(A) General provisions.
(1) Existing off-street parking spaces and loading spaces upon the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter was derived shall not be reduced in number unless the number exceeds the requirements set forth herein for a similar use.
(2) Benches in places of public assembly, in stadiums, sport arenas, churches and other places of public assembly, in which patrons or spectators occupy benches, pews or other similar seating facilities, each 22 inches of the seating shall be counted as one seat for the purpose of determining requirements for off-street parking facilities under this chapter.
(3) Each parking space shall not be less than nine feet wide and 18 feet in length exclusive of an adequately designed system of access drives. Parking lots that separate vehicles based on size may be designed with parking spaces less than or greater than nine feet wide and 18 feet deep depending upon the size of the vehicle as long as adequate space is provided for easy and safe ingress and egress for the vehicle. Each parking space shall be served by an access aisle at least 24 feet in width. Parking spaces for semi-trailers shall be a minimum length of 50 feet. Proposed reductions in or additions to the parking space size must be submitted in a dimensioned site plan with the size of vehicle to use parking spaces indicated to the Zoning Administrator for review and approval. Signs specifying the vehicle size to use the parking space may be required by the Zoning Administrator. Parking spaces for vehicles used by disabled persons shall not be less than 12 feet wide and 20 feet long.
(4) Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential uses shall be utilized solely for the parking of passenger vehicles and/or one truck not to exceed 9,000 pounds gross capacity for each dwelling unit. Under no circumstances shall required parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage of commercial vehicles or for the parking of vehicles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants or customers of nearby business or manufacturing establishments, provided however, that the parking of not more than three commercial vehicles in a single garage not to exceed 1,500 square feet in gross area may be permitted by a conditional use permit if parking the vehicles is accessory to a residential use by the owner of the vehicles and the business in which they are used. The conditional use permit may be issued only for a parcel not less than 20 acres in size, zoned A or AP and conditioned upon no exterior storage, no on-site sales and no office open to the public. The permit shall state that the Council reserves the right to revoke the permit when the use becomes incompatible with adjacent land uses or surrounding parcels become platted. Typical uses which may be eligible for a conditional use permit include contractor, electrician, painter, plumber, roofer and septic system pumper and servicer.
(5) Off-street parking facilities for a combination of mixed buildings, structures or uses may be provided collectively in any MS, C or I Zoning District in which separate parking facilities for each separate building, structure or use would be required, provided that the total number of spaces provided shall equal the sum of the separate requirements of each use during any peak hour parking period.
(6) When required accessory off-street parking facilities are provided elsewhere than on the lot the principal use served is located, they shall be in the same ownership or control, either by deed or long-term lease, as the property occupied by the principal use, the owner of the principal use shall file a recordable document with the County Recorder requiring the owner and his or her heirs and assigns to maintain the required number of off-street parking spaces during the existence of the principal use, and shall be located within the same zoning district as the principal use.
(7) Required off-street parking space in any zoning district shall not be utilized for open storage of goods, or for the storage of vehicles that are inoperable, for sale or for rent.
(B) Design and maintenance of off-street parking areas.
(1) Parking areas shall be designed so as to provide adequate means of access to a public alley or street. In no case shall a driveway exceed 32 feet in width unless an administrative permit has been obtained approving the larger width. Driveway access shall be so located as to cause the least interference with traffic movement. There shall be only one driveway access for each residential lot, except by administrative permit.
(2) When the calculation of the number of off-street parking spaces required results in a fraction, the fraction shall require a full space.
(3) No signs shall be located in any parking area except as necessary for orderly operation of traffic movement and the signs shall not be a part of the permitted advertising space.
(4) Off-street parking areas shall be improved with a durable and dustless surface. These areas shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water accumulation within the parking area. Durable and dustless surface may include crushed rock and similar treatment for parking accessory to residential structures; all other uses shall utilize asphalt, concrete or a reasonable substitute surface as approved by the City Engineer. All surfacing must be completed prior to occupancy of the structure unless other arrangements have been made with the city. Parking areas for less than three vehicles shall be exempt.
