciduous trees shall be used primarily along southern and western building exposures to reduce summer sun exposure and increase winter sun exposure.

3. Landscaping in parking areas shall include one 15-gallon tree for every six parking spaces evenly distributed throughout the parking area.

4. Site landscaping shall include a combination of trees, shrubbery, vines, and ground-covers, all of which shall be drought tolerant.

5. All landscaped areas shall be watered by an automatic irrigation system and regularly maintained in healthy and thriving condition free of weeds, trash, and debris.

6. A minimum of 15% of the site area shall be landscaped and street trees at least 15 gallons in size shall be provided at an average of every 40 feet along all street frontages.

7. Varieties of plants chosen for landscaping may be restricted through the development review process to protect or preserve views. All required plantings shall be maintained in good growing condition, and whenever necessary, shall be replaced with new plant materials to ensure continued compliance with required landscaping, buffering, and screening requirements. All landscaping shall be maintained in a manner that will not depreciate adjacent property values or otherwise adversely affect adjacent properties.

H. Lighting. In all light industrial zones, the following standards related to lighting shall apply:

1. Lighting placed upon the building shall be architecturally integrated.

2. All light sources shall be shielded in such a manner that the light is directed away from streets or adjoining properties. Illuminators should be integrated within the architecture of the building. Freestanding lamp posts shall be no taller than 18 feet. The intensity of light at the boundary of any commercial zone shall not exceed 75-foot lamberts from a source of reflected light.

I. Accessory Structures and Walls/Fences. In all light industrial zones, the following development standards related to accessory structures and walls/fences shall apply:

1. Accessory structures shall not be located in front of or on the street side of the main building(s).

2. Accessory structures shall meet all of the setback requirements for main buildings.

3. Architectural features, such as canopies, eaves, steps, balconies, stairways, and others may project not more than four feet into any required setback area.

4. In any required front or street side yard area, a wall or fence shall not exceed four feet in height. In the required front or street side yard, where a retaining wall is used to increase usable lot area, a wall or fence not exceeding four feet in height may also be erected, provided that the wall or fence is set back a minimum of five feet from the retaining wall.

5. Electrical fencing is prohibited. Barbed wire is permitted for security purposes. Design review under the authority of the Planning and Building Director shall be required when the barbed wire is visible from a public street.

J. Condominium Conversion. In all light industrial zones, the conversion of the project to condominium ownership shall meet all requirements of the zone to the maximum extent possible within the constraints of the existing development. In no case shall the requirements for the screening of storage/sales areas or mechanical equipment be waived. Specific waivers of other development standards may only be granted through the design review process.

(Ord. 89-41; Ord. 93-14; Ord. 94-02; Ord. 2003-08; Ord. 2015-01; Ord. 2019-24)