Heavy Industrial Zoning District

At a glance

What: a new heavy industrial zoning district in the Unified Development Ordinance amendments of May 2026 (ORD-2026-053), created so uses that do not fit the light industrial district, such as a detention center, have a clear process that comes before Council.
Where it stands: at the May 28, 2026 hearing, Amendments 1 and 2 were approved 4-0 and Amendment 3 was withdrawn. The minutes do not label which amendment covered this district, so its outcome is not stated.
Next: staff said more heavy industrial uses could be defined as the data center moratorium work and Environmental Advisory Board recommendations proceed (Data Center Moratorium and Rules).

Mu asked whether a detention jail counts as a heavy industrial use; Mayor Pro Tem Mahaffey said yes. He explained Apex has no heavy industrial district today and no classification for a detention center, so a developer could argue a light industrial warehouse use without coming to Council.
Mu said it did not seem to benefit Apex. Zegerman suggested later adding uses such as battery manufacturing or data centers. Venable said holding cells in a police station would be an accessory use (under 20% of the principal use).
No one signed up to speak at the public hearing.

Discussed during the hearing on the May 2026 UDO amendments. See also Food Truck Court Rules.