Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
Visalia Overview
Visalia, CA Municipal Code
VISALIA, CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL CODE
PREFACE
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF VISALIA
Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Title 2 ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL
Title 3 REVENUE AND FINANCE
Title 4 RESERVED
Title 5 BUSINESS REGULATIONS
Title 6 ANIMALS
Title 7 RESERVED
Title 8 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Title 9 PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND WELFARE
Title 10 VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
Title 11 RESERVED
Title 12 STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES
Title 13 PUBLIC SERVICES
Title 14 RESERVED
Title 15 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION
Title 16 SUBDIVISIONS
Title 17 ZONING
Chapter 17.02 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 17.04 DEFINITIONS
Chapter 17.06 ZONE CLASSIFICATIONS
Chapter 17.08 AGRICULTURAL ZONE
Chapter 17.10 OPEN SPACE ZONE
Chapter 17.12 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
Chapter 17.14 [RESERVED]
Chapter 17.16 MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Chapter 17.18 COMMERCIAL ZONES
Chapter 17.19 MIXED USE ZONES
Chapter 17.20 OFFICE ZONES
Chapter 17.22 INDUSTRIAL ZONES
Chapter 17.24 BUSINESS RESEARCH PARK ZONE
Chapter 17.25 USES IN THE COMMERCIAL, MIXED USE, OFFICE, AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES
Chapter 17.26 PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 17.28 SITE PLAN REVIEW PERMIT
Chapter 17.30 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Chapter 17.32 SPECIAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 17.34 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING FACILITIES
Chapter 17.36 FENCES, WALLS AND HEDGES
Chapter 17.38 CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS
Chapter 17.40 NONCONFORMING USES AND STRUCTURES
Chapter 17.42 VARIANCES
Chapter 17.44 ZONING AMENDMENTS
Chapter 17.46 ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Chapter 17.48 SIGNS
Chapter 17.50 AIRPORT ZONE
Chapter 17.52 QUASI-PUBLIC ZONE
Chapter 17.54 GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS
Chapter 17.56 HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT
Chapter 17.58 DOWNTOWN RETAIL OVERLAY DISTRICT
Chapter 17.60 DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
Chapter 17.62 ADULT-ORIENTED BUSINESSES
Chapter 17.63 MICRO-BREWERY/MICRO-WINERY OVERLAY DISTRICT
Chapter 17.64 MOBILE FOOD VENDING
Title 18 AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION
STATUTORY REFERENCES FOR CALIFORNIA CITIES
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE FOR VISALIA, CALIFORNIA
ORDINANCE LIST AND DISPOSITION TABLE
Chapter 17.34
OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING FACILITIES
Sections:
17.34.010   Purpose.
17.34.020   Schedule of off-street parking space requirements.
17.34.030   Standards for off-street parking facilities.
17.34.040   Landscape requirement.
17.34.050   Shared parking.
17.34.060   Location of off-street parking facilities.
17.34.070   Off-street loading facilities required.
17.34.080   Standards for off-street loading facilities.
17.34.090   Existing uses.
17.34.100   Reduction of off-street parking and loading facilities.
17.34.110   Off-street parking and loading facilities to serve one use.
17.34.010   Purpose.
   A.   In order to prevent traffic congestion and shortage of curb spaces, off-street parking facilities shall be provided incidental to any new building or structure and major alterations and enlargements of existing uses. Off-street parking spaces or areas required by this chapter shall be in proportion to the need for such facilities created by the particular type of land use. Off-street parking facilities shall also be laid out in such a manner that the facilities will protect the public safety and insulate surrounding land uses from their impact.
   B.   For the purposes of tabulating the number of off-street parking spaces, the term "floor area" means the gross floor area of a building and its accessory buildings on the same site measured from the outside wall. All applications shall be accompanied by a detailed tabulation of the gross floor area as herein defined and a calculation of the required number of off-street spaces as specified in Section 17.34.020. (Ord. 2017-01 (part), 2017: prior code § 7495)
17.34.020   Schedule of off-street parking space requirements.
   A.   Residential.
   1.   Single-family dwelling: two parking spaces (one covered) per unit;
   2.   Multi-family dwelling: 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit for all multi-family developments with the following exceptions:
   a.   One parking space per dwelling unit for senior citizen housing developments. Senior citizen means a person of fifty-five (55) years of age or older. Senior citizen housing development shall be defined as a multi-family project wherein the units are made available solely to senior citizens,
   b.   Planning Commission shall have the authority to require an additional .25 parking spaces per dwelling unit for guest parking spaces under the following circumstances:
   i.   Should on-street parking not be available to provide a minimum of .25 spaces per unit;
   ii.   Within developments that include more than fifty (50) percent of the units as three or four bedroom units.
   c.   In cases where multi-family developments do not require planning commission review, the site plan review staff shall have similar authority as described above.
