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Chapter 18 · Zoning Regulations

Article 9. Parking and Loading

12 sections

18.9.1. Parking required for all structures.​

For all buildings or structures hereafter erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or altered, off- street parking in the form of garages or areas made available exclusively for parking shall be provided. Thus, parking spaces shall be located entirely on the same property as the main use, with no portion other than the necessary drives extending into any street or other public way. The issuance of building permits or certificates of occupancy shall require compliance with the parking standards approved in the platting process and or the planned unit development if one exists.

All parking areas and drives shall be ready for use upon occupancy of a building and shall be surfaced with a permanent, bituminous or concrete paving meeting the standards of the City prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. All parking lots, drives, and single-family dwellings, shall have curbs and drainage facilities approved by the City. No residential driveway approach shall exceed thirty (30) feet in width as measured along the outside sidewalk line and expand no larger than the width of the garage. Approach aprons and curbs shall be Portland cement concrete.

18.9.2. Access to parking areas.​

Ingress and egress to all multifamily residential or commercial parking areas shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in width, or be less than twenty-five (25) feet for two (2) way approaches. Industrial driveway approaches shall not exceed sixty-five (65) feet in width. All residential, commercial and industrial driveway approaches shall be in accordance with Subdivision regulations.

18.9.3. Dimensions and design of parking areas.​

A. Standard parking stall dimensions shall be nine (9) feet by twenty (20) feet, exclusive of access drives on aisles. Where the end of the parking space abuts an interior parking lot curbed area at least six (6) feet in width (with landscaping or sidewalk), an overhang may be permitted which would reduce the length of the parking space by two (2) feet. Such overhang shall be measured from the face of the curb.

B. Minimum dimensions for a parallel parking space shall be eight (8) feet by twenty-two (22) feet.

C. Minimum parking dimensions for other configurations shall be determined by the City Zoning Administrator.

D. Large parking lots shall be divided into smaller parking lots of fifty (50) cars with landscape strips, peninsulas, or grade separations to reduce the visual impact of large expanses of paving, to direct vehicular traffic through the parking lot, and to provide a location for pedestrian walks.

E. Landscape aisles should be placed on both sides of entrance drives to create pleasing tree- lined entrances, to direct vehicles into and out of the site, and to provide adequate space for vehicular stacking at exits onto perimeter roadways.

F. Parking lots shall be designed to separate pedestrians from vehicles and include protected pedestrian walkways within parking areas which lead to store entrances, except for those sites with unique conditions or terrain.

G. Sidewalks and walkways shall be provided to connect sidewalks along adjacent roadways and trails in the City’s greenway system with buildings within a development. Walkways shall be designed and buffered in a manner that encourages their use.

H. Parking stalls for customer parking, employee parking, and parking spaces for disabled persons shall be designated on all site development plans and any other plans submitted for approval by the City. In addition, businesses with vehicles for sale, lease, rental, display, etc. shall designate on said plans the location(s) of display areas allocated for such vehicles. Said vehicles and display areas shall not be located within a required parking/paving setback area, shall not reduce the capacity of a parking lot below that required by this Code for both Parking and Loading, and shall not hinder the movement of vehicles in drive aisles. All parking stalls shall be striped, maintained, and specifically used for the related purpose as identified on the plans. Areas designated for parking shall not be used for display of vehicles for sale, lease, rental, etc.

Related Information: Design Guidelines

18.9.4. Accessible parking spaces.​

For those buildings where such parking is required, parking areas servicing each building entrance shall have the number of level parking spaces for person(s) with disabilities set forth in the following “Accessible Parking Spaces Table.”

Accessible Parking Spaces Table

Total Parking Area (Spaces)Required Accessible Spaces
1 to 251
26 to 502
51 to 753
76 to 1004
101 to 1505
151 to 2006
201 to 3007
301 to 4008
401 to 5009
501 to 1,0002 percent of Total
1,001 and over20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000

Such parking spaces shall be in accordance with current Federal, State, and local regulations, and all parking stalls designated as accessible shall be clearly marked by vertically mounted signs bearing the international symbol of access. One (1) in every eight (8) accessible spaces, but not less than one (1), shall be served by an access aisle ninety-six (96) inches wide minimum, and shall be designated “van accessible”, unless this number is increased by applicable Federal or State law or regulation. Accessible parking stalls shall be designated adjacent to the entrances of a building.

