Raleigh IX-: Industrial Mixed Use District - Allowed and Prohibited Uses

The IX-: Industrial Mixed Use District in the City of Raleigh is designed to support a variety of light industrial and manufacturing operations while permitting integrated commercial, retail, and limited residential activities [Section 3.1.1.G]. In the City of Raleigh, residential occupancy in the IX- District is restricted to the upper stories of mixed-use buildings, and heavy industrial activities are generally prohibited unless specifically categorized as a permitted or special use [Section 3.1.1.G, Section 6.1.4].

District Intent and Overview

The IX-: Industrial Mixed Use District primarily functions as a transition zone between heavy industrial areas and other mixed-use districts within the City of Raleigh. Its secondary purpose is to provide areas for light industrial or manufacturing businesses that can coexist with housing, retail, and service-related activities [Section 3.1.1.G].

Permitted, Limited, and Special Uses

The City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance categorizes uses into four levels of permission:

Permitted (P): Allowed by right.
Limited (L): Allowed by right if specific supplemental standards are met.
Special (S): Requires approval by the Board of Adjustment.
Prohibited (--): Not allowed within the district.

Industrial Mixed Use (IX-) Use Table

Use Category	Specific Use	IX- Status
Residential	Multi-unit Living	L
	Frequent Transit Development Option	L
	Multi-unit Supportive Housing	L
	Supportive Housing Residence	L
Public/Institutional	Civic	P
	Cemetery	L
	College/University	P
	School (K-12)	L
	Parks, Open Space, Greenways	P
	Minor Utilities	P
	Major Utilities	S
	Telecommunication Tower	L or S
	Water/Wastewater Treatment (Gov)	L
Commercial	Day Care (Home or Center)	L
	Indoor Recreation	P
	Adult Establishment	S
	Health Club	P
	Sports Academy	P
	Medical	P
	Office	P
	Outdoor Recreation	P
	Golf Course	P
	Outdoor Sports/Entertainment	P or S
	Riding Stables	L
	Overnight Lodging (Hotel/Inn)	P
	Hospitality House	P
	Parking Facility	P
	Passenger Terminal	P
	Airfield / Landing Strip	S
	Heliport	L or S
	Personal Service	P
	Animal Care (Indoor or Clinic)	L
	Animal Care (Outdoor)	S
	Restaurant / Bar	P
	Retail Sales	P
	Shopping Center	P
	Vehicle Sales/Rental	L
Industrial	Detention Center / Jail	P
	Towing Yard	S
	Light Industrial	P
	Brewery / Winery / Distillery	P
	Light Manufacturing	P
	Research & Development	P
	Self-Service Storage	L
	Vehicle Service (Car Wash)	L
	Vehicle Service (Repair)	P
	Warehouse & Distribution	P
	Waste-Related Service	P
	Wholesale Trade	P
Open	Community Garden	L
	Plant Nursery	P
	Produce Stand	L
	Urban Farm	S

[Section 6.1.4]

Specific Use Standards for IX-

Several uses permitted in the City of Raleigh IX- District are subject to "Limited" (L) or "Special" (S) standards:

Multi-unit Living: In an IX- District, multi-unit living is allowed only on the upper stories of a building. A lobby or other entrance is permitted on the ground floor [Section 6.2.1.D.2.b].
Self-Service Storage: The minimum site size must be at least 2 acres. All storage must be contained within a fully-enclosed building [Section 6.5.5.B.3].
Towing Yards: These require a Special Use Permit and cannot be located on a site with frontage along a Major Street or within 1,320 feet of a rail corridor [Section 6.5.1.C.2].
Adult Establishments: These require a Special Use Permit and must be located at least 2,000 feet from any other adult establishment or residential district [Section 6.4.2.B.2].

Prohibited Uses

In the City of Raleigh, any use not specifically listed as Permitted, Limited, or Special in the IX- District is prohibited [Section 6.1.5]. Specific prohibited uses identified in the City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance for the IX- District include:

Residential: Single-unit living, Two-unit living, Cottage court, Conservation development, and Compact development [Section 6.1.4].
Commercial: Short-term rentals and Bed and breakfasts [Section 6.1.4].
Industrial: All Heavy Industrial uses not specifically listed (e.g., animal processing, explosives manufacturing, and scrap metal processors) [Section 6.1.4, Section 6.5.1.A].
Open: General agriculture, restricted agriculture, and resource extraction (e.g., mining or dredging) [Section 6.1.4].

Sections Cited