Chapter 19.78
OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Sections:
19.78.010 Minimum requirements.
19.78.020 Spaces – Size – Access.
19.78.025 Parking lots – Compliance with ADA and laws of Washington.
19.78.040 Common parking facilities.
19.78.050 Truck loading and unloading facilities.
19.78.060 Surface requirements.
19.78.061 Resurfacing or reconstruction of paved or hard-surfaced areas – Permit required.
19.78.065 Change of use and/or occupancy.
19.78.070 Required truck loading and unloading spaces.
19.78.080 Required off-street automobile parking for commercial buildings and professional offices.
19.78.090 Required off-street automobile parking for other property uses.
19.78.100 Required off-street parking space for specific uses.
19.78.103 Required off-street parking – Fractional measurements.
19.78.105 Exemption – Downtown commerce district – Minimum number of off-street parking spaces.
19.78.110 Exemptions – Public parking facilities – LID.
19.78.120 Landscaping requirements – Height limitations.
19.78.130 Traffic circulation and parking lot design studies required.
19.78.140 Restaurant parking required.
19.78.150 Bicycle and motorcycle parking spaces required.
19.78.010 Minimum requirements.
The off-street automobile parking and truck loading or unloading requirements that are included in this chapter are to be considered as minimum requirements and shall apply to all use districts designated on the official use district maps of the city. (Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.020 Spaces – Size – Access.
Each off-street automobile parking space shall have a width of not less than nine feet, a depth of not less than 20 feet, and shall be provided with adequate means for entry and exit.
Not more than 50 percent of the required off-street parking may be compact spaces with a width of not less than eight and one-half feet and a depth of not less than 18 feet. (Ord. 2619 § 2, 1996; Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.025 Parking lots – Compliance with ADA and laws of Washington.
All off-street parking facilities hereafter constructed, expanded or enlarged shall comply with the requirements of 42 U.S.C. Chapter 126 (Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities) and with the laws of the state of Washington relating to parking facilities for persons with disabilities or handicaps. (Ord. 2619 § 3, 1996).
19.78.030 Spaces – Location.
(1) All off-street commercial, professional, and/or industrial parking and parking for recreational equipment shall be located within 600 feet of the principal uses; provided, that the board of adjustment may approve plans for off-street parking areas which are not on the same site as the principal use if the nearest point of the separate parking area is not more than 600 feet from the nearest point of the principal use. Residential parking shall be located on the same or adjoining lot and be the same ownership as the residential structure.
(2) All off-street parking spaces located in the residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and TNR shall be located so as to not encroach in any required yard setback area. Exception: for those properties where parking is accessed from an alley, parking shall be permitted in the rear yard and the side yard setback adjacent to that parking may be reduced by 50 percent. (Ord. 3384 § 1, 2018; Ord. 3182 § 9, 2011; Ord. 3122 § 18, 2010; Ord. 2921 § 1, 2005; Ord. 2619 § 4, 1996; Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.040 Common parking facilities.
Common parking facilities for two or more buildings or uses may be provided in lieu of the individual requirements contained herein; provided, that the total of such common off-street parking facilities shall not be less than the sum of the required parking facilities for the various uses computed separately. (Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.050 Truck loading and unloading facilities.
Each truck loading and unloading space shall have a width of not less than 12 feet, a length of not less than 30 feet, an unobstructed height of not less than 14 feet six inches and shall be permanently available for truck loading and unloading purposes only. Such facilities shall be so located that the trucks using the same shall not interfere with areas reserved for off-street automobile parking nor project into any public right-of-way and shall be located adjacent to or within the building or structure to be served, except as allowed in LMC 19.78.070. (Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.060 Surface requirements.
Every off-street automobile parking and truck loading and unloading space and necessary means of access to such space, such as driveways, shall be made permanently available for such purpose and shall be improved with asphaltic or Portland cement concrete or other approved alternatives including permeable pavements and pavers, and be well maintained.
For single-family residences (SFR) in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 or TNR, there may be a reduction in the hard surface requirement, reducing the driveway paving requirement to the first 50 feet of distance, starting where the driveway connects to a public road. Driveways extending more than 50 feet from the public road are required to meet city standard. Any alternate design must be approved by the building official in consultation with the fire marshal and community development director. (Ord. 3487 § 1, 2023; Ord. 3351 § 10, 2017; Ord. 3044 § 6, 2008; Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.061 Resurfacing or reconstruction of paved or hard-surfaced areas – Permit required.
