Building and Parking Setbacks for the IH: Heavy Industrial District
In the City of Raleigh, the IH: Heavy Industrial district requires principal buildings to be set back a minimum of 50 feet from both primary and side streets. While individual side and rear building setbacks may be 0 feet, the City of Raleigh requires a cumulative sum of 40 feet for side interior setbacks and a 10-foot minimum setback for all on-site parking from any property line [Section 4.4.1].
Overview of the City of Raleigh IH District
The IH: Heavy Industrial district is a Special District established by the City of Raleigh to accommodate high-impact manufacturing, industrial, or other uses, including extractive and waste-related activities [Section 4.1.1]. Because these uses are often not compatible with Residential or Mixed Use districts, the City of Raleigh UDO imposes specific dimensional standards and buffering requirements to mitigate impacts on surrounding areas [Section 4.1.1].
Principal Building Setbacks
In the IH: Heavy Industrial district, the City of Raleigh requires significant separation from street rights-of-way while allowing flexibility for interior lot lines. However, developers must adhere to "aggregate" or "sum" requirements that ensure total open space between structures across the site.
IH District Building Setback Requirements
| Setback Type | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| From primary street | 50' |
| From side street | 50' |
| From side lot line | 0' |
| Sum of side interior setbacks | 40' |
| From rear lot line | 0' |
| Sum of rear and primary street setbacks | 70' |
[Section 4.4.1]
Parking Setbacks
The City of Raleigh mandates that all on-site surface and structured parking in the IH: Heavy Industrial district be placed behind specific parking setback lines. Unlike building setbacks, parking setbacks are uniform across all sides of the property.
IH District Parking Setback Requirements
| Setback Type | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| From primary street | 10' |
| From side street | 10' |
| From side lot line | 10' |
| From rear lot line | 10' |
[Section 4.4.1]
Rules of Measurement and Encroachments
The City of Raleigh UDO specifies exact methods for measuring these distances to ensure uniform application of the code:
- Street Setbacks: Primary and side street setbacks are measured perpendicular from the edge of the existing or proposed right-of-way, whichever is greater [Section 1.5.4.B.1].
- Side Setbacks: Measured perpendicular from the side property line [Section 1.5.4.B.2].
- Rear Setbacks: Measured perpendicular from the rear property line. If an alley exists, the measurement is taken from the edge of the existing or proposed right-of-way, whichever is greater [Section 1.5.4.B.3].
- Allowed Encroachments: Certain building features may extend into required setbacks. For instance, cornices, sills, and similar architectural features may project up to 1.5 feet into any setback [Section 1.5.4.D]. Underground structures covered by the ground are permitted to encroach entirely into a required setback [Section 1.5.4.D].
Required Protective Yards
The City of Raleigh requires the establishment of protective yards in the IH: Heavy Industrial district to provide visual screening and environmental buffering:
- Transitional Protective Yard: A Type B1 or B2 transitional protective yard must be established wherever an IH District property abuts any district other than another IH District [Section 4.4.1.F].
- Street Protective Yard: A Type C1 or C2 street protective yard must be established along all property lines that abut a public right-of-way [Section 4.4.1.F].
Sections Cited
- Section 1.5.4. Building Setbacks
- Section 4.1.1. District Intent Statements
- Section 4.4.1. General Building (Heavy Industrial)