18.9.5. Setbacks.​

A. Parking areas and other paved areas such as drive-through aisles in conventional zoning districts shall conform to the following setback requirements:

1. In Districts AG, RR, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, and R-6 and for single-family and two-family dwellings in any other district, no parking area shall be located within five (5) feet of a lot line associated with a residential use.

2. For multifamily dwellings, no parking area shall be located within thirty (30) feet of a street right-of-way or in a required yard area.

3. No parking area for a nonresidential use in any residential district shall be located within thirty (30) feet of any street right-of-way or in a required yard area.

4. In commercial and industrial districts, no parking area shall be located within the applicable parking and paving setback requirements within that zoning district.

5. Parking in any zoning district shall be permitted only in designated parking spaces.

B. Parking area setbacks within the PUD zoning districts shall be approved by the City in conjunction with the PUD review, and shall not occupy any portion of the required yard areas.

Related Information: Design Guidelines

18.9.6. Parking lot lighting.​

A. Illumination of parking areas shall be required for all multi-family, commercial and industrial parking areas and all parking areas with more than twenty (20) parking spaces. The illumination may be provided through the use of light fixtures on a pole, and may not be provided by building mounted light fixtures. Any building mounted fixtures shall be for aesthetic and security purposes only. No fixtures that shine outward and create a glare from street right-of-way or residential properties shall be permitted. Lighting used to illuminate parking areas shall be arranged, located or screened to direct light away from any adjoining or abutting residential district or any street right-of-way. Light poles and fixtures shall meet the following criteria:

1. The style of light poles and fixtures should reflect the architectural character of the area.

2. Maintain parking lot poles/fixtures of the same style, height, color and intensity of lighting throughout the development area. Varying styles of fixtures may be permitted if it is demonstrated that the styles contribute to an overall theme for the area.

3. The maximum pole height in commercial shopping centers and office parks shall be thirty-five (35) feet, except it shall be twenty-five (25) feet when located adjacent to residential development. The maximum pole height for individual businesses shall be twenty-five (25) feet.

4. Light fixtures shall be nonadjustable, horizontally mounted fixtures, or fixtures with less than ninety (90) degree luminary cutoff. Fixtures that project light or glare toward street right-of-way or adjoining properties shall not be permitted.

B. Illumination for parking areas shall be provided as follows:

1. Average Maintained Foot-candles: The maximum average maintained foot-candles for all parking lots shall be three (3), unless otherwise approved by the City. For purposes of this Code the average maintained foot-candles shall be calculated at eight-tenths (0.8) of initial foot-candles.

2. Minimum Foot-candles and Uniformity Ratio: The minimum amount of maintained illuminations for open parking shall be as provided in the following table:

FOOT CANDLE/UNIFORMITY TABLE

UsesFoot CandlesUniformity Ratio
Low Activity0.54.1
Medium Activity1.03.1
High Activity2.03.1

(a) For purposes of interpreting the Foot Candle/Uniformity Table, the following rules shall apply: high activity uses shall include major league athletic events, major cultural or civic events, major regional shopping centers and similar uses; medium activity uses include fast food facilities, area shopping centers (fifteen [15] acres or more), hospitals, residential complex parking and similar uses; low activity uses include local merchant parking (less than fifteen [15] acre sites), industrial employee parking, educational parking and similar uses.

(b) The light fixtures shall be arranged in order to provide uniform illumination throughout the parking lot as indicated by the uniformity ratio in sub- paragraph B-1 of average illumination to minimum illumination.

3. The maximum maintained vertical foot-candle at an adjacent residential property line shall be one-half (.05) foot-candle measured five (5) feet above grade.

4. The required illumination within a nonresidential development shall be measured at grade.

C. Plan Submission Requirements include a point-by-point photometric plan shall be provided at the request of the City. The calculation shall be measured at grade for lighting levels within the parking lot. A cut sheet of the proposed fixtures, including the candlepower calculation, shall be submitted upon request by the City.

Related Information: Guidelines for Parking Lot and Building Mounted Lighting

18.9.7. Landscaping and screening.​

The interior of parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Code in reference to Landscaping and Screening. In specific cases, the City may require that any wall, fence or screen planting around a parking area shall be set back from a street if such setback will prevent adverse effects upon the appropriate use of adjacent property or will prevent a traffic hazard.

Related Information: Guidelines for Internal Parking Lot Landscaping

18.9.8. Deferred construction of parking spaces.​

A portion of the parking area required for office or industrial development may remain unimproved until such time as the City deems that it must be improved to adequately serve the parking demand. Such delayed construction of parking may be permitted only after the City is satisfied that the initial occupancy of the premises will be adequately served by the lesser number of spaces and only after approval of a final development plan clearly indicating the location, pattern and circulation to and from the deferred parking spaces. The land area so delineated for future parking shall be brought to finished grade and landscaped, and shall not be used for building, storage, loading or other purposes.

