Chapter 18.50 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – PARKING AND CIRCULATION

Chapter 18.50
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – PARKING AND CIRCULATION

Sections:

18.50.010 Purpose.

18.50.020 Authority and application.

18.50.030 Computation of required off-street parking spaces.

18.50.040 Shared parking requirements.

18.50.050 Exceptions for community residential facilities (CRFs) and senior citizen assisted housing.

18.50.060 Parking for the disabled.

18.50.070 Loading space requirements.

18.50.080 Stacking spaces and restrictions for drive-through facilities.

18.50.090 Transit and rideshare provisions.

18.50.100 Pedestrian and bicycle circulation and access.

18.50.110 Off-street parking plan design standards.

18.50.120 Off-street parking construction standards.

18.50.130 Compact car allowance requirements.

18.50.140 Internal circulation street standards.

18.50.150 Trail improvements and connections.

18.50.010 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide adequate parking for all uses allowed in this title; to reduce demand for parking by encouraging alternative means of transportation including public transit, rideshare and bicycles; and to increase pedestrian mobility in urban areas by:

(1) Setting minimum off-street parking standards for different land uses that assure safe, convenient and adequately sized parking facilities within activity centers;

(2) Providing incentives to rideshare through preferred parking arrangements;

(3) Providing for parking and storage of bicycles;

(4) Providing safe direct pedestrian access from public rights-of-way to structures and between developments;

(5) Requiring uses which attract large numbers of employees or customers to provide transit stops; and

(6) Ensure compliance with the Covington design manual. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.010))

18.50.020 Authority and application.

(1) Before an occupancy permit may be granted for any new or enlarged building or for a change of use in any existing building, the use shall be required to meet the provisions of this chapter.

(2) If this chapter does not specify a parking requirement for a land use, the Director shall establish the minimum requirement based on a study of anticipated parking demand. Transportation demand management actions taken at the site shall be considered in determining anticipated demand. In the study the applicant shall provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the parking demand for a specific land use will be satisfied. Parking studies shall be prepared by a professional engineer with expertise in traffic and parking analyses, or an equally qualified individual as authorized by the Director.

(3) If the required amount of off-street parking has been proposed to be provided off-site, the applicant shall provide written contracts with affected landowners showing that required off-street parking shall be provided in a manner consistent with the provisions of this chapter. The contracts shall be reviewed by the Director for compliance with this chapter, and if approved, the contracts shall be recorded with the County Records and Elections Division as a deed restriction on the title to all applicable properties. These deed restrictions may not be revoked or modified without authorization by the Director. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.020))

18.50.030 Computation of required off-street parking spaces.

(1) Except as modified in CMC 18.50.070(2) and (3), off-street parking areas shall contain at a minimum the number of parking spaces as stipulated in the following table. Off-street parking ratios expressed as number of spaces per square feet means the usable or net square footage of floor area, exclusive of nonpublic areas. Nonpublic areas include but are not limited to building maintenance areas, storage areas, closets or restrooms. If the formula for determining the number of off-street parking spaces results in a fraction, the number of off-street parking spaces shall be rounded to the nearest whole number with fractions of .50 or greater rounding up and fractions below .50 rounding down.


