(A) General description and purpose. The intent of this chapter is to require proper access and adequate off-street parking and loading facilities for each use of land within the city, based on the demand created by each use.
(1) Off-street parking and loading required. Permanent off-street parking and loading areas in the amount specified in this chapter for each use shall be provided at any time a building is constructed; or at the time a main building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units; guest rooms, seats, or floor area; or before conversion from one type of use to another.
(2) Use of public right-of-way prohibited. No portion of any required off-street parking space shall occupy or use any street, right-of-way, alley or other public property. Parking spaces that use any street or public right-of-way as a direct means of access without the intermediate use of service aisle and entrances of at least the minimum standards specified in this chapter shall be prohibited. A public alley shall be the only public right-of-way area permitted for maneuvering space to reach a required parking stall.
(3) Minimum standards and property owner responsibility. The standards contained in this section represent the minimum requirements. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to certify, at the time he or she applies for a building permit, that his or her plan is adequate to provide sufficient spaces and facilities necessary to assure that no activity will take place on public streets or property. Any use developed after the date of adoption of these requirements which fails to provide for off-street parking, loading and access needs shall be in violation of this chapter. Upon determination by the city that a property owner has not provided adequate parking or loading space to serve his or her operation, the property owner shall be required to either develop additional parking or loading space or reduce the size of the operation to fit the space available.
(4) Ownership or control. The land on which the off-street parking or loading facility is located shall be owned or controlled by the same entity which owns or controls the land on which the principal use is located. Such ownership or control shall be evidenced by a legal instrument duly recorded.
(B) Administration and enforcement.
(1) New construction or remodeling in all zoning districts. No building permit shall be approved until a plan has been reviewed and approved by the city as a part of the building and site plan review process. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until all off-street parking and/or loading facilities have been constructed in accordance with the approved building permit.
(2) Plan and information required. The applicant for a building permit for new construction, expansion, or remodeling shall submit a plan showing the number, location, and size of parking spaces. The applicant shall submit information regarding the projected number of employees, seating capacities, gross floor area, customer service area, gross leasable area, number of dwelling units, and any other appropriate data necessary to verify compliance with these requirements.
(3) Plans for surfacing of parking areas. Plans for surfacing of all off-street parking areas, aisles and access driveways, including detailed drainage plans, shall be reviewed and approved by the city for compliance with city specifications.
(4) Permits required. Permits for construction of driveways, aprons or approaches in all zoning districts are required and required improvements must meet city specifications.
(5) Interpretation and appeal. If questions of interpretation or application of these requirements to particular uses or structures arise, the city shall, based on findings of fact, make a determination of the off-street parking, loading or access requirements. Any aggrieved property owner may appeal such determination to the Board of Adjustment as a part of the building permit application review process.
(C) Special considerations.
(1) Remote parking. If the off-street parking space required by this section cannot be reasonably provided on the same lot on which the principal use is located, such space may be provided on a separate lot in accordance with standards established herein.
(2) Joint parking facilities. The required parking space for any number of separate uses may be combined in a joint parking facility under the following conditions:
(a) Multiple ownerships or structures. Where there are multiple ownerships or structures, each owner shall provide evidence of a permanent legal instrument which has been filed of record with the County Clerk and which guarantees permanent right to use of the parking facility.
(b) Churches. One-half of the required parking spaces for churches may be included in the total of required parking spaces for other uses that do not operate after 6:00 p.m. or on Sundays, provided that the nearest property line of the parking area is located within 200 feet of the church property line.
(c) Specific uses. The required parking spaces, for the uses specifically listed below, shall be permitted to be reduced by one-half; provided, they are part of a shopping or office complex of one or more buildings which have a total of 48,000 square feet or more of gross floor area and which share joint access and parking facilities as described above; and provided further that the gross floor area of all of these uses listed below in the building or complex shall not exceed 20% of the total gross floor area of the building or complex. Any gross floor area in excess of 20% shall require parking spaces to be provided, according to the regular standards contained in this chapter. The uses subject to this provision are:
1. Eating establishments: sit-down, alcohol permitted or not permitted;
2. Drinking establishments: sit-down, alcohol permitted; and
3. Theaters or auditoriums.
(d) Shared parking - cumulative effect. Where more than one facility shows evidence of joint use agreements for common access and a cross parking arrangement resulting in reduced street access points, parking requirements will be based on the cumulative gross floor area of all structures.
