Chapter 17.50
OFF-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS
Sections:
17.50.010 Off-street parking required.
17.50.020 Parking space requirements.
17.50.070 Downtown business area parking requirements.
17.50.075 Parking requirements for sexually oriented businesses.
17.50.090 Temporary parking lots.
17.50.100 Commercial vehicle regulations.
17.50.000 Purposes.
The purposes of this chapter are:
A. To reduce street congestion and avoid crowding of on-street parking space;
B. To require adequate landscaping of off-street parking areas;
C. To protect adjacent property from the impact of a use with inadequate off-street parking. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.010 Off-street parking required.
A. New Uses or Structures Not Including the Downtown Business Area.
1. Off-street parking facilities which comply with this chapter shall be provided before any new use is begun, or any new structure is approved for occupancy. A detailed plan and provisions specifically setting forth the method and location by which the off-street parking required for the proposed use will be met, whether by construction, a joint use agreement, or any other method provided by this code, shall be filed and approved in conformance with the applicable provisions of this code before any building permit is issued.
2. If any change of use occurs, or any addition is built, additional parking spaces to meet the requirements of this chapter shall be provided.
B. Existing Uses or Structures Not Including the Downtown Business Area.
1. Existing uses or structures shall not be required to comply with the requirements of this chapter except under subsection (B)(2) or (B)(3) of this section, if they have off-street parking which complied with applicable regulations at the time the use began or the structure was occupied.
2. If a change of use takes place, or an addition is built, which increases the number of off-street parking spaces normally required by this chapter by more than 10 percent but less than 100 percent, the number of additional off-street parking spaces required by this chapter for the new use or addition shall be required to be provided in addition to the number of spaces previously existing. In no case shall the total requirement exceed that required by this chapter.
3. If a change of use takes place, or an addition is built, which increases the number of off-street parking spaces normally required by this chapter by 100 percent or more, the full number of spaces required by this chapter for the new use or the entire altered building shall be provided.
C. The Downtown Business Area.
1. All new buildings or additions in the downtown business area shall provide parking at a flat rate of one parking stall for every 500 square feet of gross floor area of building. If it is a mixed use or residential building, the portions of the building used exclusively for residential uses shall only be required to provide parking at one stall per dwelling unit. For purposes of this chapter, “residential uses” shall refer to lobbies, stairwells, elevators, storage areas and other similar features.
2. All existing and new uses in existing buildings are considered to comply with the parking requirements set forth in this chapter of the code.
D. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Parking Standards. See Chapter 17.115 ECDC for parking standards relating to electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. [Ord. 4251 § 2 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 4140 § 2, 2019; Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.020 Parking space requirements.
[Refer to ECDC 17.50.010(C) and 17.50.070 for standards relating to the downtown business area.]
A. Residential.
1. Single-family and multifamily.
a. Single-family dwellings: two spaces per dwelling unit, except:
b. Multiple residential according to the following table:
