Alamo Heights City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
PARKING DISTRICT P
§ 3-58 (Reserved)
Editor's note—Ordinance 1776, adopted July 21, 2008, repealed sec. 3-58, which pertained to height limitations and derived from Ord. 1750-C, sec. 2, adopted January 28, 2008.
§ 3-59 Parking (P) District.
Any property within the P District which is used for off-street parking of motor vehicles shall be subject to the following:
(1)
Surface parking areas shall be developed in accordance with the following:
a.
A landscape area shall be provided along all parking area boundaries with a minimum width of eight (8) feet. Breaks in the landscaping areas may be allowed for vehicular, pedestrian, and emergency services access.
b.
Parking is prohibited in landscape areas.
i.
Grass pavers or similar products shall not qualify as a landscape area.
c.
One (1) four (4) inch caliper tree per eight (8) parking spaces shall be provided. Parking lot trees shall adhere to the following standards:
i.
The planting area for each tree, whether located at an edge of the parking areas or designed as an interior island or median between parking modules, shall be no less than six (6) feet across in any horizontal direction.
ii.
All planting areas shall have permeable surfaces and be planted with locally appropriate species as identified in sections 3-50 and 5-152, which may include shrubs, groundcovers, or grasses. If a planting area is used as part of a biological stormwater treatment system, pursuant to an approved drainage plan, groundcovers shall be selected that are appropriate to that function.
The area shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, or pavers and such surfaces shall be kept in good repair and be neat and clean at all times. The area shall be marked so as to designate the placing of vehicles thereon in a manner and method as shall be approved by the city council, after a recommendation from the architectural review board, as part of the final design review process. |
The area shall be suitably screened from frontage on any street and adjacent residence property by suitable walls, hedges or fences, which shall be not less than three (3) feet nor more than six (6) feet in height and which shall prevent headlights of cars from shining onto said adjacent streets and residences. |
(2)
There shall be no storage of trailers, recreational vehicles, delivery/service vehicles, boats, all-terrain vehicles or any vehicles which are displayed as "For Sale", in such areas.
(3)
The area shall not be used after 7:00 p.m. for a commercial parking lot or combination thereof unless the area shall be properly and adequately lighted, but the standards to which the lights are affixed shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height, and lighting shall be shielded and directed downward so as not to affect neighboring properties.
(4)
No buildings or structures shall be permitted within the boundary lines of the area used for parking, except such as are necessary and customary to house the attendant of said lot and the records ancillary to the operation of said parking lot.
(5)
The entrance to and exit from such parking areas from and onto the streets of the city shall be approved by the city council, after a recommendation from the architectural review board, as part of the final design review process.
(6)
Prior to commencing the construction provided herein, a building permit shall be obtained. Plans and specifications showing that all requirements of this section will be complied with shall be furnished with the application for a building permit.
(7)
Any commercial parking lots operated under the authority of this chapter shall be subject to such police regulations of the city as deemed proper with respect to the routine patrols for the health, safety, welfare, and protection generally of the people and property of the city.
(8)
Parking structures shall not be considered accessory structures and shall be developed in accordance with the following:
a.
Setbacks.
i.
Front yard setbacks shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet.
ii.
Side yard setback shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) feet.
iii.
Rear yard setback shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) feet.
iv.
Corner lots: A landscape area shall be provided along each corner side yard property line bordering a street. The width of the landscape area shall be equal to the setback limits of the proposed structure. Landscaping within a triangular area formed by intersecting street lines shall comply with the requirements of sections 16-71 through 16-77 of the Code of Ordinances.
b.
For properties with frontage along Broadway (south of Albany):
i.
Minimum rear setback of fifteen (15) feet.
ii.
Minimum side setback of zero (0) feet.
1.
Maximum side setback of eight (8) feet.
2.
Exemptions to the maximum side yard setback may be provided to allow access to a rear parking facility if no other rear or alley access is provided and for any interior lot, where access to vehicular parking is required. In no case shall the maximum side yard setback be greater than twenty-six (26) feet.
3.
For properties adjacent to a SF-A or SF-B zoning district a looming ratio of two to one (2:1) height looming applies. The height looming ratio shall not apply when adjacent to public rights-of-way.
4.
Eaves, balconies, roof extensions, and other similar features, above the ground floor, may encroach into the required corner side yard setback or rights-of-way for a distance not to exceed five (5) feet beyond the permitted porch or wall plane.
a)
A minimum of fifteen (15) feet clearance from the ground shall be provided.
iii.
Minimum/maximum front setback of zero (0) feet.
1.
Seventy-five (75) percent of building facade at maximum front setback.
a)
The remaining area may be set back further to accommodate courtyards, sitting areas, or other public uses.
b)
Minor adjustments to the "percent of the building facade at the maximum setback" may be adjusted based on recommendations from the architectural review board and after approval by city council.
2.
Eaves, balconies, roof extensions, and other similar features, above the ground floor, may encroach into the required front yard setback or rights-of-way for a distance not to exceed five (5) feet beyond the permitted porch or wall plane.
a)
A minimum of fifteen (15) feet clearance from the ground shall be provided.
c.
d.
Ground level parking structures.
Ground level parking located under an elevated building or the ground level of a parking garage shall be screened from public street rights-of-way and any abutting residentially zoned property.
i.
Screening shall be required, except at points of ingress and egress. Such screening may consist of evergreen shrubs, trees, vines, fences, or walls to form a continuous and solid visual screen. Such screening shall not be required where a parking structure is wrapped with liner buildings that accommodate active uses other than parking.
e.
