(a) Purpose: The purpose of these requirements for off-street parking and loading facilities is to promote the orderly development of land within the City and to promote the safety of residents of the City by assuring the orderly handling of vehicles and vehicular traffic.
(b) General Specifications and Requirements:
(1) Applicability: In all districts, at any time any building, structure or use is constructed, enlarged, increased in capacity, used or occupied, including change of occupancy, there shall be provided for every use off-street parking spaces for automobiles in accordance with the provisions of this section. A Parking Plan shall be required for all uses except for single or two-family residential uses. The Parking Plan shall be submitted to Planning Board as part of the Site Plan or Development Plan review process and to the Zoning and Building Official as a part of the application for a Zoning Certificate. The Plan shall show the boundaries of the property, parking spaces, access driveways, circulation patterns, drainage plans and perimeter screening/landscaping, as appropriate.
(2) Minimum Area and Dimension Requirements: Parking spaces shall conform to the following minimum area and dimensions, exclusive of driveways and aisles, as shown on Table 8.
(3) Compact Car Spaces: Excess parking spaces above the minimum required by this chapter may be designed to accommodate small cars for uses having little turnover such as apartments, general business offices or industrial plants. Commercial uses, medical offices and other high turnover uses are not permitted to designate small car spaces. The minimum width and length of such spaces shall be 8' x 17'. Approved small car spaces shall be grouped and clearly marked rather than scattered throughout the lot.
(4) Access: Each site shall have an access drive into the parking area with a minimum width as shown on Table 9. All parking spaces, except those required for single- or two-family dwellings, shall have access to a public street or alley in such a manner that any vehicle leaving or entering the parking area from or into a public street or alley shall be traveling in a forward motion.
(5) Parking Aisles: Parking aisles adjacent to parking spaces shall contain the minimum widths shown on Table 10.
TABLE 8: Parking Space Dimensions
Minimum Width (Feet) | Minimum Length (Feet) | |
Ninety degree parking | 9 | 19 |
Parallel parking | 9 | 23 |
Sixty degree angle parking | 9 | 19 |
Forty-five degree angle parking | 9 | 19 |
TABLE 9: Driveway Width
Use | Minimum Driveway Width (Feet) |
Single Family | 10 |
Two-family | 16 (combined drive) |
All other uses | 12 (one way) |
20 (two way) |
TABLE 10: Parking Aisle Width
PARKING PATTERN | MINIMUM AISLE WIDTH (FEET) |
90° | 24 |
60° | 18 (one way) |
45° | 12 (one way) |
22 (two way) | |
Parallel | 12 (one way) |
22 (two way) |
(c) Location of Parking Spaces:
(1) Parking spaces for single- and two-family residential uses shall be located on the same lot as the use which is to be served.
(2) Parking in residential areas shall not be located off of the driveway in the front yard or side yard, except when such areas meet setback regulations and are paved with a hard or semi-hard, dust-free surface, as approved by the City Engineer.
(3) Except as permitted in the Historic District, and in the instance of joint parking facilities authorized by Section 1111.07(g), parking spaces for all nonresidential uses shall be located on the same lot as the use which is to be served.
(4) Parking spaces for multiple family uses or similar residential uses shall be located not more than two hundred fifty (250) feet from the principal use served.
(5) All land designated as C-3 Central Commercial District on the Official Zoning District Map is exempt from all off-street parking requirements.
(d) Required Improvements for Parking Areas:
(1) All off-street parking and loading areas including spaces, driveways, aisles, circulation drives and other vehicular maneuvering areas shall be paved with a hard surface and shall be adequately drained and lighted, except for:
A. Permitted uses located in the Agricultural District.
B. Driveways behind the front yard building setback in the single- family and two-family residential districts.
(2) Lighting shall be arranged to reflect the light away from adjoining property.
(3) The owner of a lot used for parking and loading shall maintain the parking area in good condition to be free of holes, trash and debris. The demarcation of parking spaces shall be adequately maintained either through periodic re-striping or other means.
(e) Traffic Control Devices:
(1) Entrances, exits and directional signs shall be provided where practicable, and signs shall conform to City sign regulations, outlined in Section 1111.08.
(2) All parking areas having a capacity in excess of ten (10) vehicles shall be striped.
(3) When a parking area extends to a property line, or where the extension of a vehicle beyond the front line of the parking space would interfere with drive or aisle access, wheel blocks or other devices shall be used to prevent such extension.
(f) Determination of Required Spaces: In computing the number of parking spaces required by this section, the following rules shall apply:
(1) Where gross floor area is designated as the standard for determining parking space requirements, floor area shall be the sum of the gross horizontal area of all the floors of a non-residential building measured from the faces of the exterior walls.
