Zoning Districts – General Descriptions
R-1 – One-Family Residence District
R-2 – One- and Two-Family Residence District
R-3 – Multi-Family Residence District
R-4 – Mobile Homes Residence District
O-1 – Transitional Office District
B-1 – Neighborhood Business District
B-2 – Central Business District
B-3 – Highway Business District
B-4 – Central Fringe Business District
M-1 – Light Industrial District
M-2 – Heavy Industrial District
CD – Campus Development District
DIVISION 2. R-1 ONE-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT
Section 30-132. Generally.
(a) This district is composed of low to medium density residential areas plus certain open areas where similar residential development should be encouraged. The regulations are intended to stabilize, protect and encourage the residential character of the district and prohibit all activities of a commercial nature. New development is to be limited basically to single-unit dwellings plus such additional uses as schools, parks, churches and certain public facilities which serve the residents of the district.
** The “A,” “B,” or “C” may refer to lot size, how much living space is required, or specific yard setbacks. CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC MEASURMENTS.
DIVISION 3. R-2 ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT
Section 30-147. Generally.
(a) This district is composed of certain medium-density areas representing a compatible co-mingling of one- and two-family dwellings, plus certain open areas where similar residential development appears likely to occur. The regulations are intended to stabilize and protect the essential characteristics of the district and to prohibit all activities of a commercial nature. To these ends development is limited to medium concentration and permitted uses are typically one- and two-family dwelling units, plus certain additional uses, such as schools, churches, playgrounds and certain public facilities which serve the residents of the district.
(b) In addition under certain conditions and specific limitations "Planned Residential Building Groups" may be permitted.
** The “A,” or “B” may refer to lot size, how much living space is required, or specific yard setbacks. CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC MEASURMENTS.
DIVISION 4. R-3 MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT
Section 30-167. Generally.
(a) This district is composed of certain high density residential areas and within which are certain neighborhoods where rehabilitation for similar development should be encouraged. The regulations are designed to protect the essential characteristics of the district and encourage, insofar as compatible with the intensity of land use, a good environment for family life, composed predominantly of an adult population and to prohibit all activities of a commercial nature except certain enumerated and controlled "Home Occupations." To these ends the district is protected against encroachment of general commercial and industrial uses yet permitting high concentration of residential use consistent with high land valuation. All residential types of structures including institutions are permitted but the predominant structural types will be multi-family dwellings, apartments, and conversions of single-family dwellings into multiple units. Also, churches, meeting places for organizations and certain public facilities which serve the residents of the district are permitted.
** The “A,” “B,” or “C” may refer to lot size, how much living space is required, or specific yard setbacks. CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC MEASURMENTS..
DIVISION 5. R-4 MOBILE HOMES RESIDENCE DISTRICT
Sec. 30-181 Purpose.
The mobile home park district is intended to encourage the appropriate location and suitable development of mobile home parks. In keeping with the occupancy characteristics of contemporary mobile homes, this Division establishes density standards and permitted uses that reflect the basic needs of potential residents.
DIVISION 5-A. O-1 TRANSITIONAL OFFICE DISTRICT
Section 30-189. Intent.
The O-1 Transitional Office District is established in order to buffer commercial and industrial zones from less intensive residential areas by allowing limited professional office and institutional uses in existing structures, when located on or near major streets. This district allows for conversion or re-use of existing structures no longer useful, serviceable or desirable in their present use to restricted office use or restricted institutional uses. Expansion of structures and uses allowed under the district is limited in order to maintain a residentially-scaled pattern of development. This district is specifically intended to prohibit commercial establishments of a retail nature or other activities which generate high traffic volumes and have extended hours of operation. Such prohibited activities include, but are not limited to barber and beauty shops, fraternity and sorority houses, rooming and boarding houses, clubs and lodges, eating or drinking establishments, outdoor vending machines, and parking for off-site uses.
The Transitional Office District is created to preserve the existing residential character of a neighborhood, while promoting a high standard of office development, and to provide redevelopment options for properties both unattractive for residential use and inappropriate for intensive commercial development.
This zone shall be established only when it would act as a buffer between residential and non-residential uses located along major streets, and/or when such uses would abut a nonresidential use, either directly or across a street.
DIVISION 6. B-1 NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
Section 30-202. Generally.
