IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District Use Guide: City of Charlotte
The IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District in the City of Charlotte is designed for large-scale institutional campuses that support a compact development form with taller structures in a pedestrian-oriented environment. Most primary institutional uses, such as hospitals, universities, and government facilities, are permitted by-right, while secondary supportive uses like retail and housing are permitted subject to prescribed conditions. In this district, buildings can reach a maximum height of 120 feet by-right, which can be increased to 250 feet through the City of Charlotte's voluntary development bonus system [Section 7.1.B, Table 7-3].
Permitted Uses (By-Right)
In the IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District, the following uses are permitted by-right ("X"), meaning they do not require a conditional rezoning or specific prescribed conditions beyond general City of Charlotte development standards [Section 15.2.B].
Institutional and Governmental
- Adult Care Center
- Childcare Center (including Large)
- Community Center
- Cultural Facility
- Educational Facility (Pre-School, Primary, Secondary, University/College, and Vocational)
- Government Office/Facility
- Place of Worship
- Public Safety Facility
Campus and Health Services
- Educational Campus
- Government Campus
- Medical Campus
- Religious Campus
- Social Service Campus
- Domestic Violence Shelter
Commercial and Industrial
- Art Gallery
- Outdoor Market
- Private Recreation Club
- Bona Fide Farm
Infrastructure and Transportation
- Public Transit Facility
Uses Permitted with Prescribed Conditions (PC)
The following uses are allowed in the IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District provided they comply with the specific "Prescribed Conditions" set forth in Article 15 of the City of Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance [Section 15.2.B].
Residential Uses
- Continuum Care Retirement Community (CCRC)
- Dormitory
- Dwelling: Duplex, Multi-Family Attached, Multi-Family Stacked, Quadraplex, Single-Family, or Triplex
- Multi-Dwelling Development
Commercial and Entertainment
- Arts or Fitness Studio
- Broadcasting Facility (With or Without Antennae)
- Financial Institution
- Funeral Home
- Hotel/Motel
- Industrial Design
- Medical/Dental Office
- Office
- Personal Service Establishment
- Reception Facility
- Research and Development (R&D)
- Restaurant/Bar
- Retail Goods Establishment
- Specialty Food Service
Public Health and Social Services
- Addiction Treatment Facility (Residential)
- Alternative Correction Facility
- Children’s Home
- Drug Treatment Clinic
- Food Pantry
- Halfway House
- Healthcare Institution
- Homeless Shelter
- Social Service Facility
Industrial and Infrastructure
- Beneficial Fill Site
- Parking Lot or Parking Structure (Principal Use)
- Vehicle Operations Facility
- Cemetery
- Conservation Area
- Utility (Includes Transmission & Distribution)
- Wireless Telecommunications
Conditional Uses
Certain uses in the IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District require a case-by-case review and approval through the conditional zoning process [Section 37.2].
- Stadiums: Permitted as a conditional use if they are within 1,000 feet of a Neighborhood 1 or Neighborhood 2 Place Type or exceed a capacity of 2,500 seats [Section 15.2.B, Section 15.4.CCCC.3].
- Correctional Facility: Requires conditional approval and must be owned/operated by or affiliated with a primary government campus [Section 15.2.B, Section 15.4.Z.2].
- Movie Studio: Requires conditional approval [Section 15.2.B].
Prohibited Uses
Any use not explicitly listed as "X", "PC", or "C" in the City of Charlotte Use Matrix is prohibited in the IC-2 Institutional Campus Zoning District [Section 15.1.C]. Notable prohibited uses include:
- Adult Uses (Adult Bookstores, etc.)
- Car Washes and Drive-Through Establishments (as principal uses)
- Heavy Industrial and Manufacturing (except Light Assembly)
- Nightclubs
- Quarries and Truck Terminals
- Vehicle Dealerships (Enclosed or Outdoor)
- Salvage and/or Junk Yards
Technical Development Standards
Development in the City of Charlotte IC-2 Zoning District must adhere to the following dimensional and parking requirements.
Dimensional Standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum District Size | 5 Acres |
| Minimum Lot Width | 25 Feet |
| Maximum Building Coverage | 60% |
| Maximum Building Height (By-Right) | 120 Feet |
| Maximum Building Height (With Bonus) | 250 Feet |
[Source: Table 7-1, Table 7-3]
Off-Street Parking Requirements
The IC-2 Zoning District follows "Tier 2" parking requirements, which establish both minimums and maximums [Table 19-1].
| Use Category | Minimum Requirement | Maximum Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| General Residential | 1 per dwelling unit | 2 per dwelling unit |
| Office | 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA | 1 per 250 sq. ft. GFA |
| Retail Goods Establishment | 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA | 1 per 250 sq. ft. GFA |
| Hotel/Motel | 0.5 per guest room | 1.5 per guest room |
[Source: Table 19-1]
Required Bicycle Parking
| Use Category | Required Bicycle Spaces | Required % Long-Term Spaces |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Family Stacked | 1 per 5 dwelling units | 80% |
| Nonresidential (General) | 1 per 1,500 sq. ft. GFA | 25% |
[Source: Table 19-3]
Sections Cited
- Section 7.1: Purpose and Intent
- Section 7.2: Uses
- Table 7-1: Campus Zoning Districts Lot Standards
- Table 7-3: Campus Zoning Districts Building Height Standards
- Section 15.1: General Use Regulations
- Section 15.2: Global Use Matrix
- Table 15-1: Use Matrix
- Table 19-1: Vehicle Parking Requirements
- Table 19-3: Bicycle Parking Requirements
- Section 37.2: Zoning Map Amendments