.010 Layout and Design. All off-street parking areas shall be designed and improved in compliance with the provisions of the applicable City Standards pertaining to minimum off-street parking dimensions; provided, however, that where it can be shown that unusual site conditions or topography require modification in the off-street parking area standards to permit reasonable development of such property, such modifications may be approved by the City Engineer and Planning Director. Such modifications shall be limited to matters of layout and design of the parking area and in no case shall result in a reduction of the minimum number of off-street parking spaces required by this chapter.
.0101 Mechanical Parking Lifts and Automated Parking Systems. The use of mechanical parking lifts or automated parking systems for vertical parking/storage of vehicles may be allowed subject to the following requirements:
.01 When completely enclosed within a building or structure, mechanical lifts and associated equipment shall be considered garages and shall comply with the setback and height requirements of the underlying zone, and shall be consistent in design and materials with the primary structure(s) on site.
.02 Mechanical parking systems that are not completely enclosed within a building or structure shall be limited to systems with one vehicle parked at grade and one raised vehicle and shall not be located within any required landscape or structural setback area, except as provided in subparagraph .05, below.
.03 For the purposes of this section, parking spaces located in an automated parking system shall not be considered tandem parking spaces. In residential developments each space in an individual, elevated parking system shall be assigned to the same dwelling unit.
.04 Automated parking systems, whether enclosed, partially enclosed or open, shall not be located within any required landscape or structural setback area adjacent to a single-family residential zone or use.
.05 Existing, legal non-conforming carports or at-grade parking spaces that encroach into a required setback area may be converted to vertical parking use provided the mechanical lifts and associated equipment are screened from adjacent properties through the use of landscaping or other screening device that is architecturally compatible with the primary structure(s) on site. This provision does not apply to non-conforming parking spaces located within a required street setback area or parking spaces located within required landscape or structural setbacks adjacent to a single-family residential zone or use.
.06 Open, or partially enclosed parking systems shall not be allowed in any single-family residential zone.
.07 Open, unenclosed parking systems and associated equipment shall be fully screened, as viewed from adjacent public rights of way, through the use of landscaping or other screening devices that are architecturally compatible with the primary structure(s) on site.
.08 Prior to approval of use of any mechanical or automated parking system, a Final Site Plan Review Application shall be submitted for approval by the Planning Director as provided for in Chapter 18.70 (Final Plan Reviews).
.09 In existing parking lots, where fewer parking spaces are provided than required by Chapter 18.42 (Parking and Loading), the number of at grade spaces shall not be reduced, and no fees may be charged for existing spaces, including the at grade space located within a vertical lift system.
.020 Parking Structures. All parking structures shall be designed, improved and maintained in compliance with the provisions of the applicable City Standard Details pertaining to arterial highway and commercial driveway approaches, parking structures and ramps, minimum off-street parking dimensions, and parking dimensions for structures.
.030 Handicapped Parking. Provision shall be made for handicapped parking as otherwise required by law.
.040 Tandem Parking. Tandem parking for required off-street parking spaces shall be prohibited except as otherwise expressly authorized in this chapter or as otherwise specified by the underlying zone.
.050 Improvements to Existing Parking Lots. To bring existing parking lots into greater compliance with the provisions of this chapter and to encourage bicycle parking and handicapped- accessible parking spaces for Electric Vehicle charging, the following provisions may be applied to existing development. These provisions shall be processed in accordance with Section 18.62.040 (Administrative Adjustments):
.0501 Compact Parking Space Credit. If a property owner replaces existing legal non-conforming compact parking spaces with standard parking spaces in accordance with Section 18.62.040 (Parking Dimensions and Access), the property owner will be credited with any parking spaces that are lost due to the restriping on a one-to-one basis. For example, if a property owner has a parking lot with ten compact spaces, and the property owner restripes the parking lot and replaces those ten compact spaces with eight standard spaces, for purposes of meeting any parking requirements, the parking lot will be considered as having ten parking spaces.
.0502 Bicycle Parking Credit. If a property owner replaces existing automobile parking spaces, with bicycle parking, the property owner will be credited with any parking spaces that are lost due to bicycle parking at a ratio of one automobile parking space for every four bicycle parking spaces provided. No more than four spaces or five percent of existing parking spaces, whichever is less, may be removed and replaced with bicycle parking.
.0503 Parking for Electric Vehicle Charging. If a property owner replaces existing automobile parking spaces with a handicapped-accessible parking space designated for Electric Vehicle charging, the property owner will be credited with any parking spaces that are lost. (Ord. 5920 1 (part); June 8, 2004: Ord. 5998 § 40; October 25, 2005: Ord. 6031 § 36; August 22, 2006: Ord. 6101 § 36; April 22, 2008: Ord. 6286 § 32; September 3, 2013: Ord. 6399 § 5; March 7, 2017: Ord. 6461 § 16; April 16, 2019.)