(a)

Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to establish standards for the provision of parking, loading on-site circulation, and electric vehicle charging for the uses permitted in this ordinance in a manner that is safe, efficient, convenient and visually attractive.

(b)

Applicability.

(1)

The standards outlined in section 28-162 below shall apply to all property within the corporate limits of the City of Avondale from and after November 1, 2010.

(2)

The standards outlined in the remainder of this article 8, excluding section 28-162, shall apply to all property within the corporate limits of the City of Avondale except for the following:

(A)

All buildings and uses of land constructed, developed or commenced prior to November 1, 2010.

(B)

Properties with parking improvements that were (i) completed prior to November 1, 2010, and (ii) in compliance with the then-existing provisions of this ordinance, unless a change in the distinguishing characteristics of a building or land is proposed that results in (i) the expansion of a use through an increase in the size of a building, (ii) the creation of a new residential unit by adding to or subdividing an existing residential unit, (iii) an increase in the geographical area devoted to an outdoor use or (iv) a change of use from a less parking intensive use to a more parking intensive use.

(Ord. No. 2045-1220, § 9, 12-7-20)

(a)

Prior to the construction of any parking lot, the conversion of any land area for parking use or the modification of an existing parking area, a site plan application must be submitted to the department for review and approval in accordance with the site plan procedures set forth in article 1 of this ordinance.

(b)

All required parking spaces shall be located on the lot upon which the use is located, except that within master planned commercial or employment developments, required spaces may be located on a lot contiguous to the lot on which the business is located if (a) buildings are situated such that a common parking area can be utilized by several buildings and (b) shared parking easements have been recorded in the Maricopa County Recorder's Office.

(c)

For development in zoning districts that include modified minimum and/or maximum parking requirements, joint-use parking allowances or off-site parking allowances, the District-specific standards shall take precedence over conflicting general standards in this article 8.

(d)

Within residential zoning districts, the parking of commercial vehicles is limited to one (1) commercial vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of not more than ten thousand (10,000) pounds, except that in the AG District, the parking of commercial vehicles and farming equipment directly related to AG District permitted uses on that property shall be allowed.

(e)

Within residential zoning districts, recreational vehicles, boats and trailers shall not be stored in the front yard of a lot. Such vehicles, boats and trailers may be stored in the side or rear yard of the lot on a dust proof surface, provided they are screened from street view by solid (opaque) fencing or walls in accordance with article 12 of this ordinance. Solid screening is not required in the AG, RR-43, or RR-18 Districts.

(f)

The following regulations shall apply to all properties zoned for commercial or employment use, except as otherwise provided in this ordinance:

(1)

Recreational vehicles, trailers, commercial vehicles, and/or vehicles exceeding twenty-one (21) feet in length, that are not owned or operated by a business on the property, shall not be parked except for the purpose of loading, unloading, emergency service or patronizing a commercial use on-site.

(2)

The overnight parking of any vehicle for the purpose of camping or habitation is prohibited.

(g)

It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain in a neat and adequate manner, the parking spaces, access ways, striping, landscaping and required walls or screening.

(a)

Parking areas, driveways, drive aisles, drive-through lanes, and all other areas designed for vehicular use shall have a paved surface of masonry, concrete, decorative stamped/colored concrete or asphalt, except in the AG, RR-43, RR-18, and R1-35 Districts, where an alternative, approved dust-free surface is permitted. Permeable paving may also be used in any district. Temporary parking on a dirt lot in support of seasonal sales and special events is allowed, provided:

(1)

A dust control plan, approved by the city engineer or authorized designee, is implemented prior to and at all times during the event.

(2)

Upon completion of the event the lot is stabilized to remain in compliance with Maricopa County Air Quality Rules and Regulations.

(b)

On non-residential sites, except where a wall is required, six-inch vertical concrete curbing shall be required between parking/circulation areas and landscaped areas to protect plantings and control vehicular circulation and the flow of stormwater.

(c)

In residential districts, all required off-street parking spaces shall be connected with a public street by a paved driveway not less than twenty (20) feet in length, measured from the property line. The zoning administrator or authorized designee may approve reductions in driveway length for residential developments containing side-entry garages.

(d)

Vehicles may be parked in the front yard of a single-family residence when on a driveway paved in a manner allowed pursuant to subsection 28-163(a) or on a permeable paving surface. The driveway and parking surface combined shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the lot width measured at the front setback. On corner lots, parking areas may occupy the side yard, if screened, and shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the lot length. No parked vehicle shall block a public sidewalk.

