The subject property is located at the northeast corner of Trouble Creek Road and Voorhees Road. The western half of the property consists of an office building and open space. The eastern half is wetlands. The existing use is an office for a pressure washing business. Conditions for a zoning clearance of the business prohibited outdoor storage of vehicles and equipment.
Proposal:
The applicant is requesting to amend the Future Land Use Map to Light Industrial which will allow a rezoning to Light Industrial. The Light Industrial zoning district allows outdoor storage of vehicles and equipment as a conditional use.
Compatibility with Comprehensive Plan
The proposal is inconsistent with the following policies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
FLU 1.2.4 Existing residential areas shall be protected from the encroachment of incompatible activities; likewise, other land use areas shall be protected from the encroachment of incompatible residential activities.
FLU 1.7.2 Industrial land uses shall be encouraged and protected where they will be compatible with surrounding land uses.
FLU 1.7.3 Supporting and complementary industries and ancillary commercial services should be located in proximity to each other to accomplish a linkage between industries and services.
Planning Review
Industrial uses are typically considered incompatible with residential areas. The use can be noisy, smelly and unattractive. Industrial areas are normally located at the fringe of a city away from residential and neighborhood commercial areas. Additionally, large trucks and heavy equipment are hauled to and from the site which would create a nuisance in a residential area.
If approved, the property will be the only one with a Light Industrial land use designation. Basically, creating a spot zoning issue. Spot zoning has been determined by the US Supreme Court to be arbitrary and capricious.