Chapter 16.24
EMPLOYMENT DISTRICTS

Sections:

16.24.010    Purpose and intent.

16.24.020    Employment districts.

16.24.030    Use regulations for employment districts.

16.24.040    Employment district development standards.

16.24.010 Purpose and intent.

A. The general plan outlines the goals, objectives and policies establishing the character and location of business park, office professional and industrial land uses within the city. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide regulations which implement those goals, objectives, and policies which assure the availability of a solid and diversified economic base which is capable of offering a wide range of employment opportunities to the resident of the city.

B. The provisions of this chapter are intended to ensure that specific, well-defined patterns of industrial activities are established which are compatible with the surrounding land uses, provide adequate access to the regional transportation network, accommodate the employment and personal needs of workers and business visitors and which meet the service needs of local businesses.

C. It is the further intent of the provisions of this chapter to:

1. Preserve appropriate areas for industrial uses and protect these areas from intrusion by residential and other incompatible land uses;

2. Protect adjacent land uses from the noise, odor, dust, smoke, truck traffic and other objectionable influences, and from fire, explosion, radiation and other potential hazards associated with certain industrial uses;

3. Provide adequate open space around industrial structures to protect them from hazards and to minimize the impact of industrial plants on nearby residential or commercial districts; and

4. Minimize traffic congestion and avoid the overloading of utilities by regulating the construction of buildings and structures of excessive size relative to the size of the building parcel. (Ord. 171 § 6.10, 1994)

16.24.020 Employment districts.

A. Business Park (BP). The primary purpose of the Business Park (BP) District is to provide appropriate regulations and suitable locations for light industrial, research and development, and office-based firms seeking pleasant and attractive working environments, and for business support services and commercial uses requiring large parcels.

B. Industrial (I). The primary purpose of the Industrial (I) District is to provide appropriate regulations and suitable locations for manufacturing, research and development, warehousing and distribution, multitenant industrial uses, in addition to administrative support, professional offices, and commercial activities on a limited basis. The district is intended as an area for the establishment of light industrial and limited service commercial uses which meet high performance standards, but which usually cannot meet site development standards applicable to planned research and development parks.

C. Office Professional (OP). The primary purpose of the Office Professional (OP) District is to provide areas for the establishment of office based working environments for general, professional and administration offices, as well as necessary support uses. (Ord. 171 § 6.20, 1994)

16.24.030 Use regulations for employment districts.

A. Identified on Table 16.24.030.A are those land uses or activities which may be permitted in each of the employment districts, subject to the provisions of this chapter, this title and applicable general plan policies, and those land uses and activities which are not permitted. Table 16.24.030.A also indicates the development procedure and the approval type by which each listed land use or activity may be permitted in each of the employment districts.

1. Where the symbol “■” appears in the column beneath an employment zone district, the corresponding land use or activity shall not be permitted in the zone district.

2. Where the symbol “P” appears in the column beneath the zone district, the corresponding land use or activity is permitted by right in that zone district; provided, that the use is in conformance with the provisions of this title.

Permitted uses shall be subject to consistency assessment, which shall determine the conformance of the proposed use or activity with the provisions of this title in conjunction with, and as a requirement of, the issuance of a permit by any city department.

3. Where the symbol “SR” appears in the column beneath employment zone designations, the corresponding land use or activity may be permitted subject to the approval of a staff review permit application as provided for in Chapter 16.08 HMC.

4. Where the symbol “C” appears in the column beneath employment zone designations, the corresponding land use or activity may be permitted subject to the approval of a conditional use permit application as provided for in Chapter 16.08 HMC.

B. Land uses within the employment districts shall meet the provisions of the hazardous materials management section (HMC 16.40.130), and all applicable local, state, and federal hazardous materials legislation, in addition to the provisions of this chapter.