(3) Striping required. Off-street parking areas shall be designed to provide systematic and orderly circulation, traffic separation devices and parking spaces in accordance with sound traffic engineering practices.
(a) All off-street parking spaces and the means of ingress and egress shall be laid out on the parking surface with paint or plastic striping which provides a permanent delineation between spaces, aisles and surrounding structures and land.
(b) No striping shall be required on lots having only single-family or residential structures.
(4) Separation from public right-of-way. All off-street parking areas, aisles and access driveways
shall be designed so that vehicles do not overhang public rights-of-way or adjacent property.
(5) Lighting.
(a) All outdoor parking lots that serve commercial and institutional uses shall be illuminated during the evening hours of operation. Evening hours shall be deemed to begin one-half hour after sunset.
(b) All lighting equipment used in illumination of off-street parking areas shall not create a nuisance or hazard for streets or adjoining properties.
(6) Clearance.
(a) There shall be a minimum vertical clearance, free of all obstructions to a height of ten feet, for all portions of any off-street parking space, except when off-street parking spaces are provided in a parking structure, a residential garage or carport. No obstruction shall project into this minimum clearance.
(b) There shall be no obstruction within or near the bounds of any required off-street parking space which would interfere with the normal availability and use thereof.
(7) Landscaping required. All property used solely for off-street parking lots shall comply with the landscaping requirements of this chapter.
(8) Paving required. All required off-street parking and drives within the parking lot shall be permanently paved with a hard surface pavement that is a minimum of two inches of hot asphaltic concrete on a four-inch compacted base or an equivalent thereto.
(9) Parking lot maintenance. Parking lots in commercial districts shall be maintained free of potholes and areas of crumbling, broken pavement, or exposed base material. When more than 10% of the total parking lot pavement area is in such condition, the property owner shall, in accordance with city construction standards, repair the affected area at his or her expense within 60 days following notification by the city.
(10) Handicapped parking requirements. As a part of the minimum parking space requirements established in the Americans for Disabilities Act and this chapter, special parking spaces shall be designated for sole use by the handicapped, for all uses other than one- through four-family residential, in accordance with the following standards:
(a) If less than 20 regular spaces are required, then one such space shall be designated as handicapped parking.
(b) If 20 or more spaces are required, then not less than 2% of all parking spaces, with a minimum of two, shall be designated as handicapped parking.
(c) A handicapped parking space shall be not less than 13 feet in width. This shall include a stall width of nine feet and a four-foot-wide pedestrian aisle on one side of the space.
(d) Where the pedestrian aisle of the space is provided at curbside, a ramp to the sidewalk level shall be constructed at the end of the aisle, in any event, a ramp from the parking area to each entrance sidewalk shall be required.
(e) All handicapped parking spaces shall be permanently marked or striped with paint or other device. In addition, each space shall be identified by a pole mounted sign or by a wall sign, at the option of the developer, if the space is adjacent to a building. The center of the sign shall be not lower than four feet or more than six feet above the parking surface.
(f) Handicapped parking spaces shall be placed as near as possible to building entrances or centrally located in parking lots between buildings.
(g) Parallel parking spaces shall not be used for handicapped parking.
(D) Specific parking requirements and exceptions.
List of specific standards. Uses that are included in this chapter are detailed below. Each use has a specific parking standard that shall be met. In certain cases, where a use has no specific standard determined in advance by these requirements, the City Council shall make a determination of need after review of the site plan.
