A. General Provisions:
1. Fractions: If, in the application of these provisions, a fractional number is obtained, one parking space shall be provided for that fraction. Each space required constitutes a gross area of three hundred (300) square feet.
2. Existing Spaces: Existing off street parking spaces upon the effective date hereof shall not be decreased in number unless said number exceeds the requirements set forth herein for a similar new use.
3. Residential Structures: Under no circumstances shall parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage or overnight parking of commercial vehicles or for the parking of automobiles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants or customers of nearby business or manufacturing establishments.
4. Storage: Required off street parking space shall not be utilized for open storage of goods or for the storage of vehicles which are inoperable, for sale, or for rent. Snow storage on required off street parking spaces is prohibited.
B. Location Requirements: All off street parking facilities required herein shall be located in respect of the following:
1. Spaces accessory to one-family, two-family and multiple-family dwellings shall be located on the same lot as the principal use served.
2. Spaces accessory to businesses and industries shall be located on the same lot as the principal use served, except as allowed by conditional use permit.
3. No off street open parking area containing more than four (4) parking spaces shall be located closer than twenty feet (20') from an adjacent lot zoned or used for residential purposes.
4. Parking stalls, driveways and drive aisles for all uses other than single- and two-family residential uses shall be a minimum of ten feet (10') from all property lines. Driveways that provide street access to parking spaces may cross through the front yard setback area.
5. Driveways and open parking spaces accessory to single- and two-family residential structures shall be a minimum of five feet (5') from all property lines. Garages must comply with the accessory structure setbacks for the zoning district. Driveways that provide street access to garages and parking spaces may cross through the front yard setback area.
a. In the case of lots with multiple street frontages, multiple curb cuts shall only be allowed by conditional use permit. Such requests shall be evaluated to ensure that the curb cut spacing requirements are met, that safe access is provided and adequate visibility is provided and that all general conditional use permit standards in chapter 7 of this title are met.
C. Design Requirements:
1. Parking Stall Dimensions: Each parking stall shall be no less than ten feet (10') wide and twenty feet (20') in length, exclusive of access drives or aisles.
a. In instances where parking faces a curb and is not back to back with other parking, then parking stalls may be ten feet (10') wide and eighteen feet (18') in length to allow a two foot (2') bumper overhang, provided that the two foot (2') overhang is clear of other structures and landscaping and does not impact accessible routes. All outside parking spaces shall be clearly marked.
2. Marked Parking Spaces: Parking garages for multi-family developments and parking ramps for commercial or industrial developments must have parking spaces clearly marked.
3. Compact Car Parking Dimensions: Up to fifteen percent (15%) of the required parking spaces may be reduced to nine feet (9') wide and eighteen feet (18') in length. Those spaces must be annotated as such on the site plan, and the physical spaces clearly marked.
4. Aisle Width: Aisle width for two-way traffic shall be a minimum of twenty four feet (24'). For one-way traffic aisle width shall be a minimum of sixteen feet (16'). In instances where drive-through stacking and adjacent one-way bypass lanes are not adjacent to parking, the stacking lane shall be a minimum of ten feet (10') and the adjacent one-way shall be a minimum of fourteen feet (14').
5. Curb Cuts: Parking areas shall be designed so as to provide adequate means of access to public streets. Curb cuts for uses other than single-family dwellings shall not exceed thirty feet (30') in width, unless otherwise authorized by the City Engineer. Curb cuts for single-family dwellings shall be a minimum of twelve feet (12') wide and a maximum of twenty four feet (24') wide.
6. Surface: Parking areas, drive aisles and driveways shall be surfaced with a hard surface material approved by the City which controls dust and drainage. Class V and other similar aggregates are not classified as an acceptable material. Plans for surfacing and drainage shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer. This includes any expansion, surfacing, or resurfacing of existing lots. The City may make exceptions to surface material type in lot areas where there is heavy equipment and frequent tractor trailer traffic. For single-family residential driveways only the forty feet (40') from the right-of-way need be surfaced with acceptable materials.
7. Lighting: All lighting used to illuminate an off street parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining property and rights-of-way and must comply with the standards set forth in section 10-5-4 of this chapter.
8. Curb; Guard: All open off street parking areas except for single-family residential uses shall provide a curb or a guard of normal bumper height to ensure that no portion of a vehicle encroaches into the required setback.
9. Access Off Driveways: All off street parking spaces shall have access off driveways and not directly off the public street.
10. Signs: Signs located in any parking area necessary for orderly operation of traffic movement shall be in addition to accessory signs.
11. Exceeding Required Spaces: For commercial, office service, and industrial properties with required parking of two hundred (200) or more stalls, parking that exceeds the amount of required spaces by more than ten percent (10%), shall be required to use pervious pavement for the additional spaces beyond the ten percent (10%) and associated drive aisles.
a. The landowner shall provide the City with proof and records of a maintenance agreement for those areas.
