SECTION 25.34 PARKING AND LOADING

SECTION 25.34
PARKING AND LOADING

Sections:

25.34.1 Purpose

25.34.2 Applicability

25.34.3 General Parking and Loading Regulations

25.34.4 Number of Parking Spaces Required

25.34.5 Adjustments to Off-Street Parking Requirements

25.34.6 Compact Car Spaces

25.34.7 Handicapped Parking

25.34.8 Bicycle Parking

25.34.9 Access to Parking Areas and Parking Stalls

25.34.10 Landscaping

25.34.11 Loading Areas

25.34.1 Purpose

This Section provides off-street and loading regulations to:

A. Provide for the general welfare and convenience of the City by ensuring sufficient parking facilities to meet the needs generated by a specific use;

B. Provide accessible, attractive, secure, and well-maintained off-street parking and loading facilities in proportion to the needs of the proposed use;

C. Increase public safety by reducing congestion of public streets;

D. Encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation and other trip reduction methods; and

E. Ensure access and maneuverability for emergency vehicles.

25.34.2 Applicability

Every use including a change or expansion of a use or structure shall provide the required off-street parking and loading areas in compliance with the provisions of this Section. A use shall not be commenced and structures shall not be occupied until improvements required by this Section are satisfactorily completed.

25.34.3 General Parking and Loading Regulations

A. Reservation of parking and loading areas. All covered and uncovered off-street parking and loading facilities required by this Section shall be maintained and reserved for parking and loading purposes for the life of the use or facility.

B. Location. Off-street parking areas shall be provided on the subject site, including the boundary of a shopping center, and outside any public rights-of-way. Parking may be located on a parcel abutting the parcel served, subject to a recorded reciprocal parking and access easement. This covenant shall run with the life of the project to guarantee that the required parking is maintained and reserved for the subject activity.

C. Maintenance. All parking facilities, including curb directional markings, disabled symbols, landscaping, signs, striping, and wheel stops, and other facilities, shall be permanently maintained by the property owner in good repair, free of litter and debris, potholes, obstructions, and stored material.

D. Parking and loading to be unrestricted. Owners, lessees, tenants or persons having control of the operation of the premises for which parking and loading spaces are required by this Section shall not prevent, prohibit or restrict authorized persons from using these spaces without written approval of the Director.

E. Selling of items. No person shall park a vehicle, trailer, or other personal item upon public or private parking lot or property for the purpose of displaying the vehicle, trailer, or other personal item unless the person/vendor is approved by the City to conduct business at the location. This provision excludes the sale of legally parked personal vehicles and garage sales at one’s residence.

F. Walls may be required. Where a non-residential parking facility abuts a residential development, a wall may be required. See Section 25.30.3 (Screening Between Uses).

G. Temporary reduction. The Director of Community Development may approve the temporary reduction of parking or loading spaces in conjunction with a seasonal or intermittent use for not more than 30 days in any calendar year.

25.34.4 Number of Parking Spaces Required

Each use shall provide at least the minimum number of off-street parking spaces required by this Section, unless an exception has been granted through approval of a land use or development permit.

A. Parking requirements by land use. Each land use shall be provided the number of parking spaces required by Table 25-17: Parking Spaces Required by Land Use.

B. Additional requirements. The review authority, as a condition of land use permit approval, may require additional spaces, where applicable.

C. Uses not listed. Land uses not specifically listed by Table 25-17 shall provide parking as required by the review authority upon recommendation of the Director. The review authority shall use the requirements of this table, as a general guide, in determining the minimum number of off-street parking spaces to be provided.

D. Rounding of quantities. When a calculation of the number of parking spaces required results in a fraction of 0.50 or more, the number of required parking spaces shall be rounded up to the next whole number. Where multiple calculations are used, the total sum shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

E. Expansion of existing structure, change in use. When a structure is enlarged or increased in capacity or intensity, or when a change in use requires more off-street parking, additional parking spaces for the enlargement or increase in capacity or intensity shall be provided in compliance with this Section. Parking for buildings additions in the HO, HD, and HDC zoning districts may be exempt from this requirement, as described in section 25.28.3 (E).

