(A) Applicability. The standards of this section apply to all parking areas except as specifically stated.
(B) Access. Parking access areas shall be designed to ensure vehicular access to parking spaces.
(1) Curtis and Electric Lanes. Only properties which have their sole frontage on Curtis or Electric Lanes shall take vehicular access from the lanes. Developments on properties which have
frontage on other streets in addition to Curtis or Electric Lanes shall not utilize the lanes for vehicular access.
(2) Maneuvering.
(a) Forward entry.
1. Any non-residential parking area containing space for three or more vehicles shall be provided with suitable maneuvering room so that all vehicles therein may enter an abutting street in a forward direction. In addition, there shall be no backing into alleys within 50 feet of any street.
2. Any multiple-family residential parking area containing space for six or more vehicles shall be provided with suitable maneuvering room so that all vehicles may enter an abutting street in a forward direction and no cars are required to back into a collector or arterial street, or into an alley or street located within 50 feet of a collector or arterial street.
(b) Use of a required parking space shall not require more than four vehicle maneuvers.
(c) No parking space shall be located so that a vehicle is required to maneuver within five feet of a vehicular entrance to the property.
(d) No parking space shall be located so as to require the moving of another vehicle in order to access the space.
(3) Exits. Exits from parking lots shall be clearly posted or painted with stop signs and a six-inch wide painted limit line. The minimum letter size for painted stop signs is 24 inches. Such markings shall be maintained in a clear and visible manner.
(4) Marking. All non-residential drive aisles and driveways shall be clearly marked with arrows indicating the direction of travel. Such marking shall be maintained in a clear and visible manner.
(5) Driveways. Driveways providing ingress and egress to off-street parking areas shall comply with Chapter 13.24 of the Municipal Code and the following.
(a) Driveway length, residential zoning districts. In Residential Zoning Districts, driveways providing direct access from a public street to a garage or carport shall be a minimum of 20 feet in depth except as follows.
1. Sloping lot adjustment, RL District. There is no minimum required driveway depth in the RL District where a lot has a slope greater than 25%, measured from the curb line to a point midway between the side lot lines at a distance of 50 feet from the front lot line. See also § 23.04.030(B).
(b) Driveway width. The minimum width of a driveway is as provided in Table 23.20.090.B, Driveway Width.
(C) Size of parking spaces and maneuvering aisles. Parking spaces and maneuvering aisles shall meet the minimum dimensions required by this division. Screening walls, roof support posts, columns, or other structural members shall not intrude into the required dimensions for parking spaces.
(1) Parking spaces and drive aisle dimensions. All residential parking spaces located within an enclosed garage shall have a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum depth of 20 feet. All other parking spaces shall have minimum dimensions as indicated in Table 23.20.090.C, Minimum Parking Space and Drive Aisle Dimensions. Up to 25% of required parking spaces may be designed as compact spaces. All compact spaces shall be clearly marked "compact".
Angle of Parking | Stall Width | Stall Length | Aisle Width | |||
Regular | Compact | Regular | Compact | One-Way | Two-Way | |
FIGURE 23.20.090.C: PARKING SPACE AND DRIVE AISLE DIMENSIONS
(2) Parking spaces abutting wall or fence. Each parking space adjoining a wall, fence, column, or other obstruction higher than 30 inches in the vicinity of where a vehicle door may be located shall be increased by two feet.
(D) Parking lot striping. All parking stalls except in a garage or carport containing two or fewer parking spaces shall be clearly outlined with striping.
(E) Wheel stops. Concrete bumper guards or wheel stops shall be provided for all parking spaces except those located within a two-car garage. A six-inch high concrete curb surrounding a landscape area at least six feet wide may be used as a wheel stop, provided that the overhang will not damage or interfere with plant growth or its irrigation.
A concrete sidewalk may be used as a wheel stop if the overhang will not reduce the minimum required walkway width.
(F) Surfacing. All parking areas shall be paved and improved subject to the approval of the Public Works Director. No unpaved area shall be used for parking.
(1) Pavement standards. Parking areas shall be paved consistent with the following materials or comparable material approved by the Public Works Director.
(a) Asphalt. Two inches of asphaltic concrete on four inches of aggregate base material. This option shall not apply in the RL District or to single-unit residential development.
(b) Concrete. Four inches of Portland cement concrete on three inches of aggregate base material.
(c) Pavers or permeable pavement systems. Pavers or permeable pavement systems with strength equivalent to divisions (a) or (b) above.
(2) Landscaping alternative. Up to two feet of a parking space may overhang into a landscape planter area planted with ground cover plants and bounded by a six inch concrete curb.
FIGURE 23.20.090.F.2: PARKING SPACE SURFACING, LANDSCAPING ALTERNATIVE
(G) Slope.