|
Type of multiple dwelling unit |
Required parking spaces per dwelling unit |
|---|---|
|
Studio |
1.2 |
|
1 bedroom |
1.5 |
|
2 bedrooms |
1.8 |
|
3 or more bedrooms |
2.0 |
2. Boarding house: one space per bed.
3. Rest home, nursing home, convalescent home, residential social welfare facilities: one space per three beds.
4. Single-family dwellings with accessory dwelling unit: three spaces total.
B. Business.
1. Retail stores, including art galleries, convenience stores, department stores, discount stores, drug stores, grocery stores, supermarkets: one space per 300 square feet;
2. Furniture, appliances, and hardware stores: one space per 600 square feet;
3. Services uses, including barber shops, beauty shops, dry cleaners, laundries, repair shops: one space per 600 square feet;
4. Medical, dental and veterinarian offices, banks and clinics: one space per 200 square feet;
5. Business and professional offices with on-site customer service: one space per 400 square feet;
6. Offices not providing on-site customer service: one space per 800 square feet;
7. Bowling alley: four spaces per bowling lane;
8. Commercial recreation: one space per 500 square feet, or one space for each customer allowed by the maximum permitted occupant load;
9. Car repair, commercial garage: one space per 200 square feet;
10. Drive-in restaurants, automobile service station, car dealer, used car lot: one space per 500 square feet of lot area;
11. Restaurant, tavern, cocktail lounge: if less than 4,000 square feet floor area, one per 200 square feet gross floor area; if over 4,000 square feet floor area, 20 plus one per 100 square feet gross floor area in excess of 4,000 square feet;
12. Plant nurseries (outdoor retail area): one space per five square feet of outdoor retail area;
13. Motels and hotels: one space per room or unit;
14. Retail warehouse, building materials yard: one space per 1,000 square feet of lot area or one per three employees;
15. Manufacturing, laboratories, printing, research, automobile wrecking yards, kennels: one space per two employees on largest shift;
16. Mortuary: one space per four fixed seats or per 400 square feet of assembly area, whichever is greater;
17. Marina: to be determined by the hearing examiner, using information provided by the applicant, and the following criteria:
a. The type of storage facility (moorage, dry storage, trailer parking) and intended use (sailboats, fishing boats, leisure boats),
b. The need to accommodate overflow peak parking demand from other uses accessory to the marina,
c. The availability and use of public transit;
18. Storage warehouse: one space per employee;
19. Wholesale warehouse: one space per employee;
20. Adult retail store: one space per 300 square feet;
21. Sexually oriented business (except adult retail store): one space for each customer allowed by the maximum permitted occupant load.
C. Community Facilities.
1. Outdoor places of public assembly, including stadiums and arenas: one space per eight fixed seats, or per 100 square feet of assembly area, whichever is greater;
2. Theaters: one space per five seats;
3. Indoor places of public assembly, including churches, auditoriums: one space per four seats or one space per 40 square feet of assembly area, whichever is greater;
4. Elementary schools, junior high schools, boarding schools (elementary through senior high), residential colleges and universities: six spaces per classroom, or one space per daytime employee, whichever is greater;
5. Nonresidential colleges and universities: one space per daytime employee;
6. High schools (senior): one space per daytime employee;
7. Museums, libraries, art galleries: one space per 250 square feet;
8. Day-care centers and preschools: one space per 300 square feet, or one per employee, plus one per five students, whichever is larger;
9. Hospitals: three spaces per bed;
10. Maintenance yard (public or public utility): one space per two employees.
D. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Parking Standards. See Chapter 17.115 ECDC for parking standards relating to electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. [Ord. 4251 § 2 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.030 Calculations.
A. Square Feet. Unless otherwise specified, square feet refers to the gross building square footage, including outdoor areas used for the same use (such as an outdoor eating area for a restaurant).
B. Combination of Uses. Combination of uses shall meet the requirement based on the sum of all the uses reduced by any applicable joint use provisions (see ECDC 17.50.060). Examples of such combined uses are: a furniture store with a retail display area and attached storage warehouse, a storage warehouse with attached office, a church with a parochial school, mixed use building with commercial and residential uses and so forth.
C. Different Uses on Same Site. The requirement for different uses on the same site shall be the sum of all requirements for the individual uses, reduced by any applicable joint use provisions.
D. Uses Not Specified. Any use not listed above shall meet the requirements of the most similar listed use as determined by the community development director.
E. Fractions. When the requirements of this chapter result in a fractional number of parking spaces, one space shall be provided for a fraction of one-half or more, and no space shall be required for a fraction of less than one-half. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.040 Location.
A. Permitted Uses in Residential Zones. Off-street parking shall be located on the same lot and within 100 feet walking distance of the use for which it is required.
B. All Other Uses. Off-street parking shall be located within 300 feet walking distance of the use for which it is required, except that the only requirement of the location of off-street parking required for a use in the downtown business area shall be that such parking be located within the downtown business area. If the off-street parking is not on the same lot as the use for which it is required, the owner or lessor shall provide an agreement to the city for recording with the county auditor which specifies:
1. The location, by legal description or survey, of the off-street parking and the use for which it is required;
2. A restriction on the property designated for off-street parking that it may not be used for any other purpose unless the parking is no longer required for the use specified in subsection (B)(1) of this section. [Ord. 3628 § 1, 2007; Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.050 Standards.