(2) Where seating capacity is the standard for determining parking space requirements, the capacity shall mean the number of seating units installed or indicated or each eighteen linear inches of benches, or pews, except where occupancy standards are set by the Ohio Building Code.
(3) Fractional numbers shall be increased to the next whole number.
(4) The parking space requirements for a use not specified in this Section shall be determined by the Appeals Board, on recommendation from the Zoning and Building Official, if the use is substantially similar to another use for which a standard has been established.
(g) Joint or Collective Parking Facilities:
(1) Where two (2) or more uses are provided on the same lot, the total number of spaces required shall equal or exceed the sum of the individual requirements, unless modified by Planning Board. In computation, a fractional space shall be rounded to the next highest number.
(2) All required parking spaces shall be located on the same lot with the building or use served, except that where an increase in the number of spaces is required by a change or enlargement of use, or where such spaces are provided collectively or used jointly by two or more buildings or establishments, the required spaces may be located not farther than two hundred fifty (250) feet from the building served.
(3) In any case where the required parking spaces are not located on the same lot with the building or use served, or where such spaces are collectively or jointly provided and used, a written agreement thereby assuring their retention for such purposes shall be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned, approved as to form by the Director of Law, approved as to content by Planning Board and filed with the application for a zoning certificate.
(4) Upon prior approval by the Planning Board of the terms of a written agreement entered into by owners of property and the City providing for the joint use of parking spaces, two (2) or more nonresidential uses may jointly provide and use parking spaces when their hours of operation do not normally overlap.
(i) Business and Professional Offices:
(1) Business and professional offices and associations: 1 space per three hundred square feet of gross floor area, but not less than 2 spaces per office.
(2) Medical offices and clinics: 3 spaces per treatment or examination room or chair, plus 1 space per staff and employee on the largest working shift, but not less than five spaces per office.
(j) Commercial Entertainment:
(1) Bowling alleys: 5 spaces for each alley, plus any additional spaces required for a bar, restaurant or other accessory use.
(2) Dance halls, bingo halls, assembly and exhibition halls: 1 space for every fifty square feet of floor area.
(3) Fraternal and social associations and private clubs: 1 space for every fifty square feet of floor area in assembly or meeting rooms, plus 1 space for every two hundred square feet of other floor area.
(4) Game rooms: 1 space for every two patrons at maximum capacity, plus 1 space for every two employees on the largest work shift.
(5) Golf driving range: 1 space per tee, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(6) Miniature golf: 1 and one-half spaces per hole, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(7) Other outdoor commercial entertainment: 1 space for every four patrons at maximum capacity, plus 1 space for every two employees on the largest work shift.
(8) Theatres, concert halls and meeting and banquet halls: 1 space for every two and one-half seats of capacity.
(k) Commercial and Service Uses:
(1) Business and cleaning services: 1 space for every three hundred square feet of sales and office area, plus 1 space for every employee on the largest work shift, plus 1 space for every company or service vehicle regularly stored on the premises.
(2) Commercial schools and studios: 1 space for every three students at capacity and 1 space for each employee on the largest working shift.
(3) Convenience food stores, mini-markets and carry-outs: 1 and one-half spaces for every two hundred square feet of floor area, plus 1 space for each employee.
(4) Drive-through retail: 1 space for each employee, plus off-street stacking space for five vehicles, plus 1 space for each two hundred square feet of sales area open to the public.
(5) Financial establishments, banks and savings and loan associations: 1 space per two hundred square feet of gross floor area, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift, plus 5 off-street waiting spaces per drive-in window or drive-through teller machine.
(6) Funeral homes and mortuaries: 1 space per every fifty square feet of public floor area, plus 1 space for each employee, plus 1 space for each business vehicle.
(7) General merchandise stores and supermarkets: 1 space for each one hundred fifty square feet of gross floor area used for sales and display and 1 space for every two hundred fifty square feet of storage, warehouse and office area.
(8) Home furnishings, home improvements and equipment stores: 1 space for each four hundred square feet of indoor and outdoor sales and display area and 1 space for each eight hundred square feet of office, storage and warehouse area.
(9) Hotels and Motels: 1 space per room or suite, plus 1 space for every three employees on the largest work shift, plus 1 space for three persons to the maximum capacity of each public meeting and/or banquet room, plus fifty percent of the spaces otherwise required for accessory uses (e.g., restaurants).
(10) Nurseries and garden supply stores: 1 space for each employee on the largest shift, 1 space for each two hundred square feet of gross floor area of inside sales or display and 1 space for each one thousand square feet of exterior sales and display area.
(11) Restaurant: 1 space per one hundred square feet of seating capacity area, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(12) Restaurants, fast food: 1 space per fifty gross square feet of seating capacity area, plus one space per employee on the largest shift with a minimum of fifteen total spaces per seating capacity area .