Land Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Residential (CMC 18.25.030):
Single detached/townhouse	2.0 per dwelling unit
Apartment:
Studio units	1.2 per dwelling unit
One-bedroom units	1.5 per dwelling unit
Two-bedroom units	1.7 per dwelling unit
Three-bedroom units or larger	2.0 per dwelling unit
Mobile home park	2.0 per dwelling unit
Senior citizen assisted	1 per 2 dwelling or sleeping units
Community residential facilities	1 per two bedrooms
Dormitory, including religious	1 per two bedrooms
Hotel/motel including organizational hotel/lodging	1 per bedroom
Bed and breakfast guesthouse	1 per guest room, plus 2 per facility
Recreation/Cultural (CMC 18.25.040):
Recreation/culture uses	1 per 400 square feet
Exceptions:
Bowling center	5 per lane
Golf course	3 per hole, plus 1 per 300 square feet of club house facilities
Tennis club	4 per tennis court plus 1 per 300 square feet of clubhouse facility
Golf driving range	1 per tee
Park/playfield	(Director)
Theater	1 per 3 fixed seats
Conference center	1 per 3 fixed seats, plus 1 per 50 square feet used for assembly purposes without fixed seats, or 1 per bedroom, whichever results in the greater number of spaces
General Services (CMC 18.25.050):
General services uses	1 per 400 square feet
Exceptions:
Funeral home/crematory	1 per 50 square feet of chapel area
Day care I	2 per facility
Day care II	2 per facility, plus 1 space for each 20 children
Churches, synagogue, temple	1 per 5 fixed seats, plus 1 per 50 square feet of gross floor area without fixed seats used for assembly purposes
Outpatient and veterinary clinic offices	1 per 400 square feet of office, labs and examination rooms
Nursing and personal care facilities	1 per 4 beds
Hospital	1 per bed
Elementary schools	1 per classroom, plus 1 per 50 students
Secondary schools:
Middle/junior high schools	1 per classroom, plus 1 per 50 students
High schools	1 per classroom, plus 1 per 10 students
High schools with stadiums	Greater of 1 per classroom plus 1 per 10 students, or 1 per 3 fixed seats in stadium
Vocational schools	1 per classroom, plus 1 per five students
Specialized instruction schools	1 per classroom, plus 1 per two students
Artist studios	.9 per 1,000 square feet of area used for studios
Government/Business Services (CMC 18.25.060):
Government/business services uses	1 per 400 square feet
Exceptions:
Public agency yard	1 per 400 square feet of offices, plus .9 per 1,000 square feet of indoor storage or repair areas
Public agency archives	.9 per 1,000 square feet of storage area, plus 1 per 50 square feet of waiting/reviewing areas
Courts	3 per courtroom, plus 1 per 50 square feet of fixed seat or assembly areas
Police facility	(Director)
Fire facility	(Director)
Construction and trade	1 per 300 square feet of office, plus 1 per 3,000 square feet of storage area
Warehousing and storage	1 per 300 square feet of office, plus .9 per 1,000 square feet of storage area
Self-service storage	1 per 3,500 square feet of storage area, plus 2 for any resident Director’s unit
Outdoor advertising services	1 per 400 square feet of office, plus .9 per 1,000 square feet of storage area
Heavy equipment repair	1 per 400 square feet of office, plus .9 per 1,000 square feet of indoor repair areas
Office	1 per 400 square feet
Retail/Wholesale (CMC 18.25.070):
Retail trade uses	1 per 400 square feet
Exceptions:
Food stores, less than 15,000 square feet	3 plus 1 per 400 square feet
Gasoline service stations without grocery	3 per facility, plus 1 per service bay
Gasoline service stations with grocery, no service bays	1 per facility, plus 1 per 400 square feet of store
Restaurants	1 per 75 square feet in dining or lounge areas
Wholesale trade uses	.9 per 1,000 square feet
Retail and wholesale trade mixed-use	1 per 400 square feet
Manufacturing (CMC 18.25.080):
Manufacturing uses	.9 per 1,000 square feet
Winery/brewery	.9 per 1,000 square feet, plus 1 per 50 square feet of tasting area
Resources (CMC 18.25.090):
Resource uses	(Director)
Regional (CMC 18.25.100):
Regional uses	(Director)

(2) An applicant may request a modification of the minimum required number of parking spaces by providing that parking demand can be met with a reduced parking requirement. In such cases, the Director may approve a reduction of up to 50 percent of the minimum required number of spaces.

(3) When the City has received a shell building permit application, off-street parking requirements shall be based on the possible tenant improvements or uses authorized by the zone designation and compatible with the limitations of the shell permit. When the range of possible uses result in different parking requirements, the Director will establish the amount of parking based on a likely range of uses.

(4) Where other provisions of this code stipulate maximum parking allowed or reduced minimum parking requirements, those provisions shall apply.

(5) In any development required to provide six or more parking spaces, bicycle parking shall be provided. Bicycle parking shall be bike rack or locker-type parking facilities unless otherwise specified.

(a) Off-street parking areas shall contain at least one bicycle parking space for every 12 spaces required for motor vehicles except as follows:

(i) The Director may reduce bike rack parking facilities for patrons when it is demonstrated that bicycle activity will not occur at that location.

(ii) The Director may require additional spaces when it is determined that the use or its location will generate a high volume of bicycle activity. Such a determination will include but not be limited to the following uses:

(A) Park/playfield;

(B) Library/museum/arboretum;

(D) Sports club; or

(E) Retail business (when located along a developed bicycle trail or designated bicycle route).

(b) Bicycle facilities for patrons shall be located within 50 feet of the building entrance and shall be designed to allow either a bicycle frame or wheels to be locked to a structure attached to the pavement.