Table 25-17: Parking Spaces Required by Land Use
Use	Minimum Parking Required	Applicable Sections
Agriculture
Agricultural processing	1 spaces per 750 s.f. of bldg. area
Animal stable	As determined by review authority
Animal sales yard, feed lot, stockyard, or slaughterhouse	1 space per 750 s.f. of bldg. area and 20,000 s.f. of feed lot/stockyard area
Grazing, crop production (including plant nurseries)	Note 1
Mining, surface or subsurface	As determined by review authority
Seasonal sale of produce grown on-site	Note 1
Well, commercial	As determined by review authority
Note 1: Improved off-street parking is not required, as long as sufficient usable area is provided to meet the parking needs of all employees, visitors, and loading activities entirely on the site of the use.
Education and Training
Child daycare center	1 space for each 5 children at maximum design (drop-off spaces may be counted toward meeting this requirement)
Personal instruction studio	1 space per 150 s.f. of floor area
Museum, library, or gallery	1 space per 400 s.f. use area
Reading room	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
School - college and university	As determined by review authority
School - elementary and middle	2 spaces per classroom
School - high school	As determined by review authority
School, business	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
School, vocational	1 space per 300 s.f. floor area
Zoo	As determined by review authority
Entertainment or Recreation Related
Athletic club	1 space per 150 s.f. floor area, plus 2 spaces for each sport court (e.g., tennis, racquetball, etc.)
Campground	As determined by review authority
Commercial recreation (all uses except the following)	1 space per 150 s.f. floor area
Bowling alley	4 spaces per lane for that area devoted to bowling, plus parking required for any restaurant, bar or other commercial recreation use
Dance hall	See “auditorium"
Swimming pool (as a primary use of a site)	1 space per 35 s.f. of pool surface area
Roller skating or ice rink	1 space per 300 s.f. floor area
Equestrian facility	1 space for each 4 stalls
Firearm or archery range	1 space per firing line (if individual lines are not delineated, 10 lineal feet of line width shall be considered a firing line)
Fish or game club	Note 1 above (following Agriculture)
Golf course (with or without driving range)	10 space per hole
Golf driving range	1.5 spaces per tee (if individual tees are not delineated, 10 lineal feet of tee width shall be considered a tee)
Land preserve	Note 1 above (following Agriculture)
Stadium or arena	1 space per 4 fixed seats
Theater	1 space per 4 fixed seats, or 1 space per 50 s.f. of assembly area with no fixed seating

Table 25-17: Parking Spaces Required by Land Use (cont.)
Use	Minimum Parking Required	Applicable Sections
Food Service
Bar	1 space for each 3 seats or 1 space per 100 s.f. of floor area, whichever is greater	Note 2
Catering services	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Food and beverage sales	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Restaurant, counter service	1 space per 80 s.f. of floor area	Note 2
Restaurant, table service	1 space for each 3 seats or 1 space per 100 s.f. of floor area, whichever is greater	Note 2
Note 2: Outdoor seating which numbers less than 25 percent of indoor seating is exempt from the parking requirement. Additional outdoor seating area shall be calculated at one-half of the requirement in this table.
General Retail
New merchandise sales	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area	Note 6
Used merchandise sales	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area	Note 6
Building or landscape material sales	1 space per 300 s.f. of floor area, plus 1 space for each 1000 s.f. of outdoor display area
Furniture, fixtures, and appliance sales	1 space per 300 s.f. use area
Plant nursery - landscape	1 space per 500 s.f. of floor area, plus 1 space for each 2,000 s.f. of outdoor display area
Shopping centers:		Note 3
with less than 80,000 s.f. of floor area	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
with 80,001 s.f. floor area or more	1 space per 250 s.f. floor area
Note 3: Within shopping centers, individual uses shall not be calculated separately. Note 6: For individual retailers over 80,000 square feet in size, the Shopping center rate applies
General Services
Auction	Parking for office, warehouse and outdoor storage area required per this table, plus assembly area at 1 space per 4 fixed seats or 1 space per 50 s.f. of assembly area with no fixed seating
Boarding house	1 space per guest unit
Business support services	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Funeral and internment services	1 space per 4 fixed seats, or 1 space per 50 s.f. of assembly area with no fixed seating
Maintenance & repair, machinery & small engine	1 space per 400 sq. ft. floor area
Maintenance & repair, personal and household items	1 space per 400 sq. ft. floor area
Mini-warehouse	2 spaces, plus 1 space per 10,000 s.f. floor area
Overnight lodging	1 space per guest unit
Personal care and domestic services	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Recycling collection facility	1 space per 400 s.f. floor area
Spa and massage therapy	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Health and Veterinary Services
Ambulance service	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Animal clinic, hospital or grooming	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Animal kennel	1 space per 500 s.f. of floor area
Emergency medical care	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Hospital	1 space for each patient bed, plus 1 space for each 2 employees on the maximum shift
Nursing or rest home	1 space for each 5 patient beds, plus 1 space for each 2 employees on the maximum shift

