Industrial Buffer (IB) zone, function and locational criteria.
Seattle Mun. Code § 23.34.094
in effectA. Function. An area that provides an appropriate transition between industrial areas and adjacent residential zones, or commercial zones having a residential orientation and/or pedestrian character. B. Locational Criteria. Industrial Buffer zone designation is most appropriate in areas generally characterized by the following: 1. Areas containing industrial uses or a mix of industrial activity and a wide range of commercial uses which are located on the edge of a larger industrial area designated Industrial General 1 (IG1), Industrial General 2 (IG2), or Industrial Commercial (IC). 2. Areas where a transition is needed to protect a less-intensive zone from potential negative impacts of industrial activity when the area directly abuts a residential, Neighborhood Commercial 1 (NC1), Neighborhood Commercial 2 (NC2), Neighborhood Commercial 3 (NC3), Commercial 1 (C1), or Commercial 2 (C2) zone with a substantial amount of residential development and/or pedestrian character. C. Zone Boundaries. The boundaries and overall depth of the Industrial Buffer (IB) zone shall vary according to the specific conditions of each area, so that an adequate separation between industrial activity and less-intensive zones can be provided to reduce through traffic, noise, visual conflicts, and other impacts of industrial development. However, where there are no special features or other conditions to provide sufficient buffer depth, a distance ranging from three hundred (300) to five hundred (500) feet shall be maintained as a buffer. Within an industrial area, the following conditions help establish the transition desired between industrial areas and less-intensive zones and should be considered in establishing boundaries separating the Industrial Buffer zone from the rest of the industrial area: 1. Topographic Conditions. Significant changes in topography within an industrial area may provide a good boundary for the Industrial Buffer zone by reducing the noise and visual impacts of the larger industrial area on an abutting, less-intensive zone. 2. Development Patterns. Changes in the type of activity and/or the scale of existing development occurring along the edge of an industrial area may create conditions that are more compatible with the abutting, less-intensive zone. 3. Grid and Platting Patterns. Changes in block sizes, shifts in the street grid, a major arterial, undeveloped streets, platted lot lines, and other factors related to the platting pattern often create separate areas which, when located along the edge of an industrial area, can reinforce the transition desired in the Industrial Buffer zone. 4. Special Features. Certain natural or built features such as railway lines, open spaces, transmission line rights-of-way, and waterways may, because of their width, siting, or landscaping, separate the edge of an industrial zone from a larger industrial area, helping to establish the edge of the Industrial Buffer zone. (Ord. 122311 , § 17, 2006; Ord. 118414 § 4, 1996; Ord. 117430 , § 25, 1994: Ord. 113658 § 2(part), 1987.)
Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026