Permitted and Prohibited Uses in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District of Orlando
The I-C: Industrial-Commercial District in the City of Orlando is designed to accommodate intensive commercial and light-industrial activities, specifically those located along arterial or four-lane collector streets. While the district permits a wide array of service, retail, and office uses, it generally prohibits all forms of residential development and heavy industrial processing. Development within the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District is strictly regulated to ensure it does not create traffic hazards or nuisances for adjacent residential neighborhoods [Section 58.499.5, 58.499.6].
Purpose and Applicability of the I-C District
The City of Orlando established the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District to provide for the beneficial use of intensive commercial and light-industrial properties. This designation is intended for areas that may have been zoned for similar purposes in Orange County prior to annexation into the City of Orlando. A primary requirement for land in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District is that the building site must have frontage on at least one arterial or four-lane collector street, or have access to such a street via a route that does not pass through a residential zoning district [Section 58.499.5, 58.499.6].
Allowable Land Uses
Uses in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District are categorized as either permitted by right (P), permitted subject to an appearance review (PA), or requiring a Conditional Use Permit (C).
Permitted Non-Residential Uses
The following uses are permitted by right within the City of Orlando's I-C: Industrial-Commercial District:
- Retail and Service: Light and intensive retailing, personal services, intensive services, temporary labor agencies, and automotive and major vehicle services [Figure 2].
- Office and Medical: General offices, medical/dental offices, laboratories, and hospitals or clinics [Figure 2].
- Hospitality and Entertainment: Hotels, motels, bars, and nightclubs [Figure 2].
- Industrial and Wholesale: Wholesale and warehouse facilities [Figure 2].
- Infrastructure: Communication towers (subject to specific standards) and conservation uses [Section 58.840, Figure 2].
- Other: Child or adult day care facilities (both 6–30 and 31+ persons) and local assembly uses [Figure 2].
Conditional Non-Residential Uses
The following uses require a Conditional Use Permit to operate within the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District:
- Industrial: Light manufacturing and processing [Figure 2].
- Facilities: Warehouse showrooms, whole blood facilities, and vertiports [Figure 2].
- Parking: Principal use parking lots or garages [Figure 2].
- Assembly: Neighborhood and community-scale assembly uses [Figure 2].
Prohibited Uses
The City of Orlando explicitly prohibits certain uses in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District to maintain the district's intent and protect the public welfare.
- Residential Uses: All standard residential forms, including single-family homes, duplexes, tandems, townhomes, multi-family apartments, and mobile homes, are prohibited [Figure 2].
- Congregate Living: All forms of group housing, residential care facilities, intensive care facilities, and transient care facilities are prohibited [Figure 2].
- Intensive Industrial: Heavy manufacturing and processing are not allowed [Figure 2].
- Specific Commercial: Adult entertainment facilities, indoor shooting ranges, and neighborhood convenience stores are prohibited [Figure 2].
- Other: Regional assembly uses and golf courses [Figure 2].
Development Standards for the I-C District
The City of Orlando mandates specific dimensional and intensity standards for all developments within the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District to ensure consistent urban form.
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Non-Residential Intensity (FAR) | 0.70 [Figure 1C] |
| Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio (ISR) | 0.90 [Figure 1C] |
| Minimum Building Site Frontage | 100 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Minimum Front Yard Setback | 15 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Minimum Side Yard Setback | 10 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Minimum Street Side Yard Setback | 35 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Minimum Rear Yard Setback | 10 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Maximum Height (Permitted) | 35 ft. [Figure 1C] |
| Maximum Height (Conditional) | 75 ft. [Figure 1C] |
Note on Setbacks: Rear and side yard setbacks in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District may be reduced to zero feet when the property line coincides with a railroad siding, provided no trackage is located within 300 feet of any residential district [Section 58.499.7].
Additional Specific Regulations
- Drive-Through Facilities: These are permitted in the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District, though they may require a Conditional Use Permit if located within 300 feet of a residential district or if they operate during overnight hours (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) [Section 58.740].
- Outdoor Storage: In the I-C: Industrial-Commercial District, any storage located within 300 feet of a residential, office, or activity center district must be contained within a completely enclosed building [Section 58.791].
- Traffic Management: Developments must be designed so they do not direct traffic into adjacent residential zoning districts or generate traffic congestion that negatively affects those areas [Section 58.499.6].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 58.499.4 - Relationship to the Growth Management Plan.
- Sec. 58.499.5 - Purpose of the District.
- Sec. 58.499.6 - Rezones and Zoning Map Applications.
- Sec. 58.499.7 - Additional District Requirements.
- FG-1C.LDC - Table of Zoning District Regulations (Figure 1).
- FG-2A.LDC - Table of Allowable Uses (Figure 2).
- Sec. 58.740 - Drive-through Facilities; General Requirements.
- Sec. 58.791 - Locations Where Enclosed Storage is Required.
- Sec. 58.840 - Communication Towers; General Requirements.