(a) Floor Area. For the purposes of this chapter, "floor area" in offices, merchandising and service types of uses shall mean the area used for services to the public and excludes areas used principally for nonpublic purposes such as storage, incidental repair, processing, show windows, and restrooms. "Gross floor area" shall mean the total floor area of the particular use.
(b) Parking Area Design. Parking areas shall be designed in accordance with the following off-street Parking Dimensions and layout and so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water accumulation within the parking area. Maximum grade shall not exceed five percent (5%) in parking areas and not to exceed six percent (6%) in roadways in parking areas. Except in PF - Public Facilities Districts, paved surfaces with continuous concrete curbing shall be provided in connection with any off-street parking area of five (5) cars or more. Continuous concrete curbing may be omitted only upon recommendation of the City Engineer after a determination that an alternative to continuous concrete curbing is preferred for water quality or other reasons. In Public Facilities Districts, parking areas serving parks and natural areas may be constructed of gravel or pervious surface materials and without continuous curbing. Entry drives serving such facilities must be paved with asphalt or concrete for the first forty-five (45) feet of drive length to avoid transport of stones or loose material to the public right-of-way.
(c) Parking Stall Design. Each off-street parking space oriented at a 90 degree angle to the travel lane shall have a minimum dimension of at least nine feet (9') by eighteen feet (18'). Spaces oriented at different angles to the travel lane shall have minimum dimensions as stipulated in the table "OFF-STREET PARKING DIMENSIONS & LAYOUT."
(Ord. 42-2001. Passed 4-11-01.)
(d) Entrance and Exit Drives. No property located on a major arterial thoroughfare or collector street shall have more than one access way, unless the property has over 200 feet of frontage upon such a street, in which case the property may have one access way for each full 200 feet of frontage. Such access ways in residential area shall not be less than ten (10) feet in width at the right of way line with a maximum of twenty-four (24) feet wide up to the sidewalk. The apron width at the curb shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wider than the width of the access drive. Such access ways in commercial or industrial areas shall not be less than twenty-four (24) feet in width at the right of way line nor less than thirty-four (34) feet wide at the curb line of the street.
(Ord. 44-2023. Passed 4-25-23.)
(e) Yard Restrictions. Parking shall be permitted in front yards only under the following conditions:
(1) In any residential district, parking may be permitted in driveways except that no vehicle over 8,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, and not more than 2 vehicles per household used for a home occupation or business purpose shall be parked in a front yard.
(2) In C-1, C-2, C-3 and I-1 Districts, Off-street parking facilities may be located in front yard providing that points of access and related landscaping are compliant with appropriate Code sections.
(3) In I-2 and I-3 Districts, Off-street parking facilities shall be located primarily in the side and rear yards with limited visitor and executive parking in the front yard, and providing that points of access and related landscaping are compliant with appropriate Code sections.
(f) Location. Parking spaces required for a specific use shall be located on the lot of such use or as provided in subsection (g) below.
(g) Joint Use of Facility.
(1) Churches, civic clubs, community centers, and lodge halls may, subject to approval by Planning Commission, make arrangements with business establishments which normally have different hours of operation for sharing up to, but not more than, fifty percent (50%) of their requirements in adjacent parking areas which are accessory to such business uses. Where there is a sharing of facilities by different owners or tenants, there shall be a written agreement covering a period of time as may be required by the Planning Commission, to be signed by the owner and joint user and filed in the Building Department. Should any of the uses be changed or the facilities discontinued, then the required spaces for the use or uses remaining shall be provided elsewhere as a condition precedent to the continued use of such building or buildings.
(2) Business and industrial uses:
A. Planning Commission may modify the number of spaces required in these standards where free parking areas or public parking areas are readily accessible and/or where public transportation is used extensively.
B. Parking facilities shall be provided on the same lot as the main use being served, except where modified by Planning Commission in recognition of binding joint use agreements. At least fifty percent (50%) of the parking spaces required by these regulations shall be provided on the lot of the use generating the demand. Where there is a sharing of facilities by different owners or tenants, an agreement specifying the number of spaces and period of time the agreement shall be binding shall be submitted, reviewed and recommended by Planning Commission. Such agreement shall be by lease or by deed restriction.
(Ord. 17-2006. Passed 2-28-06.)
(h) Continuation of Facilities. Off-street parking and loading facilities accessory to an existing use on the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance and those required as accessory to a use created or a building constructed or altered thereafter, may be continued and maintained in operation, shall not be reduced below the requirements of this Zoning Ordinance during the period that the main use is maintained, unless an equivalent number of spaces is provided for such use in another location approved by the Planning Commission.
