The design and construction of parking areas, service areas and access drives shall be approved by the Planning Commission in accordance with specific requirements of the City Engineer. General parking area standards include the following:
(a) Parking areas must be designed to allow for the access turning area needs of emergency vehicles. Parking area slopes shall not exceed five (5) percent.
(b) Parking areas, including refuse containers and driveways adjacent to or within residential districts, shall be screened pursuant to Chapter 1161.
(c) Lighting shall meet all the standards and requirements as set forth in Section 1155.02.
(d) All parking areas, regardless of size, shall be hard surfaced. Pavement type and thickness shall be approved by the Planning Commission taking into consideration soil conditions and traffic loadings. Alternative surfacing and design methods may be utilized pursuant to the Low Impact Development Design (LID) design standards as described in Chapter 1165 and subject to Planning Commission approval.
(e) Sufficient turning radii shall be provided in accordance with approved engineering standards so as to be adequate for all vehicle movement, including that of fire and safety vehicles or other oversize vehicles which may make use of the area.
(f) Storm water runoff created as a result of improvements to a parking area shall be controlled in accordance with Chapter 1164.
(g) All off-street parking areas shall be continually maintained in satisfactory condition so as to be safe, attractive and free of any hazard, nuisance or other unsafe condition.
(h) To provide adequate screening between on-street parking areas and abutting properties, the Planning Commission shall have the power to require additional planting/landscaping, materials, walls, fences or any combination of these as deemed necessary in addition to the minimum standards set forth in Chapter 1161.
(i) Subject to the specific results and recommendations of a traffic impact study as may be required pursuant to Section 1158. access drives shall be located to minimize traffic congestion.
(j) The Planning Commission may issue a conditional zoning certificate, for parking lots in residential districts subject to Chapter 1133 and the following conditions:
(1) The parking lot shall be accessory to and for the use in connection with one or more permitted or conditionally permissible uses in an adjoining business or industrial district.
(2) Such parking lot shall abut at least fifty feet, either directly or across an alley or street in the district in which the use for which the parking is provided, permitted or conditionally permissible.
(3) Such parking lot shall be used solely for the parking of passenger vehicles and no commercial repair work or service of any kind shall be conducted on such parking lot.
(4) No sign of any kind, other than those designating entrances, exits and conditions of use shall be maintained on such parking lot.
(5) Such parking lot shall be efficiently screened on each side by a fence of acceptable design, a wall or compact hedge. Such fence, wall or hedge shall be not less than four feet in height and no solid portion shall be more than six feet in height and shall be maintained in good condition. The planting strip for hedges shall be no less than three feet in width. At least one water outlet shall be provided not more than fifty feet from the lot for maintenance of plant materials. The space between such fence, wall or hedge and the side lot line of adjoining premises in any residential district shall be landscaped with grass, hardy shrubs or evergreen ground cover and maintained in good condition.
(6) The Planning Commission may modify the foregoing requirements in specific cases where desirable or warranted, owing to unusual topography, physical conditions and the use and character of adjacent properties. The Planning Commission may also impose such additional requirements as it may deem necessary in view of the aforesaid consideration.