(A) General purposes and applicability for off-street loading regulations. The following provisions for accessory off-street loading berths are adopted in order to provide needed space off public streets for loading and unloading activities, to limit the use of streets for such purposes, to help relieve traffic congestion in all areas and thus to promote and protect the public health, safety and general welfare.
(B) Accessory off-street loading berth requirements.
(1) General provisions.
(a) In all districts, accessory off-street loading berths, open or enclosed, shall be provided for all community facility, commercial and industrial uses developed after the effective date of this ordinance, as a condition precedent to the use of such development.
(b) Each use or activity which may require loading berth space has been assigned a loading berth code number. The code numbers are listed below, along with the requirements associated with each. To find out what the loading berth requirement is for a particular use, look that use up in § 151.117, find out which loading berth code number has been assigned to that use, then refer to the requirements below. The developer shall evaluate his or her own needs to determine if the use requires a greater number of spaces than those required by this section.
(c) After the effective date of this ordinance, if the use of any building or other structure is enlarged or modified to increase the floor area, the requirements set forth in this ordinance shall apply to the increased floor area of the enlarged or modified portion of such building.
(2) Space requirements for off-street loading berths.
Loading Berth Code | For Floor Area (in Square Feet) | Required Berths |
1 | The number of spaces shall be prescribed by the Director of Development Services or his or her designee after taking into consideration traffic generation, amount and frequency of loading and unloading, the time of operation and other factors affecting the need for off-street loading. | |
2 | Less than 100,000 Each additional 100,000 or fraction one-half or more | 1 1 |
3 | Less than 30,000 30,000 to 100,000 Each additional 100,000 or fraction one-half or more | None 1 1 |
4 | Less than 10,000 10,000-40,000 40,001-70,000 70,001-150,000 Each additional 80,000 or fraction one-half or more | None 1 2 4 1 |
Loading Berth Code | For Floor Area (in Square Feet) | Required Berths |
5 | Less than 5,000 5,000-100,000 Each additional 100,000 or fraction one-half or more | None 1 1 |
6 | Less than 5,000 5,000-30,000 Each additional 30,000 or fraction one-half or more | None 1 1 |
7 | Less than 2,000 2,001-25,000 25,001-50,000 50,001-100,000 Each additional 100,000 or fraction one-half or more | None 1 2 3 1 |
(3) Special provisions for a single lot with uses subject to different loading requirements. When any building or lot contains two or more uses having different requirements for loading berths, and the floor area of each separate use is less than the minimum floor area for which berths are required, then off-street loading berths shall be provided as if the total floor area were used for that use for which the most berths are required.
(4) Wholesale, industrial or storage uses combined with other uses. If any building or lot is used partly for wholesale, industrial or storage uses or any combination of these uses and partly for any other community facility or commercial uses, at least 50% of the floor area in the building shall be subject to the requirements set forth for wholesale, industrial and warehousing uses and the remainder shall be subject to the other applicable requirements.
(5) Size of required berths.
(a) Off-street loading berths, opened or enclosed, shall have minimum dimensions of:
1. Length: 25 feet;
2. Width: 12 feet; and
3. Vertical clearance: 15 feet.
(b) For any use which is required to furnish three or more loading berths, at least one of every three loading berths shall have a minimum dimensions of:
1. Length: 65 feet;
2. Width: 12 feet; and
3. Vertical clearance: 15 feet.
(c) These dimensions shall not include drive-ways or entrances to, or exits from, such off- street berths.
(6) Location of access to the street. The entrances and exits to all required accessory off-street loading berths shall be located not less than 50 feet from the intersection of any two street lines.
(7) Surfacing. All permitted or required open off-street loading berths shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other hard surface material and constructed so as to provide for adequate drainage and prevent the release of dust.
(8) Screening.
(a) All permitted or required open off-street loading berths located adjacent to residences or a residential district or within a residential district shall be screened from the adjoining residential districts by either:
1. A strip at least 10 feet wide, densely planted with shrubs or trees which are at least four feet high at the time of planting and which are of a type which may be expected to form a year round dense screen at least six feet high within three years;
2. A wall or barrier or uniformly painted fence of fire resistant material, at least six feet high but not more than eight feet high, as measured from the finished grade. Such wall, barrier or fence may be opaque or perforated, provided that not more than 50% of the fence is open.
(b) In addition, such screening:
1. Shall be maintained in good condition at all times;
2. Shall not be located within 15 feet of normal vehicular entrances and exits; and
3. Shall not conflict with § 151.006(A).
(9) Location. To the maximum extent possible, all off-street loading berths shall be located between the principal building and the rear lot line of the property, and/or shall be screened from the view of the street and adjacent properties. Loading berths shall be located so as not to restrict the ingress and egress to the lot nor to any intersection.
(10) Required open space for loading berths. No accessory off-street loading berth shall be located within the required open space on any lot.
(11) Waiver or modification of requirements. As part of the review and approval of a Site Plan, the Director of Development Services or his or her designee may waive or modify the loading berth requirements upon finding that the use does not require loading spaces of a number or size required by this section, given the particular operational characteristics of the use and its need or lack thereof for the delivery or shipments of goods to and from the site.
(`00 Code, § 11-802) (Ord. 2004-13, passed 7-26-04)