   3.   Boarding houses, private clubs providing sleeping accommodations: one covered parking space for each bedroom or one parking space for each one hundred fifty (150) square feet of sleeping area, whichever is greater.
   4.   Motels, hotels. One parking space for each guest room.
   5.   Single-room occupancy (SRO) housing: One space for each employee onsite on the highest shift.
   Further, there shall be one parking space for each two employees per shift regularly employed by the motel, or any independent business located within the motel structure. If the motel provides an area for the consumption of food or beverages or provides meeting or assembly halls the following requirements must be met.
 
Number of Motel Rooms
Parking Requirements
3-10
One parking space for each 100 square feet of area used for the consumption of food or beverages and one parking space for each 35 square feet of meeting or assembly hall space.
11-40
One parking space for every 200 square feet of area used for the consumption of food or beverages and one parking space for each 70 square feet of meeting hall or assembly hall space.
41-75
One parking space for each 300 square feet of area designated for the consumption of food or beverages and one parking space for each 150 square feet of meeting or assembly hall space.
76 or more
One parking space for each 400 square feet of area set aside for the consumption of food or beverages and one parking space for each 300 square feet of meeting or assembly hall area.
 
   6.   Planned unit developments, condominiums: one covered parking space plus one uncovered guest parking space for each dwelling unit.
   B.   Medical Offices, Clinics, Hospitals and Other Facilities.
   1.   Dental and medical clinics and offices: one parking space for each two hundred (200) square feet of building area, or four parking spaces for each doctor, whichever is greater.
   2.   Major medical facilities, hospitals: one parking space for each two hundred fifty (250) square feet of building area.
   3.   Sanitariums and charitable and religious institutions providing sleeping accommodations: one parking space for each three beds.
   4.   Group care facilities: one parking space for each three beds.
   C.   Educational Facilities.
   1.   Kindergarten and nursery schools: one parking space for each employee plus one parking space for each ten children.
   2.   Elementary and junior high schools: two parking spaces for each classroom.
   3.   High schools: one parking space for each employee plus seven parking spaces for each classroom.
   4.   Colleges; business and professional schools and colleges; trade schools: one parking space for each employee plus ten parking spaces for each classroom.
   D.   Places of Public Assembly.
   1.   For auditoriums, community centers, theaters, churches, libraries, museums, stadiums, clubs and funeral chapels: one parking space for every four permanent seats in the principal assembly area or room, or one parking space for every thirty (30) square feet of building area, whichever is greater.
   E.   Recreational Facilities.
   1.   Bowling alleys: four parking spaces for each alley.
   2.   Billiard and/or pool parlors: two parking spaces for each table.
   3.   Skating rinks: one parking space for each employee, plus one parking space for each one hundred (100) square feet of building area.
   4.   Dance halls: one parking space for each thirty-five (35) square feet of dance floor area, plus one parking space for each five fixed seats or for each thirty-five (35) square feet of seating area where there are no fixed seats.
   5.   Gymnasiums: one parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet of building area.
   F.   Commercial Facilities.
   1.   Banks: one parking space for each two hundred fifty (250) square feet of building area plus five tandem lane spaces for each outdoor teller or teller station.
   2.   Savings and loan and other financial institutions: One parking space for each two hundred fifty (250) square feet of building area.
   3.   General retail stores, except as otherwise specified: one parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of building area.
   4.   Offices, including all public and professional offices, except as otherwise specified: one parking space for each two hundred fifty (250) square feet of building area, with a minimum of four parking spaces.
   5.   Commercial service establishments, repair shops, wholesale establishments and retail stores that handle only bulky merchandise such as furniture, household appliances, motor vehicles, farm implements and machinery: one parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet of building area.
   6.   Automobile dealerships: one parking space for each two employees during the time of maximum employment, plus one parking space for each two thousand (2,000) square feet of lot and building area used for the display or storage of automobiles.
