Development may deviate from the off-street parking requirements in this section through the requirements and procedures in Section 2.2.1, Administrative Adjustment, and Section 2.2.21, Variance, or through approval of an alternative parking plan accepted by the Planning Director and configured in accordance with the following:
A. Deviation from Required Minimum. An applicant may propose a reduced rate of provision for off-street parking less than that specified in Table 5.8.4.H, Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements Table, in accordance with a parking study prepared by a professional engineer licensed by the State of North Carolina. The parking study shall document why fewer spaces than required will be adequate while still protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare.
B. Provision over the Maximum Allowed. An applicant proposing development subject to the standards in Section 5.8.4.C, Off-Street Parking Space Maximum, may propose a total number of off-street parking spaces that exceeds the maximum allowed only through the provision of a parking study prepared by a professional engineer licensed by the State of North Carolina. The parking study shall document why the provision of off-street parking spaces beyond the maximum authorized is necessary for the public's health, safety, or welfare.
C. Off-Site Parking. Up to 50 percent of off-street parking space requirements for an existing building may be met by locating required parking in an off-site location, in accordance with the following standards:
1. The off-site parking is located within 1,000 feet from the use it serves, as measured from the entrance of the use to the nearest off-site parking space.
2. A sidewalk or paved pedestrian walkway is provided to the off-site parking area from the use.
3. In cases where the off-site parking is located on land under separate ownership from the use it serves, the off-site parking shall be subject to a written agreement executed by the owners involved and filed with the Planning Director prior to the use of off-site parking facilities. The agreement shall guarantee the long-term availability of the off-site parking in question.
4. Should an off-site parking agreement cease, then the use shall be considered a nonconformity subject to the standards in Article 7: Nonconformities, unless the use is brought into compliance with the minimum off-street parking requirements of this section.
D. Shared Parking. The required off-street parking for a use may be met with shared use of the required off-street parking spaces of another use, only in accordance with the following standards:
1. The use of shared off-street parking spaces shall be subject to a shared parking agreement executed by the landowners of the uses involved, approved by the Planning Director, and recorded in the office of the Wake County Register of Deeds.
2. The shared parking agreement shall guarantee the long-term availability of the shared parking spaces in question. Nothing shall limit the percentage of required off-street parking spaces that may be provided through a shared parking agreement.
3. The shared parking is located within 1,000 feet, as measured from the entrance of the use to the nearest shared parking space.
4. A sidewalk or paved pedestrian walkway is provided to the shared parking area from the use.
5. The uses served by the shared parking must have different peak parking demands, differences in hours or days of operation, or otherwise operate such that the uses sharing parking have access to the required minimum number of off-street parking spaces when in operation.
6. Should the shared parking agreement cease, then the use(s) formerly served by shared parking shall be considered a nonconformity subject to the standards in Article 7: Nonconformities, unless the use(s) is brought into compliance with the minimum off-street parking requirements of this section.
E. Alternative Surfacing. The use of pervious or semi-pervious parking area surfacing materials—including, but not limited to, "grass-crete," "turfstone," cellular reinforced paving systems, porous concrete, crushed stone, or recycled materials such as glass, rubber, used asphalt, brick, block, and concrete—may be proposed for required off-street parking spaces, drive aisles, or vehicular surface areas on a site, provided such areas are properly maintained. Where possible, such materials should only be used in areas proximate to and in combination with on-site stormwater control mechanisms or tree protection measures.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)