§ 58-175. Off-street parking.

Every new use, or an enlargement, expansion or alteration of an existing use, shall require off-street parking in compliance with this article, unless specifically exempt from such provisions or portions thereof.

(1)

Off-street parking spaces shall be increased when a change of use of either a structure or of land requires additional parking spaces in compliance with this article. Parking spaces may be decreased when a change of use in either a structure or of land requires less spaces than provided for the replaced use.

(2)

A one-time only enlargement of a structure or increase in the amount of land used may be made for existing uses deficient in off-street parking, provided that the enlargement or increase does not represent a requirement in excess of five off-street parking spaces. In the event that such increase represents a requirement in excess of five off-street parking spaces, such increase shall require complete compliance of the provisions of this article for the entire use.

(3)

Off-street parking shall be located as follows:

a.

Parking as required herein shall be located on the same lot as the principal use except when specifically permitted to be located elsewhere. Driveways shall be considered as providing off-street parking spaces for all single-family and two-family dwellings.

b.

Cooperative provisions for off-street parking may be made by contract between owners of adjacent property, and such contract filed with the zoning administrator. The parking area provided on any one lot may be reduced to not less than half the parking spaces required for the use occupying such lot. The total number of spaces provided under such a cooperative parking scheme shall not be less than the total number of spaces required for each use.

c.

No parking area shall be located over an active septic tank field.

d.

In residential areas, the temporary parking or storage of mobile homes shall be prohibited. Boats, motor homes and camping trailers may, however, be stored or temporarily parked in a residential district. All inoperative motor vehicles stored outdoors shall be parked behind the residence and screened from the public right-of-way.

e.

Parking areas may not be extended into the required rear yard and side yard setbacks.

f.

A city or town hall, post office, library or other governmental facility may count shared parking spaces toward up to 50 percent of its total off-street parking requirement. Such a use may share parking spaces only with one or more other uses that also may share parking spaces under subsection (4)c of this section. The following formula shall be used to determine how many shared parking spaces a particular use may apply toward its off-street parking requirement:

1.

For off-street private parking, a use may treat as shared parking, any parking spaces that are within 800 feet of that use. A document must be filed with the town's zoning administrator that confirms that the parking lot's owner or operator consents to parking spaces in that lot being shared. If fewer than all the spaces within the lot are being shared, this document must clearly identify which spaces are being shared. If the shared parking arrangement described in the document is later modified, a document describing the modified arrangement must be filed with the town's zoning administrator. If the shared parking arrangement described in any document filed with the town's zoning administrator is later rescinded, the zoning administrator must be notified immediately. If the rescission or modification of a shared parking arrangement leaves a use with inadequate parking to satisfy the requirements of this article, said use will not be considered nonconforming, and it will not be permitted to continue without satisfying this article's parking requirements.

(4)

Design standards for parking areas are as follows:

a.

A parking space shall be not less than nine feet in width nor less than 20 feet in length. In lots of more than 20 spaces, compact stalls may be permitted on the basis of one compact stall to each additional five standard stalls. Each compact stall shall be seven feet wide and 17 feet long, and shall be clearly marked, "small cars only." All parking stalls shall be clearly marked and such markings shall be maintained so as to be easily seen.

b.

Parking bays shall be designed in accordance with accepted standard practice for parking at various angles, with aisles being of such widths as to permit the entering and leaving of a parking space with ease and safety.

c.

Access to all required parking areas shall be by roads adequate in width to accommodate two-way traffic, except for parking areas designed and clearly marked for one-way traffic. Except by way of approved driveways, access from or egress to a public road from a parking area shall be expressly prohibited. Adequate provisions shall be made to insure compliance by the use of fences, walls, wheel stops or landscaping, or a combination of those devices.

d.

Wheel stops, curbs, or other devices shall be provided in such locations as to prevent any vehicle from encroaching either on a public right-of-way or an adjacent property.

e.

Parking areas shall be so designed as to retain existing trees and other plant life. Where no trees or other plant life exists, adequate landscaping shall be provided, both within the parking area and on the external boundaries of such area.

f.

Screening shall be provided as required in section 58-8.

g.

Signs shall be permitted in compliance with section 58-153.

(5)

Permits for driveway locations on state-maintained roads shall be obtained from the state department of transportation.

(6)

Storm drainage facilities shall be required, and shall be so designed as to protect any public right-of-way or adjacent property from the damage.

(7)

The requirements for off-street parking spaces shall be computed as follows:

a.