Table 25-17: Parking Spaces Required by Land Use (cont.)
Use	Minimum Parking Required	Applicable Sections
Industry
Contractor’s yard	Parking for office, warehouse and outdoor storage area required per this table
Handicraft shop	1 space per 300 s.f. floor area
Industrial services	1 space per 500 s.f. floor area
Laboratory, processing	1 space per 500 s.f. floor area
Manufacturing and Assembly:	1 space per 750 s.f. of floor area, plus 1 space per 10,000 s.f. of outdoor use area
Multi-use/flex buildings (with up to 30% office area)	1 space per 500 s.f. floor area
Office use in industrial facility or zoning district	1 space per 250 s.f. floor area
Outdoor Storage	1 space per 10,000 s.f. floor area
Waste Diversion and Material Recovery	1 space per 1000 s.f. floor area, plus 1 space per 10,000 of outdoor use area
Wholesale, Storage and Distribution:		Note 4
first 10,000 s.f. of floor area	1 space per 1000 s.f. floor area
floor area from 10,000 s.f. up to 40,000 s.f.	1 space per 1500 s.f. floor area
floor area more than 40,000 s.f.	1 space per 3000 s.f. floor area
Note 4: The floor areas referred to under Wholesale, Storage and Distribution apply to a single building. Where two or more buildings are located on the same parcel, the parking requirement is calculated separately for each building.
Offices and Financial Services
Banks	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Bail bond service	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Check cashing service	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Offices:
Admin & business, professional & personal service		Note 5
first 5,000 s.f. of floor area	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
floor area more than 5,000 s.f.	1 space per 250 s.f. floor area
Medical and dental	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Government	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Note 5: The floor areas referred to under administrative office apply to a single building. Where two or more buildings are located on the same parcel, the parking requirement is calculated separately for each building.
Public, Quasi-public, and Assembly Uses
Cemetery or mausoleum	As determined by review authority
Church or other place of worship	1 space per 4 fixed seats in sanctuary, or 1 space per 50 s.f. of assembly area with no fixed seating
Auditorium, dance hall, exhibition hall or meeting hall	1 space per 4 fixed seats, or 1 space per 50 s.f. of floor area used for assembly, exhibitions or dancing with no fixed seats
Community center	As determined by review authority
Corporation yard	As determined by review authority
Homeless shelter	As determined by review authority
Park, playground	As determined by review authority
Public safety facility	As determined by review authority
Utilities, Public or quasi- public utilities - minor	Note 1 above (following Agriculture)
Utilities, Public or quasi- public utilities - major	As determined by review authority

