(A) On the same premises with every building or part thereof, erected and occupied for any uses involving the receipt or distribution of trucks and/or delivery vehicles, material, or merchandise, adequate space for loading and unloading shall be provided.
(B) (1) Off-street loading and unloading space, unless completely and adequately provided for within a building, shall be of sufficient area and height clearance to accommodate vehicles using the loading space, based upon evidence supplied by the applicant and verified by the Planning Commission. Loading and unloading space provided by truck wells located below surface grade shall be protected by pipe railings per Building Code. Drainage shall be provided to prevent the collection of stormwater at the bottom of the truck well. The loading and unloading space shall be a minimum of 12 feet wide by 40 feet long. The space shall not be located in the front yard of a building and shall not be located closer than 50 feet to any residentially zoned parcel. The Planning Commission may permit deviations from this standard with conditions where it deems appropriate.
(2) The number of spaces provided shall be in accordance with the following schedule.
Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) | Loading and Unloading Spaces Required in Terms of Sq. Ft. Gross Floor Area |
0 - 20,000 | 1 space |
20,001 - 100,000 | 1 space plus 1 space for each 20,000 sq. ft. in excess of 20,000 sq. ft. |
100,000 and over | 5 spaces |
(C) (1) The city recognizes that due to the specific requirements of any given development, inflexible application of off-street loading requirements set forth in division (B) above may result in development with inadequate loading space or loading space in excess of that which is needed. The former situation may lead to traffic congestion or unauthorized loading on and/or off site. The latter situation may result in excessive paving and stormwater runoff and a waste of space, which could be left as open space.
(2) The Planning Commission may permit deviations from the requirements of division (B) above based upon a finding that such deviations are more likely to provide a sufficient number of off-site loading spaces and of adequate size to accommodate the specific characteristics of the use in question.
(3) The Planning Commission shall attach conditions to the approval of a deviation from the requirements of division (B) above that bind such approval to the specific use in question. Where a deviation results in a reduction of off-street loading, the Planning Commission shall further impose conditions, which ensure that adequate usable reserve area is set aside for further off-street loading, if needed. Where area is set aside for reserve off-street loading, it shall be easily developed, not devoted to a use other than open space, and shall be designed to accommodate attendant facilities vehicle such as maneuvering lanes and drainage.
(D) The following additional standards apply to commercial or similar vehicles in residential zoning districts: parking of commercial vehicles in residential zoning districts, which are rated over one ton capacity is prohibited; and open storage of commercial vehicles over one-ton capacity, including semi-trucks and trailers, mobile homes, tractors, bulldozers, earth movers, or other similar equipment is prohibited in any residential zoning district.
(Ord. 285, passed 12-8-2003) Penalty, see § 154.999