(e)

Within Agricultural (AG), Rural Residential (RR-43, RR-18), Suburban Residential (R1-35, R1-15, R1-10, R1-8), and Urban Residential (R1-7, R1-6, R1-5) Zoning Districts, the minimum driveway widths shall be twenty (20) feet. The zoning administrator or authorized designee may approve reductions in driveway width to no less than ten (10) feet for residential infill development, if the character of the existing neighborhood is such that a twenty-foot wide driveway would be inconsistent with the established lots.

(f)

All commercial, employment and multi-family uses are prohibited from using alleys as access points to parking areas, unless specifically exempted in subsection 28-167 below.

(g)

All vehicular egress from parking lots to public rights-of-way shall be by forward motion only, except in the case of single-family and two-family residences fronting on a local street, a primary collector street or a secondary collector street.

(h)

All off-street parking lots shall be screened from street view and landscaped in accordance with article 12 of this ordinance, landscaping, fences and walls.

(i)

Vehicle queuing in drive-through lanes shall not encroach upon or block driveways, drive aisles, parking aisles, or parking spaces. Driveway and drive-through queuing lengths shall be in accordance with the city's General Engineering Requirements Manual.

(j)

All pole-mounted parking lot lighting shall be located within landscape islands/medians as specified in article 12 of this ordinance.

(k)

Decorative paving materials shall be used at all pedestrian crossings where walkways traverse vehicle drive aisles, outside of the public right-of-way.

Unless modified by the provisions of subsections 28-167 and 28-168, parking shall be provided in accordance with this subsection 28-164. Except where otherwise noted, required parking is based on a calculated ninety (90) percent of the gross floor area of the building or use. The number of parking spaces per use is not limited except as explicitly stated.

(a)

Required parking schedule.

(b)

In the instance where a use is not listed in the preceding parking schedule and where no direct comparison can be made to a use listed above, the zoning administrator shall determine the minimum and maximum (if applicable) parking required/allowed.

(c)

In the case where a business includes floor area devoted to a mix of the uses listed above, the total requirement for off-street parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately as specified in this section.

(d)

Cumulative parking space requirements may be reduced below minimum requirements where it can be demonstrated that the peak requirements of a user are less than the city's minimum prescribed limits. Said exceptions shall be considered administratively if supported by a parking demand study in accordance with section 28-169 below.

(e)

Cumulative parking space requirements may be increased above maximum limits where it can be demonstrated that a use or user generates a need for parking in excess of the maximum prescribed limits. Said exceptions shall be considered administratively if supported by a parking demand study in accordance with section 28-168 below.

(f)

Bicycle parking or bicycle racks shall be required to be provided at the minimum rate of one (1) space for every fifty (50) vehicle parking spaces for all new commercial and employment development. Sites with less than forty (40) vehicle spaces shall not be required to provide bicycle parking but are encouraged to do so. All bicycle rack designs that deviate from the city standard detail shall be reviewed by the city engineer to ensure substantial conformance with the General Engineering Requirements (GER) manual.

(g)

Installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and infrastructure to provide for future installation of EV charging stations shall be provided for all new, expanded or reconstructed parking areas according to the following schedule.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EV CHARGING STATIONS AND EV-CAPABLE PARKING SPACES TABLE

(1)

EV-capable means that parking spaces shall provide the electrical capacity necessary to accommodate the future hardwire installation of level 2 electric vehicle charging stations with subpanels sized to accommodate 60A or 40A breakers for each. It includes the installation of "raceway" (the enclosed conduit that forms the physical pathway for electrical wiring to protect if from damage) and adequate panel capacity to accommodate future installation of a dedicated branch circuit and charging station(s).

(2)

Level 2 EV charging station shall provide 30-80 amperes using a 208 to 240 volt outlet. An EV charging station capable of simultaneously charging at 30 amperes or greater for each of two vehicles (also known as dual-port charging station) shall be counted as two level 2 EV charging stations.

(3)

In the instance where a use is not listed in the preceding table and where no direct comparison can be made to a use listed above, the zoning administrator shall determine the minimum percentage of electric vehicle charging stations to be installed and the minimum percentage of total parking spaces to be EV-capable.

(4)

In the case where a development includes floor area devoted to a mix of the uses listed above, the total requirement for electric vehicle charging stations and EV-capable parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately as specified in this section.

(5)

Applicants may request a waiver or reduction of electric vehicle parking requirements from the zoning administrator during site plan approval.

(h)

Exceptions to single-family residential parking requirements.

(1)

Carports are permitted in place of enclosed garages for any home: (a) that was not originally built with an enclosed garage; or (b) that is located in a neighborhood of homes with carports. the carport shall be integrated to appear as a continuation of the existing residence, must share materials, colors and architectural forms with the existing residence and must meet all zoning ordinance development standards, including setback and lot coverage requirements.