Table 25-17: Parking Spaces Required by Land Use (cont.)
Use	Minimum Parking Required	Applicable Sections
Residential Uses
Assisted living facilities	As determined by review authority
Caretaker’s residence	1 space per dwelling
Community care facility	Parking is required per this table based on the type of facility (e.g., dwelling, nursing home, etc.)
Dwellings	See residential development regulations	§25.20.3
Family day care (large and small)	No additional parking beyond that required for the dwelling
Farm labor housing	1 space per dwelling
Mobile home	See residential development regulations	§25.20.4.6
Transitional housing	As determined by review authority
Residential Accessory Uses and Improvements
Accessory dwelling units	1 space for efficiency or one bedroom unit, 2 spaces for unit with two or more bedrooms. See §25.20.4.11.	§25.20.4.11
Common area uses and facilities	As determined by review authority
Subdivision sales trailer, temporary on-site	Note 1 above (following Agriculture)
Subdivision model homes	2 spaces per model for subdivisions with 75 or more lots
Temporary and Other Uses
Temporary uses and events	As determined by review authority
Transportation and Communication
Airport	As determined by review authority
Antenna or communication facility	Note 1 above (following Agriculture)
Helipad	5 spaces per pad
Heliport	As determined by review authority
Parking facility	none
Transit station or terminal	As determined by review authority
Vehicle and Equipment Sales and Service
Automobile and vehicle related:
Accessory equipment sales	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Automobile and truck rental	1 space per 200 s.f. of office floor area, plus 1 space per 400 s.f. of maintenance floor area
Large equipment sales	1 space per 400 s.f. floor area, plus 1 space per 2000 s.f. outdoor sales area
Maintenance and repair	1 space per 200 s.f. of office floor area, plus 1 space per 400 s.f. of maintenance floor area
Recreational vehicle, boats, trailer sales	1 space per 400 s.f. floor area, plus 1 space per 2000 s.f. outdoor sales area
Service station	1 space per 200 s.f. of office or retail floor area, plus 1 space per 400 s.f. of maintenance floor area
Vehicle sales	1 space per 400 s.f. floor area, plus 1 space per 2000 s.f. outdoor sales area
Vehicle storage or impound yard	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Equipment rental (indoor)	1 space per 200 s.f. floor area
Equipment rental (outdoor)	1 space per 400 s.f. floor area, plus 1 space per 2000 s.f. outdoor sales area

F. Multiple uses on a single site. A site or facility proposed for multiple tenants or uses (for example, a building with ground-floor retail shops and second floor offices) shall provide the aggregate number of parking spaces required for each separate use. Where the site is developed as a shopping center, the parking ratio shall be that required for “Shopping Center Projects", as provided in Table 25-17.

G. Parking required by permits, Development Agreements, Planned Development zones or Specific Plans. Parking requirements established by Parking Overlay District, Development Agreement, Planned Development Zoning, Specific Plan, or other similar entitlements supersede the number of spaces required by this Section.

H. Bench or bleacher seating. For the purpose of calculating the number of required parking spaces where bleachers or benches are proposed, a seat shall be construed to be not less than 24 inches of continuous bleacher or bench space.

I. Company-owned vehicles. The number of parking spaces required by this Section does not include places for the parking of company-owned vehicles. Parking spaces for company-owned vehicles shall be provided, as determined by the approving authority, in addition to the requirements for a particular land use.

J. "Floor Area” as used in this section. For purposes of this section, floor area means all enclosed areas of a building, excluding restrooms, mechanical space, elevator shafts, stairwells, court yards/atriums, and permanent storage areas which due to design and location cannot be converted to useable floor area. (Ord. No. 2014-03, § 2; Ord. No. 2018-03, § 11; Ord. No. 2018-06, § 7.)

25.34.5 Adjustments to Off-Street Parking Requirements

Adjustments to the off-street parking requirements may be made as identified below. The Director may require a parking study prepared by a qualified traffic engineer to justify any requested adjustment.

