(A) Intent. It is the intent of this chapter to require off-street parking and loading spaces on each parcel for all land uses within the county sufficient in number to accommodate all vehicles of residents, employees, customers, clients and others which may congregate at any point in time in order to reduce on-street parking and improve traffic and pedestrian safety.
(B) Applicability. On-site parking and loading shall be provided in accordance with this chapter at the time any main building or structure is constructed, or any new land use is established.
(C) Parking space requirements.
(1) Each land use shall provide at least the number of parking spaces stated in Table 25.07-C below, Required Number of Parking Spaces. The parking requirement for any use not listed in Table 25.07-C shall be determined by the Director based upon the requirements for the most similar comparable use, the characteristics of the proposed use, and any other relevant data regarding parking demand.
(2) The Planning Commission may require additional parking spaces and parking lot areas for any use to provide parking area adequate with the intent of this chapter. The Planning Commission may make additional requirements in connection with off-street parking areas.
Table 25.07-C
Required Parking
Residential Uses | Off-Street Parking Spaces Required |
Residential Uses | Off-Street Parking Spaces Required |
Single- and two-family dwellings (See § 25.08.002 for parking standards for accessory dwelling units) | Two stalls per dwelling unit, one of which shall be a covered carport or garage |
Multi-family dwellings | • One per one-bedroom unit. • One and a half per two-bedroom unit. • Two per unit with three or more bedrooms. • One guest space per every four units. One space for each unit shall be covered with a garage or carport. |
Caretaker units | One per unit |
Group residential | One per employee, plus 1 per bedroom or 1 per every two beds, whichever is greater |
Residential care facilities, small | None beyond the parking required for the residential housing type. |
Residential care facilities, large | One per every three beds. |
Residential facility, assisted living | One per every 3 beds. |
Supportive housing | None beyond the parking required for the residential housing type. |
Transitional housing | None beyond the parking required for the residential housing type. |
Recreational Uses | Off-Street Parking Spaces Required |
Recreational Uses | Off-Street Parking Spaces Required |
Places of public assembly with fixed seats. This category includes: auditoriums, exhibit halls, dance halls, places of worship, and other buildings used for public assembly) | One stall for every four seats or one stall for each seven lineal feet of bench or pew seating |
Places of public assembly without fixed seats. This category includes: auditoriums, exhibit halls, dance halls, places of worship, and other buildings used for public assembly) | One stall per 100 square feet of assembly area |
Bowling centers | Six stalls per lane, plus one stall for each shift employee |
Billiard and card rooms | Two stalls per table or one-half stall for each seat, whichever is greater |
Golf, driving and shooting ranges | One and one-half stalls per station |
Commercial swimming pools | One stall per 100 square feet of pool area (total of water and adjacent deck area) |
Skating rinks and commercial recreational areas (e.g., water slides) | One stall for each 100 square feet of skating or recreational area, plus one stall for each shift employee |
Tennis, handball and racket courts | Two stalls per court, plus one stall for each shift employee |
Institutional Uses | Off-Street Parking Required |
Hospitals | One stall for each three beds, plus one stall per staff doctor, plus one stall for each three staff members |
Convalescent homes and nursing homes | See “Residential facility, assisted living” |
Day care and nursery schools | 1 per 500 square feet of floor area |
Mortuaries with chapels | One stall for every four seats or one space for each seven lineal feet of bench or pew. |
Public, parochial and private elementary schools | One space for each employee, plus one space for each ten students of planned capacity or one stall for each four auditorium seats, whichever is greater, plus bus loading area |
Colleges, art, craft, music and dancing schools, business, professional and trade schools | One stall for each employee, plus one and space for each four students of planned capacity or one stall for each four auditorium seats, whichever is greater |
Professional Office Uses | Off-Street Parking Requirements |
Medical, dental, optometry or chiropractic offices and clinics | One stall per 150 gross square feet of floor area, plus one stall per doctor |
Research facilities | One stall per employee, plus one stall per 500 gross square feet. |
Banks, lending agencies, financial institutions, governmental institutions, and public utility offices (including those with drive-up facilities) | One stall per 300 square feet of gross floor area |
All other professional offices | One stall per 300 square feet of gross floor area |
Retail and Commercial Uses | Off-Street Parking Requirements |
Retail and Commercial Uses | Off-Street Parking Requirements |
