Chapter 10.40
OFF-STREET PARKING Amended Ord. 24-03 Ord. 24-04

Sections:

10.40.010    Purpose.

10.40.020    Effect of chapter.

10.40.030    General provisions.

10.40.040    Minimum and maximum parking spaces. Amended Ord. 24-03

10.40.050    Off-street loading.

10.40.060    Access to off-street parking and loading spaces.

10.40.070    Parking development, standards, and maintenance. Amended Ord. 24-04

10.40.080    Other parking provisions.

10.40.010 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide regulations for off-street parking and loading and sufficient access to such facilities for each type of land use so as to reduce street congestion and traffic hazards and prevent the need to park on public streets. [Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-010.]

10.40.020 Effect of chapter.

The regulations as contained in this chapter shall apply and govern in all zones. [Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-020.]

10.40.030 General provisions.

Off-street parking shall comply with the following requirements:

(A) Off-Street Parking Space Required. Any use of land or main building or structure in the City shall provide sufficient off-street parking spaces, as outlined in this chapter, along with adequate provisions for ingress and egress by standard-size automobiles and adequate loading facilities at the time anyone establishes a use or erects a building.

(B) Location of Off-Street Parking. Parking areas, as required by this chapter, shall be hard surfaces located on the same lot as the main building or structure. However, in cases other than a dwelling where, due to size or location, the land owner cannot provide the required parking on site, they may provide such parking on other property not more than 300 feet from the nearest point of the main parcel, provided the off-site location would not require persons to cross a public street.

(C) Prohibited Locations.

(1) It shall be unlawful to park a motor vehicle, trailer, or boat in a front yard or side yard, as defined in SCC 10.10.040, on any residential property, except as provided in subsections (C)(4) and (5) of this section.

(2) On any property:

(a) Located within a zone other than a residential or agricultural zone, it shall be unlawful to park a motor vehicle, trailer or boat, except in areas improved for parking;

(b) Which is undeveloped and located within a residential or agricultural zone, it shall be lawful to park a motor vehicle, trailer or boat on that parcel, so long as grass and weeds on the parcel are maintained to a height below six inches.

(3) No one shall develop any portion of a front yard, as required in this title, as a public parking area in conjunction with a permitted multifamily, commercial, or industrial use without approval at site plan review.

(4) No one shall pave or improve any portion of a required front yard, other than approved parking and driveways leading directly to or adjacent to a garage, so as to encourage or make possible the parking of vehicles therein. Residents may use paved driveways leading directly to or adjacent to a garage as an approved parking area for additional vehicles to meet the requirements of this chapter. This section shall not be interpreted to prohibit the establishment of semi-circular, pull-through or hammerhead pull-out driveways, as provided in SCC 8.10.200.

(5) On residential properties, vehicles and trailers may be parked in the side yard, as defined in SCC 10.10.040. Additionally, side yard parking for corner lots may only occur if an opaque fence of at least six feet in height separates the parked vehicle from the right-of-way running along the side of the corner lot.

(6) The provisions of this section do not prohibit the parking of vehicles or equipment kept for agricultural use in any yard area of properties in the A-1 or R-1 zones.

(7) All vehicles on the property shall be licensed and operable. The owner of any vehicle that has been inoperable or unlicensed for longer than four months shall remove said vehicle from the property or store it in a completely enclosed structure, including any and all vehicle parts. If a vehicle is under restoration, the vehicle owner shall possess a current and valid restoration permit from the City Community Development Department. Restoration permits shall expire one year from the date of issuance, and only one restoration permit may be issued at a time for each licensed driver at the residence.

(D) No Parking Reduction. No one shall reduce the number or size of parking stalls needed for off-street parking in connection with an existing building nor utilize the same for any purpose other than for off-street parking and shall maintain the space in perpetuity as long as the requirement for said off-street parking is necessary.

(E) Tandem Parking. This chapter prohibits tandem parking except for residential units of the same household and in front of the unit’s enclosed garage. In multifamily housing projects, signage identifying assigned parking shall be installed prior to occupancy. In this case, the parking space may be within the driveway area in the required front yard.

(F) Enlargements, Change of Use, Etc. No one shall enlarge, alter, convert, or change the use of a building or structure unless they provide, and thereafter maintain for such building and its use, a minimum number of parking spaces as hereinafter required. However, if such alteration, enlargement, conversion, or change does not increase the number of required parking spaces by more than 15 percent, then no additional parking spaces need be provided.

(G) Uses Not Mentioned. In the case of a use not specifically mentioned herein, the requirements for the most similar use so mentioned, as decided by the Land Use Authority, shall apply. [Ord. 20-32 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-21 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 13-15 § 1; Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 09-10 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-030.]

