(A) General parking requirements in Chapter 71. Refer to Chapter 71 of the City Code, Parking Rules, for regulations regarding on-street parking including general prohibitions; parking of manufactured homes, mobile homes and travel trailers; direction to proceed; methods of parking; winter parking and snow emergencies; on-street parking regulations; postal delivery boxes; private parking lots and roads; and parking of “for sale” vehicles on non-residential property.
(B) Requirements for building permits and certificates of occupancy. Any new or enlarged building, or a change in the use of a building, shall be required to serve those improvements or changes with parking, loading or bicycle parking as required in this section.
(C) Minimum number of off-street parking spaces required.
(1) Off-street parking space requirements are established in Table 15-6.
(2) For uses not listed, the off-street parking requirements shall be established by the Community Development Department based on similar uses and/or authoritative sources accepted by the Department.
(3) Parking areas shall conform to the requirements of Minnesota State Accessibility Code, Chapter 1341.0502, in terms of the location and design of spaces for physically-handicapped drivers. The number of spaces required is shown in division (F) of this section.
(4) An applicant for site plan approval may present parking counts from other locations of a very similar facility that have generated less or more parking demand than listed in Table 15-6. The Community Development Department will consider that evidence in its review.
(5) For structures containing multiple uses, parking shall be calculated separately for each use. Credit for shared parking is provided in this section.
(6) Required parking spaces shall be located on the same lot as the principal use, unless shared parking or off-site parking is approved for the use.
(7) One parking space shall be required for each commercial vehicle owned by and used in the operation of the land use if that vehicle(s) is kept on the property.
(8) For those land uses where the parking requirement is calculated on a square foot basis, the gross floor area of the building will be used in the calculation.
Table 15-6: Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required
Use | Minimum Standard |
Use | Minimum Standard |
Residential Land Uses | |
1-, 2- and 3-unit buildings | 2 off-street spaces per unit, counting the space in the driveway. |
Townhouse | A minimum of 2 off-street spaces per dwelling unit for residents’ use counting the private driveway plus a minimum of 0.5 off-street shared space per dwelling unit for visitors’ use. |
Apartment building | 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit plus at least 0.5 space per unit in common for visitors. |
Accessory dwelling | 1 per unit. |
Manufactured home park | 2 per unit. |
Housing for the elderly | Total spaces for residents, staff and visitors: Independent: 1 per unit Assisted or memory: 0.4 per bed At least 35% of the spaces must be provided in a surface lot so that they can be shared among visitors and staff. |
Day care, in-home, children or adults, not overnight | The standard parking requirement for the housing type. |
Residential (overnight) care facility or group home | 1 space for each non-resident service provider at the peak time; plus 1 space per 6 residents or fraction thereof. Council may require additional parking based if CUP application warrants. Spaces in the garage and driveway may be counted toward the total. |
Business Land Uses | |
Animal hospitals and veterinarians | 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Bank | 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Bar or tavern | 1 space per 3 seats. |
Bowling alley | 3 spaces per lane. |
Coffee shop | 6 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Contractor’s office or showroom | 1 space per 250 square feet of office, sales or display space plus 1 space per 3,000 square feet of storage area. |
Convenience food store with gasoline pumps | 1 per 500 square feet plus spaces at fuel pump islands. |
Convention or exhibit halls | 1 space per each 4 occupants at maximum designed capacity. |
Day care center for children or adults, not in a home | 1.5 spaces for each 10 participants plus one space per caregiver on the maximum shift. |
Discount department stores | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Fitness center | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Funeral home | Spaces equal to one-third of the capacity in persons. |
Grocery stores | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Large merchandise retail (e.g. appliances) | 1 space per each 500 square feet. |
Medical or dental clinic | 5 spaces for each doctor or dentist plus 1 per employee. |