(13) Specialty retail commercial, specialty food stores, personal services and commercial centers: 1 space for every two hundred square feet of gross floor area less than two thousand and 1 space for every two hundred fifty square feet of gross floor area greater than two thousand square feet, and no use shall have less than 5 spaces.
(14) Veterinary Services: 3 spaces for each treatment area, plus 1 space for each staff and employee on the largest working shift, except that pet stores shall provide parking as retail commercial space.
(l) Industrial:
(1) Construction trades and contractor offices and industrial craft shops: 1 space for every three hundred square feet of floor area, plus 1 space for every business vehicle.
(2) Lumberyards and buildings materials sales: 1 parking space for each eight hundred square feet of floor area, plus 1 space for every three thousand square feet of lot area devoted to the storage and display of building materials.
(3) Manufacturing, printing and publishing establishments and laundry and dry cleaning plants: 1 space for each employee on the largest work shift, plus 1 visitor parking space for every ten thousand square feet of floor area, plus 1 space for every company vehicle regularly stored on the premises.
(4) Recycling centers: 1 space for each employee or volunteer on the largest work shift, plus 1 parking space for each collection vehicle and 2 drop-off spaces for each bay and/or collection vehicle and container.
(5) Self-Service Storage Facilities or Mini-Warehouses: If an on-site office is provided, at least 3 spaces, plus 1 space per employee on the largest working shift, unless otherwise required by Planning Board.
(6) Warehouses: 1 space for every four thousand square feet of gross floor area, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(7) Wholesaling facilities: 1 space for every three hundred square feet of office and sales area, plus 1 space for every four thousand square feet of warehouse and storage area, plus 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(m) Institutional Uses: All such uses shall provide the total number of spaces required for the specific combination of institutional uses and/or recreation facilities (Section 1111.07(n)) provided, as listed below. When two or more institutional and/or recreational uses are provided on the same lot by one property owner, Planning Board, at its discretion, may waive or modify the total number of parking spaces required.
(1) Cemeteries: 1 space per employee on the largest working shift, plus 1 space per four seats in the chapels.
(2) Community centers, libraries, museums, art galleries, botanical gardens and other establishments of historical, education and cultural interest: 1 space per two hundred fifty square feet of gross floor area plus one 1 space per employee on the largest work shift.
(3) Daycare centers and nursery schools: 1 space per employee on the largest working shift, plus 1 space per five children at capacity. In addition, there shall be a drop-off area at the main entrance sufficient to accommodate four automobiles per twenty or fewer children, plus one additional automobile for each additional ten children served. The drop-off area may either be in the form of spaces parallel to an access drive adjacent to the building or additional parking spaces beyond UDO requirements.
(4) Elementary and junior high schools: 1 space per employee on the largest working shift, plus 1 space per two classrooms.
(5) High schools: 1 space per employee on the largest working shift , plus 1 space per five students at capacity.
(6) Hospital and medical centers: 1 space for every two beds, plus 1 space for every staff and employee on the largest work shift.
(7) Junior colleges, colleges and universities: 1 space for every three students, plus 1 space per employee on the largest working shift.
(8) Places of worship: 1 space per four seats at maximum capacity.
(9) Public offices and buildings: 1 space for every two hundred fifty square feet of gross floor area.
(n) Recreation uses, indoor and outdoor: All such uses shall provide the total number of spaces required for the specific combination of recreation facilities and/or institutional uses (Section 1111.07(m)) provided, as listed below. When two or more institutional and/or recreational uses are provided on the same lot by one property owner, Planning Board, at its discretion, may waive or modify the total number of parking spaces required.
(1) Auditoriums, arenas, stadiums, gymnasiums, and playing fields with stands: 1 space for every four seats at capacity.
(2) Golf courses: 8 spaces per hole, plus fifty percent of the spaces otherwise required for any accessory use (e.g., restaurant, pro shops).
(3) Parks, playgrounds, playing fields without stands, nature areas and other open space: Parking shall be provided as determined by Planning Board, based on the submitted site plan.
(4) Recreation centers: 1 space for every two hundred fifty square feet of floor area, except those designed for use exclusively by senior citizens or youth under age sixteen, in which case there shall be 1 space for every seven hundred fifty square feet.
(6) Swimming pools: 1 space for every seventy-five square feet of water surface area.
(7) Tennis, racquetball and handball courts: Indoor courts - 4 spaces for each playing court. Outdoor courts - 2 spaces for each playing court.
(8) Other requirements: In addition to the above requirements, all recreational uses shall provide 1 space for every two employees on the largest work shift.
(o) Residential Uses:
(1) Single-family (attached, semi-detached and detached) two-family: 2 per dwelling unit.
(2) Multi-family: 2 per dwelling unit, plus guest parking at a rate of 1 space per four units.
