Off-street automobile parking spaces shall be provided for every land use on any lot or any time any building or structure is erected, enlarged or increased in capacity, or converted to a more intense use, in accordance with the following requirements:
(a) Each parking space shall have an area of not less than 162 square feet (9x18) exclusive of access drives or aisles, and shall be reasonably accessible and maintained in good condition, provided that up to 25% of the required parking spaces may be met with parking spaces for compact cars with an area of not less than 136 square feet (8.5 x 16 feet).
(b) There shall be provision for convenient and safe ingress and egress to all parking spaces from an appropriate public street or alley.
(c) All off-street parking areas, including access drives and aisles, shall be hard surfaced to provide a durable and dustless surface and shall be graded and maintained so that water does not unreasonably accumulate on such areas nor flow or drain onto adjacent property. All such areas shall be maintained in good condition, kept free of holes, trash and debris, and shall be adequately demarcated by periodic restriping or other means approved by the City.
(d) Off-street parking areas shall incorporate best practices for stormwater runoff mitigation, and require submittal of a stormwater mitigation plan, approved by the City.
(e) An access drive shall not exceed the normal width necessary to allow for a convenient movement of traffic and shall not be used for temporary or permanent parking. In the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-6, and R-12 Districts, access drives shall not be less than 8 feet and no larger than 12.5 feet in width and shall not occupy more than 25% of the front yard. Except as otherwise provided in Section 1262.06 for circular driveways, no more than one driveway or entrance leading from a street shall be permitted within the front yard of any property located in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-6 or R-12 District.
(f) Any lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall utilize cut-off style lighting fixtures and be arranged not to exceed 0.5 foot candles at surface grade within 10 feet from the property line.
(g) Whenever a parking area extends to a lot line adjacent to an area on another lot which is not a parking area, that may include a sidewalk, planter strip or part of a structure, a wheel stop device consisting of blocks, a permanent curb, expanded sidewalk or other suitable restraint shall be installed to prevent any part of a parked motor vehicle from extending beyond the property line, overhanging a pedestrian walkway or sidewalk, or damaging any building, structure or landscaping. The minimum height of a wheel stop device shall be five inches and the minimum distance from a wheel stop to a property line or protected area shall be 2.5 feet, or as otherwise approved by the City.
(h) Where adjacent parking areas exist on separate lots, it is encouraged that cross-access easements be pursued to improve the efficiency and capacity of parking, eliminate redundant curb-cuts, and increase the likelihood of shared parking for complementary uses.
(i) Off-street parking shall be screened from the public rights-of-way to a height of thirty (30) inches through a combination of opaque, evergreen vegetation, fencing and walls, excepting areas that would create sight visibility issues at intersections or driveway entrances or that provide cross access to adjacent parking.
(j) Parking spaces shall be designated for the handicapped and may be used to compute the total number of spaces required. The number and location of the designated spaces shall comply with the Ohio Building Code.
(k) A parking plan shall be required for new off-street parking and for the revision of existing off-street parking, including, but not limited to, reduction, enlargement, restriping or remarking. In commercial, office, multifamily and open space zoning districts, the parking plans shall be reviewed and approved by the Board of Zoning and Planning. In single family zoning districts, the parking plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Zoning Officer. The parking plan shall be drawn to scale and shall illustrate existing conditions, right of way lines, property lines, pavement areas, approaches, grading, drainage, lighting, traffic patterns and landscaping.
(l) Incidental signs erected to identify entrances; exits and operational instructions shall meet the requirements of Chapter 1260.
(m) Construction of an access drive which requires the removal of trees within the public right-of-way shall receive the prior approval of the Tree and Public Gardens Commission which may condition its approval on the number, type, size and location of replacement trees and the charge, if any to the property owner to compensate the City for the loss of the tree or trees being removed.
(n) If any change in use or expansion results in an increase in the number of required off-street parking spaces of less than twenty percent (20%) of the parking spaces previously provided or five (5) spaces, whichever is greater, no additional parking spaces shall be required.
(Ord. 29-16. Passed 11-15-16.)