Motel or hotel | 1 space per each guest room plus 1 space per employee on the maximum shift; plus 75% of the normal space required for any accessory uses such as restaurant, banquet space, meeting rooms. |
Motor vehicle service | 4 spaces per each service bay. |
Nursing home | 1 space per 4 beds at designed capacity. |
Offices | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Theater, auditorium, assembly halls | 1 space per each 4 seats. A single seat on a bench is equal to 28 inches. |
Restaurant | 1 space for every 3 seats. |
Retail or service business, general Under 10,000 square feet 10,000 to 100,000 square feet | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet. 3.3 spaces per 1,000 square feet. |
Shopping center | 1 space per 300 square feet. Grocery stores and theaters shall be calculated separately. Restaurants and food service shall be calculated separately unless the shopping center exceeds 20,000 square feet in size and no wait-staff is present, and the use constitutes less than 25% of the shopping center’s floor area. |
Vehicle sales, new or used autos, light trucks, motorcycles, boats or all-terrain vehicles | Sales lot: 8 per 1,000 square feet of building Employees: 1 per employee on the maximum shift Customers: 1 per 1,000 square feet of building |
Industrial Land Uses | |
Manufacturing, fabrication, or processing | 1 space per employee on the maximum shift or 1 space per 1,000 square feet, whichever is larger. |
Warehouse | 1 space per each 2,000 square feet. |
Wholesale sales, business customers only | 1 space over 1,000 square feet for non-showroom area and 1 additional space for each 500 square feet of showroom area. |
Public and Semi-Public Land Uses | |
Community center | Parking requirement shall be based upon uses within the building. |
Libraries or museums | 1 space per 300 square feet. |
Places of public assembly or religious institutions | 1 space per each 4 seats at maximum capacity of assembly hall. A single seat on a bench is equal to 28 inches. |
School, elementary or junior high | 2 spaces per each classroom or 1 space for each 5 seats in the primary assembly area, whichever is greater. |
School, high school or post-secondary | 1 space per each 4 students based on building capacity, plus one space for each two classrooms. |
Other Land Uses | |
Land uses not listed in this table | Parking requirements for uses not listed above will be determined by the Community Development Department based on similar uses and/or authoritative sources accepted by the Department. |
(D) Reductions to minimum requirements.
(1) Reductions. The off-street parking reductions described in this section may be used jointly or separately except as indicated otherwise.
(2) Modification request. An applicant may request a modification of the minimum required number of parking spaces by submitting a study of anticipated parking demand. Parking studies shall be prepared by a professional with expertise in traffic and parking analysis.
(3) State Street frontage downtown. Buildings located in the half block abutting State Street between Third Avenue North and Second Avenue South and extending into the 300 blocks of South State Street are exempt from any off-street parking requirements.
(4) Shoreland Management Overlay District. The required minimum number of parking spaces may be reduced by 25% in the Shoreland Management Overlay zoning district upon approval of the Community Development Department.
(E) Maximum number of parking spaces allowed.
(1) The maximum number of parking spaces for any building or use shall not exceed 125% of the number of spaces required by Table 15-6.
(2) Additional parking may be provided if it does not increase impervious surface area beyond that which would be created by meeting the maximum parking requirement (i.e., parking in a structure or below a building).
(3) An applicant may request a modification of the maximum allowed number of parking spaces by submitting a study of anticipated parking demand. Parking studies shall be prepared by a professional with expertise in traffic and parking analysis.
(4) This allowance does not apply in the Shoreland Overlay Zoning District.
(F) Parking for the disabled.
(1) Number of parking spaces required for the disabled.
Table 15-7: Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Required for the Disabled
Total Parking Spaces | Accessible Parking Spaces Required | “Van-Accessible” Spaces Required |
Total Parking Spaces | Accessible Parking Spaces Required | “Van-Accessible” Spaces Required |
1 to 25 | 1 | 1 |
26 to 50 | 2 | 1 |
51 to 75 | 3 | 1 |
76 to 100 | 4 | 1 |
101 to 150 | 5 | 1 |
151 to 200 | 6 | 1 |
201 to 300 | 7 | 2 |
301 to 400 | 8 | 2 |
401 to 500 | 9 | 2 |
501 to 1000 | 2% of total | 1 in every 6 accessible spaces |
Over 1000 | 20 plus 1 for every 100 over 1000 | 1 in every 6 accessible spaces |
(2) Design of parking spaces for the disabled.