C. If permitted, land uses within the business park, office professional, or industrial zone districts which are or would be “hazardous materials handlers or generators,” as defined by the criteria contained in the county hazardous waste management plan, shall be subject to the conditional use permit application procedure, notwithstanding the application process which may be specified in this chapter.

Table 16.24.030.A

Uses Permitted Within Employment Districts

Legend

■    Not permitted in this district

SR    Permitted Subject to approval of a staff review permit application

C    Permitted Subject to approval of a conditional use permit application

P    Permitted in this district

Uses	BP	I	OP
A. Manufacturing uses
1. Bakery/food preparation	C	SR	■
2. Bottling plants	C	SR	■
3. Carpenter and cabinet shops	SR	SR	■
4. Cement products manufacturing	C	SR	■
5. Citrus products manufacturing, including frozen foods	■	SR	■
6. Electronics: electrical and related parts; electrical appliances, motors, and devices; radio, television, and phonograph	SR	SR	■
7. Furniture upholstering	SR	SR	■
8. Instruments: electronic and precision; medical and dental; timing and measuring	SR	SR	■
9. Laboratories: chemical, dental, electrical, optical, mechanical, and medical	SR	SR	■
10. Manufacture and maintenance of electrical and other signs	SR	SR	■
11. Manufacturing, compounding, assembly or treatment of articles or merchandise from the following previously prepared typical materials:
a. Canvas, cellophane, cloth, cork, felt, fiber, fur, glass, leather, paper (no milling), precious or semi-precious stones or metals, plaster, plastics, shells, textiles, tobacco, wood and yarns	C	SR	■
12. Office and related machinery: audio machinery; computers, electrical and manual; visual machinery	SR	SR	SR
13. Packing houses	■	SR	■
14. Pharmaceuticals: cosmetics, Drugs, perfumes, toiletries, and soap (not including refining or rendering of fats or oils)	SR	SR	■
15. Rubber and metal stamp manufacturing	C	SR	■
B. Wholesale uses and warehousing
1. Light wholesale, storage and distribution including wholesaling, storage, and warehousing services within enclosed buildings. Storage and wholesale to retailers from the premises of unfinished, raw and semi-refined products requiring further processing, fabrication, and manufacturing, and other storage shall be excluded from this land use type	SR	SR	■
2. General wholesale, storage, and distribution including warehousing, storage, freight handling, shipping, trucking services and terminals, storage and warehousing from the premises of unfinished, raw and semi-refined products requiring further processing, fabrication, or manufacturing. Outdoor storage shall be permitted subject to applicable screening requirements	C	SR	■
3. Contractor’s storage yards (temporary in Business Park) including the storage of equipment, materials and vehicles for construction industry contractors (screening of outdoor storage required)	SR	SR	■
4. Recreational vehicle storage (screening of outdoor storage required)	C	SR	■
5. Vehicle storage/towing services	C	SR	■
6. Vehicle wrecking and storage	■	C	■
7. Mini storage	C	SR	■
C. Commercial uses and services
1. Adult entertainment (subject to Chapter 16.72 HMC)	SR	SR	■
2. Ambulance services	SR	SR	■
3. Appliance repair	SR	SR	■
4. Art galleries	SR	■	SR
5. Art studio	SR	SR	■
6. Art supply shops	SR	■	■
7. Athletic and health clubs (indoor)	SR	SR	C
8. Auction house	C	SR	■
9. Automotive fleet storage	C	SR	■
10. Automotive rental agencies	SR	SR	■
11. Automotive and light truck repair (minor)	SR	SR	■
12. Automotive and light truck repair (major)	■	SR	■
13. Bakery shops	SR	■	■
14. Banks, savings and loans, credit unions	SR	■	SR
15. Barber and beauty colleges	SR	■	SR
16. Blueprinting and photocopying	SR	SR	SR
17. Boat and camper repairs	C	SR	■
18. Car wash	SR	■	■
19. Cleaning and pressing establishments	SR	■	C
20. Communication and telecommunication facilities (radio and television, not including wireless telecommunication facilities)	C	C	C
