Allowed and Prohibited Uses in the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District

The IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District in the City of Charlotte is intended for large-scale institutional developments, such as medical, educational, and religious campuses, characterized by low- to mid-rise structures and ample green space. While the City of Charlotte allows many institutional and infrastructure uses by-right, most residential and commercial activities within this district are permitted only with prescribed conditions to ensure they support the primary campus mission. Intensive industrial, heavy retail, and adult-oriented businesses are strictly prohibited within the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District.

Purpose of the IC-1 District

According to the City of Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance, the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District is designed to address the needs and impacts of large-scale institutional campuses. This includes governmental, educational, medical, and social service facilities, as well as religious campuses and continuum of care residential developments. The district emphasizes an open development form and prioritizes a cohesive pedestrian network within a campus-like environment [Section 7.1.A].

Use Permissibility Overview

Uses within the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District are categorized as Permitted by-right (X), Permitted with Prescribed Conditions (PC), or Prohibited (blank).

IC-1 Institutional Campus Use Matrix

Use Category	Permissibility Status
Residential Uses	Primarily PC (Prescribed Conditions)
Commercial Uses	Mixed (X, PC, and Prohibited)
Institutional & Governmental	Primarily X (Permitted by-right)
Public Health & Social Service	Mixed (X and PC)
Industrial Uses	Primarily Prohibited
Transportation & Infrastructure	Mixed (X and PC)

[Section 15.2]

Detailed List of Allowed Uses

The following uses are authorized within the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District in the City of Charlotte, subject to the noted requirements.

Uses Permitted By-Right (X)

The City of Charlotte permits these uses in the IC-1 District without additional specific conditions beyond standard district regulations:

Institutional: Childcare Center, Childcare Center (Large), Community Center, Cultural Facility, Educational Facility (Pre-School, Primary, Secondary, University, College, or Vocational), Government Office/Facility, Place of Worship, and Public Safety Facility [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Campus Specific: Educational Campus, Government Campus, Medical Campus, Religious Campus, and Social Service Campus [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Health & Social Service: Domestic Violence Shelter [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Infrastructure: Public Transit Facility and Bona Fide Farm [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Recreation: Private Recreation Club [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
General: Group Home [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].

Uses Permitted with Prescribed Conditions (PC)

The City of Charlotte allows these uses in the IC-1 District only if they meet specific standards defined in Article 15:

Residential: All standard dwelling types (Single-Family, Duplex, Triplex, Quadraplex, Multi-Family Attached, and Multi-Family Stacked), Multi-Dwelling Developments, and Continuum Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Commercial Support: Art Gallery, Arts or Fitness Studio, Financial Institution, Hotel/Motel, Office, Personal Service Establishment, Restaurant/Bar, Retail Goods Establishment, and Specialty Food Service. Note: In the IC-1 District, many of these must have a formal affiliation with the primary institution [Section 15.4].
Social Services & Health: Addiction Treatment Facility (Residential), Alternative Correction Facility, Children's Home, Drug Treatment Clinic, Food Pantry, Halfway House, Healthcare Institution, and Homeless Shelter [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Industrial & Craft: Beneficial Fill Site, Industrial (Craft), and Movie Studio [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Transportation & Utilities: Parking Lot (Principal Use), Parking Structure (Principal Use), Vehicle Fueling Facility (limited to fleet vehicles), and Vehicle Operations Facility [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Open Space: Cemetery, Community Garden, Conservation Area, and Farm [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].

Prohibited Uses

The City of Charlotte expressly prohibits the following uses within the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District:

Adult Uses: Adult Electronic Gaming Establishments and standard Adult Uses [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Intensive Commercial: Amusement Facilities (Indoor/Outdoor), Auction Sales, Car Wash, Commercial Kitchens, and Nightclubs [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Automotive/Heavy Retail: Heavy Retail Establishments, Heavy Rental and Service, Vehicle Auction Facilities, and Vehicle Dealerships (Enclosed or Outdoor) [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Heavy Industrial: Most industrial processes, Landfills (Sanitary or LCID as principal use), and Large Waste Containers (unless accessory) [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Service & Storage: Kennels, Self-Storage Facilities (Climate-Controlled or Outdoor), and Shooting Ranges [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].
Miscellaneous: Stadiums (unless authorized as a campus component) and standalone Telecommunications/Data Storage Facilities [Section 15.2, Table 15-1].

Supplemental IC-1 Development Standards

Developments within the IC-1 Institutional Campus Zoning District must adhere to specific spatial and design requirements.

Standard	Requirement
Minimum District Size	10 acres [Section 7.3, Table 7-1]
Minimum Lot Width	50 feet [Section 7.3, Table 7-1]
Maximum Building Coverage	60% [Section 7.3, Table 7-1]
Maximum Height (Standard)	50 feet [Section 7.3, Table 7-3]
Maximum Height (with Bonus)	80 feet [Section 7.3, Table 7-3]

Sections Cited

Article 7: Campus Zoning Districts (Sections 7.1, 7.3)
Article 15: Use Regulations (Sections 15.2, 15.4)