Principal Industrial

A future land use area where a variety of industry types are encouraged to locate. Principal Industrial areas are existing and planned regional employment centers and are distributed throughout the county, convenient to major residential areas and suitable highway access. Due to limited availability, areas designated as Principal Industrial are not appropriate for tax-exempt facilities.

Land Use Types

• Agricultural - Industries which involve the manufacturing, storage, marketing and wholesaling of agricultural products. These industries may also be located outside of the Principal Industrial areas, within the rural designations, where agricultural skills may be found.
• Small Industries and Custom Manufacturing - These industries typically serve a local market and may involve the on-site production of goods by hand manufacturing.
• Mining and Extraction - These facilities locate according to the availability of natural resources.
• Industrial - Conventional freestanding industrial uses, warehouses, wholesalers, storage yards.
• Industrial Parks - Large tracts of land that are subdivided, developed and designed according to a unified plan. These parks are employment centers and may include mixed land uses including supporting retail services. These types of industries are encouraged to develop in Principal Industrial areas. Planned industrial parks should incorporate greenways, bike and pedestrian paths into their designs and link these features to surrounding neighborhoods where appropriate.

Land Use Determinants

• Access - Locations served by an adequate public street system that does not direct traffic through existing residential neighborhoods.
• Economic Opportunity Areas - Locations identified by Roanoke County as an economic opportunity area.
• Employment Centers - Locations where labor-intensive industries exist.
• Existing Land Use Pattern - Locations where industry has historically developed.
• Existing Zoning - Locations zoned industrial.
• Resource Protection - Locations that can be developed in such a way as not to threaten valuable natural resources.
• Topography - Locations that can be developed in an environmentally sensitive manner and that are outside of the designated floodplain.
• Transportation Centers - Locations within close proximity to rail, airport and major street systems.
• Urban Sector - Locations served by, or in close proximity to urban services.
• Water and Sewer Service and Supply - Locations where water and sewer service exist or can be provided in the near future.