A. General. The Planning Director is authorized to approve off-street parking spaces in excess of allowed maximums or any of the parking reductions and access alternatives in this subsection if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Planning Director that the proposed plan:
1. Will not adversely affect surrounding neighborhoods;
2. Will not adversely affect traffic congestion and circulation; and
3. Will have a positive effect on the economic viability or appearance of the project or on the environment.
B. Shared Parking. It is the City's stated intention to encourage efficient use of land and resources by allowing users to share off-street parking facilities whenever feasible. The Planning Director may authorize a reduction in the number of required off-street parking spaces for multiple use developments or for uses that are located near one another and that have different peak parking demands or different operating hours. Shared parking arrangements are subject to the following standards.
1. Location. Shared off-street parking spaces may be located no further than 1,320 feet from the buildings and uses they are intended to serve, measured along the shortest legal, practical walking route. The Planning Director may waive this distance limitation if adequate assurances are offered that adequate van or shuttle service will be operated between the shared lot and the principal use. If the shared parking spaces are located off-site, they must comply with the off-site provisions of Section 1107.1407C.
2. Zoning Classification. Shared parking areas are accessory to the principal uses that the parking spaces serve. Shared parking areas require the same or a more intensive zoning classification than that required for the most intensive of the uses served by the shared parking area, unless approved as a Special Use pursuant to Section 1111.0700.
3. Required Study and Analysis. The applicant must submit a shared parking analysis to the Planning Director that clearly demonstrates the feasibility of shared parking. The study must address, at a minimum, the size and type of the proposed development, the composition of tenants, the anticipated rate of parking turnover and the anticipated peak parking and traffic loads for all uses that will be sharing off-street parking spaces.
4. Shared Parking Agreement. A shared parking plan, assuring the retention of shared parking spaces, must be enforced through written agreement among the owners of record. The agreement must be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned and approved as to form and execution by the Law Department. The agreement must be recorded as required in Section 1107.1405. The parties to the agreement may revoke the shared parking agreement only if the otherwise required off-street parking spaces are provided on-site or if an Alternative Access and Parking Plan is approved by the Planning Director.
C. Off-Site Parking. The Planning Director may permit all or a portion of the required off-street parking spaces to be located on a remote and separate lot from the lot on which the principal use is located, subject to the standards of this section.
1. Location. No off-site parking space may be located more than 1,320 feet from the primary entrance of the use served, measured along the shortest legal, practical walking route. This distance limitation may be waived by the Planning Director if adequate assurances are offered that van or shuttle service will be operated between the shared lot and the principal use.
2. Zoning Classification. Off-site parking areas are accessory to the principal uses that the parking spaces serve. Off-site parking areas require the same or a more intensive zoning classification than that required for the most intensive of the uses served by the shared parking area, unless approved as a Special Use pursuant to Section 1111.0700.
3. Off-Site Parking Agreement. An off-site parking plan, assuring the retention of off-site parking spaces, must be enforced through written agreement among the owners of record. The agreement must be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned and approved as to form and execution by the Law Department. The agreement must be recorded as required in Section 1107.1405. The parties to the agreement may revoke the agreement only if the otherwise required off-street parking spaces are or if an Alternative Access and Parking Plan is approved by the Planning Director.
D. Bicycle Parking. The Planning Director may authorize a reduction in the number of required offstreet parking spaces for developments or uses that make special provisions to accommodate bicyclists. Examples of accommodations include enclosed bicycle lockers, employee shower facilities and dressing areas for employees. A reduction in parking may not be granted merely for providing outdoor bicycle spaces.
E. Transit Stops. The Planning Director may authorize up to a 20 percent reduction in the number of required off-street parking spaces for developments that provide transit stops if the following conditions are met:
1. The transit stop must be designed to be a waiting area for transit riders, clearly identified as such, and open to the public at large;
2. The transit stop must be designed as an integral part of the development project, with direct access to the waiting area from the development site; and
3. The transit waiting area must be designed to accommodate passengers in a covered waiting area, with a capacity of at least five persons and must include internal lighting and other features that encourage use of the facility, such as temperature control within the waiting area.
4. The transit stop shall be owned and/or maintained as part of the project unless other arrangements are made to the satisfaction of TARTA.
F. Pervious Parking. The Planning Director may authorize all or a portion of required off-street parking spaces (not to include drive aisles) to be provided on permeable/porous surfaces, subject to the following criteria.
1. The findings of the Planning Director shall indicate what number or percentage of required parking spaces may be so provided.
2. The permeable/porous surface shall meet the approval of the Division of Engineering Services, Division of Environmental Services, Fire Prevention Bureau and Division of Transportation.
3. Parking spaces, aisles, etc. shall be marked by flags, biodegradable dyes or paints, or some other method that does not kill grass or plants.
4. Permeable/porous surfaces shall be adequately drained.
5. Permeable/porous parking areas shall be maintained by the property owner for their intended function for the duration of its life.
(Ord. 170-04. Passed 3-23-04; Ord. 253-09. Passed 4-28-09.)