This district is composed of certain land and structures used primarily to provide the retailing of commodities classed by merchants "convenience goods," such as groceries and drugs, and the furnishing of certain personal services such as beauty shops, barber shops, and "pick-up" stations for laundry or dry cleaning, thus satisfying the daily and weekly household or personal needs of abutting residential neighborhoods. This district is small, usually located at the intersection of two (2) streets or highways, and almost always entirely surrounded by residential districts. The regulations of this "essential convenience goods and services" district are designed to encourage development of designated uses and services needed for the neighborhood and protect the abutting or surrounding residential districts against encroachment or infiltration of these uses and services.
DIVISION 7. B-2 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
Section 30-222. Intent.
The B-2 Central Business Districts is intended to provide for a variety of retail and office services which serve the needs of a consumer trade area that extends beyond the corporate boundaries of the city. This district is characterized by intense pedestrian activity and a unified architectural scale.
The district regulations are designed for these purposes:
(1) To promote convenient comparison shopping by pedestrians for retail goods and business, professional, and personal services.
(2) To provide for the stability of retail development by encouraging a continuous retail frontage and by prohibiting automotive related uses and services.
(3) To provide for more employment in the district and to promote the full utilization of downtown buildings.
(4) To protect the district from over congestion of the traffic pattern, while providing adequate automobile access to, and parking in, the area.
(5) To protect and enhance the value of property within the district.
(6) To promote development which is compatible with the existing historic character of the district.
The essential interdependence of activities is given precedence in the regulation and future planning of this district over any desire to permit automobiles to come directly to each establishment. Non-retail uses are compatible with the purposes of this district as long as adequate and convenient parking can be provided for retail activity, the ease of pedestrian movement can be ensured, and the quality of life can be protected.
DIVISION 8. B-3 HIGHWAY SERVICE BUSINESS DISTRICT
Section 30-242. Generally.
This district is intended to provide for retail business and services in areas which abut federal and state highways, and major arterial streets designated as such on the "street plan" of the City of Albion of current adoption.
DIVISION 8A. B-4 CENTRAL FRINGE BUSINESS DISTRICT
Section 30-251. Intent.
The B-4 Central Fringe Business District is designed to provide sites for more diversified business types which would often be incompatible with the pedestrian movement in the Central Business District. The intent is to provide services which are more dependent upon direct automobile access to establishments within this district, which are in close proximity to the pedestrian scale services of the Central Business District. In most case these services are less interdependent than those within the B-2 Central Business District, and rely less upon comparison shopping than on direct automobile access.
The district regulations are designed for these purposes:
(1) To provide for more employment in the district and to promote the full utilization of buildings.
(2) To provide for auto-related shopping alternatives close to downtown.
(3) To encourage small-scale businesses which may require direct automobile access to locate on the fringe of downtown.
(4) To allow pedestrian movement within the district.
(5) To protect the district from over congestion of the traffic pattern, while providing for adequate automobile access to, and parking in, the area.
(6) To protect and enhance the value of property within the district.
Non-retail uses are compatible with the purpose of this district as long as adequate and convenient parking can be provided for retail activity and a smooth traffic pattern can be assured, and the quality of life can be protected.
DIVISION 9. M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
Section 30-262. Generally.
This district is composed of certain land so situated as to be suitable for light industrial development, but where the modes of operations of the industry may directly affect nearby nonindustrial development. The regulations are so designed as to permit the normal operations of almost all light industries, subject only to those needed for their mutual protection and the equitable preservation of nearby nonindustrial uses of land.
Section 30-269. Light industrial parks (M-1-P).
Light industrial parks shall conform to all the requirements of the light industrial district and shall meet the following additional requirements:
(1) Minimum lot size, one-half acre;
(2) Minimum front yard, fifty (50) feet;
(3) Minimum side yard, twenty (20) feet;
(4) Minimum rear yard, seventy-five (75) feet.
DIVISION 10. M-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
Section 30-282. Generally.
This district is composed of certain land so situated as to be suitable for industrial development, but where the modes of operation of the industry may directly affect nearby nonindustrial development. The regulations are so designed as to permit the normal operations of almost all industries, subject only to those needed for their mutual protection and the equitable preservation of nearby nonindustrial uses of land.
Section 30-285. Heavy industrial parks‑‑M-2 (P).
Heavy industrial parks shall permit all uses allowed in light industrial districts, light industrial parks and heavy industrial districts, and shall conform to all the requirements of Section 30-269 of this Code.