(a) Each designated space must be eight feet wide with an adjacent 8 feet wide access aisle;
(b) Each eight-foot access aisle must be identified as “no parking” either by sign or on the surface of the access aisle;
(c) One in six accessible spaces must be van accessible, i.e., it must have 98 inches of vertical clearance;
(d) All designated spaces must be on an accessible route located as near as possible to an accessible entrance; and
(e) Each space is required to have a sign with the international symbol of accessibility, indicating that a permit is required and notification of the maximum fine for violation under state law.
(G) Shared parking.
(1) Shared off-street parking is allowed to provide parking for more than one land use subject to the conditions established in this section.
(2) The uses must have their highest peak demand for parking at substantially different times of the day or week, or an adequate amount of parking shall be available for all uses during shared hours of peak demand. A parking plan shall address the hours, size and mode of operation of the respective uses.
(3) The minimum spaces required under a shared parking plan shall be based on the following:
(a) For those uses parking at substantially different times of the day or week, the number of spaces required for the uses that require the most parking; and
(b) For those uses parking at the same hours of peak demand, the minimum shall be 1.5 times the number of spaces required by the use(s) that require the most parking.
(4) Shared parking facilities shall be protected by a covenant running with the land and recorded with the County in a form approved by the City Attorney. Such a covenant shall not be revoked without consent of the city. A certified copy of the recorded document shall be provided to the Community Development Department prior to the use of the shared parking arrangement.
(H) Off-site parking. Off-site parking may be allowed under the site plan review process. The Community Development Department may require the applicant to present proof of ownership of the off-site property, a long-term lease or similar arrangement.
(I) Proof of parking. If it is demonstrated that the required minimum parking is in excess of the actual demand, all of the required parking need not be constructed initially. The City Council may grant a proof of parking agreement to the developer. This agreement shall describe the required parking, demonstrate that space exists to comply with the parking requirement and set conditions for the future construction of the required parking, if necessary. The agreement shall state that the developer or future successors shall be responsible for completing parking improvements to meet City Code requirements. The area of future parking shall be landscaped according to the requirements for parking areas.
(J) Parking area use. Required parking spaces and the circulation aisles providing access to them shall not be used for the following:
(1) Storage of any kind, including of unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicles, boats, recreational vehicles and the like;
(2) Display, sales, rental, or repair of motor vehicles;
(4) Loading and unloading of vehicles.
(K) Design requirements.
(1) Site plan. All applications for site plan review shall depict, at a measurable scale, the location and arrangement of vehicle parking, curb cuts, driveways and walkways. A zoning permit and a site plan shall be submitted for secondary parking. Refer also to § 154.178, Site Plan Review, in the Application Reviews and Procedures chapter of this code.
(2) Access and location. Parking areas shall have access to a public street. Driveways shall be located to minimize interference with traffic movement. (See § 154.155 Driveways and Private Internal Access Roads).
(3) Parking dimensions. Parking dimensions shall be according to Table 15-8.
Table 15-8: Minimum Parking Lot Dimensions
Stall Angle (degrees) | Stall Width | Stall Length | Aisle Width | Traffic Flow |
45 | 9 | 22 | 14 | One way |
60 | 9 | 21 | 16 | One way |
75 | 9 | 21 | 18 | One way |
90 | 9 | 18 | 24 | Two way |
90 compact | 8 | 16 | 24 | Two way |
Parallel | 23 | 8 | 22 |
(4) Parking for disabled persons. The size and location of stalls reserved for parking for disabled persons shall be as required by applicable state regulations and as summarized in division (F) of this section. These spaces are included in the computation for the minimum parking space requirement.
(5) Turn-arounds.