(1) In any commercial or manufacturing district, no person shall commence work on the construction, alteration or repair of any open-air (meaning not permanently enclosed on all sides, except for entrances and exits, and roofed) off-street parking area which is to be paved or otherwise hard-surfaced without first obtaining a written permit for such work from the department of community and economic development.
(2) Any person requesting such a permit shall file a written application therefor with the department of community and economic development. Such application shall be made on a standard city form provided for that purpose by the department and shall include:
(a) The name and address of the applicant;
(b) The name and address of the owner of the property where the work is proposed;
(c) The exact location of the proposed work, giving the street address and legal description of the property involved;
(d) A detailed plan showing the exact dimensions of the property, the location of existing or proposed buildings on the property and existing or proposed loading platforms, including the exact location of all existing or proposed driveways to be used to serve such off-street parking facilities and platforms;
(e) The plan shall also show the details of grading, drainage and surfacing, including the surfacing materials to be used, and the location of all landscaping;
(f) All landscaping shall be so located, and thereafter maintained, by the owner or tenant of the off-street parking lot, depending on who is in charge of the same, so that such landscaping does not present a hazard to vehicle or pedestrian traffic using any abutting sidewalk, street or alley;
(g) Stormwater site plan that conforms to Chapter 17.80 LMC.
(3) No permit shall be issued by the abovenamed department until the city engineer has approved such application.
(4) No plan shall be approved nor permit issued where it appears that the proposed work, or any part thereof, conflicts with any other provisions of this title. (Ord. 3351 § 11, 2017; Ord. 2774, 2000; Ord. 1702 § 2, 1974).
19.78.062 Type of drainage – Alteration prohibited.
Repealed by Ord. 3351. (Ord. 1702 § 2, 1974).
19.78.063 Sidewalk barriers.
Whenever any off-street property is used for the purpose of parking automobiles, trucks or other vehicles, whether for sale of such vehicles, public parking or for other reasons, barriers shall be erected or installed, at the expense of the owner or tenant of the property, which will prevent any portion of any such vehicle from overhanging any portion of a public sidewalk. Such barriers shall be maintained in good condition at all times at the sole expense of the owner or tenant of the property. (Ord. 1702 § 2, 1974).
19.78.065 Change of use and/or occupancy.
A change of use and/or occupancy of any existing structures or buildings does not require additional parking or loading spaces, so long as no existing structure or building is to be enlarged or extended in ground floor area. (Ord. 3297 § 10, 2015).
19.78.070 Required truck loading and unloading spaces.
(1) Every department store, freight terminal or railroad yard, hospital, sanitarium, industrial or manufacturing establishment, retail or wholesale store, warehouse, restaurant or any similar use hereafter erected or enlarged shall provide truck loading and unloading spaces in accordance with the following table; provided, that buildings or structures which abut upon a dedicated and improved alley 20 feet or more in width, which may legally be used for the parking of trucks while loading or unloading merchandise, shall be exempt from these requirements.
Square Feet of Required No.
Ground Floor Area of Spaces
6,001 to 50,000 sq. ft. 1 space
50,001 to 140,000 sq. ft. 2 spaces
140,001 to 300,000 sq. ft. 3 spaces
For each additional 100,000 sq. ft.
or fraction thereof 1 additional space
(2) Every auditorium, convention hall, exhibition hall, sports arena, hotel, office building or similar use hereafter erected or enlarged shall provide off-street truck loading and unloading spaces in accordance with the following table:
Square Feet of Required No. Ground Floor Area of Spaces
25,000 to 100,000 sq. ft. 1 space
100,001 to 200,000 sq. ft. 2 spaces
For each additional 250,000 sq. ft.
or fraction thereof 1 additional space
(Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.080 Required off-street automobile parking for commercial buildings and professional offices.
(1) For each commercial retail building containing 18,000 square feet or more of floor area hereafter erected or enlarged, there shall be permanently provided on the same or abutting lot, lots or plot with such commercial retail building at least three paved parking spaces, and not more than five paved parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of floor area of the commercial retail building.
(2) For all motels hereafter erected or enlarged, there shall be permanently provided on the same or abutting lot, lots or plot with such motel building at least one individual paved parking space for each unit in the motel.
(3) For all other commercial buildings and professional offices hereafter erected or enlarged, except the commercial buildings and professional offices specifically covered by LMC 19.78.100, there shall be permanently provided on the same or abutting lot, lots or plot, or within 600 feet of such building, paved parking area as follows: At least three and one-half paved parking spaces, and not more than five paved parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of area of the main floor; two paved parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of floor area on the second floor, or in the basement; one and one-half paved parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of floor area on the third floor; and one paved parking space for each additional 1,000 square feet of floor area within the building.