12. Interior Parking Lot Landscaping: Except for perimeter rows of parking located along property lines and except for parking lots located in industrial park tier two, as established by ordinance, a landscaped island with a minimum of one overstory deciduous tree, that meets minimum size criteria must be installed so that there is not a continuous row of over ten (10) parking spaces. The landscaped island shall be designed to accept stormwater runoff from the parking lot unless waived by the City after determining adequate stormwater mitigation exists. These trees are in addition to the landscaping requirements found in section 10-4-8 of this title.
a. In recognition of the fact that properties which have already been developed with permanent improvements as of the effective date hereof have generally less flexibility in meeting these requirements, the City may reduce or modify these requirements by waiver in the following circumstances:
(1) Where addition of the required parking lot islands would result in less than the minimum number of required parking stalls, the City Council may waive the required addition of some or all of the parking lot islands. The reduction in the number of parking stalls shall be the minimum reduction necessary to provide the parking stalls required by ordinance.
(2) Where a building addition is less than five percent (5%) of the total existing building area or the changes to the vehicular use area are less than five percent (5%) of the total vehicular use area, staff may waive the parking island requirement.
(3) The Zoning Administrator shall have discretion to approve island spacing of more than ten (10) but no more than fifteen (15) spaces between islands in circumstances where the flexibility results in a more effective configuration for internal access, snowplowing and maintenance.
(4) All other modifications shall require approval of a variance.
13. Pedestrian Walkway: Parking lots over one hundred (100) spaces will be required to provide at least one landscaped pedestrian walkway. The walkway shall be designed to be ADA accessible and shall prevent the bumper of vehicles damaging landscaping or encroaching into the walkway area. The location of the walkway must be designed to safely and conveniently move pedestrian traffic to the principal entrance of the building(s) and be acceptable to the City.
D. Access Standards:
1. Traffic Control: Traffic generated by any use shall be channelized and controlled in a manner that will avoid congestion on public streets, safety hazards, or excessive traffic. The Zoning Administrator may require a traffic study to be prepared to analyze impacts from any project and require improvements to address any documented issues.
2. Curb Cut Proximity To Intersection: No curb cut or other driveway access shall be located less than thirty feet (30') from the intersection of two (2) or more street rights-of-way. This distance shall be measured from the intersection of lot lines, not curb lines. This distance shall be increased to one hundred feet (100') on collector and arterial streets and at signalized intersections to satisfy recognized traffic safety standards.
3. Curb Cut Separation: Driveway access curb cut openings on a public street shall be a minimum of twenty five feet (25') from each other, except as may be approved by the Zoning Administrator.
4. Driveway Angle: The driveway angle to the street shall be ninety degrees (90°) unless otherwise recommended by the City Engineer and approved by the City Council.
E. Minimum Required Spaces:
Auto sales building, repair shops | 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area; service stalls/bays inside a building may be counted toward this |
Bowling alley | 5 spaces for each alley, plus additional spaces as may be required herein for related uses such as a restaurant |
Churches, theaters, auditoriums, athletic field, mortuaries, and other places of gathering | 1 space for each 4 seats based on maximum design capacity |
Community center, Post Office, YMCA, studios, pool halls, libraries, clubs, lodges, and museums | 10 spaces plus 1 for each 350 square feet of floor area in excess of 2,000 square feet in the principal building |
Day nurseries, commercial daycare | 4 spaces plus 1 for each 500 square feet in excess of 1,000 square feet of floor area in the principal building |
Drive-through food establishment | 1 space per 15 square feet of gross area excluding kitchen and dining area, or based on total seat calculations like restaurants, or a minimum of 8 spaces where there is no interior ordering area, whichever is greater |
Hospital, sanatorium, convalescent home, rest home, nursing home, or institution | 1.9 spaces per bed plus 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area for any outpatient medical facilities |
Hotel, motel | 1.40 spaces per unit |
Housing with services establishments, as defined by Minnesota Statutes chapter 144 | 0.75 parking space per unit |
Manufacturing, fabrication, or processing of a product or material, assembly | 1 space for each 400 square feet of floor area; this may be reduced if facility uses automation to 1 space for each 800 square feet of gross floor area |
Medical and dental clinic | 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area |
Multispecialty outpatient clinic | 1 space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area |
Office building | 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area |
Open sales lot | 3 spaces for each 5,000 square feet of the open sales lot area |
Public auction house, golf driving range, miniature golf, and similar uses | 15 spaces plus 1 for each square foot of floor area over 2,000 square feet |
Residential, single-family dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling unit. For single- family dwellings, both spaces shall be provided by a garage a minimum of 20 feet wide x 22 feet long |
Residential, two-family dwellings or townhomes | 2 spaces per dwelling unit. At least 1/2 space per unit must be provided by a garage a minimum of 12 feet wide x 22 feet long per dwelling unit |
Residential, multiple-family dwellings | 2 spaces per dwelling unit. At least 1/2 space per unit shall be a garage or underground space. Any garage space provided must be a minimum of 12 feet wide x 22 feet long or 16 feet wide x 22 feet long for handicap. If the space is underground it must be a minimum of 10 feet wide x 20 feet long or 16 feet wide x 20 feet long for handicap |