(c) All bicycle parking and storage shall be located in safe, visible areas that do not impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic flow, and shall be well lit for nighttime use.

(d) When more than 10 people are employed on-site, enclosed locker-type parking facilities for employees shall be provided. The Director shall allocate the required number of parking spaces between bike rack parking and enclosed locker-type parking facilities.

(e) One indoor bicycle storage space shall be provided for every two dwelling units in townhouse and apartment residential uses, unless individual garages are provided for every unit. The Director may reduce the number of bike rack parking spaces if indoor storage facilities are available to all residents. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.030))

18.50.040 Shared parking requirements.

The amount of off-street parking required by CMC 18.50.030 may be reduced by an amount determined by the Director when shared parking facilities for two or more uses are proposed, provided:

(1) The total parking area exceeds 5,000 square feet;

(2) The parking facilities are designed and developed as a single on-site common parking facility, or as a system of on-site and off-site facilities, if all facilities are connected with improved pedestrian facilities and no building or use involved is more than 800 feet from the most remote shared facility;

(3) The amount of the reduction shall not exceed 10 percent for each use, unless:

(a) The normal hours of operation for each use are separated by at least one hour; or

(b) A parking demand study is prepared by a professional traffic engineer and submitted by the applicant documenting that the hours of actual parking demand for the proposed uses will not conflict and those uses will be served by adequate parking if shared parking reductions are authorized;

(4) The total number of parking spaces in the common parking facility is not less than the minimum required spaces for any single use;

(5) A covenant or other contract for shared parking between the cooperating property owners is approved by the Director. This covenant or contract must be recorded with King County Records and Elections Division as a deed restriction on both properties and cannot be modified or revoked without the consent of the Director; and

(6) If any requirements for shared parking are violated, the affected property owners must provide a remedy satisfactory to the Director or provide the full amount of required off-street parking for each use, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, unless a satisfactory alternative remedy is approved by the Director. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.040))

18.50.050 Exceptions for community residential facilities (CRFs) and senior citizen assisted housing.

(1) The minimum requirement of one off-street parking space per two bedrooms for CRFs and one off-street parking space per two senior citizen assisted housing units may be reduced by up to 50 percent, as determined by the Director based on the following considerations:

(a) Availability of private, convenient transportation services to meet the needs of the CRF residents;

(b) Accessibility to and frequency of public transportation; and

(2) If a CRF or senior citizen assisted housing is no longer used for such purposes, additional off-street parking spaces shall be required in compliance with this chapter prior to the issuance of a new certificate of occupancy. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.050))

18.50.060 Parking for the disabled.

Off-street parking and access for physically disabled persons shall be provided in accordance with of the regulations adopted pursuant to Chapter 19.27 RCW, State Building Code, and Chapter 70.92 RCW, Public Buildings – Provisions for Aged and Disabled. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.060))

18.50.070 Loading space requirements.

(1) Every nonresidential building engaged in retail, wholesale, manufacturing or storage activities, excluding self-service storage facilities, shall provide loading spaces in accordance with the standards listed below:


Gross Floor Area (square feet)	Required Number of Loading Spaces
10,000 to 16,000	1
16,001 to 40,000	2
40,001 to 64,000	3
64,001 to 96,000	4
96,001 to 128,000	5
128,001 to 160,000	6
160,001 to 196,000	7
For each additional 36,000	1 additional

(2) Every building engaged in hotel, office building, restaurant, hospital, auditorium, convention hall, exhibition hall, sports arena/stadium or other similar use shall provide loading spaces in accordance with the standards listed below:


Gross Floor Area (square feet)	Required Number of Loading Spaces
40,000 to 60,000	1
60,001 to 160,000	2
160,001 to 264,000	3
264,001 to 388,000	4
388,001 to 520,000	5
520,001 to 652,000	6
652,001 to 784,000	7
784,001 to 920,000	8
For each additional 140,000	1 additional

(3) Each loading space required by this section shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide, 30 feet long, and have an unobstructed vertical clearance of 14 feet six inches, and shall be surfaced, improved and maintained as required by this chapter. Loading spaces shall be located so that trucks shall not obstruct pedestrian or vehicle traffic movement or project into any public right-of-way. All loading space areas shall be separated from parking areas and shall be designated as truck loading spaces. All loading areas shall be screened from public view and oriented away from any public right-of-way when possible.

