City of Thibodaux Zoning Review - South Central Planning ...

Thibodaux Zoning Review 2010Excerpt from Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:2153 (Continued)(2) Require a permit for the operation of the facility which assures, at a minimum, a destruction and removal efficiency of 99.99percent; and that specifications be set for:(e) Continuous monitoring of combustion temperature.(f ) Continuous monitoring of carbon monoxide concentration.(g) Combustion gas velocity.(h) Fugitive emissions.(i) Automatic waste feed cut-off.(3) Define, classify, or otherwise identify those products produced by a facility subject to such rules and regulations which arewaste or hazardous waste.(4) Establish requirements for the manifest of any products produced by such facilities or the materials from which such productsare processed which are defined, classified, or otherwise identified as hazardous waste pursuant to Paragraph (3); and establishauditing requirements and procedures for the sale of any recycled products or residuals produced by such facilities, including receiptsor official state or federal tax documents, as necessary to verify any such transactions.(5) Establish restrictions and standards on the discharge of any wastewaters.City of ThibodauxThibodaux allows “Assembly and finishing of material orproducts in enclosed buildings” and “Transfer and transportationterminals” in M-1 Industrial Districts. The preliminary separationof nonhazardous recyclables into individual streams or arecycling transfer station might be allowed in M-1. This wouldbe dependent upon either operation being entirely enclosed andnot producing any excessive noise, smoke, odors, dust, gases orother deleterious effects of industrial activity. The Thibodauxordinance prohibits processing of raw materials in M-1 zonesso all recycling activities beyond collection, preliminary separationoperations or transfer stations would have to be located inthe M-2 Industrial District. The size of the lot would be dependentupon the size of the operation and the ability to adequatelyhandle the amount of large trucks that might be entering andleaving the site at any given point of day or night. Such an operationwould most likely be best situated on a major commercialthoroughfare due to the volume and size of trucks involved insuch an operation or the content of the recyclable materials.Comparable Cities - Recycling OperationsCity of HammondA transfer station and a preliminary separation processwould probably be allowed in an I-1 Light Industrial District.The processing of converting the recycled material into a newraw product and manufacturing of something from it will probablydepend on the nature of the recyclable and the end product.Hammond can require a buffer zone between industrial usesand other uses. This is a tool that can lessen the impact of noise,glare, odors and other nuisances that are caused from an industrialprocess on adjacent uses.City of RustonProcessing of some recycled materials into a finished productmight be allowed in the I-1 District, as it states “…The manufacturing,compounding, assembly or treatment of articles ormerchandise from previously prepared materials…”Ruston also requires a buffer zone between industrial usesand other uses. Vegetation is required in the buffer area. Theowner has to submit a landscape plan for approval and is requiredto maintain the green space.City of PinevilleThe City of Pineville contains only one industrial classification.It appears that all phases of the recycling process previouslydescribed, with the exception of household recyclables collectionbins, would be included in the industrial classification with theexception of collection points.Pineville requires a buffer zone between commercial andresidential districts, but no mention is made about buffer zonesfor industrial uses.CommentsThibodaux could allow recycling bins as incidental uses onthe site of other public or private operations. However theseshould be carefully sited away from homes at centers of neighborhoodactivity with adequate ingress and egress where a publicor a private entity can monitor the sites for compliance. Otherrecycling activities would be in an M-1 or M-2 zone dependingupon the materials being handled and the processes involvedin the specific activity. Anything more than the collectionpoints, transfer stations or preliminary operations should be inThibodaux’s M-2 which allows processing of raw materials.Buffer zones are one way to lessen the impacts of industrialactivities on surrounding properties. To make the buffer zoneperpetual, the city should require that either it be containedwithin the industrial property boundary and deed restricted orbe donated to the city. The buffer remains open land and can beplanted with vegetation to help reduce noise, glare and odors.The buffer might be open green space or could be used forpassive recreational purposes.34