General retail sales, repair and services | One stall per 250 square feet of gross floor area |
Retail sales of large appliances, automobiles, furniture or other similar bulky merchandise | One stall per 400 square feet of gross floor area |
Restaurants, bars, taverns, lunchrooms, nightclubs and cocktail lounges | One stall for every three seats or one stall per 100 square feet of floor area devoted to dining, whichever is greater, plus one stall for each shift employee |
Restaurants and other retail establishments with takeout service, or walk-up window and roadside stands | One stall for every three seats or 100 square feet of dining area, whichever is greater, plus one stall for each shift employee, plus eight stalls or eight auto waiting spaces for each exterior service window See Chapter 25.08 for standards related to vehicle stacking at drive-through restaurants |
Barber and beauty shops | One stall per 100 square feet of gross floor area |
Uncovered retail sales are for landscaping nurseries, vehicles and construction materials | One stall for each 4,000 square feet of gross display area, plus one stall per employee, but not less than four stalls |
Service stations and vehicle repair garages | One stall per 400 square feet of gross floor area, plus one stall per employee, but not less than three stalls total (service bays shall not be counted as part of the required parking) |
Hotels and motels | One stall for each guestroom, plus one stall for each shift employee |
Bus stations, train depots and other transportation depots | One stall for each employee, plus user parking as determined by the Planning Director |
Undefined commercial uses | One stall per 250 square feet of gross floor area, subject to additional spaces depending on the eventual uses |
Type of Industrial Use | Off-Street Parking Required |
Manufacturing and general industrial uses | One space per 500 square feet of gross floor area for projects up to 10,000 square feet. |
One space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for projects over 10,000 square feet. | |
Office area within a manufacturing or industrial building | Park per the standard for “All professional offices” |
Recycling collection facility | Six vehicles or the anticipated peak customer demand load, whichever is greater, plus one additional parking space for each commercial vehicle operated by the facility |
Self-storage facility | One space per 50 units or spaces, plus two spaces for the manager’s unit. |
Warehousing and fulfillment centers | One space per 2,000 square feet of warehouse space, plus parking for office per the standard for “All professional offices” |
(D) Calculation of required spaces.
(1) Calculation of parking. If the calculation for required parking results in a fraction of one-half or more of a parking space, one parking space shall be provided. When less than one-half of a space is calculated, no parking space is required.
(2) Parking ratios.
(a) Floor area. Where an on-site parking or loading requirement is stated as a ratio of parking spaces to floor area, the floor area is assumed to be gross floor area, unless otherwise stated.
(b) Employees. Where an on-site parking or loading requirement is stated as a ratio of parking spaces to employees, the number of employees shall be based on the largest shift that occurs in a typical week.
(3) Sites with multiple uses. If more than one use is located on a site, the number of required parking and loading spaces shall be equal to the sum of the requirements calculated separately for each use. A reduction may be approved at the discretion of the Director, and include a statement on the plan.
(E) Reduced parking requirements specified and enforcement. The review authority may reduce the number of parking spaces required through the granting of a use permit if at least one of the following findings can be made in addition to the standard findings for approval of a conditional use permit:
(1) Quantitative information provided by the applicant or staff verifies the need for fewer spaces (e.g., sales receipts, documentation of customer frequency, information on parking standards required for the proposed land use by other agencies, etc.);
(2) Design features are included in the project that would reduce the need for parking, such as bus stops, increased bicycle parking, designated spaces for ride sharing or taxi services, etc.
(3) The use or project design creates an integrated whole wherein the parking reduction will not adversely affect other businesses or uses on the same property or within the boundaries of the project.
(F) Bicycle parking. Parking lots with 20 or more spaces shall provide one bicycle parking space for each ten parking spaces, either as a bicycle rack designed to enable bicycles to be locked to the rack or in a secured enclosed location.
(G) Shared parking. Every use shall provide the required parking on the same parcel except the owners of adjoining properties may provide parking spaces in common if the parking area is secured by easement or other sufficient legal document and provided the total number of parking spaces provided is equal to the sum of the individual needs, except as provided in this title.