21. Commercial recreational facilities (indoor)	C	C	C
22. Driving schools	C	■	C
23. Exterminators	C	SR	■
24. Emergency shelters – 25 persons or less (excludes transitional housing and permanent support type housing facilities) (refer to HMC 16.44.270)	SR	■	■
25. Florist shop	SR	■	SR
26. Furniture stores (repair and upholstery)	C	SR	■
27. Glass shops and glass studio	SR	SR	■
28. Hotels and motels	C	■	C
29. Janitorial services and supplies	SR	SR	C
30. Insurance services	SR	■	SR
31. Kennel and catteries	C	C	■
32. Laundry pickup and delivery services	SR	SR	■
33. Locksmith shops	SR	SR	■
34. Lumber and buildings material yards	C	SR	■
35. Massage establishments	C	■1	■1
36. Newspaper and magazine shops (printing and publishing)	C	SR	SR
37. Office and business machine (service and repair)	SR	■	C
38. Commercial parking facilities	C	■	C
39. Political or philanthropic headquarters	SR	■	SR
40. Printing and copy shops	SR	SR	SR
41. Plumbing shops and supplies	SR	SR	■
42. Real estate services	SR	■	SR
43. Recycling facilities: large collection facilities and processing facilities (refer to HMC 16.44.170)	■	SR	■
44. Restaurants (including Drive-through)	SR	■	C
45. Restaurants other than fast food:
a. With entertainment and/or serving alcoholic beverages, including upgrading an existing ABC license (e.g., beer and wine license to a hard liquor license)	C	■	C
b. Without entertainment and/or serving alcoholic beverages	SR	■	SR
46. Sign painting shops	SR	SR	■
47. Stationery stores	SR	■	SR
48. Statue shop	SR	■	■
49. Surveying services	SR	■	SR
50. Swimming pool and spa sales	SR	■	■
51. Swimming pool supply and cleaning services	SR	SR	■
52. Tailor shops	SR	■	SR
53. Taxidermist	SR	SR	■
54. Travel agencies	SR	■	SR
55. Truck wash	■	SR	■
56. Tire retreading and recapping	■	C	■
57. Vehicle fueling stations (automotive, without convenience sales)	C	■	■
58. Vehicle fueling stations (automotive, with convenience store, with or without alcoholic beverage sales)	C	■	■
59. Vending machine service and repair	SR	SR	■
60. Veterinary offices and animal hospitals, excluding exterior kennels, pens or runs	C	■	C
61. Weight reduction center	SR	■	SR
62. Wireless telecommunication facility
a. Major	C	C	C
b. Minor	SR	SR	SR
D. Accessory uses
1. Accessory structures and uses, including child care facilities, located on the same site as a use permitted subject to the issuance of a department review permit	SR	SR	SR
2. Accessory structures and uses, including child care facilities, located on the same site as a conditionally permitted use	C	C	C
3. Watchman’s or caretaker’s living quarters only when incidental to and on the same site as a permitted or conditional use (where 24-hour surveillance is required)	SR	SR	SR
E. Public and quasi-public uses
1. Bus, rail and taxi stations	C	C	C
2. Churches, clubs, lodges, fraternities, and sorority headquarters	C	■	C
3. Educational institutions (including public or private vocational schools)	C	■	C
4. Fire and police facilities	SR	SR	SR
5. Day nurseries, nursery schools, and child care facilities, per state law	C	■	C
6. Postal services	SR	SR	SR
7. Public administration buildings and civic center	SR	SR	SR
8. Public utility services offices	SR	■	SR
F. Office and related uses
1. Administrative and executive offices (incidental to primary use)	SR	SR	SR
2. Clerical and professional offices (incidental to primary use)	SR	SR	SR
3. Financial/mortgage services and institutions	SR	SR	SR
4. Medical, dental and related health services for humans, including laboratories, clinics, and the sale of articles clearly incidental to the services provided	SR	■	SR
5. Prescription pharmacies when located within a building containing the offices of medical practitioners	SR	■	SR
G. Temporary uses
1. Temporary uses as prescribed in HMC 16.08.120	SR	SR	SR
H. Other uses similar to, and no more objectionable than, the uses identified above shall be reviewed per the process required by the similar use, as determined by the planning commission.	P	P	P