18.9.9. Parking areas for single and two-family dwellings.​

A. No driveway serving single or two-family dwelling shall be located within five (5) feet of an adjoining lot line except for a driveway serving two (2) properties. A single residential driveway serving two (2) properties must be approved by the City.

B. Parking shall be restricted to customary passenger vehicles, and emergency vehicles of not more than a size of factory designated, one (1) ton, single axle, dual wheels which are unloaded and immediately available for emergency response by an operator who is on duty or on call. However, emergency vehicles shall not be parked upon a driveway for more than twelve (12) hours during a twenty-four (24) hour period.

C. All passenger cars shall be parked on paved driveways or parking areas relating to the garage or carport and on the streets except where specifically prohibited. In areas where there are no garages or carports, passenger cars and motor vehicles may be parked on paved driveways constructed perpendicular to the street. No parking shall be allowed in that portion of the street right-of-way not used for traffic movement, i.e., between the curb and the sidewalk, and between the curb and the front lot line.

D. In Districts R-2, R-3, R-5, and R-6 guest parking in excess of minimum parking requirements may be permitted. In no case shall the required parking be located within the guest parking area. Guest parking shall be built to meet all minimum standards of the City. Upon acceptance of guest parking by the City, the area will be maintained in the same manner as all other public streets. In no case shall boats, campers, recreational vehicles, trucks or inoperable vehicles be parked or stored in any guest parking. Any such guest parking shall be provided with landscaped areas.

E. No person shall stop, stand or park a commercial vehicle on any street, alley or lot within any residential district, except when necessarily loading or unloading property or when in the performance of a service to or upon property in the block where the vehicle is parked. The provisions of this section may not be defeated by a mere location change of a vehicle within the residential district. Residential district refers to any place or area where the property is zoned for residential occupancy including single-family, two-family and multifamily dwellings.

Related Information: Design Guidelines; Residential Neighborhood Design Manual

18.9.10. Off-street parking schedule.​

A. Parking requirements shall be as indicated in the following table:

LAND USESKEY
Single-family dwellingsH
Two-family dwellingsH
Multifamily dwellingsI
Garden & Patio, Townhouse, CondosH
Commercial buildings not specifically listed belowM
Industrial buildings not specifically listed belowJ
Office buildingsK
Restaurants and cafeteriasB & E
Churches, armories, assembly halls, theaters, athletic fields, and other seating facilitiesE
LibrariesB & J
Hotels, motor hotels, motels, apartment hotels, dormitories, and similar boarding facilitiesB & C
Hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes, or congregate care facilitiesF & G
MortuariesB & E
Taverns or clubs serving alcoholic or cereal malt beveragesB & E
Dance halls and discothequesA & D
Elementary and junior high schoolsG
High schoolsG & N
Colleges, universities, professional schools and junior colleges (public or private)G & P
Shopping CentersL-1, L-2, L-3
Convenience grocery storesM
Mini-storage warehouse complexesB & O
Assembly halls without fixed seatsQ
GymnasiumsQ
Miniature golf coursesQ
KEY
AOne (1) space for each employee.
BOne (1) space for each two (2) employees on the largest shift.
COne (1) space for each guest room or each two (2) guest beds.
DOne (1) space for each two (2) seats or building capacity calculated by building standards.
EOne (1) space for each four (4) seats or building capacity calculated by building standards.
FOne (1) space for each four (4) beds.
GOne (1) space for each staff member (including visiting doctors).
HFour (4) spaces two (2) enclosed.
IOne and one-half (1.5) spaces for each studio or efficiency apartment; one and three- quarter (1.75) spaces for each (1) or two (2) bedroom apartment; and two (2) spaces for each apartment having more than two (2) bedrooms.
JTwo and one-half (2.5) spaces for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area, or portion thereof for buildings less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet of floor area. For buildings over twenty-five thousand one (25, 001) square feet two and one-half (2.5) spaces per one thousand (1, 000) square feet of floor area devoted to office uses plus one (1) space for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of other floor area.
KThree and eight-tenths (3.8) spaces for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross leasable floor area, or portion thereof.
L-1Five (5) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross area for centers over six hundred thousand and one (600,001) square feet.
L-2Four and one-half (4.5) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross area for centers having one four hundred thousand and one (400,001) square feet to six hundred thousand (600,000) square feet.
L-3Four (4) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross area for centers having twenty-five thousand (25,000) to four hundred thousand (400,000) square feet.
MFour (4) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross area.
NOne (1) space per four (4) students.
OTwo (2) spaces.
POne (1) space per two (2) students.
QAs determined by the City.