(4) Any loading space located within 100 feet of areas zoned for residential use shall be screened and operated as necessary to reduce noise and visual impacts. Noise mitigation measures may include architectural or structural barriers, beams, walls, or restrictions on the hours of operation.

(5) Multi-story self-service storage facilities shall provide two loading spaces, and single story facilities one loading space, adjacent to each building entrance that provides common access to interior storage units. Each loading berth shall measure not less than 25 feet by 12 feet with an unobstructed vertical clearance of 14 feet six inches, and shall be surfaced, improved and maintained as required by this chapter. Any floor area additions or structural alterations to a building shall be required to provide loading space or spaces as set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.070))

18.50.080 Stacking spaces and restrictions for drive-through facilities.

(1) A stacking space shall be an area measuring eight feet by 20 feet with direct forward access to a service window of a drive-through facility. A stacking space shall be located to prevent any vehicles from extending onto the public right-of-way, or interfering with any pedestrian circulation, traffic maneuvering, or other parking space areas. Stacking spaces for drive-through or drive-in uses may not be counted as required parking spaces.

(2) Uses providing drive-up or drive-through services shall provide vehicle stacking spaces as follows:

(a) For each drive-through lane of a bank/financial institution, business service, or other drive-through use not listed, a minimum of five stacking spaces shall be provided; and

(b) For each drive-through lane of a restaurant, a minimum of seven stacking spaces shall be provided.

(3) Restrictions on the Location of Drive-Through Facilities.

(a) In the commercial zones, drive-up windows shall not face a public right-of-way.

(b) Stacking spaces for an approved drive-up window shall be screened from public view through the use of architectural or structural barriers, beams, walls, or landscape material.

(c) In the neighborhood commercial zone, drive-up windows are limited to espresso and pharmacy uses. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.080))

18.50.090 Transit and rideshare provisions.

(1) All land uses listed in CMC 18.25.060 (government/business services) and in CMC 18.25.080 (manufacturing), hospitals, high schools, vocational schools, universities and specialized instruction schools shall be required to reserve one parking space of every 20 required spaces for rideshare parking as follows:

(a) The parking spaces shall be located closer to the primary employee entrance than any other employee parking except disabled;

(b) Reserved areas shall have markings and signs indicating that the space is reserved; and

(c) Parking in reserved areas shall be limited to vanpools and carpools established through rideshare programs by public agencies and to vehicles meeting minimum rideshare qualifications set by the employer;

(2) The Director may reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces when one or more scheduled transit routes provide service within 660 feet of the site. The amount of reduction shall be based on the number of scheduled transit runs between 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. each business day up to a maximum reduction as follows:

(a) Four percent for each run serving land uses in CMC 18.25.060 (government/business services) and CMC 18.25.080 (manufacturing) up to a maximum of 40 percent; and

(b) Two percent for each run serving land uses in CMC 18.25.040 (recreation/culture), 18.25.050 (general services) and 18.25.060 (retail/wholesale) up to a maximum of 20 percent; and

(3) All uses which are located on an existing transit route and are required under the computation for required off-street parking spaces in CMC 18.50.030(1) to provide more than 200 parking spaces may be required to provide transit shelters, bus turnout lanes or other transit improvements as a condition of permit approval. Uses which reduce required parking under subsection (2) of this section shall provide transit shelters if transit routes adjoin the site. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.090))

18.50.100 Pedestrian and bicycle circulation and access.

(1) Nonresidential Uses. All permitted nonresidential uses shall provide pedestrian and bicycle access within and onto the site. Access points onto the site shall be provided:

(a) Approximately every 300 feet along existing and proposed perimeter sidewalks and walkways; and

(b) At all arrival points to the site, including abutting street intersections, crosswalks, and transit stops. In addition, access points to and from adjacent lots shall be coordinated to provide circulation patterns between developments.

(2) Residential Uses.

(a) All permitted residential uses of five or more dwelling units shall provide pedestrian and bicycle access within and onto the site. Access points onto the site shall be provided:

(i) Approximately every 800 to 1,000 feet along existing and proposed perimeter sidewalks and walkways; and

(ii) At all arrival points to the site, including abutting street intersections, crosswalks, and transit and school bus stops. In addition, access points to and from adjacent lots shall be coordinated to provide circulation patterns between sites.

