The following standards and guidelines are provided as: (1) guidelines for consideration by applicants in preparing site plans, and (2) criteria to be considered by the Director of Building and Zoning and the Planning Commission in reviewing site plans.
(a) Purpose. To ensure that all development plans and traffic layouts are in conformance with the general recommendations of the Grandview Heights Community Plan, which constitutes the development plan for the City’s Business Districts.
(b) Development standards.
(1) Lot area and width. No specific standard is recommended since the City is almost fully developed; each application will be considered on a case- by-case basis. However, prior to the approval of a lot split or lot consolidation, it must be demonstrated that the development of the new lot will not adversely impact surrounding development and be in conformance with the guidelines of this chapter.
(2) Side and rear yard areas. Side and rear yard areas must be sufficient to adequately serve as a buffer adjacent to residential development.
A. In the C-1, C-2, and C-3 Districts there is no standard recommended for side yard areas, although there must be consideration for fire fighting equipment to reach the rear yard. This area must be kept clear for the passage and use of fire equipment for a width of not less than eight feet. Buildings next to residential or open space areas should provide a side yard of eight feet. The minimum rear yard standard is twenty percent (20%) of the lot depth, but need not exceed twenty-five feet.
B. In the M-1 District, main and accessory structures should maintain side and rear yard areas that are proportional to the height and width or height and depth of the structure, especially when located adjacent to a residential area. The minimum side yard standard in this District is one-third the height and depth of the structure. The minimum rear yard standard is one-third the height and width of the structure.
C. For both cases, the minimum side and rear yard standard is fifteen feet from the interior lot lines and twenty-five feet to any residential zoning district.
(3) Front yard areas. The minimum and maximum front yard standard is determined by the average of existing building setbacks. In most instances, the Planning Commission may require new or expanded development to build to the setback of the existing building or, where there is precedent, structures may be required to be extended toward the street right-of-way. Front yards are to be devoted to landscape areas and the necessary paving of driveways and sidewalks to reach parking or loading areas in the side or rear yard.
(4) Maximum lot coverage. No specific guidelines are recommended so long as it is demonstrated that the development will not adversely impact surrounding development and will be in conformance with the guidelines of this chapter.
(5) Maximum height. The standard is thirty-five feet when adjacent to residential districts and forty-five feet in other instances.
(6) Parking setback line. The parking setback line establishes how close parking, loading, or maneuvering may be located to a street right-of-way line. In C-1, C-2, C-3, and M-1 zoning districts, the parking setback line is established ten feet from the right-of-way line.
(7) Open service and outdoor storage. These areas should not exceed ten percent (10%) of the lot area in commercial districts; twenty-five percent (25%) in manufacturing district.
(8) Off-street parking spaces. Off-street parking spaces are to be provided as follows:
A. Restaurants: One parking space for each 250 square feet of floor area.
B. Private Club: One parking space for each 400 square feet of floor area.
C. Church or Other Place of Worship, Auditoriums, Theaters, and Other Places of Public Assembly: One parking space for each five seats.
D. Nursing Home, Residential Care Facility, Hospice: One-half space for each bed.
E. Community Center, Library, Museum, or Similar Public or Semi-public Building: One parking space for each 300 square feet of floor area in the building.
F. Medical Office Building: Buildings in which twenty percent (20%) or more of the gross area is occupied by members of the healing profession; one parking space for each 200 square feet of the gross area used for this purpose.
G. Professional and Administrative Offices: One per 300 square feet of floor area.
H. Bank: One per 250 square feet of floor area.
I. Retail Store: One parking space for each 250 square feet of floor area.
J. Vehicle Sales: One parking space per 300 square feet of floor area plus one space per 1,000 square feet of outdoor display.
K. Vehicle Repair: Three parking spaces per each service bay.
L. Manufacturing, Industrial, Research and Testing Laboratory: One parking space per each employee on the largest shift plus one space per business vehicle normally on premise.
M. Warehousing: One per business vehicle, plus one parking space per the first 20,000 square feet of floor area; one parking space per 5,000 square feet of the amount of floor area between 20,000 and 120,000 square feet, and one parking space per 10,000 square feet of the amount of floor area over 120,000 square feet.
N. Any Other Type of Business or Commercial Use in a Commercial District or Other Permitted District: One parking space for each 250 square feet of floor area.
(9) Construction and location of parking spaces. Each off-street parking space is to be of a size and be served by aisle widths that are no less than the following dimensions, and be of usable shape and condition.
Width | Minimum Stall Width | Minimum Length | Minimum Aisle |
90-degree angle parking | 9 ft. | 19 ft. | 22 ft. |
Parallel parking | 10 ft. | 23 ft. | 14 ft. |
60-degree angle parking | 10 ft. | 19 ft. | 20 ft. |
45-degree angle parking | 10 ft. | 20 ft. | 20 ft. |
Driveways serving non-residential parking areas are to have a minimum width of eighteen feet and a maximum width of twenty-five feet, except curb returns.