Residential, senior living | 0.75 space per dwelling unit. At least 1/2 of the required spaces for the building shall be a garage or underground space. The City Council has the discretion to waive the garage requirement for these buildings or complexes specifically designed for senior living |
Restaurants, cafes, bars, taverns, nightclubs | 1 space for each 2.5 seats for restaurant area; 1 space for each 2.0 seats in bar area |
Retail sales and service establishment and convenience stores | 1 space for each 250 square feet of gross sales floor area (other uses such as warehouse, office, etc., may be calculated at the ratios set forth in this section). Retail buildings that are greater than 50,000 s.f. of gross floor area shall be eligible for a 10% reduction in the amount of required parking stalls provided a proof-of-parking plan is submitted showing how the reduction in stalls could be constructed should a parking problem be documented on site. |
Schools, high school and colleges | 1 space for each 7 students based on design capacity, plus 2 additional spaces for each classroom |
Showrooms | 1 space for every 900 square feet of gross showroom floor area (other uses such as warehouse, office, etc., shall be calculated at the ratios set forth in this section) |
Skating rinks and dance halls | 100 spaces plus 1 for every 200 square feet of floor area in the principal building |
Speculative building (use not known) for industrial | 1 space for every 700 square feet of floor area |
Uses not specifically noted | Determined by the Zoning Administrator on the same basis as required for the most similar listed uses. The Zoning Administrator shall also consult off street parking reference materials to determine the required spaces |
Warehouse/storage handling of bulk goods, wholesale | 1 space for each 2,000 square feet of floor area plus 1 for each company truck; office space shall conform to office use requirement |
F. Demonstrated Parking: The City Council may approve a "demonstrated parking" plan which allows for a portion of the required parking, but demonstrates that the minimum number of required parking spaces can be accommodated on the property and meet setback requirements. The plan must demonstrate that all other applicable ordinances can be met if the full amount of required parking were to be constructed. The area for future parking must be maintained as green space (grass, natural plant materials, mulch, or other appropriate landscape material). Any changes to use and/or building size could invalidate the approval for "demonstrated parking".
If the City determines that the use of demonstrated parking has become a problem, the owner of the property shall construct the minimum number of demonstrated parking spaces to alleviate the parking problem.
G. Off Site Parking: Off site parking using private property to meet parking requirements of this Code may be allowed through a conditional use permit, provided:
1. The off site parking meets all design standards set forth in this Code.
2. Reasonable access from the off site parking facility to the use served exists, and the off site parking facility is adjacent, either directly abutting or across the street from the use served except that off street parking located across the street shall be connected to an existing parking lot that services a principal use.
3. A legal instrument setting forth ownership, maintenance, etc., duly approved as to form by the City Attorney is executed and recorded by the party(ies) concerned, and an attested copy filed with the City.
4. A landscaped hedge is installed around the perimeter of the parking lot, and maintained to screen the vehicles in the parking lot.
5. Must be paved and meet the on site stormwater retention requirements.
H. Joint Driveway And Joint Parking Aisles: Joint driveways and joint parking aisles may be allowed to be shared by multiple properties in Commercial, Office, and Industrial Districts and the ten foot (10') setback required under subsection B4 of this section may be reduced from each property line to zero (0), through a conditional use permit (CUP), provided:
1. There is a reduction in the overall amount of allowed driveways for the properties served and the installation of a joint driveway and/or parking aisle will increase in traffic safety.
2. An Access Master Plan for the areas to be served is provided to the City for review as part of the CUP application.
3. A legal instrument setting forth ownership, maintenance, etc., duly approved as to form by the City Attorney is executed and recorded by the party(ies) concerned, and an attested copy filed with the City.
4. The driveway or parking aisle meets all design standards set forth in this Code or other design requirements as determined by the City Engineer.
5. The design or resulting development shall not cause any conflict with safe and orderly traffic flow.
6. There is no more than one joint driveway or joint parking aisle serving any two (2) lots unless approved under a planned unit development or they are found to be existing as determined by the City.
7. For a joint parking aisle, there is no other practical space for the parking aisle as determined by the City and the City determines the joint parking aisle is appropriate and was not proposed just to avoid compliance with the ten foot (10') parking setback from the property line.
8. Any plantings required under section 10-4-8 of this title for that part of the joint parking aisle be installed and maintained elsewhere on the lots involved and additional shade trees with a minimum dbh (diameter at breast height) of 2.5 inches (measured 6 inches aboveground) be planted to compensate for the loss of green space at a ratio of one tree per fifty feet (50') of linear distance of the joint aisle. Furthermore, the ten foot (10') green space area lost as a result of the joint driveway shall be replaced elsewhere on the property as interior parking lot islands with shade tree plantings and/or additional setback on the perimeter.
Joint driveways in existence prior to the adoption hereof are classified as preexisting and will not be required to obtain a conditional use permit, provided evidence of a previously recorded agreement detailing the joint driveway is submitted to the City and determined adequate by the City Attorney. (Ord. 2019-001, 3-19-2019; amd. Ord. 2023-013, 9-19-2023; Ord. 2024-008, 4-16-2024)