(b) Residential uses of five or more dwelling units shall provide for nonmotorized circulation between cul-de-sacs or groups of buildings to allow pedestrian and bicycle access within and through the development to adjacent activity centers, parks, common tracts, dedicated open space intended for active recreation, schools or other public facilities, transit and school bus stops, and public streets.

(c) Access shall only be required to school bus stops that are within or adjacent to a proposed residential use of five or more dwelling units and that are identified by the affected school district in response to a notice of application. In order to allow school districts to identify school bus stops, the Department shall send a notice of application to affected school districts on all applications for residential uses of five or more dwelling units.

Walkways Running Parallel to Parking

(3) Walkways shall form an on-site circulation system that minimizes the conflict between pedestrians and traffic at all points of pedestrian access to on-site parking and building entrances. Walkways shall be provided when the pedestrian access point onto the site, or any parking space, is more than 75 feet from the building entrance or principal on-site destination and as follows:

(a) All developments which contain more than one building shall provide walkways between the principal entrances of the buildings;

(b) All nonresidential buildings set back from the public right-of-way shall provide for direct pedestrian access from the building to buildings on adjacent lots; and

(i) Walkways running parallel to the parking rows shall be provided for every six rows. Rows without walkways shall be landscaped or contain barriers or other means to encourage pedestrians to use the walkways; and

(ii) Walkways running perpendicular to the parking rows shall be no further than 20 parking spaces. Landscaping, barriers or other means shall be provided between the parking rows to encourage pedestrians to use the walkways;

Walkways Running Perpendicular to Parking

(4) Pedestrian and bicycle access and walkways shall meet the following minimum design standards:

(a) Access and walkways shall be well lit and physically separated from driveways and parking spaces by landscaping, berms, barriers, grade separation or other means to protect pedestrians from vehicular traffic and in accord with the design manual;

(b) Access and walkways shall be a minimum of five feet of unobstructed width and meet the surfacing standards of the City of Covington road standards for walkways or sidewalks and the provisions of the design manual;

(c) The minimum standard for walkways required to be accessible for persons with disabilities shall be designed and constructed to comply with the current State Building Code regulations for barrier-free accessibility;

(d) A crosswalk shall be required when a walkway crosses a driveway or a paved area accessible to vehicles.

(5) Blocks in excess of 460 feet shall be provided with a crosswalk at the approximate midpoint of the block.

(6) The Director may waive or modify the requirements of this section when:

(a) Existing or proposed improvements would create an unsafe condition or security concern;

(b) There are topographical constraints, or existing or required structures effectively block access;

(d) The public is not allowed access to the subject land use.

The Director’s waiver may not be used to modify or waive the requirements of CMC 18.50.100 relating to sidewalks and safe walking conditions for students. (Ord. 42-02 § 2 (21A.18.100))

18.50.110 Off-street parking plan design standards.

(1) Off-street parking areas shall not be located more than 600 feet from the building they are required to serve, unless approved by the Director, for all uses except those specified as follows; where an off-street parking area does not abut the building it serves, the required maximum distance shall be measured from the nearest building entrance that the parking area serves:

(a) For all single detached dwellings the parking spaces shall be located on the same lot they are required to serve;

(b) For all other residential dwellings at least a portion of parking areas shall be located within 150 feet from the building or building(s) they are required to serve;

(c) For all nonresidential uses permitted in residential zones, the parking spaces shall be located on the same lot they are required to serve and at least a portion of parking areas shall be located within 150 feet from the nearest building entrance they are required to serve;

(d) In designated activity, community business and neighborhood business centers, parking lots shall be located to the rear or sides of buildings. Relief from this subsection (1)(d) may be granted by the Director only if the applicant can demonstrate that there is no practical site design to meet this requirement. The Director may allow only the number of parking spaces that cannot be accommodated to the rear or sides of buildings to be located to the front of buildings;

(e) Parking lots shall be so arranged as to permit the internal circulation of vehicles between parking aisles without re-entering adjoining public streets; and

(f) Parking for the disabled shall be provided in accordance with CMC 18.50.060.

(2) The minimum parking space and aisle dimensions for the most common parking angles are shown on the table in this subsection. For parking angles other than those shown on the chart, the minimum parking space and aisle dimensions shall be determined by the Director. Regardless of the parking angle, one-way aisles shall be at least 10 feet wide, and two-way aisles shall be at least 20 feet wide. If dead end aisles are used in the parking layout, they shall be constructed as two-way aisles. Parking plans for angle parking shall use space widths no less than eight feet six inches for a standard parking space design and eight feet for