A. Shared parking program. Where two or more non-residential uses are separate and distinct but share a common or interconnected parking facility, up to a 25 percent reduction of the required number of parking spaces may be approved subject to the following criteria:

1. The uses have substantially different peak traffic usage periods, (e.g., a theater and a bank) or share customers (e.g., a barber shop and a tailor). The Director may require a parking study prepared by a registered traffic engineer that analyzes parking demands to justify the fewer number of spaces.

2. A reciprocal parking and access easement agreement, that shall run with the life of the project, is recorded with the County Assessor.

B. Office project reduction. The Director may reduce the amount of required parking spaces up to 10 percent when an office building contains more than 20,000 square feet of floor area. This reduction shall not be applied to projects with a recorded shared parking program per Section 25.34.5(A), Shared Parking Program. The Director shall consider the following factors in determining whether a reduction is appropriate:

1. Availability of public transit;

2. Feasibility of implementing a vanpool or ride-sharing programs;

3. Mix of office uses and floor plan which depicts lower parking demand;

4. Adequacy of public and private parking facilities in the vicinity; and

5. Fully integrated parking is defined by having full accessibility from all portions of the property, even distribution and recorded rights of reciprocal access and parking.

C. Parking set-aside area for industrial projects. Where an industrial user who, due to the characteristics of the activity, proposes substantially fewer parking spaces than the number required by this Ordinance, a parking set-aside area may be approved by the City. Approved parking set-aside areas shall be documented in a recorded agreement between the property owner and the City.

1. Application requirement. At the time of project approval, the applicant shall submit a site plan with all parking facilities required by this Ordinance with designated set-aside areas to be reserved for future parking.

2. Set-aside area design. The set-aside parking shall be located on-site and may remain undeveloped, improved as landscaping, or other form as approved by the City.

3. Change in use or change in operational characteristics. If a change in use or change in operational characteristics of the use requires additional parking facilities, the City shall require the conversion of the set-aside area, or portions thereof, to an approved parking facility prior to the establishment or increased intensity of the use.

25.34.6 Compact Car Spaces

Compact car spaces shall be a minimum of 8 feet by 15 feet in size and shall be clearly marked “Compact Only” in letters 12 inches high and 7 inches wide. A two-foot length reduction shall be permitted for any space fronting on a landscape planter island greater than seven feet in depth or walkways six feet or greater in width.

Compact car spaces may be approved as follows:

A. Industrial developments and office uses. Where the principal use of a parking lot is long term (e.g., designated for employee parking), parking lots with 30 or more spaces may include compact car spaces for up to 35 percent of the total number of required spaces.

B. All other uses. Parking lots with 30 or more spaces may include compact car spaces for up to 25 percent of the total number of required spaces. For multifamily development projects, this standard shall apply only to uncovered parking spaces.

C. Location. Compact spaces shall be dispersed throughout the parking lot in locations which are no more or less convenient than the locations of standard size spaces, as determined by the Director.

25.34.7 Handicapped Parking

Parking areas shall include parking spaces accessible to the disabled in compliance with this Subsection.

A. Number of spaces, design standards. Parking spaces for the disabled shall be provided in compliance with the California Building Code of Regulations.

B. Reservation of spaces required. Disabled accessible spaces required by this Section shall be reserved by the property owner or tenant for use by the disabled throughout the duration of the approved land use.

25.34.8 Bicycle Parking

New multifamily residential development projects or any project within a commercial zoning district shall provide one bicycle storage space for each 25 automobile parking spaces required by this Ordinance. New development projects within any industrial zoning district shall provide one bicycle storage space for each 50 automobile parking spaces required. Commercial/residential projects required to provide 24 or fewer automobile parking spaces or industrial projects required to provide 49 or fewer spaces shall not be required to provide bicycle parking.

25.34.9 Access to Parking Areas and Parking Stalls

A graphic representation of the terms used in this Section is referenced by Figure 25-6: Parking Lot Design.

A. Design and number of driveways. The number of driveways providing ingress and egress to the site shall comply with the City of Fairfield Standard Specifications and Details. The number of driveways for any project shall be minimized.