Upper level parking structures.
Each level of a parking structure above the ground level shall be designed to include screening along any facade that is not visually screened by an intervening building or structure from public view.
f.
Required screening shall consist of architectural and/or landscape elements that are at least three (3) feet, six (6) inches in height, as measured from the floor of the level, to provide a continuous and solid visual screen that blocks headlight glare from vehicles parked within the structure.
(Ordinance 1750-C, sec. 2, adopted 1/28/2008; Ordinance 2075, exh. A, adopted 4/24/2017)
§ 3-60 Landscaping, sidewalks, screening and lighting.
(1)
Any property within the P District is required to conform with section 3-88, Landscaping regulations, in addition to the following.
(2)
An eight (8) foot wide landscape area must be provided along the rear property line. The landscaping must be contiguous with the entire length of the property line, except where interrupted by a drive to an alley.
(3)
Double frontage lots.
The front yards of a double frontage lot shall be landscaped. For these lots both street frontages shall be considered front yards.
(4)
Canopy street trees shall be planted at regular intervals, within the public street rights-of-way. There shall be at least one (1) tree planted for each twenty-five (25) feet of lot frontage, or portion thereof.
a.
Minor variations from the twenty-five (25) feet spacing requirement are permitted to avoid conflicts with driveway locations and accommodate other design considerations.
i.
Should insufficient right-of-way be available for the planting of trees, between the property line and the paved street, the ARB may recommend the required trees to be located on the applicant's property adjacent to public rights-of-way.
b.
Allowable street trees shall be of the species identified in section 5-152 and must be a minimum size of four (4) inch caliper at planting. For trees located under overhead utilities, property owners may install tree species identified as allowable trees according to CPS Energy. The spacing requirements between trees shall be in accordance with the recommended spacing based on the type of tree planted.
c.
Street trees shall be maintained to provide a clear canopy zone free of limbs, from ground level to eight (8) feet above ground level, for visibility and to avoid potential hazards to pedestrians and vehicles. Additional ground clearance may be required to accommodate emergency response vehicles.
(5)
Planting strips shall be provided within the public street right-of-way adjacent to curbs and be a minimum of five (5) feet in width. The minimum width may be adjusted based on existing conditions and available rights-of-way widths.
(6)
Sidewalks of no less than five (5) feet in width shall be installed according to ADA standards, located within the public street right-of-way, along all street frontages, and adjacent to property lines.
a.
Sidewalk locations may be modified (located on private property) in order to preserve existing trees, natural terrain, or insufficient right-of-way between the property line and street pavement.
b.
Should the sidewalk encroach onto private property, a public access easement shall be provided.
c.
For properties located along Broadway (south of Albany Street) the minimum sidewalk width shall be ten (10) feet.
(7)
Planting standards.
All required landscape areas shall comply with the standards of this subsection:
a.
Native and adaptive species are preferred in order to promote reduced water use and increased drought resistance.
i.
The architectural review board may approve other species of plants as part of their review process.
b.
Undesirable species: No proposed landscape material shall appear on the invasive and noxious weeds list for the State of Texas promulgated by the United States Department of Agriculture, nor on the Texas Noxious Weed List promulgated by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
c.
Shrubs used for screening shall be three (3) feet or taller in height, as measured from the surrounding soil line, immediately upon planting. Such shrubs shall be maintained at this minimum height, and shall at no time exceed forty-two (42) inches in height.
d.
Planting within city rights-of-way shall meet any applicable standards, to protect underground and overhead utilities, streets and sidewalks, drainage improvements, street lighting, sight distances, and the visibility of traffic control devices.
e.
Replacement of required landscaping that is dead or otherwise no longer meets the standards of this section shall occur within sixty (60) days of notification by the city. Replacement material shall be of similar character and quality as the dead or removed landscaping. Failure to replace in a timely manner in accordance with this subsection shall constitute a violation of these regulations.
f.
All required landscape areas shall be watered with irrigation systems in order to ensure continuous healthy plant growth and development while conserving water. Landscape irrigation systems shall be separately metered from building water uses.
(8)
Property screening requirements.
Where the property line of a P District is adjacent to a single-family zoned district, an opaque wall or fence of six (6) to eight (8) feet in height shall be erected separating the rear and/or side.
a.
When a screening fence is required by this subsection, but where the property line abuts a single-family residential district and street rights-of-way, excluding alleys, a screening fence shall not be required, unless the required screening is for parking areas.
(9)
Trash receptacles screening.
All trash receptacles shall be visually screened from an abutting public street right-of-way and from adjacent property by means of a fence or wall.
a.
All trash receptacles shall be located at least ten (10) feet from an adjacent lot.
b.
Enclosure shall extend at least one (1) foot above the container top.
c.
Dumpsters and garbage bins shall be located behind principal buildings relative to public street frontage whenever practical, and such trash receptacles shall also be accessible from alleys or vehicular access points where available and practical.
d.
Where site constraints and access make rear yard locations infeasible, containers may be placed in unobtrusive locations in side yards with appropriate screening.
e.
Openings into enclosures shall be positioned so that view of the containers from the street right-of-way is eliminated.
f.
Containers shall be located in such a manner that they can be serviced by a refuse hauling vehicle without such vehicle encroaching on or interfering with the public use of streets or sidewalks, and without such vehicle backing out of the property onto public right-of-way. Containers shall be placed on a paved surface of either concrete or asphalt.
(Ordinance 1750-C, sec. 2, adopted 1/28/2008; Ordinance 2075, exh. A, adopted 4/24/2017)