The purpose of this section is to regulate accessory off-street parking facilities for motor vehicles in all zoning districts.
(A) Application of regulations concerning parking for buildings, structures, uses hereafter established.
(1) Exception; permits previously issued.
(a) For all buildings and structures erected and all uses of land established after the effective date of this chapter, accessory parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with the regulations of this section.
(b) Where improvement location and building permits have been issued prior to the effective date of this section, and provided that construction is begun within six months of such effective date and diligently prosecuted to completion, but not to exceed two years after the issuance of said building permit, parking facilities in the amounts required for issuance of said permits may be provided in lieu of any different amounts required by the off-street parking regulations of this chapter.
(2) Increased intensity of use.
(a) When the intensity of use of any building, structure or premises (existing on the effective date of this chapter or hereafter established) shall be increased (through addition of gross floor area or other unit of measurement specified herein for required parking facilities), parking facilities required herein shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use.
(b) No building or structure lawfully erected or use lawfully established prior to the effective date of this section shall be required to provide such additional parking facilities unless and until the aggregate increase in units of measurement shall equal not less than 15%, in which event parking facilities, as required herein, shall be provided for the total increase.
(3) Change of use. Whenever the use of a building, structure or premises shall hereafter be changed to a new use permitted by this chapter, parking facilities shall be provided as required for such new use.
(4) Existing parking facilities. Accessory off-street parking facilities in existence on the effective date of this chapter shall not hereafter be reduced below, or if already less, they shall not be further reduced below, the requirement for such a new building or use under the provisions of this chapter.
(5) New or expanded parking facilities.
(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to prevent the establishment or expansion of off-street parking facilities to serve any existing use of land or building.
(b) All regulations herein governing the location, design and operation of such facilities shall be adhered to.
(B) Location.
(1) Accessory off-street parking areas.
(a) Accessory off-street parking areas may be located on the same lot as the building or use served or within 500 feet of a lot line thereof.
(b) Such common or combined off-street parking area shall be located within 500 feet of all primary uses served therein.
(c) A site and development plan for each such common or combined parking area shall be filed with and approved by the Building Commissioner, prior to the development and use thereof and prior to the issuance of an improvement location permit for any use served thereby.
(d) Said site and development plan shall indicate the following:
1. Adjacent street, alleys and lots;
2. All individual primary uses to be served, including the location, use and number of parking spaces for each such use;
3. Vehicular entrances, exits and turn-off lanes;
4. The parking area layout, including vehicular driveways or aisles, off-street parking spaces, total number and dimensions thereof;
5. Setbacks;
6. All landscaping and screening, walls, fences; proposed lighting, if any; type of paving proposed;
7. Identification sign or signs, including location, size and design thereof;
8. Storm drainage facilities;
9. Demonstrate compliance with all applicable standards of this chapter; and
10. Be amended and reapproved to indicate any change or other modification of uses served, or number of parking spaces provided therefor.
(2) The number, development and maintenance of combined off-street parking shall be as follows.
(a) The minimum total number of spaces contained in combined off-street parking area shall at all times equal the sum of the minimum required parking spaces from all individual uses served therein.
(b) In order to encourage the development of such well-planned common or combined off-street parking facilities in accordance with the standards of this subchapter, said total number of required spaces may be reduced to the extent of 10% below such combined total if such reduction is indicated on the approved site and development plan demonstrating compliance with the above standards.
(c) Said common or combined off-street parking area shall be developed, maintained and used only in accordance with said approved site and development plan and all other requirements of this chapter.
(C) Development standards.
(1) Minimum parking space dimensions.
(a) Required off-street parking space shall have, regardless of angle of parking, a usable parking space measuring not less than nine feet in width (measured perpendicularly from the sides of the parking space) and 20 feet in length.
(b) The total usable parking space area shall be, in no instance, less than 180 square feet in total area.
(2) Access to and from parking area.
(a) Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway of such width and design as to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to a street or alley in such parking space.
(b) All off-street parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to street or alley in such a manner as to minimize interference with traffic movement.
(3) Screening and landscaping. Ground area between the required off-street parking area setback and any lot line abutting a residential district shall be screened and landscaped in accordance with the commercial or industrial district’s regulations for screening and landscaping transitional yards.
(4) Use of parking area.
(a) The parking area shall not be used for the storage, display, advertisement, sale, repair, dismantling or wrecking of any vehicle, equipment or materials.
(b) Buildings or structures shall be permitted for shelters for guards, attendants or watchmen; however, any such structure shall not occupy required off-street parking space.
(c) Loading and unloading spaces and maneuvering area, as required in § 152.086, shall not constitute required off-street parking space; nor shall any off-street parking area be used for off-street loading purposes.
(5) Surface of parking area.
(a) Open and enclosed parking spaces: off-street parking spaces may be open to the sky, covered or enclosed in a building.
(b) In any instance where a building is constructed or used for parking, it shall be treated as any other major structure and subject to all requirements thereof.
(c) All open off-street parking area shall be paved with concrete or improved with a compacted macadam base, and surfaced with an asphaltic pavement to adequately provide a durable and dust-free surface which shall be maintained in good condition and free of weeds, dirt, trash and debris, except that a gravel surface may be used for a period not exceeding one year after the parking area is opened for use where ground conditions are not immediately suitable for permanent surfacing as specified above, and pursuant to the Trafalgar Standard Specifications Document.
(d) The surface shall be graded and drained in such a manner that there will be no free flow of water onto either adjacent properties or public sidewalks.
(e) The parking area(s) shall be so lined or designated, where abutting a required yard, that no part of the parked vehicles shall extend beyond the boundary of the established parking area into any minimum required yard or into adjoining property.
(6) Lighting of parking area.
(a) When parking areas are illuminated, the lighting equipment shall provide good visibility with a minimum of direct glare.
(b) In applying exterior floodlighting, equipment shall be of the types or distribution that are appropriate to lighting within the property line. The lighting equipment shall be so located, shielded and directed that the lighting distribution is confined to the area to be lighted.
(c) Objectionable spill light onto adjacent properties or streets shall be avoided to prevent direct glare or disability glare.
(d) Lighting levels for outdoor parking areas shall meet the following minimum average maintained horizontal footcandles (as specified in the Illuminating Engineering Society Lighting Handbook, as revised):
1. Self-parking area, 1.0 footcandles; and
2. Attendant parking area, 2.0 footcandles.
(7) Amount of parking area required.
(a) One parking space for each 500 square feet of floor area for the following uses:
1. Business service as listed in § 152.057;
2. Day nurseries; and
3. Private kindergartens.
(b) One parking space for each 200 square feet of floor area for the following uses:
1. Department store;
2. Dancing academy;
3. Library; and
4. Governmental office.
(c) One parking space for each 125 square feet of floor area for the following uses:
1. Clothing service;
2. Equipment service;
3. Food service;
4. Personal service; and
5. Retail service.
(d) One space for each 100 square feet of floor area for the following uses:
1. Business, vocational and trade schools; and
2. Medical or dental clinics.
(e) For churches, auditoriums, assembly halls the following will be required:
1. Fixed seats: one parking space for each four seats; and
2. Movable seats: one parking space for each 32 square feet.
(f) For a private club or lodge, the following will be required: space to accommodate 50% of the active membership at one space per each three members.
(g) Three parking spaces for each lane, plus one for each six spectator seats for the following use: bowling alley.
(h) One parking space for each six seats for the following use: indoor theater.
(I) Motel/hotel: one space per each rental unit.
(j) For any commercial district use not specified above: the requirements for off-street parking for a specified use to which said use is most similar shall apply.
(Ord., § 1-32, passed - -1991)