ARTICLE 5

OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING

 

5.1       Off-Street Parking

 

At the time of erection of a new structure or at the time of enlargement or change in use of an existing structure within any district in the County, off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required in this Article 5. If parking space has been provided in connection with an existing use or is added to an existing use, the parking space shall not be eliminated if elimination would result in less space than is required by this Article. Where square feet are specified, the area measured shall be in floor area primary to the functioning of the particular use of the property and shall exclude stairwells, elevator shafts, hallways, ornamental balconies, space occupied by heating, air conditioning or other utility equipment and space devoted to off-street parking or loading. The number of employees of a new or expanding business shall be estimated in a manner approved by the Board and the number of employees of an established business shall be determined from an examination of the payroll.

 

            USE                                                                 MINIMUM STANDARD

 

(A)      Residential Uses

 

            (1)       One-unit Dwellings                             Two (2) spaces per dwelling unit.

 

            (2)       Multi-family Dwellings                      One and one-half (1 ½) spaces per

(containing two or more                      dwelling unit

dwelling units)

 

            (3)       Housing restricted to aged,                 One space per dwelling unit.

                        disabled, etc.

 

            (4)       Dormitories and other lodging            A total number of spaces equal to

                        facilities and rooms for                       75 percent of the designed

                        unmarried students                             occupancy.

 

(B)       Commercial Residential Uses

 

            (1)       Motel or Hotel                                                One (1) space per guest room or

                                                                                    suite plus one (1) additional space

                                                                                    for owner or manager.

 

            (2)       Club or Lodge                                     Spaces to meet the combined

                                                                                    requirements of the uses being

                                                                                    conducted.


(C)       Institutions

 

            (1)       Rest Home, Nursing Home or            A total number of spaces equal to

                        Home for the Aged                             50 percent of the designed

                                                                                    occupancy.

 

            (2)       Hospital                                              Three (3) spaces per two (2) beds.

 

(D)      Places of public assembly

 

            (1)       Church                                                            One (1) space per four (4) seats

                                                                                    or per eight (8) feet of bench length

                                                                                    in the main auditorium.

 

(2)       Library or Reading Room                   One (1) space per four hundred

(400) square feet of floor area plus

one space per employee.

 

            (3)       Preschool Nursery, Day                     Two (2) spaces per employee.

                        Care School or Kinder-

                        garten

 

            (4)       Elementary, Intermediate or               One (1) space per classroom plus

                        Junior High School                              one (1) space per administrative

                                                                                    employee or one (1) space per four

(4) seats or per eight (8) feet of bench length in the auditorium or assembly room, whichever is greater.

 

            (5)       Vocational, Commercial or                  One (1) space per four (4) seats in

                        High School                                         classrooms.

 

            (6)       Other Auditoriums or Meeting           One (1) space per four (4) seats or

                        Rooms                                                 per eight (8) feet of bench length.

 

(E)       Commercial Amusements

 

            (1)       Stadium, Arena or Theater                  One (1) space per four (4) seats or

                                                                                    per eight (8) feet of bench length.

 

            (2)       Bowling Alley                                     Five (5) spaces per alley plus one

                                                                                    (1) space per employee.

 

            (3)       Dance Hall or Skating Rink                 One (1) space per 100 square feet

                                                                                    of floor area plus one (1) space per

                                                                                    employee.


 

(F)       Commercial

           

            (1)       Retail Store (except as                        One and one-half (1 ½) spaces per

                        provided in Section 5.1(F)(2))            300 square feet of patron serving

                                                                                    area.

 

            (2)       Service or Repair Shop; Retail            One (1) space per 300 square feet

                        Store handling exclusively

                        bulky merchandise such as

                        automobiles and furniture.

 

            (3)       Offices (except medical and                One (1) space per 300 square feet

                        dental)                                                 of floor area, plus one (1) space per

                                                                                    employee.

 

            (4)       Medical and Dental Clinic                  One (1) space per 200 square feet

                                                                                    of square feet of floor area plus one

                                                                                    (1) space per employee.

 

            (5)       Eating and/or Drinking                        One (1) space per 100 square feet

                        Establishments                                    of floor area.

 

            (6)       Mortuaries                                          One (1) space per four (4) seats or

                                                                                    per eight (8) feet of bench length in

                                                                                    chapels

 

(G)      Industrial

 

            (1)       Storage Warehouse,                             One (1) space per employee

                        Manufacturing Establishment,

                        Air, Rail or Trucking Freight

                        Terminal

 

            (2)       Wholesale Establishments                  One (1) space per employee plus

                                                                                    one (1) space per 700 square feet.

 

5.2       Off-Street Loading

 

(A)      Passengers. A driveway designed for continuous forward flow of passenger vehicles for the purpose of loading and unloading children shall be located on the site of any school having a capacity greater than 25 students.