USE CLASSIFICATION WITH APPLICABLE MINIMUM PARKING STANDARDS | |
NOTE: 1. sf=square feet; GFA=Gross Floor Area; CSA=Customer Service Area. 2. City Administrative Approval is Subject to Appeal to City Council. | |
Use | Parking Standard |
USE CLASSIFICATION WITH APPLICABLE MINIMUM PARKING STANDARDS | |
NOTE: 1. sf=square feet; GFA=Gross Floor Area; CSA=Customer Service Area. 2. City Administrative Approval is Subject to Appeal to City Council. | |
Use | Parking Standard |
RESIDENTIAL USES | |
Multi-family residential: Efficiency and 1 bedroom 2 or more bedrooms Manufactured home residential Mobile home residential Group residential | 1.5 spaces/dwelling unit 2 spaces/dwelling unit 2 spaces/dwelling unit 2 spaces/dwelling unit 1 space/2 occupants |
Single-family residential | 2 spaces/dwelling unit |
Three- and four-family residential | 2 spaces/dwelling unit |
Two-family residential | 2 spaces/dwelling unit |
CIVIC USES | |
Church, temple, synagogue or mosque | 1 space/4 seats in worship area |
City and other governmental uses not defined herein | City administrative approval |
Community center | 1 space/300 sf of GFA |
Community recreation Swim center Game courts: Tennis, squash, racquetball, handball, basketball Playground, playfield, public park Clubhouse | 1 space/150 sf of pool area 5 spaces/court City administrative approval 1 space/100 sf of GFA |
Cultural exhibit | 1 space/400 sf of GFA |
General college and university | 1 space/4 classroom seats |
High schools | 1 space/4 classroom seats |
Hospital and/or sanitarium | 2 spaces/bed + 1 space/500 sf of GFA of an emergency room or out-patient care, if provided |
Library | 1 space/400 sf of GFA |
School, including kindergarten, elementary, junior high and middle schools | 1 space/10 classroom seats |
Vocational school | 1 space/2 classroom seats |
COMMERCIAL USES | |
Administrative and professional office | See Table 2, Office |
Animal sales and service: kennel, veterinarian, grooming | See Table 1, Retail |
Automotive and equipment: storage | City administrative approval |
Automotive vehicles and equipment: Cleaning and repairs Sales and rentals: Showroom area Outside lot Service area and body shop | 1 space/500 sf of GFA (5 spaces minimum) See Table 1, Retail City administrative approval See Table 3, Manufacturing and Retail |
Communications services | See Table 2, Office |
Construction sales and service: Showroom area Service area and body shop | See Table 1, Retail See Table 4, Warehousing (substitute lot area for GFA) |
Convenience sales and personal services | See Table 1, Retail |
Day care center | 1 space/10 children enrolled; plus 1 space/20 children enrolled for loading and unloading (2 spaces minimum) |
Eating establishments: Sit down, alcohol not permitted Sit down, alcohol permitted Fast foods Drive-in Drinking establishment, sit down, alcohol permitted | 1 space/100 sf of CSA 1 space/50 sf of CSA 1 space/50 sf of CSA 1 space/50 sf of CSA (12 spaces minimum) 1 space/50 sf of CSA |
Gasoline sales: Building area, automatic car wash excluded Truck stop | See Table 1, Retail See Table 1, Retail, plus city administrative approval of adequate space for access and parking |
Medical services | See Table 2, Office |
Recreation and entertainment: Bowling alley Billiard parlor Dance hall Gymnasium Health club Skating rink Arcade, video game center Theater Outdoor: driving range Miniature golf Go-cart of motocross tracks Drive-in theater Amusement park | 5 spaces/lane See Table 1, Retail 1 space/50 sf of club area and 1 space/100 sf of remaining GFA City administrative approval See Table 1, Retail City administrative approval See Table 1, Retail 1 space/4 seats 1 space/1.5 driving stations 2 spaces/3 holes City administrative approval 6 spaces minimum plus adequate spaces for viewing City administrative approval |
Personal storage; mini-warehouse | See Table 4, Warehouse |
Repair services, consumer | See Table 1, Retail |
Research laboratories | See Table 2, Office |
Retail sales and services, general | See Table 1, Retail |
Outdoor swap meets | City administrative approval |
Transient accommodations: Campground Hotel, motel or other lodging | City administrative approval 1 space/rental unit, plus 1 space/200 sf of GFA of restaurant area (including kitchen), plus 1 space/100 sf of GFA of club area (excluding office and meeting rooms), plus 1 space/100 sf of GFA for any retail area |
INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING USES | |
Excavation, minerals extraction or other activities with minimal buildings | City administrative approval |
Manufacturing and industrial | See Table 3, Manufacturing and Industrial |
Wholesaling, storage and distribution | See Table 4, Warehousing |
Minimum Parking Standards Tables | |
TABLE 1 - RETAIL | |
For the first 10,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/200 sf of GFA; plus |
From 10,001 to 40,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/225 sf of GFA over 10,000; plus |
Over 40,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/250 sf of GFA over 40,000 |
TABLE 2 - OFFICE | |
For the first 10,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/200 sf of GFA; plus |
From 10,001 to 40,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/300 sf of GFA over 10,000; plus |
Over 40,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/350 sp of GFA over 40,000 |
TABLE 3 - MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL | |
For the first 20,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/500 sf of GFA; plus |
Over 20,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/1,000 sf of GFA over 40,000 |
TABLE 4 - WAREHOUSING | |
For the first 20,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/1,000 sf of GFA; plus |
Over 20,000 sf of GFA | 1 space/5,000 sf of GFA over 20,000 |
(E) Parking area design standards.
