(4) Parking Design Standards.

(a)   Design Requirements for Surface Parking Lots.

Surface parking lots, except those accessory to single-family and two-family uses, shall comply with the requirements of this § 14-803(4)(a) (Design Requirements for Surface Parking Lots).

(.1)   Grades.

All surface parking spaces shall be situated on ground that does not contain any grades in excess of ten percent (10%).

(.2)   Materials.

Surface parking lots shall be covered with a hard top surface of cement concrete, bituminous concrete, asphalt, or pervious pavement, including all accessways and/or driveways from the street. If parking is provided in a surface parking lot and the applicant provides more than 20 spaces beyond the minimum off-street parking required by this Zoning Code, all surface spaces beyond the minimum required shall be surfaced with pervious paving materials that meet the design standards of the Philadelphia Stormwater Management Guidance Manual.

(.3)   Approval by the Streets Department.

Surface parking lots that provide more than three vehicle parking spaces shall comply with the applicable provisions of Section 9-601 of The Philadelphia Code and shall be approved by the Department of Streets before L&I may issue a zoning permit.

(.4)   Walkways.

Except in Industrial districts, where a parking lot contains more than 25 spaces and is located between a building and a public street, pedestrian walkways at least five ft. wide shall be provided and shall comply with the following standards:

(.a)   Each walkway shall be located within or along the edge of the parking lot and shall connect the street and the building.

(.b)   One pedestrian walkway meeting these standards shall be provided for each 300 ft. of street frontage.

(.c)   Where a walkway crosses a driveway or aisle, the driveway or aisle shall be clearly marked and signed so as to indicate the location of the walkway and to require vehicles to stop for individuals using the walkway.

(.5)   Vehicle Access Points. 911

Along any street frontage in a Residential district, a surface parking lot shall have no more than one curb cut for both ingress and egress, the maximum width of which shall not exceed 24 ft., or two one-way curb cuts the maximum width of which shall not exceed 12 ft., provided that the curb cuts shall not occupy more than fifty percent (50%) of the street frontage.

(.6)   Delineation. 912

Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated on the lot.

(b)   Design Standards for Garage Structures. 913

Accessory and non-accessory parking in garage structures on lots in or adjacent to any Residential district or any Commercial district, except private residence parking garages or those accessory to single-family and two-family uses, shall meet the following standards.

(.1)   Vehicle Access Points.

(.a)   Along any street frontage, a parking garage shall have no more than one curb cut for both ingress and egress, the maximum width of which shall not exceed 24 ft., or two one-way curb cuts the maximum width of which shall not exceed 12 ft., provided that the curb cuts shall not occupy more than fifty percent (50%) of the street frontage.

(.b)   Driveways that cross the public sidewalk must be at the same level as the sidewalk. The driveway material must change at the building line to demarcate the transition to the sidewalk. Sidewalks should be visually continuous across driveways to indicate pedestrians have the right-of-way.

(.2)   Facades.

All above ground portions of accessory or non-accessory parking garages or portions of structures occupied by automobile parking shall meet the following standards:

(.a)   Facade openings that face any public street or publicly accessible open space shall be vertically and horizontally aligned and all floors fronting on those facades shall be level (not inclined).

(.b)   At least thirty percent (30%) of each facade facing a public street or publicly accessible open space shall be occupied by doors (on the ground floor), windows, screens, grills, louvers, or other non-opaque facade elements that resemble those features.

(.c)   The remainder of each facade facing a public street or publicly accessible open space shall be designed to conceal the view of all parked cars and internal light sources when viewed from the public street or publicly accessible open space.

(.3)   Ground Floor Use.

(.a)   In the RMX-3 district and commercial districts any portion of the ground floor facade that abuts a sidewalk or a public space and that is not occupied by entrances, exits, or waiting areas shall be designed and constructed to permit a finished ceiling height of at least 10.5 ft. in order to allow occupancy by a use in the office, retail sales, commercial services, or public, civic, and institutional use category.  914

(.b)   Uses in the office, retail sales, commercial services, or public, civic, and institutional use category, except the regulated uses that are listed in § 14-603(13) (Regulated Uses), are allowed as accessory uses in parking garages that are subject to the ground floor use provisions of § 14-803(4)(b)(.3)(.a). 915

(.4)   Delineation. 916

Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated in the garage.

(.5)   Parking Garage Review. 917

Parking garages in the RMX-3, CMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5 districts, in the /CDO, Central Delaware Riverfront Overlay District, and parking garages of at least 250 parking spaces on lots in or adjacent to any other residential or commercial district, shall be subject to the following review:

(.a)   L&I shall not issue any building permits for parking garages unless the facade of the proposed garage has been reviewed and approved by the Commission. The Commission shall have 30 days upon receipt of an application to review the proposed parking garage; after the 30-day review period has passed, the approval of the Commission shall be presumed.

(.b)   L&I shall not issue any building permits for parking garages unless the internal circulation patterns and points of ingress and egress have been reviewed and approved by the Streets Department. The Streets Department shall have 30 days upon receipt of an application to review the proposed parking garage; after the 30-day review period has passed, the approval of the Streets Department shall be presumed.

 

Notes

911	Amended, Bill No. 130137-A (approved May 8, 2013); amended, Bill No. 130242 (approved May 21, 2013); amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015).
912	Added, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021).
913	Amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015).
914	Amended, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021).
915	Amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015). Incorrect reference to § 14-802(4)(b)(.3)(.a) revised by Code editor.
916	Added, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021).
917	Amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015); renumbered, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021); amended, Bill No. 220418 (approved November 30, 2022).