Setback Standards for the IC: Industrial Commercial District in Reno
In the City of Reno, the IC: Industrial Commercial district requires a front setback of 10 feet for sites of 20 acres or less and 30 feet for sites exceeding 20 acres. While the standard side and rear setbacks are 0 feet, the City of Reno mandates a minimum 10-foot setback for any IC: Industrial Commercial district building located immediately adjacent to a residentially zoned property. Additionally, structures within the IC: Industrial Commercial district that are built within 150 feet of specific residential zones must adhere to height-based stepback requirements starting at 24 feet in height.
IC: Industrial Commercial District Setback Requirements
The City of Reno establishes specific setback standards for the IC: Industrial Commercial district to ensure proper site layout and to mitigate impacts on neighboring residential areas. These standards are primarily found in the district-specific lot and building standards table [Section 18.02.402].
Standard Setback Measurements
| Setback Type | Minimum Requirement | Conditions/Applicability |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 10 feet | Applied to sites 20 acres or less in size |
| Front | 30 feet | Applied to sites greater than 20 acres in size |
| Side | 0 feet | Standard requirement for the IC: Industrial Commercial district |
| Side | 10 feet | Required if the site is immediately adjacent to residentially zoned property |
| Rear | 0 feet | Standard requirement for the IC: Industrial Commercial district |
| Rear | 10 feet | Required if the site is immediately adjacent to residentially zoned property |
Residential Adjacency and Compatibility Standards
When a development in the City of Reno IC: Industrial Commercial district is located near or adjacent to residential districts, additional protective standards are triggered to maintain neighborhood character [Section 18.04.1103].
Height-Based Stepbacks
For any building in the IC: Industrial Commercial district built within 150 feet of a property zoned Large-Lot (LL), Single-Family (SF), MF-14, or MD-PD, the City of Reno requires a 1:1 building height stepback for any portion of the structure exceeding 24 feet in height [Section 18.04.1103(c)(1) and Section 18.04.903(c)(1)]. This means for every 1 foot of height above 24 feet, the building must be set back an additional 1 foot from the shared property line.
Landscaping and Screening Setbacks
The City of Reno requires that IC: Industrial Commercial district developments provide a landscaped area with a minimum width of 10 feet adjacent to all residentially zoned property [Section 18.04.1103(d)(2)]. This area increases based on the scale of the industrial project:
- 15-foot minimum width: For IC: Industrial Commercial district developments containing more than 150,000 square feet of gross floor area or located on a 10-acre or larger site.
- 20-foot minimum width: For IC: Industrial Commercial district developments containing more than 300,000 square feet of gross floor area or located on a 20-acre or larger site.
Specific Functional Setbacks
- Loading Docks: The City of Reno prohibits loading docks and semi-truck staging areas from being located between an IC: Industrial Commercial district building and residentially zoned property unless they are screened by another non-residential building, a 10-foot masonry wall, or an enhanced 30-foot-wide landscaped area [Section 18.04.1103(d)(1)].
- Grading: Within the IC: Industrial Commercial district, no fill may be placed within 5 feet of a shared property line [Section 18.04.1404(a)(1)].
General Rules of Measurement
In the City of Reno, setbacks are measured as the horizontal distance between the property line and the nearest portion of the building or structure [Section 18.09.205(a)(1)]. If the IC: Industrial Commercial district lot includes a private roadway or access easement serving more than four residential units or any nonresidential development (other than minor utilities), setbacks are measured from the edge of that roadway rather than the property line [Section 18.09.205(a)(1)b].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.02.402, IC: Industrial Commercial
- Section 18.04.903, General Standards for Residential Districts
- Section 18.04.1103, General Standards for Employment Districts (I, IC, ME & MA)
- Section 18.04.1404, Grading
- Section 18.09.205, Property Line Setback/Yard