(2)

Existing carports may be enclosed as long as all on-site parking requirements are met.

(Ord. No. 2045-1220 §§ 10—12, 12-7-20; Ord. No. 2032-1124, § 5, 11-18-24)

(a)

Parking space sizes.

(1)

The standard parking space shall be a minimum of nine and one-half (9½) feet wide by twenty (20) feet long.

(2)

Compact parking spaces shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet wide by eighteen (18) feet long. Compact parking shall not exceed fifteen (15) percent of the total required spaces. Projects providing parking in excess of the minimum required number of spaces may utilize any combination of compact and standard spaces for excess parking areas.

(3)

Parallel parking spaces shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide by twenty (20) feet long.

(4)

The zoning administrator may at his/her discretion require the provision of oversized parking spaces for recreational vehicles at the time of design review for any commercial development that will cater to a traveling clientele. Spaces shall be seventeen (17) feet wide by forty-five (45) feet long. The use of these spaces shall be in accordance with subsection 28-162(f) above.

(5)

Vehicle overhang over curb, sidewalk or landscape areas shall not count towards minimum parking space dimensions, except as provided below:

(A)

Up to two (2) feet (twenty-four (24) inches) of overhang may be counted towards the minimum depth of a parking space if the overhang occurs over a landscape area with a minimum depth of ten (10) feet.

(B)

Up to two (2) feet (twenty-four (24) inches) of overhang may be counted towards the minimum depth of a parking space if the overhang occurs over a private sidewalk with a minimum width of six (6) feet.

(b)

Parking lot aisles, as defined in section 28-15, shall be constructed with the widths specified in the following schedule. Additional width to accommodate fire safety equipment may be required after review of the site plan by the fire department.

(c)

Within the multi-family and non-residential Zoning Districts, the minimum width of all drive aisles, as defined in section 28-15, shall be twenty-six (26) feet for two-drives and twenty (20) feet for one-way drives. The city shall have the ability to restrict parking along drive aisles to reduce on-site circulation conflicts.

(d)

Drive-through lanes shall have a minimum width of twelve (12) feet.

(Ord. No. 2055-0823, § 19, 8-21-23)

(a)

Accessible parking for non-residential developments shall be provided in conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Arizonans with Disabilities Act (AZDA) and International Building Code (IBC), as amended.

(b)

Accessible parking for multiple-family residential developments shall be provided in conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act (FFHAA) and International Building Code (IBC), as amended.

(a)

City Center (CCD) Zoning District.

(1)

Excluding the Gateway Employment subdistrict, provided parking for any use within the City Center Zoning District shall not exceed one hundred ten (110) percent of the minimum number listed in subsection 28-164, required parking schedule.

(2)

Residential uses within the Townhouse Residential subdistrict shall be allowed a ten (10) percent reduction in minimum required parking from the allowances listed in subsection 28-164, required parking schedule.

(3)

Parking for each land use may be provided by a combination of on-street parking, off-street surface parking and parking structures.

(A)

Off-street surface parking and parking structures counted towards the required parking shall be within four hundred (400) feet of the use, measured from the exterior wall of the use to the closest perimeter of the surface parking or parking structure.

(B)

On-street parking counted towards the required parking shall be adjacent to the property for which the parking is intended.

(4)

Excluding the Townhouse Residential subdistrict, a minimum of one (1) percent of all parking spaces shall be reserved for carpool parking. These spaces shall be located in preferential locations so as to create an incentive to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips.

(5)

Excluding the Townhouse Residential subdistrict, bicycle parking shall be provided at the rate of one (1) secured, weather-protected bicycle space for every twenty (20) vehicle spaces.

(6)

Parking areas within the Gateway Employment, Employment Mixed-Use, Residential Mixed-Use and Townhouse Residential Subdistricts shall be designed in compliance with the development guidelines listed in Table 5-1 of the City Center Specific Plan. Parking areas within the Pedestrian Retail Subdistrict shall comply with the development guidelines as listed for the Employment Mixed-Use Subdistrict, except to the extent such guidelines are determined by the zoning administrator to be inapplicable.

(b)

Old Town Avondale Business District (OTAB) and Cashion Business District (CBD).

