In all districts where off-street parking lots are the principal use of the site or are permitted as an adjunct to the lawful use of property therein, and such facilities provide parking privileges to owners, occupants, tenants, employees, patrons, customers, members, visitors, and invitees therein, such off-street parking lots shall be construed and maintained subject to the following regulations:
(a) Application Requirements. An application for a permit to construct such a lot shall include three sets of plans and shall be submitted to the City. After the Administrative Official has determined that the following mandatory provisions have been provided for, a permit shall be issued to the applicant. The application shall include a site plan along with all applicable construction details and elevations and shall include all items identified in this Section. All plans shall be prepared and sealed by a registered engineer.
(b) Ingress/Egress. Adequate ingress and egress shall be provided to meet the approval of the Administrative Official. Backing directly onto a street shall be prohibited.
(c) Construction Requirements. Such parking lots shall be constructed with a hard, smooth, dustproof surface to meet the following minimum City standards:
(i) One inch asphaltic concrete wearing course over three inches of asphaltic base course over eight inches of aggregate base course; or
(ii) Six-inch-thick concrete pavement over four inches of aggregate base course.
(Ord. 35-07. Passed 3-19-07.)
(iii) All driveways adjacent to an improved street (those streets which contain curbs) shall install a concrete curb apron conforming to City standards. The concrete apron shall extend to the inside edge of the sidewalk (furthest from the curb) or, where no sidewalk exists such apron shall extend to the inside edge of the street right-of-way (furthest from the road centerline).
(Ord. 45-09. Passed 9-8-09.)
The lots shall be graded and proper drainage facilities provided to dispose of all surface water to meet the approval of the City Engineer. If adequate stormwater discharge facilities are not available, detention or retention shall be provided so that the developed rate of runoff does not exceed the undeveloped rate. Such parking lots shall be continuously maintained with a hard, smooth, dustproof surface at all times.
(d) Lighting. All lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall be so installed as to be confined within and directed onto only the parking area and property which it serves. No lighting shall be so located or visible as to be a hazard to traffic safety. Minimum light levels at any one location within the lot shall be one footcandle. A lighting plan shall be submitted along the site plan identified above and shall include all light locations, photometric diagrams and light fixture details over one.
(Ord. 35-07. Passed 3-19-07.)
(e) Lots Located Opposite Residential Property. All street boundaries of such parking lots where residential property is located on the opposite side of the street shall be treated the same as set forth in subsection (d) above, except such portions as are used for entrances and exits.
(Ord. 45-09. Passed 9-8-09.)
(f) Signs. No sign shall be erected upon such parking lots, except not more than one sign at each entrance to indicate the operator, the purpose for which operated and the parking rates, when charge is permitted. Such signs shall not exceed 15 square feet in area and shall not extend more than 10 feet in height above the nearest curb and shall be entirely upon the parking lot.
(Ord. 35-07. Passed 3-19-07.)
(g) Drive Width. Entry driveways shall be at least 12 feet wide for one-way travel and at least 24 feet wide for two-way travel. Maximum driveway width, as measured at the throat of the driveway, shall be 21 feet for all uses in the R-1 and R-2 Districts, and 30 feet for all uses in the B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-4 Districts.
(Ord. 45-09. Passed 9-8-09.)
(h) Layout Plan Requirements. Plans for the layout of off-street parking facilities shall be in accordance with the following minimum requirements:
Parking Angle | Stall Width (feet) | Aisle Width (feet) | Parking Stall Length (feet) |
Parallel | 9 | 12 | 23 |
30° | 9.5 | 12 | 19 |
45° | 9.5 | 13 | 19 |
60° | 9.5 | 18 | 19 |
90° (option A) | 9.5 | 24 | 19 |
90° (option B) | 10 | 24 | 18 |
(i) Parking for the Physically Handicapped. Each parking lot that serves a building, except single- and two-family dwelling units, shall have a number of level parking spaces as set forth in the following table, and identified by an above-grade sign which indicates the spaces are reserved for physically handicapped persons.
Total Spaces in Parking Lot | Required Number of Accessible Spaces |
Total Spaces in Parking Lot | Required Number of Accessible Spaces |
Up to 25 | 1 |
26-50 | 2 |
51-75 | 3 |
76-100 | 4 |
101-150 | 5 |
151-200 | 6 |
201-300 | 7 |
301-400 | 8 |
401-500 | 9 |
501-1,000 | 2 % of total |
Over 1,000 | 20 plus 1 space for each over 1,000 |
For all requirements pertaining to stall dimensions, striping, signage, ramps, and additional requirements, the applicant shall reference the Federal Register, 28 CFR, part 36, “Americans with Disabilities Act”, title 3, volume 56, number 144.