(1) Parking stall. Minimum size: nine feet wide, 18 feet long.
(2) Loading/unloading (queuing) spaces.
(a) No queuing space may occupy any portion of a public right-of-way.
(b) Queuing spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet in width and 18 feet in length.
(c) Queuing spaces may not be used to satisfy the off-street parking or loading requirements of this section.
(d) Queuing spaces may be provided in the primary access aisle leading to a drive-in or drive-through facility.
(3) Aisle requirements.
(a) Aisles providing access to off-street parking areas, but not immediately adjacent to or providing direct access to an off-street parking space, shall be at least 22 feet in width if designed for two- way traffic and at least 12 feet in width if designed for one-way traffic.
(b) A drive-in window shall not project more than one foot into the minimum aisle width.
(4) Exceptions to basic standards.
(a) Family estate, single-family and duplex structures may use a paved driveway to fulfill the minimum parking requirements. The driveway space for each automobile shall be a minimum of nine feet in width and 18 feet in length and shall not be located within five feet of the street pavement.
(b) Where a multiple purpose retail, institutional or industrial building is proposed to be occupied by a use which can be demonstrated by the occupant to require less parking than the standards contained herein, the city may permit, subject to City Council approval, paving of a smaller parking area to meet the estimated need; provided, however, that, the balance of the land required by these requirements shall be held in reserve as an unpaved area to meet future needs generated by an expansion of the business or a change in land use.
(c) For mixed uses containing any combination of retail, institutional, office, manufacturing and industrial, or warehousing activity, parking requirements shall be tabulated separately for each use within the development using the list of specific standards or the tables above. Mixed uses regulated under separate parking requirements shall not be combined to achieve a larger square footage total that would result in a reduced parking requirement. Where any part of a mixed use is converted to another use category, then the parking requirements shall be recalculated based on the new square footage figure.
(c) Where a manufacturing and industrial use has more than one working shift of employees, parking facilities shall be adequate to accommodate overlap requirements during transition periods.
(F) Off-street loading/unloading spaces for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings.
(1) Requirement. Every industrial, commercial, and civic building erected or expanded shall provide space, as indicated herein, for loading and unloading of vehicles and hauling trailers. The number of spaces required shall be considered as the absolute minimum, and the owner/applicant shall evaluate his or her own needs to determine if they are greater than the minimum specified.
(2) Size. All off-street loading and unloading spaces shall have minimum dimensions of 12 feet by 60 feet with a 15-foot overhead clearance. In no case shall required off-street loading and unloading spaces encroach upon off-street parking space required in this code, or on a public right-of-way. No maneuvering shall be permitted on a public right-of-way.
(3) Design. Off-street loading and unloading spaces shall be designed so that vehicles shall maneuver entirely within the property lines of the premises and not on a public right-of-way. Unenclosed off-street loading and unloading areas shall be permanently paved with hard surfaced pavement. A six-inch header curb must also be constructed to separate a loading area from a public right-of-way.
(4) Minimum. Table 5, below, sets forth the minimum number of loading/unloading spaces required by use category according to gross floor area:
Table 5 - Minimum Loading and Unloading Standards
| ||
Land Use
|
Gross Floor Area in Square Feet
|
Total Minimum Number of Spaces Required
|
Office and Civic | 0 - 48,000 48,001 - 100,000 100,001 and over | 0 1 2 |
Retail Commercial and Industrial | 0 - 12,000 12,001 - 48,000 | 0 1 |
(G) Additional requirements: trash dumpster and receptacle enclosure and pads.
