Chapter 17.34
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT (I-G)

Sections:

17.34.010    Purpose.

17.34.020    Land uses.

17.34.030    Development standards.

17.34.010 Purpose.

(1) Implement the goals and policies of the city of Kittitas comprehensive plan and community desire to create job development opportunities.

(2) The industrial district provides and reserves land for existing and future industrial uses.

(3) Preserve an adequate supply of industrial land with adequate access to the city’s street network and municipal services.

(4) Maximize the land area for development in a coordinated manner; providing destination attractions and gathering places for local, regional, and traveling public. The intent is to provide available and attractive industrial and commercial gateway into the city.

(5) Allow a wide range of employment opportunities without conflicts from interspersed residential and project design that allows maximizing the development potential of adjacent parcels. The emphasis of the zoning is for industrial and manufacturing uses, with commercial uses to support a wide range of services and employment opportunities. Farming is allowed to continue.

(6) Assure that early development provides opportunities for later projects to develop and that new industrial users can be added without jeopardizing established or planned uses.

(7) Preserve an adequate supply of industrial area located close to the Interstate that can accommodate both large format use, such as warehousing and distribution, and industrial/business parks.

(8) A conceptual design is provided in KMC 17.34.030. (Ord. 16-001 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 07-012 § 1).

17.34.020 Land uses.

All permitted, accessory, conditional and prohibited uses allowed in this district shall be as shown in the district use chart, Chapter 17.40 KMC, provided all applicable provisions of the KMC are met. (Ord. 07-012 § 1).

17.34.030 Development standards.

Development in this district shall meet all of the applicable provisions of this title, including Chapter 17.44 KMC, General Regulations, and all other rules, regulations and provisions of the KMC. Below is a conceptual design of the industrial zoning district and the gateway commercial district.

Conceptual Site Plan for Gateway Commercial and Industrial Zoned Areas

Development in the industrial district shall comply with the following:

(1) Refuse Storage. All outdoor trash, garbage and refuse storage areas shall be located outside of required front yard areas, and shall be screened on all sides from public view using black chain link or rod iron fencing on at least one side with a solid masonry or other solid material enclosing one or more sides of the storage area.

(2) General Storage. Storage of materials and merchandise, other than for display purposes, shall be located outside of required front yard areas and it shall be screened from public view. All storage of materials and equipment and materials in process shall be stacked, sorted, or arranged in an orderly manner.

(3) A caretaker’s residence is allowed and shall be a secondary, subordinate part of the commercial building, located on a second floor of a building, and it shall be used only for housing a person or persons responsible for the security and operation of the industrial venture.

(4) Fences located on site shall not exceed a height of eight feet. Fences may not be located in the required front yard.

(5) Landscaping. The following are required for landscape:

(a) Street frontages: landscaping is intended to provide an entryway into the industrial area while providing some level of screening. Existing natural buffers are encouraged but may need to be augmented with additional landscaping features to provide screening. The city, in the process of reviewing development proposals, may require additional screening as necessary to mitigate between areas of incompatible uses, such as industrial uses and single-family residential. Landscape screening in the industrial zone shall contain the following minimum elements:

(i) All plant materials and living ground cover must be selected and maintained so that the entire landscaped area will be covered a minimum of 50 percent within five years of planting.

(ii) Any combination of trees (deciduous or evergreen), shrubs, earthen berms and related plant materials or design is allowed; provided, that the landscape provides screening from adjoining properties. In instances where the industrial area abuts gateway commercial, the landscaping will be maintained to provide a clear line of sight between three feet and eight feet for safety.

(iii) Street trees shall be planted adjacent to the right-of-way, but not closer than three feet to a public sidewalk or curb. In no case shall sight-obscuring landscaping be located within the clear view triangle area.

(b) Side and rear yard areas adjacent to residential zones shall have landscaping intended to create a visual separation between property uses/activities. It shall contain the following minimum elements:

(i) Deciduous trees and a combination of shrubs and/or ground cover approved by the city and as set forth here:

(A) Trees shall be planted at intervals no greater than 50-foot centers; and

(B) Trees shall not be located closer than three feet to the curb and/or a sidewalk.

(C) Evergreen trees that comply with subsections (5)(b)(i)(A) and (B) of this section may be substituted for the deciduous trees, upon approval of the city, provided they will not cause sight distance impairment at intersections of public streets and/or driveways, and provided they will not cause operation and/or structural damage to sidewalks and/or storm drainage systems.

(ii) Shrubs shall be a minimum of one and one-half feet in height at the time of planting and may be dispersed throughout the landscaped planting area or in confined pockets or nodes.

(iii) Ground cover shall be designed to cover 60 percent of the required area. Ground cover shall consist of grass, shrubs, vines, or other similar living ground cover. The remaining area may be covered with bark, rock or other similar material. These areas may also contain trees, shrubs, and other permitted plant materials and pedestrian amenities (e.g., benches); however, areas planted in grass shall be designed and constructed in a manner that will make possible normal maintenance such as mowing and watering. Ground cover shall be planted so that a minimum of 75 percent of the area is covered at maturity within five years.

(6) Traffic/Circulation/Access.

(a) Pedestrian/Bicycle Circulation. The property owner/developer shall ensure that provisions are made for safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle circulation systems between all land uses and buildings when appropriate, and shall provide continuity of public access to adjoining properties and other pedestrian systems.

(b) Interior Collector Road and Access. Ingress and egress from a state highway or a major arterial is prohibited to lots, parcels or tracts of property located within an industrial district except as provided by a public road intersection approved by the county engineer and/or WSDOT as appropriate.

(c) Access to parcels, tracts or lots in the I-G district shall be provided by an interior collector road right-of-way. The interior collector road right-of-way shall be designed to facilitate traffic circulation through the entire industrial district. Development of the interior road system may also include local, private or public roads connecting to the interior collector road to ensure efficient access to all areas of the industrial district.

(7) Master Planning/Site Design.

(a) All parcels 10 acres or larger (as existed on January 1, 2015) are required to prepare a master plan for their site, prior to development. Any division of land shall first prepare a conceptual master plan showing its relationship with surrounding parcels. Parcels of land proposed for development less than 10 acres of land area that existed prior to January 1, 2015, shall prepare a site plan that meets the purpose of this chapter. This section provides a conceptual design plan for the industrial and commercial areas.

(b) A meandered corridor for pedestrians and bicycles will be provided along one side of the interior collector road in the industrial zoned property. (Ord. 16-001 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 07-012 § 1).