(4) When the literal interpretation and strict application or enforcement of the provisions of this section would cause undue and unnecessary hardship, the appeal board of adjustment may grant a variance therefrom for additional parking if such variance would not be contrary to the public interest; and provided further, that:
(a) The variance will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitation upon uses of other properties in the vicinity and zone in which the property on behalf of which the application was filed; and
(b) That such variance is necessary, because of special circumstances relating to identifiable and documented increased parking demands for the proposed use; and
(c) That the granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which the subject property is situated.
(5) The required off-street automobile parking regulations contained in this section shall apply to all commercial buildings and professional offices for which a complete building permit application was filed on or after October 1, 2004. (Ord. 2921 § 2, 2005; Ord. 2619 § 5, 1996; Ord. 1843 § 1, 1977; Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.090 Required off-street automobile parking for other property uses.
Any use of property for which no provision for off-street parking is otherwise provided in LMC 19.78.080 or 19.78.100 shall provide paved off-street parking spaces on the basis of one parking space for each 1,000 square feet of floor area of all buildings or structures, or on the basis of one paved parking space for each three full-time employees on the maximum working shift, whichever basis results in the most parking spaces. (Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.100 Required off-street parking space for specific uses.
The following specific uses shall provide off-street automobile parking facilities as hereafter specified:
(1) Bowling alleys: Four parking spaces per lane;
(2) Churches, mortuaries and funeral parlors: One parking space for each five seats in the sanctuary of the building, including balconies and choir loft. Where fixed seats consist of pews or benches, the seating capacity shall be computed on the basis of not less than two lineal feet of pew or bench length per seat. If there are no fixed seats, one parking space shall be provided for each 40 square feet of the floor area of the principal place of assembly or worship, plus one parking space for each employee;
(3) Community clubs, community recreational centers, dancehalls: One parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area used for assembly purposes, plus one parking space for each employee;
(4)(a) Single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and condominiums: Two parking spaces per dwelling unit,
(b) Multiple-family – three, four and five dwelling units:
(i) One parking space for each studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom unit, or three-bedroom unit,
(ii) One and one-half spaces for each four-or-more-bedroom unit,
(c) Multifamily – six or more dwelling units:
(i) One parking space for each studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom unit,
(ii) One and one-half spaces for each three-or-more-bedroom unit,
(d) Multiple-family in commercial districts – three or more dwelling units: for studio or one-bedroom units – one-half parking space per dwelling unit; for two-bedroom or more – one parking space per dwelling unit,
(e) In addition, for all multiple-family development the minimum number of required off-street parking spaces shall be reduced by the number of legal on-street parking spaces abutting the property lines of the lot or parcel subject to the following:
(i) Legal parking is allowed on both sides of the street,
(ii) The city engineer shall determine the number of legal on-street parking spaces that can be used to reduce the number of off-street parking spaces,
(f) A lesser number of off-street parking spaces may be allowed upon receiving a special property use permit per Chapter 19.12 LMC;
(5) Hotels and motels:
(a) Hotels: One parking space for each two units,
(b) Motels: One parking space for each unit;
(6) Hospitals: One parking space for each three beds;
(7) Libraries and museums: One parking space for each 250 square feet of floor area;
(8) Facilities containing sleeping quarters, fraternities, sororities, and group student housing, roominghouses and boardinghouses: One parking space for each three beds;
(9) Rest homes, nursing and convalescent homes, sanitariums and children’s institutions: One parking space for each four beds;
(10) Elderly/retirement housing facilities as defined by the Federal Fair Housing Act and as said Act is hereafter amended, shall provide off-street parking facilities as follows:
(a) Congregate care housing: Facilities for the elderly, where meals are served and health and household services provided to the residents: 0.33 parking spaces for each unit and one parking space for each full-time day shift employee,
(b) Independent housing: Self-contained housing units for the elderly: 0.6 parking spaces for each unit;
(11) Elementary and junior high schools, public, private or parochial: One parking space for each employee and each faculty member;
(12) High schools, public or private or parochial; colleges, private or public: One parking space for each five students plus one parking space for each full-time employee and each full-time faculty member. Where parochial schools and churches are located on the same site, the required church parking facilities may also be used as required school parking facilities;