(Ord. 17-2006. Passed 2-28-06.)
(i) Screening Requirements.
(1) Parking areas in any district designed to accommodate more than ten vehicles and located adjacent to a public street shall provide a landscaped screen between the street and the parking area as required by perimeter buffer requirements of Section 1172.07(a).
(2) Interior parking lot landscaping shall be provided consistent with requirements of Section 1172.07(b). For the purpose of this section, the area of a parking lot shall be the total vehicular surface area including circulation aisles. Landscaping in any part of a yard or adjacent to buildings shall not be included as interior landscaping.
(3) Screening of parking areas in any non residential district abutting residential districts. Screening shall be provided consistent with fence regulations appearing at Section 1164.01(b) unless otherwise approved by the Architectural Review Board. In approving a modification from these requirements the Architectural Review Board may consider the impacts of existing tree and vegetation removal and may permit alternate fence locations more removed from the property line.
(4) Screening of parking areas used in conjunction with automotive or equipment service establishments. Vehicles remaining on a service site for more than forty-eight hours shall be stored either in an enclosed building or within an area enclosed on all sides by a fence or wall. The fence or wall shall comply with provisions of Section 1164.01(b).
(j) Parking Non-passenger Vehicles and/or Commercial Equipment in a Residential District. The placing, storing, or parking, on a lot or on a public street, within a residential zoned district, of such commercial vehicles or equipment including trucks, vans, panel trucks, bulldozers, back-hoes, semi-tractor/trailer; owned or used by the occupants of the premises, and not governed by the following is prohibited:
(1) Licensed as a passenger vehicle, noncommercial motor vehicles; vehicles displaying license plates issued to a handicapped person and imprinted with the international wheelchair symbol; vehicles displaying a valid parking card issued by the State of Ohio to handicapped persons.
(2) That such vehicle may be so placed, parked and permitted to stand for a period during the delivery therefrom or the pickup of articles or materials to be used or consumed on the related premises.
(3) When such vehicles are used in connection with constructing, altering, repairing, maintaining or cleaning a building on such lot when the described work is in progress.
(4) One single-axle vehicle described as a truck, and not exceeding four tons in gross vehicle weight, may be stored or parked in a garage with the garage doors closed on a residential premises provided all the following conditions are observed:
A. There are no offensive odors emitted from the truck.
B. That such vehicle shall not be used as a warehouse for the storage of substantial goods, supplies, or other material, i.e. ladders, paint, etc.
C. There are no animals, fish or fowl stored in the truck.
D. There are no foodstuffs or other organic materials stored in the truck which would create a condition that would attract, harbor or contain vermin, insects or rodents.
E. The use and garaging of a truck shall not result in a public nuisance which is offensive to neighboring property owners or residents by reason of excessive noise, late hours of truck use, intensity of activity or other such reasons.
F. The vehicle has only equipment as originally purchased which may include a top on a pickup truck, but does not include ladders or other equipment or materials placed or stored on the exterior of the vehicle.
(5) Any vehicle otherwise lawfully maintained or parked upon a parcel or parcels under common ownership and not in front of the building setback line and not visible from the lot line of neighboring properties.
(k) Parking of Recreational Vehicles and/or Equipment in a Residential District. The placing, parking, and/or storing of recreational vehicles and/or equipment associated with recreational uses in a residential zoned district, shall be governed by the following:
(1) Not more than one open air parking space for a recreational vehicle used for recreational purposes by the occupants of the dwelling may be located in a side or rear yard area provided that:
A. No vehicles shall be placed closer than three feet to any side or rear yard property line.
B. No vehicle shall be placed within the front yard setback area, except for the purpose of loading or unloading, for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours.
C. All such vehicles and equipment shall be maintained in good repair, operable condition and carry a current license and/or registration, if required by law.
D. No such vehicles or equipment shall be connected to electricity, sewers, water or gas utilities, nor be occupied for housekeeping or living purposes for more than three days and nights.
Exception: If a determination is made by the Building Commissioner that moving such vehicles to the rear or side yard, because of lot and dwelling configuration, would be impossible, said vehicle may be parked in the front yard, on an approved surface, no closer than fifteen (15) feet to the right of way. (Right of way measurement is indicated in the plat book and shall be measured by the center-line of the street).
(Ord. 173-2000. Passed 12-17-00.)