See Chapter 18.95 ECDC for size, construction and maintenance of off-street parking. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.060 Joint use.
See Chapter 20.30 ECDC for joint use of off-street parking facilities. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.070 Downtown business area parking requirements.
A. See ECDC 17.50.010(C) for the parking requirements in the downtown business area.
B. Downtown Business Area Defined. The downtown business area consists of all land zoned BC, BD or CW and located in the area east of Puget Sound, south of Edmonds Street, west of Seventh Avenue, and north of Pine Street. For the purposes of this chapter only, the downtown business area shall include all commercially zoned properties within the specified boundaries.
C. Exceptions to the required parking standards in the downtown area. When requested by the developer, the staff, using information provided by the applicant, may decrease the required parking for a building listed on the Edmonds register of historic places in order to retain historic elements of the building during its expansion, remodeling or restoration. Any building construction or remodeling activities serving as the justification for the parking exception shall be consistent with the criteria and procedures governing historic buildings contained in Chapter 20.45 ECDC. The decision on the parking exception shall be processed as a Type II decision. [Ord. 3736 § 15, 2009; Ord. 3628 § 2, 2007; Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.075 Parking requirements for sexually oriented businesses.
A. All off-street parking areas shall be clearly visible from the street.
B. Off-street parking facilities shall be illuminated by overhead lighting at a minimum average of 20 footcandles. Lighting shall be directed downward and away from external property lines. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.090 Temporary parking lots.
A. Conditional Use. A conditional use permit shall be required in order to construct or maintain a temporary parking lot in any B (business) or C (commercial) zone. The initial permit shall be valid for a term of one year; provided, however, that extensions may be approved under the following conditions:
1. The applicant may apply to the community services director to have said permit extended for a period of one year upon the filing of a written application stating the reasons for said requests prior to the expiration of the original permit.
2. The applicant may, in addition, apply for an additional two-year extension through the vehicle of a conditional use permit for a temporary parking lot. In addition to satisfying the criteria of ECDC 20.05.010, the applicant shall be required to demonstrate that a public benefit will result from the issuance of the two-year extension. In no event shall a temporary parking lot be permitted to continue beyond four years from the date the initial conditional use permit is granted.
3. Applications for a conditional use permit, or an appeal of a staff decision approving or denying a one-year extension thereof, shall be reviewed by the hearing examiner under the same terms and conditions as any conditional use permit utilizing the criteria contained in Chapter 20.05 ECDC and under the procedural requirements contained in Chapter 20.06 ECDC. An application for a two-year extension shall be processed in the same manner as an initial application for a conditional use permit for a temporary parking lot and new or changed conditions may be imposed in the course of that process.
B. Improvements. The hearing examiner shall require the applicant to meet the public improvement and dedication requirements for permanent use of the director of community services. The applicant shall also be required to provide a durable, well-drained, dust-free and hard surface for the parking lot.
C. Review by the Architectural Design Board. If the conditional use permit is approved, the applicant shall then submit the proposal for review to the architectural design board, and shall comply with any requirements of the board as to signage, lighting, screening and landscaping. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to prohibit an applicant from filing a simultaneous request for review of his conditional use permit application by the hearing examiner and/or review of said lot by the architectural design board. [Ord. 3783 § 3, 2010; Ord. 3775 § 3, 2010; Ord. 3736 § 16, 2009; Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].
17.50.100 Commercial vehicle regulations.
A. No person shall park or store more than one commercial vehicle or any commercial vehicle over 10,000 pounds licensed gross vehicle weight per dwelling unit on any lot in any R zoned district unless he/she has first obtained a conditional use permit. For the purposes of this section, “commercial vehicle” means any motor vehicle, the principal use of which is the transportation of commodities, merchandise, produce, freight, vehicles, animals, passengers for hire, or which is used primarily in construction or farming, including but not limited to bulldozers, backhoes, tractors and cranes.
B. The provisions of this section shall not apply to commercial vehicles which are being loaded or unloaded. [Ord. 3496 § 2, 2004].