(1) Parking areas used exclusively for parking and vehicle maneuvering shall be designed and improved with grades not to exceed a 5% slope.
(2) Driveways used exclusively for ingress and egress or interior parking lot circulation shall be designed and improved with grades not to exceed 15% slope and a transitional slope at the top and bottom subject to Public Works approval, except for driveways within the RL Zone.
(H) Drainage. All parking areas shall be drained consistent with applicable stormwater runoff regulations. Parking areas with three or more parking
spaces and all loading facilities shall be designed such that surface water will not drain over any sidewalk.
(I) Perimeter curbing. Parking areas designed to accommodate ten or more vehicles shall provide a six-inch wide and six-inch high concrete curb along the outer edge of the parking facility pavement, except where said pavement abuts a fence or wall. Curbs separating landscaped areas from parking areas shall be designed to allow stormwater runoff to pass through.
(J) Walkways.
(1) Where a walkway crosses parking areas or loading areas, it must be clearly identifiable through the use of a raised crosswalk, a different paving material, or similar method.
(2) Where a walkway is parallel and within two feet of an auto travel lane, it must be raised or separated from the auto travel lane by a physical barrier consisting of a raised curb at least four inches high.
(K) Lighting. Parking areas designed to accommodate three or more vehicles shall be provided with a minimum of one foot-candle and a maximum of 3.0 foot-candles of light over of the parking and access surface during the hours of use from one-half hour before dusk until one-half hour after dawn. All lighting shall comply with the standards of § 23.12.090.
(L) Landscaping and screening. Parking areas designed to accommodate three or more vehicles must be landscaped according to the general standards of Chapter 23.17, as well as the standards of this division.
(1) Landscape area required. A minimum of 10% of the parking lot area, including all driveways and maneuvering areas shall be landscaped.
(2) Minimum planter dimension. No landscape planter that is to be counted toward the required landscape area shall be smaller than 25 square feet in area, or four feet in any horizontal dimension, excluding curbing.
(3) Layout. Landscaped areas shall be well-distributed throughout the parking lot area. A minimum of 10% of the required landscaping shall be located within 15 feet of a building on the site.
(4) Landscaping and screening adjacent to streets and alleys. Landscaping and screening shall be provided between any surface parking area and any adjacent public or private street or alley in compliance with the following:
(a) A landscaped area at least five feet deep shall be provided along the length of the adjacent street or alley.
(b) Screening a minimum 30 inches in height and consisting of one or any combination of the following methods.
1. Walls. Low-profile walls located a minimum of four feet from the property line consisting of brick, stone, stucco, or other quality durable material approved by the Director, and including a decorative cap or top finish as well as edge detail at wall ends.
2. Planting. Plant materials consisting of compact evergreen plants that form an opaque screen.
3. Berms. Berms a minimum of two feet in height and planted with appropriate shrubs and ground cover to achieve a minimum height of 30 inches.
(5) Landscaping and screening abutting interior lot lines (non-residential lots).
(a) Adjacent to non-residential zone or use. A landscaped area at least three feet wide shall be provided between any surface parking area and any adjacent lot in any district other than Residential for the length of the parking area.
(6) Trees. One 24-inch box size tree shall be provided for each ten parking spaces provided.
(7) Protection of vegetation.
(a) Clearance from vehicles. All required landscaped areas shall be designed so that plant materials, at maturity, are protected from vehicle damage by providing a minimum two-foot clearance of low-growing plants where a vehicle overhang is permitted, or by wheel stops set a minimum of two feet from the back of the curb.
(b) Planters. All required parking lot landscaping shall be within planters bounded by a concrete curb at least six inches wide and six inches high. Curbs separating landscaped areas from parking areas shall be designed to allow stormwater runoff to pass through.
(8) Visibility and clearance. Landscaping in planters at the end of parking aisles shall not obstruct driver's vision of vehicular and pedestrian cross-traffic. Mature trees shall have a foliage clearance maintained at eight feet from the surface of the parking area. Other plant materials located in the interior of a parking lot shall not exceed 30 inches in height.
(M) Alternative parking area designs. Where an applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that variations in the requirements of this section are warranted in order to achieve environmental design and green building objectives, including but not limited to achieving certification under the LEED™ Green Building Rating System or equivalent, an alternative parking area design may be approved.
(N) Maintenance. Parking lots, including landscaped areas, driveways, and loading areas, shall be maintained free of refuse, debris, or other accumulated matter and shall be kept in good repair at all times.
(O) Valet parking. Valet parking is allowed if an attendant is present or an automated system is in place to move vehicles. Valet parking may be permitted and may count towards the required parking subject to a parking plan approved by the Director.
(Ord. 4823, passed 1-22-24)