(5) Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area shall be so arranged so it is not directly visible from the adjoining property and in a downward vertical direction.
(6) All open off-street parking areas designed to have head-in parking along the property line shall provide a bumper curb or guard not less than ten feet from the property line. When the area is for six or more spaces, screening not over four feet in height shall be erected along the street side of the parking area and grass or planting shall occupy the space between the screening and the street.
(7) Each parking space in a lot with a nonporous surface shall be delineated with four-inch wide stripes painted the entire length of the parking space.
(8) Parking bays that do not head into a lawn area at least six feet wide and parking bays designed with angle parking of less than 90 degrees shall be defined with vertical markers at each end of the bay. Vertical markers may include concrete curbing, bermed planting islands with six-inch concrete curbing, lighting standards, sign posts, bumper guards at least three feet high or other devices approved by the Zoning Administrator.
(9) When a required off-street parking space for six or more cars is located adjacent to a residential lot, a fence or screen not less than four feet in height shall be erected along the side and/or rear of the parking area adjacent to the residential lot or zoning district.
(10) All accessory off-street parking facilities required herein shall be located as follows.
(a) Spaces accessory to one- and two-family dwellings shall be on the same lot as the principal use served.
(b) Spaces accessory to uses located in a MS, C or I Zoning District shall be within 800 feet of a main entrance to the principal building served and in the same zoning district. Parking as required by the Building Code for disabled persons shall be provided.
(c) There shall be no off-street parking space within ten feet of any street right-of-way.
(d) No off-street parking area shall be located closer than ten feet from any lot line, except when adjoining an existing parking area on the adjacent lot in any MS, C and I Zoning Districts.
(e) No parking space shall be closer than ten feet to any building.
(11) All off-street parking spaces shall have access from driveways and not directly from the public street.
(12) Fire access lanes shall be provided as required by the Building Code or Fire Code.
(13) It shall be the joint responsibility of the operator and the owner of the principal use or building to reasonably maintain the parking space, accessways, landscaping and required fences.
(C) Truck parking in residential areas. No motor vehicle over one-ton capacity bearing a commercial license and no commercially licensed trailer shall be parked or stored in a Residential Zoning District except when loading, unloading or rendering a service or as provided in division (A)(4) above.
(D) Parking limited. Both off-street and on-street parking in residential areas shall be limited to the use of the residents and their guests, except for short-term parking of six or fewer hours.
(E) Reduction of number. Off-street parking spaces shall not be reduced in number unless the number exceeds the requirements set forth herein.
(F) Number required. Off-street parking spaces required shall be as follows:
Use | Requirements |
Use | Requirements |
Churches and other places of assembly | 1 space for each 3 seats or for each 5 feet of pew length, based upon maximum design capacity |
Industrial, warehouse, storage, whole-sale, furniture store, handling of bulk goods | 1 space for each 2 employees on maximum shift or 1 for each 2,000 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is larger |
Marinas | 1.5 spaces per slip plus 1 space per employee and a minimum of 20 12-foot by 25-foot trailer stalls |
Medical or dental clinic | 6 spaces per doctor or dentist |
Offices | 3 spaces for each 1,000 square feet gross floor area |
One- and two-family residences | 2 spaces per dwelling unit but not to exceed 4 per unit |
Restaurants, cafés, bars, taverns or supper clubs | 1 space for each 2.5 seats, based on capacity design |
Retail store | 4.5 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area |
Sanitarium, convalescent home rest home, nursing home or institution | 1 space for each 6 beds, for which accommodations are offered, plus 1 space for each 2 employees on maximum shift |
Schools: Elementary and junior high | 3 spaces for each classroom |
Schools: High school through college | 1 space for each 4 students based upon design capacity plus 3 additional spaces for each classroom |
Uses not specifically noted | As determined by the Planning Commission |
(Prior Code, § 12-196) (Ord. 1997-19, 7-15-1997; Ord. 02-2008, passed 1-9-2008; Ord. 03-2017, passed 3-21-2017)
Cross-reference:
Traffic and parking rules, see Ch. 70