(j) Maneuvering Lanes. All maneuvering lane widths shall permit one-way traffic movement, except that the 90 degree pattern may permit two-may movement.
(k) Other Driveway Standards. If abutting parking spaces are arranged at an angle other than those listed above, the minimum driveway width shall be determined according to the next higher standard from the table. For example, if 75 degree angle parking is provided, the minimum driveway width shall be the standards for 90 degree angle parking or 24 feet.
(l) Driveway Width for Driveways Used by Large Vehicles. If the driveway is regularly used by trash collection vehicles, delivery trucks, or other large vehicles, the minimum width shall be increased to 24 feet.
(m) Other Improvements. Except for single- and two-family dwellings on individual lots, where three or more unenclosed parking spaces are provided, exclusive of driveways, the following additional improvements are required:
(i) Drainage. Parking areas shall be appropriately graded and equipped with facilities to collect and store stormwater on-site and transmit it to the approved public facilities, as determined by the City Engineer.
(ii) Marking. All parking spaces shall be appropriately marked with painted lines.
(n) Shared Parking and Access Facilities. In conjunction with multiple-family or nonresidential uses, two or more adjoining properties may be developed with shared parking and access facilities when approved under a single unified site plan. In such cases, the setbacks, curbing and perimeter landscaping requirement of this section shall not apply along the common property line.
(o) Setback Requirements. Except where a screen is required pursuant to Chapter 1136, the setbacks of all off-street parking lots shall be in accordance with the requirements identified below:
(i) Front Yard. No parking lot stalls of aisles shall be located closer than 10 feet to the public road right-of-way.
(ii) Side Yard on Interior Lot Lines. No parking lot stalls or aisles shall be located closer than five feet to the adjoining parcel property line.
(iii) Side Yard on Street Side of Corner Lots. No parking lot stalls or aisles shall be located closer than 10 feet to the public right-of-way.
(iv) Rear Yard. No parking lot stalls or aisles shall be located closer than 10 feet to the rear property line of nonresidential uses.
(v) Rear Yard Abutting a Street. No parking lot stall or aisle shall be located closer than 10 feet to the public right-of-way.
(p) Interior Landscaping Requirements. When required, parking spaces and parking areas shall include certain amounts of interior landscaping to further reduce the visual impacts of the areas, to reduce their heat radiation effects, to improve oxygen generation, and to reduce air pollution. Landscape screening shall be installed and maintained as required in this Ordinance.
(q) Design Standards for Interior Landscaping.
(i) Loose groundcover or mulch materials shall be placed or effectively contained so they do not spill over into parking and access facilities or the public right-of-way.
(ii) All required landscape features within three feet of the edge of parking or access facilities shall be protected from vehicle encroachment by curbing, wheel stops or similar means.
(iii) Where 20 or more parking spaces are provided, there shall be at least 10 square feet of interior landscaped area per space provided within the overall perimeter of the parking area.
(iv) Interior landscaped areas shall be at least 125 square feet in an area with a minimum dimension of no less than eight feet.
(v) At least one shade tree of a minimum two-and-one-half inch caliper shall be planted in each interior landscaped area.
(vi) There shall be at least one interior landscaped area for each 20 parking spaces provided or fraction thereof.
(vii) The application of the above standards may be adjusted, in part or in whole, to allow credit for healthy plant material to be retained on or adjacent to the site if such an adjustment is consistent with the intent of this Chapter.
(r) Maintenance. It shall be the responsibility of the owner and occupant of the property to maintain all parking and access facilities in a safe and usable condition. This includes, among other things, patching, sealing, and replenishing paving; repainting space markings; repairing or replacing curbing or wheel stops and cleaning on-site drainage facilities. It shall also be the responsibility of the owner and occupant to maintain required landscape in neat, clean, orderly, and healthful condition. This includes, among other things, pruning, mowing, weeding, litter removal, replacement of dead or diseased plants, repair or replacement of broken or damaged walls, and the regular feeding and watering of plant materials.
(Ord. 35-07. Passed 3-19-07.)
(s) Driveway curb cuts for residential uses in the R-1 and R-2 Districts shall be limited to one per lot when said lot contains less than 100 feet of frontage on a public street.
(t) The edge of any curb opening for drives shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from the intersections of two street right-of-way lines. The City Engineer may grant a variance from this requirement in cases where the City Engineer determines that lot width or other factors render conformance to the requirement impractical. The proposed drives must conform to all other requirements set forth in this Chapter.
(u) Bumper stops, curbing or wheel chocks shall be provided in parking spaces adjacent to a wall, sidewalk, or fence to ensure proper pedestrian access and avoid property damage or injury. Bumper stop, curbing or wheel chocks shall be placed a minimum of four feet from the element intended to be protected.
(Ord. 45-09. Passed 9-8-09.)