(a) All parking areas except those serving one-family and two-family dwellings on local streets shall be designed so that vehicles do not have to back into the public street.
(b) Parking areas for one-family and two-family dwellings with driveway access onto county or state roads shall be designed so that vehicles do not have to back into the street.
(6) Surfacing.
(a) Off-street parking, loading and circulation areas, except for industrial uses in the I-2 zone, shall be paved with concrete, plant-mixed asphalt or paving blocks having the same or greater durability as concrete or plant-mixed asphalt.
(b) For developments in the I-2 zone, such pavement is required only for parking designated for the vehicles of employees and visitors. Other parking or loading areas shall be paved at a minimum with a durable gravel material and maintained in a dust-free condition. A dust management plan shall be required in conjunction with site plan approval.
(7) Walkways. Required parking areas for 6 or more vehicles shall have walkways separated from the parking area and surfaced with bituminous asphalt, pavers or concrete to provide access from parking areas to the entrances of buildings.
(9) Lighting. Required parking areas for six or more vehicles shall provide an average horizontal illumination between 0.4 and 1.0 foot-candle. The average horizontal illumination in all parking ramps shall be 1.0 foot-candle. Any illumination, whether affixed to a building or otherwise, within a lot in any residential district, shall be designed to not beam beyond the site on which it is located. Curb is not required for one- and two-family dwellings.
(10) Curbs. A six-inch-tall, poured-in-place concrete curb shall be provided around the periphery of all parking lots and internal access or circulation drives except where the City Engineer determines that a curb would impede the drainage plan.
(L) Surface water control and curbing.
(1) For any development except one- or two-family housing or industrial uses in the I-2 zone, the entire perimeter of any parking or loading area shall have concrete curbing, as required above in division (K)(10) of this section. Islands and peninsulas in such parking areas or loading areas shall also have concrete curb. Flexibility in island and peninsula design may be permitted as part of an overall drainage plan as approved by the City Engineer.
(2) Parking and loading areas shall be graded and drained in conformance with the approved surface water management plan.
(3) For development in the I-2 zone, concrete curb is not required.
(M) Maintenance. All off-street parking areas shall be maintained in good repair.
(N) Bicycle parking. Bicycle parking is required in order to encourage utilitarian riding.
(1) Secure bicycle locking hardware shall be provided near the building entrance but where it will cause no conflicts with pedestrians.
(2) This requirement applies to retail buildings larger than 10,000 square feet, office or industrial buildings larger than 20,000 square feet, convenience stores, and convenience food restaurants.
(O) Off-street loading facilities.
(1) Loading zones. The off-street loading requirement for commercial or industrial buildings may be satisfied by designating a loading zone area. This loading zone area shall be separate from any required off-street parking area and shall not conflict with automobile circulation.
(2) Loading docks, berths and facilities.
(a) Loading docks and doors shall comply with the screening requirements of § 154.159, Landscaping, Screening and Fences.
(b) A loading facility includes the dock, the berth for the vehicle, maneuvering areas and screening walls.
(c) Location.
1. All loading berth curb cuts shall be located at least 60 feet from the intersection of two street rights-of-way.
2. No loading berth shall be located less than 100 feet from any parcel that is zoned residential and used or subdivided for residential use, or has an occupied institutional building, including but not limited to schools, religious institutions or community centers, unless the loading berth is entirely within a building.
3. Loading facilities shall not occupy the required front yard except in the I-2 zoning district.
(d) Each loading berth location shall permit vehicular access to a street in a manner that will least interfere with traffic.
(e) All loading facilities and access ways shall be paved with asphalt or concrete except in the I-2 zoning district.
(f) Where noise from loading or unloading activity is audible in a residential district, the activity shall terminate between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
(3) Accessory use. No loading berth or access drive shall be used for the storage of goods or inoperable vehicles. It may not be included as a part of the space necessary to meet the off-street parking requirements.
(Ord. 1040, passed 1-5-16; Am. Ord. 1098, passed 9-21-21)