When units of measurement determining the number of required parking spaces result in a fractional space, any fraction of one-half or more shall require one parking space.

b.

Where seats consist of pews or benches, each 20 inches in length of pew or a bench shall be considered as one seat.

c.

For the purpose of computing parking requirements based on the number of employees, the owners or managers shall also be considered employees.

d.

Lots containing more than one principal use shall provide parking in the amount equal to the total of the requirements for each use.

(8)

The following chart indicates the minimum off-street parking requirements:

Use Classification	Parking Space Requirement
Banquet, reception and conference center	1 per employee during the shift of greatest employment plus 1 space for every 2 guests based on the maximum number of guests the facility can accommodate. At a minimum, each use shall have parking to accommodate at least 30 vehicles.
Cemeteries	1 space per employee during the shift of greatest employment plus parking on private internal roads.
Churches, synagogues and other places of worship	1 space per employee during the shift with greater employment plus 1 space for each 4 seats in the sanctuary.
Community recreational centers; country clubs; fraternal, social and recreational organizations	1 space for the largest number of employees per shift, plus 2 spaces for each 3 memberships, plus 1 space for each vehicle used in the operation.
Customary home occupations	1 space plus the number of spaces required for the residential use.
Day care centers	1 space per employee during the shift of greatest employment plus 1 space per 5 children.
Dwellings, one-family	2 spaces for each 1 dwelling unit.
Dwellings, two-family	2 spaces for each 1 dwelling unit.
Elementary and secondary schools	3 spaces for each room used for instruction or administration, or one space for each four seats used for assembly purposes, whichever is greater.
Family care homes	1 space for each 3 employees, plus 1 space to each guestroom.
Fire station	1 space per employee during the shift of greatest employment.
Funeral chapels	1 space for each 3 seats in the chapel or chapels plus 2 spaces for each 3 employees, plus 1 space for each vehicle used in the operation. In addition, off-street parking area shall be provided, on the site, to accommodate a minimum of 30 passenger vehicles for the purpose of forming a funeral procession.
Health/sports club; school for the arts	1 space per employee during the shift of greatest employment plus 1 space for each 2 students/participants as determined during the time of day of greatest student/participant enrollment plus 1 space for each vehicle used in the operation.
Libraries	1 space per 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Medical and dental offices	4 spaces for each doctor practicing at the clinic, plus 1 space for each employee.
Offices, professional, business, or public (excluding medical and dental offices and clinics)	1 space per employee during the shift with greater employment plus 1 space for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.
Places of public assembly, including private clubs and lodges, auditoriums, stadiums, gymnasiums, community centers, public parks and recreational facilities and all similar places of public assembly	1 space for each 4 seats provided for patron use, plus 1 space for each 100 square feet of floor or ground area used for amusement or assembly but not containing fixed seats.
Post office, city hall	1 space per employee during the shift of greater employment plus 1 space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Recreational facilities
Driving range	1.2 spaces per tee.
Golf course (nine and 18 holes)	90 spaces per 9 holes.
Swimming pool	1 space per 75 square feet of water.
Swimming pool (as part of a subdivision)	1 space per 100 square feet of water.
Tennis or racquet court	3 spaces per court.
Tennis courts (as part of a subdivision)	2 spaces per court.
Other outdoor recreation	1 space per 200 square feet.
25 percent to 40 percent of parking spaces for these recreational facilities may be on nonasphalt material
Restaurants	1 space for each employee during the shift of greater employment plus one space for each three seats.
Retail business and consumer service outlets (except as noted)	1 space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area.
Riding stables, commercial	1 space for each employee during the shift of greater employment plus 2 spaces for each 3 stalls, plus 1 space for each vehicle used in the operation.
Service stations	2 spaces for each gas pump plus 1 space for each employee during the shift of greatest employment.
Shopping center	1 space per 200 square feet of leasable floor area for the first 20,000 square feet. 1 per 250 square feet for 20,001 to 140,000 total leasable square feet. 1 per 300 square feet for total leasable square footage of 140,001 or over.
Telephone exchange building, electric or gas substation, water tower or tank, pump station	One space for each employee during the shift of greatest employment and/or one space for each vehicle used in the operation.

 

(Ord. No. 87-04-08, § 9.1, 4-8-1987; Ord. No. O-2006-06, 3-13-2006; Ord. No. O-2006-14, 8-14-2006; Ord. No. O-2011-02, 3-14-2011)