(H) Off-site parking.
(1) Off-site parking for non-residential uses may be allowed upon application to the Planning Commission for a use permit or as part of the development project application. Off-site parking for residential uses would require demonstrating that there are practical difficulties or public health or safety issues and also is subject to obtaining a use permit. The parking shall be located in the same zoning district as the use, where possible. All off-site parking spaces shall be on an adjacent parcel within 500 feet of the use or at the discretion of staff, shall have pedestrian access between the parking and use, and the use shall provide a minimum amount of on-site parking in Table 25.07-D, below.
Table 25.07-D
Shared Parking Reductions
Shared Parking Between Uses | Minimum Amount of Required Parking |
Retail | 60% |
Hotel/motel | 75% |
Restaurant | 50% |
Entertainment/recreation al | 40% |
Industrial, office | 40% |
(2) The easement shall ensure that no other parking can share the spaces or reserve them for 24 hours or more without prior permission by the Director (or Planning Commission if a hearing is requested by the applicant). Permission may only be granted upon demonstration that the use will not interfere with the parking for the initial use and that there are adequate means of maintaining the off-site parking lot.
(I) Parking design standards.
(1) Parking access.
(a) Shared access. Non-residential projects are encouraged to provide shared vehicle and pedestrian access to adjacent non-residential properties for convenience, safety, and efficient circulation. A joint access agreement guaranteeing the continued availability of the shared access between the properties approved by the Director shall be recorded in the San Benito County’s Recorders Office, in a form satisfactory to the County Attorney.
(b) Forward entry. Parking facilities of four or more spaces shall be provided with suitable maneuvering room so that all vehicles accessing the facility may enter an abutting street in a forward direction.
(c) Driveway length. Driveways providing direct access from a public street to a parking facility, garage, or carport shall be at least 20 feet in depth.
(d) Driveway width. The minimum width of a driveway is as follows:
1. One-way driveways. One-way driveways shall be a minimum of 10 feet in width.
2. Two-way driveways. Two-way driveways shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width, or as specified in this section.
(2) Size and dimensions of parking spaces and maneuvering aisles.
(a) Parking spaces and maneuvering aisles shall meet the minimum size and dimensions established in Table 25.07-E, Parking Space Minimum Dimensions for 90-Degree Spaces. Screening walls, roof support posts, columns, or other structural members shall not intrude into the required dimensions for parking spaces.
Table 25.07-E
Parking Space Minimum Dimensions for 90-Degree Spaces
Type of Parking Space | Width (feet) | Length (feet) |
Standard | 9 | 20 |
Compact | 8 | 16 |
Parallel | 9 | 22 |
ADA Accessible | Compliant with the California Building Code | |
Measuring parking space dimensions in a 90-degree configuration.
Measuring parking space dimensions for angled parking spaces.
(b) Maneuvering aisles shall meet the minimum size and dimensions established in Table 25.07-F, Aisle Dimensions for Maneuvering Vehicles.
Table 25.07-F
Aisle Dimensions for Maneuvering of Vehicles
Angle of Parking | Aisle Width (feet) | |
One-Way | Two-Way | |
Parallel | 12 | 25 |
0-30 degrees | 12 | 25 |
31-45 degrees | 14 | 25 |
46-60 degrees | 16 | 25 |
61-90 degrees | 25 | 25 |
Table 25.07-G
Angled Parking Space Dimensions
Type of Parking Space | Stall Width (feet) | Stall Length (feet) |
30 degrees | 9 | 18 |
45 degrees | 9 | 20 |
60 degrees | 9 | 21 |
(3) Electric vehicle charging stations.
(a) Where allowed. Electric vehicle charging stations may be provided in any area designed for the parking or loading of vehicles.
(b) Electric vehicle ready charging infrastructure shall be provided in multi-family housing developments and non-residential developments according to the standards outlined by CALGreen (Title 24, Part 11).
(c) Counted as regular parking spaces. Parking spaces with electric vehicle charging shall be counted as a standard parking space for the purposes of providing required parking per this code.
(4) Striping and marking.
