Chapter 18.40
OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Sections:
18.40.03 General provisions – Off-street parking and loading.
18.40.01 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 city, off-street parking spaces shall be as provided in this section unless greater requirements are otherwise established. 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 subsections (a) through (g) of this section. Where square feet are specified, the area measured shall be the floor area primary to the functioning of the particular use of 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 of appeals and the number of employees of an established business shall be determined from an examination of the payroll. The following off-street parking requirements shall apply to all districts, except the C-1 district:
(a) Residential Uses.
(1) One-, two- and multifamily dwellings: one space per dwelling unit.
(2) Residential hotel, rooming or board house: four spaces per five guest accommodations plus one additional space for owner.
(b) Commercial Residential Uses.
(1) Hotel: one space per two guest rooms plus one space per two employees.
(2) Motel: one space per guest room or suite plus one additional space for owner or manager.
(3) Club, lodge: spaces to meet the combined requirements of the uses being conducted such as hotel, restaurant, auditorium, etc.
(c) Institutions.
(1) Welfare or correctional institution: one space per five beds for patients or inmates.
(2) Convalescent nursing home, sanitarium, rest home, home for the aged: one space per two beds for patients or residents.
(3) Hospital: three spaces per two beds.
(d) Places of Public Assemblies.
(1) Church: one space per four seats or eight feet of bench length in the main auditorium.
(2) Library, reading room: one space per 400 feet of floor area plus one space per two employees.
(3) Pre-school nursery, kindergarten: two spaces per teacher.
(4) Elementary or junior: one space per classroom plus one space per administrative employee or one space per four seats or eight feet of bench length in the auditorium or assembly room, whichever is greater.
(5) High school: one space per classroom plus one space per administrative employee plus one space for each six students or one space for four seats or eight feet of bench length in the main auditorium, whichever is greater.
(6) College, commercial school for adults: one space per four seats or eight feet of bench length.
(e) Commercial Amusements.
(1) Stadium, arena, theater: one space per four seats or eight feet of bench length.
(2) Bowling alley: five spaces per alley plus one space per two employees.
(3) Dance hall, skating: one space per 100 feet of floor area plus one space per two employees.
(f) Commercial.
(1) Retail store except as provided in subsection (f)(2) of this section: one space per 125 square feet of floor space.
(2) Service or repair shop, retail store handling exclusively bulky merchandise such as automobiles and furniture: one space per 400 square feet of floor area plus one space per two employees.
(3) Bank, office (except medical and dental): one space per 400 square feet of floor area plus one space per two employees.
(4) Medical and dental clinic: one space per 200 square feet of floor area plus one space per two employees.
(5) Eating or drinking establishment: one space per 100 square feet of floor area.
(6) Mortuaries: one space per four seats or eight feet of bench length in chapels.
(g) Industrial.
(1) Storage warehouse, manufacturing establishment, air, rail or trucking freight terminal: one space per employee.
(2) Wholesale establishment: one space per employee plus one space per 700 square feet of patron serving area. (Code 1996 § 16-254)
18.40.02 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 this section shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to take care of parking needs. (Code 1996 § 16-255)
18.40.03 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 building or other permit shall be issued until plans are presented that show property that is and will remain available for exclusive use as off-street parking and loading space. The subsequent use of property for which the building permit is issued shall be conditional upon the unqualified continuance and availability of the amount of parking and loading space required by this section. Use of property in violation hereof shall be a violation of this section. 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 this section to begin or maintain such altered use until such time as the increased off-street parking or loading requirements are complied with.
(b) Requirements for types of buildings and uses not specifically listed herein shall be determined by the board of appeals, after a report and recommendation from the planning commission, based upon the requirements of comparable uses listed.
(c) 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.
(d) Owners of two or more uses, structures or parcels of land may agree to utilize jointly 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.
(e) 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 500 feet from the building or use they are required to serve, measured in a straight line from the building.
(f) Required parking spaces shall be available for the parking for operable passenger automobiles of residents, customers, patrons and employees only and shall not be used for storage of vehicles or materials or for the parking of trucks used in conducting the business of use.
(g) Unless otherwise provided, required parking and loading spaces shall not be located in a required front yard but may be located within a required side or rear yard.
(h) A plan, drawn to scale, indicating how the off-street parking and loading requirements are to be fulfilled shall accompany an application for a building permit. 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 substance 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.
(i) Design Requirements for Parking Lots.
(1) Areas used for standing and maneuvering of vehicles shall have durable and dustless surfaces maintained adequately for all weather use and so drained as to avoid flow of water across sidewalks.
(2) Except for parking to serve residential uses, parking and loading areas adjacent to or within residential districts or adjacent to residential uses shall be designed to minimize disturbance of residents by the erection between the uses of a sight-obscuring fence of not less than six feet in height except where vision clearance is required.
(3) Parking spaces along the outer boundaries of a parking lot shall be contained by a curb at least four inches high and set back a minimum of four feet from the property line or by a bumper rail.
(4) Artificial lighting which may be provided shall be so deflected as not to shine or create glare in any residential district or on any adjacent dwelling.
(5) Access aisles shall be of sufficient width for all vehicles turning and maneuvering.
(6) Except for single-family and duplex dwellings, groups of more than two 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.
(7) Service drives to off-street parking areas shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic, provide maximum safety of traffic access and egress and maximum safety for pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the site. The number of service drives shall be limited to the minimum that will allow the property to accommodate the traffic to be anticipated. Service drives shall not be more than 30 feet in width and shall be clearly and permanently marked and defined through use of rails, fences, walls or other barriers or markers on frontage not occupied by service drives. Service drives on the same lot frontage shall be separated by a minimum length of curb of 30 feet; provided, that for every foot by which the lot frontage exceeds 100 feet, the minimum required length of curb shall be increased by one foot, up to a maximum requirement of 200 feet. In case of a corner lot, service drives shall be located not closer than 30 feet to the intersecting street line. Service drives shall be located not closer than two feet to a side lot line, except that a common service drive to two adjacent properties with width not exceeding 30 feet may be provided at the common lot line.
(8) Service 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 joining the lines through points 30 feet from their intersection.
(j) 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 providing a performance bond or its equivalent is posted equaling the cost to complete the improvements as estimated by the building inspector provided the parking space is not required for immediate use. In the event the improvements are not completed within one year’s time, the bond or its equivalent shall be forfeited and the improvements thenceforth constructed under the direction of the city. (Code 1996 § 16-256)