(1) No dumpster or receptacle shall be placed in a required parking space.
(2) Dumpsters and receptacles designed for transfer and unloading by trucks shall not be located where they interfere with traffic circulation or access to parking spaces and shall have a permanent location pad or enclosure and access way designed and constructed in accordance with the city code standards.
(3) Dumpsters and receptacles shall be provided with a pad, and an access drive if necessary to enter private property, that is designed and constructed to standards to city codes, with a minimum standard will provide for support the weight of collection vehicles without contributing to the destruction of the pavement.
(H) Access.
(1) Purpose. To provide access to private and public property in a safe, efficient, and orderly manner that is compatible with the public transportation system and to ensure orderly designs and proper location of driveways that have a positive effect on traffic operations. In addition, this section provides means for enhancing transportation movement and safety within the city, including generally improved traffic capacity, maintaining uniform traffic speeds and reducing accidents.
(2) Access to lots. To qualify for issuance of any new driveway permit or approval of a new curb cut, each lot of record, regardless of zoning district, must show access via a hard surface connection as defined in Appendix A of this chapter to a public street, or private street that has been recognized by the City Council as meeting all city requirements.
(a) Hard surface connections will be administratively reviewed if access abuts a public or private road not in compliance with city standards according to Ch. 153, Appendix A.
(3) Curb cut permit. No person shall cut or remove curbing or construct a driveway onto a street without securing a permit from the city. All costs to construct or remove curbs and driveways shall be the responsibility of the applicant. Any roadway improvement that is designed to provide access to a lot shall also be the responsibility of the applicant. All curb cuts, new construction and curb replacement shall conform to city design and construction standards.
(4) Access to streets: single- and two-family residences. Single- and two-family residences in all zoning districts shall be permitted curb cuts for driveway access to streets as follows:
(a) Maximum number of curb cuts:
1. One curb cut per street frontage; or
2. Two curb cuts on the same street frontage for a circular drive on an interior lot. In E-1, E-2, and E-3 zoning districts, two separate curb cuts may be permitted without a circular drive and shall not be closer to the property line than the district’s side or rear yard setback; or
3. Three curb cuts on a corner lot to accommodate a circular drive and a driveway to provide access to a garage or rear yard; or
4. Two-family residences shall be permitted one curb cut per residence on the same street frontage, provided there is a minimum separation of three feet between curb cuts for connected dwelling units.
(b) Curb cut dimensions: Regardless of the width of the driveway, the maximum width of curb cuts for single and two-family residential uses shall be 24 feet.
(5) Access to major streets: single-family to four-family residences.
(a) In no case shall a residential structure with four or less dwelling units be allowed access onto a highway or section line road if direct access is available onto a collector, or local street. Residential structures, or complexes of five or more dwelling units under the same ownership, shall be required to follow the general access provisions set forth in this chapter.
(b) Driveways shall be configured with an adequate turnaround or maneuvering area on the premises to permit all vehicles to access the street by moving in a forward direction rather than having to back into the roadway.
(6) Restricted access to residential areas. The City Council shall have the authority to restrict access into a residential zoned neighborhood from any industrial, commercial, multiple-family and other non-residential uses, including churches and other institutional uses. It may direct that no curb cuts be
placed on that portion of a local residential street adjacent to the commercially zoned tract if it determines:
(a) That such access will create unwarranted traffic that could adversely affect the safety, security and stability of the neighborhood; and
(b) There is sufficient access from other streets serving the same development parcel.
(I) Corner clearance and separation requirements for driveways.
(1) Driveways shall be separated from street intersections and other driveways by the distances defined in Table 6.
(a) These distances shall be measured from the centerline of streets to the curb line of driveways, excluding radii.
(b) These requirements shall be applied to strip developments having multiple ownership and to developments of all sizes under one ownership.
(c) Where a property has less frontage than the minimum requirements contained in Table 6 below, a driveway shall still be permitted for each street frontage, provided that it is located at a point of maximum separation from the nearest street (first priority) and nearest driveway (second priority).