10.40.040 Minimum and maximum parking spaces. Amended Ord. 24-03

Each land use as listed below shall provide the required off-street parking. For any use not listed, the requirements for the most similar use listed shall apply. The Land Use Authority shall determine which listed use is most similar. In special cases where there is not a similar use, the Land Use Authority, in consultation with the developer, shall establish the minimum and/or maximum parking space requirement. Any entity that conducts a business in or from a residence, or to which employees come to a residence for work, shall obtain site plan approval subject to the following condition: the site provides two off-street parking spaces per single-family residence plus an additional one-half off-street parking space for every full-time, part-time, or contract employee or worker who visits the residence or provides services at the residence during an average week.

Uses

Unit Measure

Min.

Single-family dwellings

Per dwelling unit

2

Two-family dwellings

Per dwelling unit

2

Three-family dwellings

Per dwelling unit

2

Four-family dwellings

Per dwelling unit

2.5

Planned residential development (PRD) family dwellings

Per dwelling unit

2.5

Hotel and motel

Per room or suite

1.5

Intensive commercial businesses, stores, and shops

Per 1,000 square feet retail floor area

3

Less intensive commercial businesses, including autos, lumber, appliances, sales, etc.

Per 1,000 square feet retail floor area

1.5

Convenience stores, service stations, mini-marts

Per 1,000 square feet floor area

3.5

Indoor recreation facilities

Per 3 persons permitted capacity

1

Outdoor recreation facilities

Per player

1

Day cares, preschools, and nursery schools

Per teacher, plus dropoff loading area per seven students

1

Offices and personal services

Per 1,000 square feet floor area

2.5

Fast food or drive-in restaurants, sit-down restaurants, and bars

Per 1,000 square feet of dining area

15

Auditoriums, assembly halls, theaters, churches, and funeral homes

Per seat

0.5

Dental and medical clinics

Per 1,000 square feet floor area

2.5

Hospitals

Per patient bed

1

Hospitals, animal

Per 1,000 square feet floor area

2.5

Nursing homes

Per bed

0.5

Manufacturing uses, research, wholesale

Per 1,000 square feet floor area (excluding floor space used exclusively for storage)

1.25

[Ord. 16-13 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-04 § 7; Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; Ord. 04-12; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-040.]

10.40.050 Off-street loading.

(A) Off-Street Loading Required. For every building or part thereof having a floor area of 10,000 square feet or more which is to be occupied by a commercial or industrial use, to or from which deliveries are regularly made by motor vehicle, the property owner shall provide and maintain on the same lot with the building at least one off-street loading space. In buildings larger than 10,000 square feet, the property owner shall provide a second loading space for the next 30,000 square feet or fraction thereof plus one additional loading space for each increment of 40,000 square feet thereafter.

(B) Size of Off-Street Loading Space. Each loading space shall be not less than 14 feet wide, 25 feet long, and 14 feet high.

(C) Location of Loading Space. Required loading spaces may occupy any required yard except the front yard. The design and arrangement of the loading space shall be such that no part of the space would permit loading or unloading or service from a public street or sidewalk. No loading space shall be located closer than 50 feet from a residential boundary except when screened by a six-foot wall or solid fence. [Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-050.]

10.40.060 Access to off-street parking and loading spaces.

(A) Ingress and Egress. All uses shall provide adequate ingress and egress as follows:

(1) Residential driveway approaches shall have a maximum width of 50 percent of the lot width. Measuring a driveway approach width shall be parallel with the street right-of-way boundary and at the trough of the cut. Property owners shall maintain a minimum five feet of full height curbing between cuts. Where multiple cuts for frontages exist, the maximum of all cuts shall not exceed the total width allowed for the frontage of the lot. Where a proposed driveway approach and associated paving in the public right-of-way in asphalt, concrete or any other impervious surface will encase, cover or in any way come into contact with any public utility located in the public right-of-way the property owner shall provide adequate expansion joints in the paving surface as to allow ease of access to such public utilities. In such cases where this situation exists, in addition to the required excavation permit, the property owner shall submit a design detail for protecting the allowed access of any utilities that may be affected by the proposed excavation work.

(2) Commercial and industrial uses shall have a maximum of one driveway approach for each 100 feet of public street frontage. Said driveway approaches shall be no more than 35 feet in width nor less than 16 feet (for one-way traffic). Where a proposed driveway approach and associated paving in the public right-of-way in asphalt, concrete or any other impervious surface will encase, cover or in any way come into contact with any public utility located in the public right-of-way the property owner shall provide adequate expansion joints in the paving surface as to allow ease of access to such public utilities. In such cases where this situation exists, in addition to the required excavation permit, the property owner shall submit a design detail for protecting the allowed access of any utilities that may be affected by the proposed excavation work.