(a) Space outline. All parking spaces shall be clearly outlined with double striping three inches in width, in durable white paint designed for that purpose.
(b) Maneuvering areas. All aisles, approach lanes, and turning areas shall be clearly marked with directional arrows and lines as necessary to provide for safe movement.
(c) Compact spaces. All compact spaces shall be clearly marked as such.
(5) Bumpers, curbs, and wheel stops. A permanent curb, bumper, wheel stop, or similar device at least six inches high and thick shall be installed to protect buildings and landscaping from vehicular damage. If such protection is provided by a wheel stop, the stopping edge shall be placed no closer than two feet from the edges of the required sidewalks, planter, or landscaped areas and from any building. The two feet beyond the wheel stop may be paved, landscaped with ground cover, or used as additional sidewalk width. No walkway used for a wheel stop may be less than seven feet wide.
(6) Perimeter curbing. Parking areas designed to accommodate ten or more vehicles shall provide a six-inch wide and six-inch high concrete curb along the outer edge of the parking facility pavement, except where said pavement abuts a fence or wall. Curbs separating landscaped areas from parking areas shall be designed to allow stormwater runoff to pass through.
(7) Back-up design requirement. All off-street parking for all uses, except single-family and duplex residential uses, shall be designed such that vehicles need not back out of the parking area into a public street. Utilizing a public alley for back-up space is acceptable.
(8) Surfacing of parking areas.
(a) Urban area standard. All parking areas within one mile of any LAFCO-adopted City Sphere of Influence shall be surfaced with Portland cement concrete, asphaltic concrete, brick or cobblestones placed upon a base of crushed rock built to a thickness to meet the County Engineer’s approval, except for parking stalls adjacent to an alley for single family residential uses, which may be paved with crushed rock to a thickness to meet the County Engineer’s approval. Parking areas in urban-density development projects shall meet this standard unless specific standards are adopted for the development.
(b) Community/rural standard. Commercial, industrial, multiple-residential uses and uses requiring discretionary permits in the communities of Tres Pinos, Dunneville and Aromas shall provide parking areas with an all-weather surface that does not generate visible dust. Parking areas located outside the urban area standard area and the communities stated in this section shall be paved unless in an agricultural district (as either the base zone or the actual district).
(c) Applications. For the above standards, the following apply:
1. Proper drainage must be provided to collect a 100-year storm event runoff and meter the flow out at the ten-year pre-development level for the new parking provided.
2. All activities or encroachments in the county or state right-of-way shall obtain an encroachment permit and are required to be paved to county or state standards.
3. For non-paved parking, a minimum surface of compacted CALTRANS grade aggregate base (or compacted decomposed granite with surface treatment) shall be provided built to a thickness to meet the County Engineer’s approval.
4. Surface treatments used to control dust shall be approved by the Public Works Department.
5. Parking areas where over 10% of the vehicles using the area have a gross vehicle weight over 10,000 pounds shall provide paving.
6. The parking areas shall be maintained in a manner where they do not generate visible dust, do not create erosion or hazards, and do not adversely affect neighboring parcels or environmentally sensitive areas.
7. General plan noise limits shall be met at the property line. Where the property line bounds two different zoning districts, the limits of the most restrictive district shall apply.
(9) Entrance and exit visibility requirements. Each exit and entrance to a parking lot shall be constructed and maintained such that any vehicle entering or leaving the parking lot shall be clearly visible for a distance of at least 25 feet to any person on a walk or footpath intersected by such exit or entrance.
(J) Truck loading and unloading space. All retail and wholesale stores, warehouses, supply houses, buildings devoted to manufacturing trade, hotels, hospitals or other buildings where large amounts of goods are received or shipped, shall provide loading and unloading space adequate to handle the volume and frequency of truck traffic to the building or shopping center. The number and minimum dimensions of loading spaces shall be at the discretion of the Planning Director.
(K) Additional requirements. The Planning Commission may make such additional requirements in connection with off-street parking areas as will protect the character of other property in the neighborhood. This may include, but not be limited to, adequate screening of the lot by a fence or wall, landscaping, provision for suitable surfacing and lighting.
(Ord. 1043 § 3 (part), 2022)