(10) Off-street loading requirements. There shall be provided at the time any building is erected or structurally altered off-street loading space in accordance with the following requirements:
A. Office Buildings, Apartments, Apartment Hotels, Motels and Hotels: One space for each 5,000 to 50,000 square feet of gross floor area; two spaces for each 50,000 to 200,000 square feet of gross floor area; one additional space for each 75,000 square feet of gross floor area above 200,000 square feet.
B. Retail or Service Establishment or Wholesale Commercial Use: One space for each 2,000 to 20,000 square feet of gross floor area; two spaces for each 20,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area; one additional space for each 75,000 square feet of gross floor area above 100,000 square feet.
C. Manufacturing or Industrial Use: One space for each 10,000 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 5,000 square feet.
(11) Joint use of facilities. The owners of two or more separate uses may establish a joint off-street parking facility to provide the total number of required off-street parking spaces for all such combined uses. The shared parking spaces may be excess spaces above the minimum code requirements or may be parking spaces that are available when the hours of operation overlap. A written agreement must be approved by the City Attorney and accepted by the Planning Commission. The written agreement will be filed along with the application for a Certificate of Occupancy.
(c) Design Guidelines.
(1) Traffic concept. All points of ingress and egress onto public roadways and the overall distribution scheme shall be shown, indicating traffic patterns and potential traffic control points. The criteria that must be followed include:
A. Combined access points to the public right-of-way
B. Driveway/access easements to be provided for adjoining parcels
C. Minimization of conflict points between auto traffic and pedestrian traffic to include adequate design and demarcation of pedestrian walkways from parking or driveway area
D. Reverse frontage lots with access on interior streets
E. Street improvements that may be required by the Planning Commission if site and traffic conditions warrant.
F. Buffering and screening, or other treatment to lessen impact on residential areas.
(2) Screening. The intent of this provision is to improve the appearance of parking areas and property abutting public rights-of-way and to require buffering between non-compatible land uses in order to mitigate negative visual impacts upon adjacent properties and along the public rights-of- way.
A. All non-residential establishments shall be required to enclose all outdoor refuse containers on a minimum of three adjoining sides. This enclosure shall be constructed to maintain a minimum three- foot clearance between itself and the dumpster, and shall be at least one foot higher than the highest part of the refuse container or containers enclosed. Such enclosures shall be constructed of solid and opaque wood or material similar to that of which the principle building is constructed. Construction-grade plain faced concrete will not be permitted.
B. All parking lots and driving areas shall be screened along adjacent streets with a continuous three-foot average-height planting, hedge, fence or wall.
C. All open service areas, outdoor storage areas, or loading docks shall be screened by walls or fences, six feet minimum height, eight feet maximum height, that effectively conceal such operations from adjacent streets or adjacent residential districts.
(3) Parking layout. A detailed parking layout must be shown to include the following:
A. Total number of on-site spaces.
B. Access points and expected movement through and between separate parking lot areas.
C. Opportunities for shared parking areas between two or more separate uses.
(4) Parking area landscaping.
A. All parking lots shall provide, in addition to screening requirements, two-inch dbh (diameter, breast height) tree trunk size for every six parking spaces. All trees shall be balled and burlapped. The minimum dbh of any tree shall be two inches.
B. Planting beds for parking lot trees shall be constructed so as to distribute landscaping throughout the parking lot and to minimum damage to trunks and roots of the trees from vehicles, pedestrians, and parking lot maintenance through the use of adequate soil planting area and curbing or parking blocks. Planting soil area per tree shall be a minimum of forty-five square feet. The minimum dimension for the planting area shall be five feet on any one side. All trees shall be maintained in a healthy condition.
C. Any lot with a minimum dimension of fifty feet on any one side shall have at least one tree planting per 6,000 square feet of paved surface. The minimum distance between deciduous trees, located in separate planting beds, shall be thirty-six feet. Additional landscaping, trees, ground cover, hedge or evergreens may be located between deciduous trees.
(5) Lighting. Any parking area with ten or more off-street parking spaces shall be illuminated during poor visibility to provide an average intensity of one-half foot candle of light as measured at the parking surface area. All outdoor lighting shall be of constant intensity and shall be directed, reflected or shielded so as not to be of excessive brightness or cause glare hazardous to pedestrians or drivers, or create a nuisance, or unreasonably interfere with a neighboring property owner’s right to enjoy his property. All lighting shall be shielded so that no glare will extend to any adjacent property. In residential districts, no light shall be located higher than fifteen feet above ground level,
(6) Utilities. The site plan must also consider the relocation of existing utility poles along public streets to locations along the side or rear of the properties to be served.
(7) Signs. As regulated by the sign regulations, signage will be most significant in communicating the character of the district. Signage should be discreet and minimal. Colors should be subdued, and where appropriate, the architectural character of the sign should be consistent with that of the building. Signs flush with the building face are in many cases preferable to projecting or ground signs. It is also preferred that ground signs be installed on bases and supporting structures that consist of brick, stone or wood, or be screened with evergreens to the top of the anchor bolts.
(8) Exterior design. The design treatment of the site and all proposed or renovated structures shall ensure compatibility and sensitivity to adjacent properties and structures.
(Ord. 98-13. Passed 9-8-98.)