   7.   Self-service laundries and dry cleaners: one parking space for each three washing machines.
   8.   Automobile repair shops: one parking space for four hundred (400) square feet of building area.
   9.   Barber shops, beauty salons: two parking spaces for each barber or beautician, with a minimum of four spaces.
   10.   Restaurants, cafes, soda fountains and similar establishments: one parking space for each one hundred fifty (150) square feet of building area.
   11.   Manufacturing plants and other industrial uses: one parking space for each employee during the shift of maximum employment, plus one parking space for each vehicle used in conjunction with the use.
   12.   Retail food market: one parking space for each five hundred (500) square feet of building area.
   13.   Nurseries, retail: one parking space for each one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet of site area, plus one loading space for each acre of site area.
   14.   Shopping centers (major): one parking space for each two hundred twenty-five (225) square feet of building area.
   15.   Open uses, commercial and industrial uses conducted primarily outside of buildings: one parking space for each employee on the maximum shift plus additional parking spaces prescribed by the planning department.
   16.   Transportation terminal facilities: one parking space for each two employees plus additional parking spaces prescribed by the city planner.
   17.   Storage and warehouses: one parking space for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of building area.
   G.   For a use not specified in this section, the same number of off-street parking spaces shall be provided as are required for the most similar specified use.
(Ord. 2024-07 §§ 3 (part), 12, 2024: Ord. 2017-01 (part), 2017: Ord. 2012-02, 2012: Ord. 2001-13 § 4 (part), 2001: Ord. 9605 § 30 (part), 1996: prior code § 7496)
17.34.030   Standards for off-street parking facilities.
   All off-street parking facilities shall conform with the following standards:
   A.   All parking areas shall have adequate ingress and egress to a street or alley.
   B.   Entrances and exits to parking lots and other parking facilities shall be provided at locations approved by the site plan review staff.
   C.   The parking area, aisles and access drives shall be surfaced with an asphalt concrete surfacing of two-inch minimum thickness on a four-inch untreated rock base. The subgrade shall be compacted to a minimum relative compaction of ninety (90) percent. The minimum slope of asphalt paved surface in the direction of drainage shall be twelve (12) inches per one hundred (100) feet and the minimum slope of concrete gutters shall be three inches per one hundred (100) feet.
   D.   The four-inch untreated rock base may be modified on basis of an "R" value test of the existing soil. The test to be made with a traffic index of 5.0.
   E.   On major developments service roads shall be designed to carry the traffic loads anticipated.
   F.   No parking areas shall be located within a required front setback or within a street side setback of a corner lot.
   G.   Each parking space shall conform to standards as specified by the city traffic engineer. Open spaces shall be plainly marked by striping.
   H.   Parking spaces for the physically handicapped person shall be provided per the latest adopted version of the California Building Code.
   I.   Parking spaces for "compact automobile" will be permitted providing that each parking space is not less than fifteen (15) feet in length and seven and one-half feet in width, exclusive of aisles and access drives. Number of compact parking spaces shall not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total required parking spaces of an establishment. There shall be no more than four contiguous compact stalls within a parking lot. Any compact parking shall be approved by the site plan review staff.
   J.   If the parking area is illuminated, lighting shall be deflected away from abutting residential sites so as to cause no annoying glare.
   K.   In all C-N, C-R, C-S, C-MU, D-MU, O-PA, O-C, and BRP zone districts where a site adjoins or is directly across the street from an R-1 or R-M zone, a concrete block or masonry wall not less than six feet in height shall be located on the property line except in a required front yard, in which case the wall shall be three feet, and suitably maintained.
   L.   No repair work or servicing of vehicles shall be conducted on a parking area.
   M.   New parking facilities shall promote the use of time and/or motion sensitive parking lot and security lights, where feasible, as determined by the Site Plan Review Staff.
   N.   New parking facilities shall promote and be evaluated as part of an overall program to implement low impact development features on-site that reduce impermeable surfaces and increase infiltration. The implementation and design of low impact development features for the site will be determined by the Site Plan Review Staff.
   O.   Vacant or unimproved lots shall not be used as vehicle parking facilities and/or outdoor storage of commercial equipment, construction equipment, and similar uses unless screened appropriately, as determined by Site Plan Review Staff.
   P.   For Residential zones, all parking shall be permitted on impervious surfaces such as pavement or concrete when in the front yard setback area.
   Q.   For Residential zones, all driveways shall be paved.
(Ord. 2024-07 § 3 (part), 2024: Ord. 2017-01 (part), 2017: prior code § 7497)
Loading...