 

(B)       Merchandise, materials, or supplies. Buildings or structures to be built or substantially altered which receive and distribute material or merchandise by truck shall provide and maintain off-street loading berths in sufficient numbers and size to adequately handle the needs of the particular use. If loading space has been provided in connection with an existing use or is added to an existing use, the loading space shall not be eliminated if elimination would result in less space than is required to adequately handle the needs of the particular use. Off-street parking areas used to fulfill the requirements of these Regulations shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to take care of parking needs.

 

5.3       General Provisions – Off-Street Parking and Loading

 

(A)      The provision and maintenance of off-street parking and loading spaces is a continuing obligation of the property owner. No Land Use and Construction Consent or other permit shall be issued until plans are presented that show adequate areas set aside and that will remain available for exclusive use as off-street parking and loading space. The subsequent use of property for which the Land Use and Construction Consent is issued shall be conditioned upon the unqualified continuance and availability of the amount of parking and loading space required by these Regulations. Use of property in violation hereof shall be a violation of these Regulations. Should the owner or occupant of any lot or building change the use to which the lot or building is put, thereby increasing off-street parking or loading requirements, it shall be unlawful and a violation of these Regulations to begin or maintain such altered use until such time as the increased off-street parking or loading requirements are satisfied.

 

(B)       In the event several uses occupy a single structure or parcel of land, the total requirements for off-street parking shall be the sum of the requirements of the several uses computed separately.

 

(C)       Owners of two or more uses, structures or parcels of land may agree to jointly utilize the same parking and loading spaces when the hours of operation do not overlap, provided that satisfactory legal evidence is presented to the building inspector in the form of deeds, leases, or contracts to establish the joint use.

 

(D)      Off-street parking spaces for dwellings shall be located on the same lot with the dwelling. Other required parking spaces shall be located not farther than three hundred (300) feet from the building or use they are required to serve, measured in a straight line from the subject property.

 

(E)       Required parking spaces shall be continuously available for the parking of operable passenger automobiles of residents, customers, patrons and employees and shall not be utilized for storage of vehicles or materials or for the parking of trucks used in conducting the business or use or utilized in any way that diminishes the available parking spaces.

 

(F)       Unless otherwise provided, required parking and loading spaces shall not be located in a required front setback but may be located within a required side or rear setback.

 

(G)      A plan, drawn to scale, indicating how the off-street parking and loading requirements are to be fulfilled shall accompany an application for a Land Use and Construction Consent. The plan shall show all elements necessary to indicate that the requirement is being fulfilled, including the following:

 

            (1)       Delineation of individual parking and loading spaces.

 

            (2)       Circulation area necessary to serve spaces.

 

            (3)       Access to streets and property to be served.

 

            (4)       Curb cuts.

 

            (5)       Dimensions, continuity and details of screening.

 

            (6)       Grading, drainage, surfacing and subgrading details.

 

(7)       Delineation of obstacles to parking and circulation in finished parking area.

 

(8)       Specifications as to signs and bumper guards.

 

(9)       Other pertinent details.

 

            (H)      Design Requirements for Parking Lots.

 

(1)       Areas used for standing and maneuvering of vehicles shall have durable surfaces maintained adequately for all weather use and so drained as to avoid flow of water across sidewalks where provided.

 

(2)       Parking spaces along the outer boundaries of a parking lot shall be contained by a curb at least four (4) inches high or by a bumper rail and set back a minimum of four (4) feet from the property line.

 

(3)       Artificial lighting shall be provided when deemed necessary by the Board and shall be so deflected as not to shine or create glare in any residential district, on any adjacent dwelling or on any public right-of-way.

 

(4)       Access aisles shall be of sufficient width for vehicle turning and maneuvering.

 

(5)       Parking spaces shall be so located and served by a driveway that their use will require no backing movements or other maneuvering within a street right-of-way other than an alley.

 

(6)       Access drives to off-street parking areas shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic and provide maximum safety for pedestrians and vehicular traffic on the site. The number of access drives shall be limited to the minimum that will allow the property to accommodate the traffic to be anticipated. Access drives shall not be more than 30 feet nor less than 24 feet in width and shall be clearly and permanently marked and defined through the use of rails, fences, walls or other barriers or markers on frontage not occupied by access drives. In the case of a corner lot, access drives shall be located not closer than 30 feet to the intersection street line. Access drives shall be located not closer than ten (10) feet to a side lot line, except that a common access drive to two adjacent properties with width not exceeding 30 feet may be provided at the common lot line.

 

(7)       Access drives shall have a minimum vision clearance area formed by the intersection of the driveway center line, the street right-of-way line and a straight line adjoining said lines through points 30 feet from their intersection.

 

(I)        Completion time for parking lots. Required parking spaces shall be improved as required and made available for use before the final inspection is completed by the building inspector. An extension of time may be granted by the building inspector provided a performance bond, or its equivalent, is posted equal to the cost to complete the improvements as estimated by the building inspector and provided that the parking spaces are not required for immediate use. In the event the improvements are not completed within one yearŐs time, the bond or its equivalent shall be forfeited and the improvements thenceforth constructed under the direction of the County. In all PUDs, the Subdivision Improvements Agreement and the security posted to guarantee completion shall include the cost of construction of all parking lots.