(B) Spacing. Driveway approaches shall not be located closer to each other than 100 feet in all commercial and industrial zones.

(C) Distance from Intersections. No residential driveway approach shall be located closer than 20 feet to the intersection of two streets. This measurement shall be made along the front property lines/street right-of-way lines to the point of intersection of the two lines. For commercial and industrial uses and apartments with 17 or more parking spaces, the driveway approach shall be no closer than 40 feet to the intersection of two streets. [Ord. 11-04 § 5; Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1994, 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-060.]

10.40.070 Parking development, standards, and maintenance. Amended Ord. 24-04

(A) Size. Each off-street parking space shall be no less than nine feet by 20 feet, except as otherwise provided.

(B) Small Car Parking Spaces. In all parking areas containing 25 or more parking spaces, the developer may reduce the size of a maximum 25 percent of the required parking spaces for use by small cars, except for residential uses where the property owner/manager assigns parking spaces to specific dwelling units. Small car parking spaces shall include signage clearly marking the stall as “Compact Only” or “Small Car Only” and shall be a minimum of nine feet by 15 feet in dimension.

(C) Handicapped Parking. All buildings and uses on the site shall have appropriate means of access for disabled persons. Said access shall meet the requirements of the building code and all standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act shall be followed in order to provide safe and convenient access for the disabled.

(D) Surfacing. All public parking areas, private multifamily residential parking areas, with five or more vehicles and private industrial parking areas with three or more parking spaces (including driveways and loading spaces) shall have asphalt or concrete paving, appropriate bumper guards so cars do not project across sidewalks or property lines, and striping to provide the orderly arrangement and movement of vehicles.

(E) Drainage. All parking areas as described in subsection (D) of this section shall have proper grading for drainage and provisions for curb, gutter, and waterways as submitted in an accepted site plan approved by the City Engineer.

(F) No Backing onto Public Streets. The design of all parking areas described in this section shall eliminate the need for vehicles to back out into a public street.

(G) Screening and Landscaping. As a condition of approval at the site plan review stage, the Land Use Authority may require all public and private parking areas, except single-family and two-family dwellings, to have effective screening, such as fencing or landscaping.

(H) Lighting. The arrangement of lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall reflect the light away from adjoining property in residential districts as per Chapter 10.45 SCC.

(I) Design of Parking Area. All parking areas shall comply with the standards set forth in the Table of Parking Standards in SCC 10.40.080. [Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-070.]

10.40.080 Other parking provisions.

(A) Joint Use Parking Areas. When two dissimilar uses are located next to each other and the demand for parking in conjunction with those uses would not conflict, the Planning Commission may authorize the use of such combined facilities requiring the maximum number of parking spaces for the larger use. A use may provide a shared parking area for similar adjacent uses as long as the total off-street parking spaces equal the minimum requirement for each individual use. If the common facilities are located on more than one lot, the developer must file a covenant, for the preservation of the parking facilities, with the City.

(B) Additional Off-Street Parking Areas. Additional off-street parking areas for common public use is required in residential zones and subdivisions where:

(1) Street widths are at or less than 35 feet between the top-back-of-curb (TBC) on either side of the street; or

(2) Street widths are at or less than 30 feet of pavement in areas without curb, measured from the edge of asphalt of concrete. The layout, spacing, and number of stalls shall be recommended by the City Engineer and approved by the Land Use Authority and shall include:

(a) A minimum of one stall for two dwelling units.

(b) A solid paved surface with proper dimensions, and painted markings.

(c) Properly designed drainage into a storm water collection system and shall be subject to the same storm water detention requirements as the entire subdivision.

(d) ADA accessibility incorporated into the design based upon the requirements of the entire subdivision.

(e) Any given dwelling unit may not be located greater than 350 feet in walking distance on paved surfaces from any parking area.

(f) A homeowners’ association (HOA) to maintain all public off-street parking areas within the subdivision.

Table of Parking Standards 

Parking Angle

 

45 degrees

60 degrees

90 degrees

(Letters refer to the diagram below)

Offset

A

18'

11'

3'

Car Space

B

12'

10'

9'

Stall Depth

C

17'

19'

20'

Stall Depth

D

19'

21'

22'

Overhang

E

2'

2.5'

3'

Driveway

F

14'

18'

26'

Turnaround

G

17'

14'

14'

[Ord. 11-02 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 09-10 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 09-09 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 08-07 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 06-27; Ord. 06-17; amended 1991; Code 1971 § 10-8-080.]