City M1 M2 zoning readings

While appearing on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse, Sheridan City Councilwoman Bev Leichtnam gave further explanation of the City’s work to update a zoning code. 

The City has been updating a zoning code to better plan for industrial development. 

According to the City, as the community grows and new types of businesses look to locate in the area, it is important that industrial uses are properly sited to minimize the impacts on surrounding property owners. To do this, the City is in the process of amending the M1 Industrial district and adopting a new M2 Heavy Industrial district.

  B. Leichtnam

A. Amending the M1 – Industrial Zone District

1. The current M1 – Industrial zoning district allows for any use, however, certain uses require additional review and approval through the Board of Adjustment. Some examples include slaughterhouses, acid manufacturing facilities, and cement manufacturing facilities.

2. The proposed updates to this district will add “heavy industrial uses” to the list of uses requiring additional review and approval by the Board of Adjustment. Some examples include salvage yards, raw materials extraction or processing, or uses that require permitting through the Department of Environmental Quality.

3. With this update, all current M1 properties will remain M1. There is no change to the boundaries of the zone district.

4. For any M1 property that has an existing heavy industrial use, that use will be permitted to continue under a “grandfathered” status. There are very few truly heavy industrial uses within the City limits, so this change will impact just a handful of properties.

B. Adopting the M2 – Heavy Industrial District

1. The proposed M2 Heavy Industrial district will be a brand new zone district that will allow for both light and heavy industrial development.

2. This district will not allow for any kind of commercial or residential development.

3. Initially, there will be no properties with an M2 zoning designation. As the City expands and new industrial developments wish to be located in the City, the M2 district will serve as an appropriate location for such development.

C. Timeline

1. The City Council held the first reading of these proposed changes on March 3. The following two readings are scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. March 17 and April 7 .