An Alternative Parking Plan is a proposal to meet vehicle parking needs by means other than providing parking spaces on-site in accordance with the ratios established in this chapter. Proponents who wish to provide a greater amount (up to a maximum of one hundred and twenty five percent (125%) of the required parking stalls), or a reduced amount (to a minimum of seventy five percent (75%) of the required parking stalls) of off-street parking spaces than required shall secure approval of an Alternative Parking Plan, in accordance with the standards of this section.
A. Procedures:
1. Plan Contents. Alternative Parking Plans shall be submitted in a form established by the Planning Commission. At a minimum, such plans shall detail the type of alternative proposed and the rationale for such a proposal. Plans shall be prepared by a professional appropriately licensed by the State of Utah.
2. Review and Approval:
a. Small Facilities: The Planning Commission is authorized to review and act on Alternative Parking Plans if the plan proposes a reduction or decrease of ten percent (10%) or fewer off-street parking spaces.
b. Large Facilities: Alternative Parking Plans that propose a reduction or increase of six (6) or more off-street parking spaces from the required amount require review and action by the decision-maker.
3. A parking study shall include estimates of parking demand based on recommendations of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Parking Generation Manual, or other acceptable estimates as approved by the Department of Public Works, and should include other reliable data collected from uses or combinations of uses that are the same as or comparable with the proposed use. Comparability wilt be determined by density, scale, bulk, area, type of activity, location, or parameters of the use that may be estimated to parking requirements.
4. The study shall document the source of data used, and methods used to develop the recommendations. After reviewing the parking study, the Planning Commission and City Engineer shall establish a minimum off-street parking standard for the proposed use.
5. Recordation of Approved Plans: A copy of an approved Alternative Parking Plan shall be submitted to the County Recorder's office for recordation. An Alternative Parking Plan may be amended by following the same procedure required for the original approval.
6. Appeals of the administrative decision may be made to the Board of Adjustment in accordance with the procedures of Chapter 10-57.
B. Transportation Management Program: The Planning Commission may authorize an alternative to the number of required off-street parking spaces for developments or uses that institute and commit to maintaining a Transportation Management Program, in accordance with the standards of this section.
1. Required Study: The applicant shall submit a study that clearly indicates the types of transportation management activities and measures proposed.
2. Posting and Distribution of Information: The distribution and posting of information from transit agencies and other sources of alternative transportation shall be a minimum requirement of this subsection.
3. Transportation Management Activities: There is no limitation on the types of transportation management activities for which reductions may be granted from otherwise required off-street parking ratios. The following measures will serve as a guide to eligible transportation management activities:
a. Transportation Coordinator: The appointment of a Transportation Coordinator with responsibility for disseminating information on ride-sharing and other transportation options may be cause for a reduction in otherwise applicable off-street parking requirements. In addition to acting as liaisons, Transportation Coordinators shall be available to attend meetings and training sessions with the City or transit providers.
b. Off-Peak Work Hours: Employers that institute off-peak work schedules, allowing employees to arrive at times other than the peak commute periods as defined by the City Engineer, may be eligible for a reduction in otherwise applicable off-street parking requirements.
c. Preferential Parking: The provision of specially marked spaces for each registered car pool and van pool may be cause for a reduction in otherwise applicable off-street parking requirements.
d. Financial Incentives: The provision of cash or in-kind financial incentives for employees commuting by car pool, van pool and alternative transit may be cause for a reduction in otherwise applicable parking requirements.
C. Off-Site Parking: Required parking may be located off-site, if approved as a part of an Alternative Parking Plan and in compliance with all of the following standards:
1. Ineligible Activities: Off-site parking may not be used to satisfy the off-street parking standards for residential uses (except for guest parking), restaurants, convenience stores or other convenience-oriented uses. Required parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities may not be located off-site.
2. Location: Off-site parking may be located within a six hundred (600)-foot radius from the use served. Off-site parking spaces may not be separated from the use served by a street right-of-way with a width of more than one hundred twenty feet (120'), unless a grade-separated pedestrian walkway or other traffic control or safety device is provided.
D. Agreement For Off-Site Parking: Off-site parking requires a written agreement that shall run with the land and which shall be recorded. A signed, notarized copy of the agreement between the owners of record shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for review and approval. Recordation of the agreement shall take place prior to the issuance of a building permit for any use to be served by the off-site parking area. An off-site parking agreement may be revoked only if required off-street parking spaces are provided in conformance with the provisions of this chapter.
E. Shared Parking: Developments or uses with different operating hours or peak business periods may share off-street parking spaces if approved as part of an Alternative Parking Plan and if the shared parking complies with all of the following standards.
1. Location: Shared parking spaces shall be located within a 600-foot radius of all uses served.
2. Shared Parking Study: A parking study prepared by a professional appropriately licensed by the State of Utah shall be submitted to the Planning Commission that clearly demonstrates the feasibility of shared parking. At a minimum, the study shall address 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.
3. Agreement for Shared Parking: A shared parking agreement shall be enforced through written agreement among all owners of record. A signed, notarized copy of the agreement between the owners of record shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for approval prior to recordation. Recordation of the agreement shall take place prior to the issuance of a building permit for any use to be served by the off-site parking area. A shared parking agreement may be revoked only if required off-street parking spaces can be otherwise provided, in conformance with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2019-04, 10-16-2019)