(13) Stadiums, gymnasiums, sports arenas, auditoriums and other places of assembly, other than churches and clubs and lodges having no sleeping quarters: One parking space for each five fixed seats. Where fixed seats consist of pews or benches, the seating capacity shall be computed upon not less than 22 lineal inches of pew or bench length per seat. If there are no fixed seats, there shall be provided one parking space for each 40 square feet of floor area used for assembly purposes;
(14) Storage and warehousing comprising the total or any part of the activity on the premises: One parking space for each two full-time employees on the maximum working shift;
(15) Nonpassenger freight terminals: One parking space for each two full-time employees on the maximum working shift;
(16) Passenger terminals: One parking space for each 100 square feet of waiting room area;
(17) Theaters: One parking space for each five fixed seats;
(18) Mobile home parks and trailer courts: One parking space for each mobile home or trailer space;
(19) Lodges, clubs, union halls and similar organizations: One parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area used for social, recreational, entertainment or meeting purposes, plus one parking space for each full-time employee;
(20) Small animal clinic or veterinary hospital: One parking space for each 1,000 square feet of floor area, plus one parking space for each full-time employee;
(21) Handicapped housing: Multiple dwelling units designed for occupancy by handicapped persons as defined by the Federal Fair Housing Act and as said act is hereafter amended shall provide one parking space for each two units. (Ord. 3369 § 4, 2018; Ord. 2619 §§ 6 – 11, 1996; Ord. 1946, 1979; Ord. 1895 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1843 § 2, 1977; Ord. 1702 § 1, 1974; Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.103 Required off-street parking – Fractional measurements.
When units or measurements determining the number of required off-street parking spaces result in a fractional space, then such fraction equal or greater than one-half shall require a full off-street parking space. (Ord. 3369 § 5, 2018).
19.78.105 Exemption – Downtown commerce district – Minimum number of off-street parking spaces.
There is no minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for the downtown commerce district. (Ord. 3219 § 1, 2012).
19.78.110 Exemptions – Public parking facilities – LID.
Any commercial use that joins with other uses of a similar nature to form a local improvement district within the city for the purposes of providing municipal off-street parking facilities shall be exempt from this chapter. (Ord. 1415 § 1, 1969).
19.78.120 Landscaping requirements – Height limitations.
All new and/or enlarged parking lots shall provide a landscape buffer of not less than five feet in width between the public right-of-way and the parking lot. Parking lots serving buildings with 10,000 square feet of floor area or larger shall provide additional landscape and parking lot design features such as landscaped islands, separated pedestrian walkways, and other features to lessen the visual impact and/or increase the safety of the parking areas. Said area shall be landscaped with evergreen plants, deciduous trees and shrubs. All parking areas with more than 20 spaces shall include landscape islands with trees to break up the parking area into rows of not more than 12 contiguous parking spaces. All parking area landscapes shall have dimensions of not less than 24 square feet of area, or not less than four feet in width by six feet in length, to ensure adequate soil, water, and space for healthy plant growth. Stormwater bioretention facilities may be incorporated into the parking lot landscaping design and used to satisfy these requirements. Landscaping located at driveway intersections and adjacent to the public right-of-way shall conform to the height standards of Chapter 16.46 LMC (except for individual trees that do not obstruct visibility or access for pedestrian, vehicular and emergency services). All new and/or enlarged commercial parking lots that abut residential zones along the side and/or rear property lines shall provide a sight-obscuring landscape buffer along abutting property lines. All required landscaping shall be maintained in a healthy condition. (Ord. 3351 § 13, 2017; Ord. 2921 § 3, 2005; Ord. 2619 § 12, 1996).
19.78.130 Traffic circulation and parking lot design studies required.
The city engineer may require that developers provide additional studies in order that the city evaluate possible traffic circulation impacts associated with parking facilities. (Ord. 2619 § 13, 1996).
19.78.140 Restaurant parking required.
All new and/or enlarged restaurants not exempted by LMC 19.75.065 shall provide off-street parking at the ratio of 20 parking spaces and not more than 30 parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of dining/seating area. (Amended during 9/15 supplement; Ord. 2921 § 4, 2005; Ord. 2619 § 14, 1996).
19.78.150 Bicycle and motorcycle parking spaces required.
Parking facilities containing more than 50 automobile spaces shall provide one bicycle space and one motorcycle space for each 20 automobile spaces not to exceed 20 bicycle spaces and 10 motorcycle spaces in each lot. Bicycle parking spaces shall be at least two feet six inches wide by six feet long. Motorcycle parking spaces shall be at least three feet four inches wide by seven feet long. (Ord. 2619 § 15, 1996).