1 Massage services may be performed in a beauty shop, nail salon, or day spa where massage services account for less than 30 percent of the gross square footage of the business and when conducted in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 5.16 HMC.

(Ord. 456 § 5, 2022; Ord. 427 § 8, 2018; Ord. 390 § 1, 2014; Ord. 376 § 5, 2013; Ord. 373 § 5, 2013; Ord. 267 § 5, 2001; Ord. 213 § 7, 1996; Ord. 205 § 8, 1996; Ord. 171 § 6.30, 1994)

16.24.040 Employment district development standards.

A. General Requirements.

1. Table 16.24.040.A establishes the minimum property development standards for all land, buildings and structures constructed within the specified zone districts. All sites shall conform to the dimensions established by this section.

2. A development or business park may, for the purposes of meeting the minimum site size standards, consist of a combination of parcels whose total net acreage meets the minimum site size criteria; provided, that the design for the entire site is integrated and unified.

3. In addition to the minimum development standard established in Table 16.24.040.A, developments within the Business Park and Industrial Zone Districts shall comply with the provisions of subsection B of this section, Chapter 16.48 HMC, Performance Standards, and other applicable city regulations and ordinances and the city general plan.

 

Table 16.24.040.A

Industrial Site Development Minimum Standards 

Requirement	BP	I	OP
1. Minimum parcel size	1 AC	1 AC	10 K sq. ft.
2. Minimum site width (in feet)	150	200	80
3. Minimum site depth (in feet)	150	200	100
4. Minimum front building setback area (in feet)	20	20	20
5. Minimum interior side building setback area (in feet)	20	0	20
6. Minimum street side building setback area (in feet)	20	20	20
7. Minimum rear building setback area (in feet)	20	0	20
8. Maximum building height (in feet)	35	50	35
9. Maximum lot coverage	60%	60%	60%

B. Special Site Development Standards.

1. When any employment district abuts or is situated across a street from a property in any residential district, a minimum building separation of 40 feet shall be required from such residential district; provided, however, that at least 20 feet of said setback, which is nearest the street or district boundary line, shall be landscaped. The remainder may be used for internal circulation/access or off-street parking. A three-foot high wall or berm shall be constructed in back of the landscaped area along street setbacks. Along all other lot lines adjacent to residential districts, said wall shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions of HMC 16.40.100.

2. Where off-street parking areas in employment districts are visible from any street, screening in the form of a landscaped earthen berm or decorative wall three feet in height shall be erected between the required landscape area and the parking area.

3. In all employment districts, required front building setback areas shall be landscaped. Said landscaping shall consist predominantly of plant materials except for necessary walks and drives. Where off-street parking is located within building setback areas, a minimum landscaped area of 10 feet in depth shall be provided between the property line and parking area, with an additional minimum landscaped area of 10 feet in depth required between the parking area and the building.

4. Except as otherwise permitted, a street side building setback area shall be used only for landscaping, pedestrian walkways, driveways, or off-street parking.

5. Except as otherwise permitted, required rear and interior side building setback areas shall be used only for landscaping, pedestrian walkways, driveways, off-street parking or loading, recreational activities or facilities, and similar accessory activities.

6. Parking for each proposed use within the employment district shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 16.52 HMC, Parking Requirements.

C. Repealed by Ord. 344. (Ord. 344 § 4, 2009; Ord. 243 § 5, 1999; Ord. 171 § 6.40, 1994)