B. Any other use not included in the parking requirements above shall be assigned a parking requirement by the City.

C. Where convention centers, conference centers, assembly halls, ballrooms or other similar facilities are built in conjunction with a hotel, office park or shopping center, the City may permit up to a thirty-five (35) percent parking space reduction for each of its uses listed above when built in conjunction with the uses listed above, due to overlapping usage of a portion of the parking spaces. Request for such shared parking must be received as part of a preliminary development plan. The request shall outline the justification in reducing the number of parking spaces. In addition, a change in use to a use other than listed above, shall conform to City parking standards.

18.9.11. Off-street loading schedule.​

A. For purposes of this section there shall be considered to be two (2) sizes of off-street loading spaces. Each large space shall have an overhead clearance of at least fifteen (15) feet, shall be at least twelve (12) feet wide and shall be at least fifty (50) feet long, exclusive of access or maneuvering area, platform and other appurtenances. Each small space shall have an overhead clearance of at least twelve (12) feet, shall be at least twelve (12) feet wide and shall be at least (30) feet long, exclusive of access or maneuvering area, platform and other appurtenances.

B. Off-street loading facilities shall be located on the same building site on which the structure for which they are provided is located. Access, maneuvering area, ramps and other appurtenances shall be furnished off the street right-of-way and so arranged that vehicles are not permitted to back from the property into the street. The number of required loading spaces which are adequate to serve the uses or categories of uses proposed, shall be in accordance with the following:

LOADING SPACES CHART
PARKING CATEGORYGROSS FLOOR AREA IN SQ. FEETREQUIRED NO#
Institutional Uses
Schools10,000 to 100,0001
Health/Medical, Recreational, Civic, Social ReligiousFor each additional 200,000 or fraction thereof.1 – Additional
Business Uses
Retail5,000 to 25,0001
25,001 to 200,0001
For each additional 200,0001 – Additional
Retail Services5,000 to 10,0001
10,000 to 100,0001
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof.1 – Additional
Service/Trade10,000 to 200,0001
For each additional 200,000 or fraction thereof.1
5,000 to 25,0001
Service/Miscellaneous25,001 to 200,0001
200,001 to 400,0001
For each additional 100,000 over 400,000 or fraction thereof.1
5,000 to 10,0001
Industrial Uses10,001 to 40,0001
40,001 to 100,0001
For each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof.1 – Additional

C. Off-street loading facilities shall be constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with City standards and shall be surfaced with concrete, asphalt concrete or asphalt maintained in good condition, free of weeds, dust, trash and debris.

D. Where access and drives to off-street loading facilities occur in conjunction with off-street parking facilities that provide parking at street level for more than six hundred (600) cars, provisions shall be made to maintain separate circulation routes within such facilities.

E. Any off-street loading facility shall not be used to satisfy the space requirements for any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof.

F. For the purpose of determining the amount of off-street loading, or if the number of berths to be provided by such use is not readily determinable, the number of loading areas shall be fixed by the City.

Related Information: Guidelines for Loading Dock and Service Area Screening

18.9.12. Drive-in and drive-through stacking distance requirements.​

A. Drive-in and drive-through restaurant facilities shall provide a minimum stacking distance of one hundred sixty (160) feet, of which eighty (80) feet shall be provided to the menu board, exclusive of any aisle or parking space. Minimum pavement lane width shall be twelve (12) feet. All other drive-in and drive-through facilities shall conform to the requirements below. The following requirements shall be followed in determining the minimum stacking length:

TYPE OF OPERATIONMINIMUM NO. OF VEHICLES
Financial Institution w/drive-up teller4 veh/window or kiosk
Financial Institution w/drive-up ATM2 veh/window or kiosk
Car wash – self service, automatic4 veh/bay at entrance, 1 veh/bay at exit
Photo processing2 veh/window
Dry cleaning2 veh/window
Gas stations2 veh/pump
Gated parking lot entrance1 veh/gate
Gated unit or overhead door1 veh/door

B. These minimum vehicle stacking requirements shall remain in force, unless the developer or applicant can present a traffic study from a professional traffic engineer which provides verifiable evidence to allow the reduction of these minimum stacking lengths. Deviation from these stacking lengths must be approved by the City.