(1)

OTAB and Cashion Joint-Use Parking. Joint-use parking standards are based on the assumption that patrons will use a single parking space for more than one (1) destination and that one (1) parking space will be open and available for short-term parking to serve many different uses that may have different peak hours. Any eligible project, as specified below, may opt to provide required parking by using the "Alternative Joint-Use Parking Standards" table contained within this subsection instead of in accordance with the Required Parking Schedule in subsection 28-164. The following categories of development shall not be eligible to use joint-use parking standards to meet parking requirements: (a) new or existing residential uses; and (b) new construction of hotel or office uses on sites greater than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet in size. If not specifically listed as eligible in the table below, a project may be permitted to utilize joint parking if determined by the zoning administrator to be substantially similar to a use listed in the table.

Alternative Joint-Use Parking Standards Table Minimum Parking Ratios

(2)

OTAB-specific provisions.

(A)

Due to the pedestrian nature of the OTAB Zoning District, required parking spaces shall not be required to be provided on site if the following conditions are met:

i.

The number of public parking spaces (e.g. street parking, spaces in public surface lots, spaces in public parking structures) located within three hundred (300) feet of the parcel or use is greater than or equal to the number of spaces required for the parcel or use.

ii.

Loading/service areas are provided at the rear of buildings and not visible from Western Avenue.

iii.

Bicycle parking is located within close proximity to the primary building entrance.

(B)

If on-site parking is provided, it shall be located in the rear of structures to avoid visibility from Western Avenue.

The city may allow a variation from the required number of parking spaces if supported by a parking demand study completed in conformance with the procedures are outlined below.

(a)

Application, review, and approval process.

(1)

For new developments where the number of parking spaces being proposed does not meet the city's minimum requirements or exceeds the city's maximum requirements, a parking demand study shall be submitted as part of the applicant's design review application submittal.

(2)

For existing developments where a change in the use of a building or site would result in fewer parking spaces being provided than the minimum requirement allows, a parking demand study is required to be submitted concurrently with tenant improvement plans. A parking demand study shall not be required for existing developments which, through a change in use, will include parking in excess of the city's allowable maximum.

(3)

The zoning administrator or designee may approve a request to modify the required number of parking spaces in accordance with the administrative relief process outlined in zoning ordinance article 1, administration and procedures.

(4)

The parking demand study shall provide a quantitative analysis justifying any proposed increase or reduction in parking. Increases or decreases in the number of parking spaces may be granted when any of the following applies:

(A)

A business concurrently employs more people per square foot (or less people per square foot) than the accepted industry standard for that use, and is able to demonstrate this variation from the mean through a statistical comparison.

(B)

A business generates more customers, visitors, and or clients per square foot (or less customers, visitors, and/or clients per square foot) than the accepted industry standard for that use (to be determined through a study of existing, comparable uses in the region as determined by the zoning administrator), and is able to demonstrate this variation from the mean through a statistical comparison.

(C)

Lowered parking demand can be predicted as a result of sharing parking between intermittent uses, occurring on the same property or within a master planned development, with non-conflicting parking demands (e.g. a nightclub and a bank).

(D)

A development is designed to take advantage of adjacent public transit opportunities.

(b)

Approval criteria.

(1)

Requests for parking reductions. In order to approve any request to reduce parking below minimum requirements, all of the following criteria must be met:

(A)

The reduction in parking will not cause fewer off-street parking spaces to be provided for the proposed use than the number of such spaces necessary to accommodate all vehicles attributable to such use under the normal and reasonably foreseeable conditions of operation of such use.

(B)

The reduction in parking will not increase the demand for parking spaces upon the public streets in the immediate vicinity of the proposed use.

(C)

The reduction in parking will not increase the demand for parking spaces upon adjacent private property in the immediate vicinity of the proposed use, unless as part of an approved joint-parking agreement (where allowed).

(D)

The applicant will incorporate measures intended to reduce vehicle trips to the site, including, but not limited to, the provision of spaces reserved for car pool use, the provision of weather-protected short term bike parking and the provision of showers and changing facilities in commercial buildings over fifty thousand (50,000) square feet in floor area.

(2)

Requests for parking increases. In order to approve any request to increase parking above maximum requirements, all of the following criteria must be met:

(A)

The proposed increase in parking is the least possible increase to accommodate all vehicles attributable to such use under the normal and reasonably foreseeable conditions of operation of such use.

(B)

The increase in parking will not negatively impact the aesthetics of the site from the perspective of adjacent streets and properties.

(C)

The increase in parking will not negatively affect the pedestrian usability of the site.

(D)

The applicant will incorporate measures intended to reduce vehicle trips to the site, including, but not limited to, the provision of spaces reserved for car pool use, the provision of weather-protected, short-term bike parking and the provision of showers and changing facilities in commercial buildings over fifty thousand (50,000) square feet in floor area.