(2) Design.
(a) The intersection of a two-way driveway shall be designed to intersect at a 90-degree angle.
(b) The corner radius of a driveway shall be no less than:
1. Fifteen feet for a local street;
2. Twenty feet for a collector street;
3. Twenty-five feet for a section line street or highway; and
4. Residential driveways on local or collector streets shall have a minimum radius of three feet.
(c) A minimum sight distance of four hundred feet for vehicles egressing a driveway to a section line road or highway shall be required for each intersection. The sight distance shall be measured from a point on the driveway at least 15 feet from the edge of the major road pavement and measured from a height of eye of three and three-quarters feet on the driveway to a height of an object of four and one-half feet on the major road.
(d) One-way egress driveways shall conform to the sight distance requirements that are stated for two-way driveways. One-way egress driveways of less than 90 degrees may be required by the city where it is determined that it is in the interest of the public health, safety and general welfare. All driveways and access facilities shall be designed to meet the grade, alignment, pavement and channelization standards and other specifications prescribed by the city.
Table 6 - Minimum Driveway Separation Between Driveways and Street Intersections | |||
(1) Separation distance standard: if driveway is located on: | Section line or highway | Collector street | Local or minor street |
Intersecting street: (a) Section line road or highway (b) Collector street (c) Local or minor street (all not classified under (a) and (b) above) | 200 100 100 | 150 60 60 | 150 60 60 |
(2) Additional driveway on the same property and on the same street frontage (non-residential and multi-family standard): One driveway per 200 feet of frontage or portion thereof, provided separate driveways, limited to one for entrance and one for exit, may be approved by administrative review of the site design. | |||
(J) Parking in setback area permitted. Private property that is required to remain undeveloped for special setback line purposes may be improved for surface-level off-street parking unless specifically restricted by a provision of this code; provided that no improved or required off-street parking shall be allowed within the first 40 feet from the above listed centerlines of all section line roads, which shall be reserved for future street widening and utility installation needs.
(K) Parking of mobile homes and miscellaneous trailers and commercial vehicles.
(1) Boats, commercial and/or utility trailers, motor homes, campers or camping trailers shall not be parked in front of the front building line setback as established by the code of ordinances for more than seven days.
(2) A commercial and/or utility trailer shall not exceed 24 feet in length or eight feet in width. Pickup mounted cambers shall not be included in the above definition unless the vehicle is not used on a regular basis which shall include being moved from the location at least once every seven days.
(3) A mobile home shall not be stored on a lot in a residential district. This does not prohibit the use of a mobile home as a residence, in those districts where a mobile home has been permitted as a residence.
(4) No commercial vehicle in excess of two axles or 15,000 pounds gross weight shall be permitted to park on any lot which is zoned for residential purposes under the R-F-l through R-MH-2 classifications, except where a yearly permit is issued by the Code Enforcement Officer. The permit shall be issued only if the following exist:
(a) Minimum lot area of two acres;
(b) Show route to property which shall be on section line roads, state maintained highways and unpaved city streets;
(c) Provide written permission from adjacent property owners;
(d) Vehicle must be parked behind building line and set behind site proof fence that is a minimum of six feet in height;
(e) There shall be a six-inch gravel or hard-surface drive and parking area on property;
(f) There shall be no more than one vehicle per location;
(g) The fee for the annual permit shall be $10; and
(h) These requirements shall in no way prohibit commercial vehicles in excess of two axles or 15,000 pounds gross vehicle weight from making deliveries to and from residential lots located within the city limits of the city.
(5) Commercial vehicles in excess of two axles or 15,000 pounds gross vehicle weight shall not be parked on any street within the residentially zoned property classified above, except for the purposes of making deliveries. This shall not prohibit a vehicle in excess of the classification owned by a permitted church, school, or other permitted institutional use from parking on property owned by the organization.
(6) Nothing contained herein shall legalize or otherwise allow for the continuation of a present
use of property which is not a legal activity upon the property under existing ordinances.
(2002 Code, § 154.073) (Ord. 486, passed 5-12-2003; Ord. 906, passed 4-11-2022; Ord. 934, passed 4-10-2023; Ord. 964, passed 3-11-2024)