(p) Special Residential Uses:
(1) Dormitories, convents and monasteries: 1 space per six residents, plus 1 space per employee on the largest working shift.
(2) Bed and Breakfast: 2 spaces, plus 1 space per guest room.
(3) Boarding house: 2 spaces, plus 1 space per boarder.
(4) Corporate guest houses: 1 space per two bedrooms, plus 1 space per employee.
(5) Family and group care homes: 1 space per four residents, plus 1 space per employee on the largest working shift.
(6) Retirement villages and senior citizen housing: ¾ space per dwelling unit, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift.
(q) Road Service and Vehicle Uses:
(1) Vehicle accessories sale and installation: 2 spaces for every service bay, plus 1 space for each employee on the largest working shift, plus 1 space for every four hundred square feet of sales area.
(2) Gasoline service stations and vehicle repair, painting and body shops: 2 spaces for each service bay, plus 1 space for each employee on the largest working shift and service vehicle, with a minimum of 6 spaces.
(3) Vehicle washing facilities: 1 space for each employee with a minimum of 4 spaces, plus four off-street waiting spaces for each car washing device or stall, or eight off-street waiting spaces for an assembly line type washing establishment, and two parking spaces at the end of each washing bay for drying and hand-finishing vehicles.
(4) Vehicle sales and service: 1 parking space for each eight hundred square feet of floor area, plus 1 space for each three thousand square feet of open lot area devoted to the sale and display of vehicles.
(r) Required Number of Loading Spaces By Use:
(1) Whenever the normal operation of any development requires that goods, merchandise, or equipment be routinely delivered to or shipped from that development, a sufficient off-street loading and unloading area must be provided in accordance with this Section to accommodate the delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.
(2) Loading spaces shall conform to the following minimum dimensions:
A. Type A space - (for semi-truck vehicles) fourteen (14) feet minimum width, fifty-five (55) feet minimum length, fifteen (15) feet height clearance. The space shall not inhibit service access to neighboring facilities or loading areas.
B. Type B space – twelve (12) feet minimum width, thirty (30) feet minimum length, fifteen (15) feet height clearance, and arranged so as not to inhibit other service traffic.
(3) The number of loading spaces required is outlined in Table 11 and Table 12.
(4) Loading and unloading areas shall be so located and designed that the vehicles intended to use them can maneuver safely and conveniently to and from a public right-of-way, and complete the loading and unloading operations without obstructing or interfering with any public right-of-way or any parking space or parking lot aisle.
(5) No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities may be used to satisfy the area requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off-street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading and unloading facilities.
(6) Whenever there exists a lot with one or more structures constructed before the effective date of this chapter, and a change in use that does not involve any enlargement of a structure is proposed for such lot, and the loading area requirements of this Section cannot be satisfied because there is not sufficient area available on the lot that can practicably be used for loading and unloading, then the developer need only comply with this Section to the extent reasonably possible.
(7) A loading space may occupy all or any part of any required side or rear yard. No loading or unloading shall occur in a front yard, except for structures less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet.
(8) No loading space shall be located closer than fifty (50) feet to any residential district.
(9) Short term storage of pod units shall be situated on a durable, impervious surface, such as a driveway, and located within the building setback. No pod unit shall be permitted to remain longer than seven (7) days. Units located within a commercial district shall, in addition to these standards, be located in the rear yard and screened from view by opaque landscape material or fencing.
Table 11: Commercial and Industrial Buildings
Gross Floor Area | Number and Type of Loading Space |
Less than 5,000 sq. ft. | 0 |
Equal to or greater than 5,000 sq. ft. but less than 15,000 sq. ft. | One Type B |
Equal to or greater than 15,000 sq. ft. but less than 3,000 sq. ft. | One Type A |
Equal to or greater than 3,000 sq. ft. | One Type A and B |
For each additional 50,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereof | One Type A |
Table 12: Office and Institutional Buildings (Excluding Churches)
Gross Floor Area | Number and Type of Loading Space |
Less than 20,000 sq. ft. | 0 |
Equal to or greater than 20,000 sq. ft. but less than 100,000 sq. ft. | One Type A |
Equal to or greater than 100,000 sq. ft. but less than 350,000 sq. ft. | Two Type A |
350,000 sq. ft. or more | Two Type A |
plus one for each add 300,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereof |
(s) Modifications and Conditions:
(1) Where the Planning Board finds that strict compliance with the minimum improvement requirements provided for in this chapter results in extraordinary hardship or costs being imposed upon a particular subdivision, PUD, PRCD or other development, it may vary these improvement regulations so that substantial justice may be done and the public interest secured.
(2) In granting modifications of these Requirements, the Planning Board may require such conditions as will, in its judgment, secure the objectives of the standards of requirements so varied or modified.
(Ord. 05-16. Passed 11-7-05.)