B. Driveway length. All driveway lengths between the property line and the first parking stall or intersecting aisle shall be designed to serve the anticipated traffic to the site without unduly impeding off-site traffic flow. The minimum driveway length shall be 15 feet.

C. Interconnected on-site circulation. All parking and circulation shall be located on-site or approved abutting property. Vehicles shall not have to enter the public right-of-way to access any other parking area on a site. Designated employee parking is exempt from this requirement.

D. Forward motion requirement. Parking and loading areas, excluding single-family dwellings, shall be designed so that any vehicle entering public roadway can do so traveling in a forward direction. Alleyways are exempt from this requirement.

E. Surface. Parking stalls, driveways, drive aisles, and maneuvering areas shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, or other comparable surface so as to provide a durable and dust-free surface. The surface shall be graded and drained as required by the Department of Public Works.

Figure 25-6: Parking Lot Design

F. Dimensions - standard stalls. Standard parking spaces shall measure 9 feet by 19 feet. A two-foot length reduction shall be permitted for any space fronting on a landscape planter island greater than seven feet in depth or walkways six feet or greater in width.

G. Layout. The applicable minimum dimensions shown in Figure 25-7: Parking Lot Layout shall apply to the layout of parking stalls.

H. Markings. Each parking stall shall be clearly marked with double or hairpin lines of a minimum of four inches in width.

I. Vertical clearance. A minimum unobstructed vertical clearance of 14 feet shall be maintained above vehicle drive aisles.

J. Secured parking areas. Where gated or otherwise secured parking areas are proposed, the proposal shall be reviewed by all applicable departments of the City and comply with all applicable Zoning Ordinance provisions, Building Codes, Fire Codes, and any other applicable regulations. Adequate vehicle turn-around space (in a forward direction) shall be provided between the gate and the public right-of-way.

K. Wheel Stops. All drive surfaces abutting buildings or walls, when designated for vehicular parking, shall have concrete wheel stops.

Figure 25-7: Parking Lot Layout

(Ord. No. 2011-03, § 2.)

25.34.10 Landscaping

In addition to any landscaping required by other sections of this Ordinance, landscaping shall be provided within parking lots as follows:

A. Landscaping areas adjacent to parking areas shall be a minimum dimension of five feet in width and enclosed by a six-inch concrete curb (total width: six feet).

B. One tree shall be provided within the parking area for every 10 parking stalls provided along the parking lot periphery. Within the project’s internal parking area, one tree in a six-inch curbed enclosure shall be provided for each eight spaces. Placement of the trees may include clustering. Required landscaping shall include a combination of low maintenance ground cover, shrubs, and trees.

C. All landscape areas shall be served by an underground water irrigation system.

25.34.11 Loading Areas

A. Exemption. This Section shall not apply to the HD or HDC zoning district.

B. Applicability and requirements. All other zoning districts not preempted elsewhere in the Zoning Ordinance shall comply with loading area requirements of this Section.

C. New buildings 10,000 square feet or more. All new buildings, or portion thereof, having a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more per tenant occupancy that is intended for manufacturing, assembly, storage, warehousing, retail sales, hotels and motels, hospitals, funeral internment services, commercial laundry establishments, or other similar uses, requiring the receipt or distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise, shall provide and maintain on the same property as the building, a minimum of one off street loading space per tenant occupancy. One additional loading space shall be required for each additional 20,000 square feet of gross floor area per tenant occupancy thereafter.

D. Development standards.

1. Loading space dimensions. Loading spaces shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 25 feet in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet.

2. Screening. Loading areas abutting residentially zoned properties shall be screened in accord with Section 25.30.2 (Fences, Walls, and Hedges).

3. Striping. Loading areas shall be striped indicating the loading spaces and identifying the space for “Loading Only”. The striping shall be permanently maintained by the property owner/tenant in a clear and visible manner at all times. (Ord. No. 2018-06, § 8.)