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Berlin Township City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XVI

Off-Street Parking and Loading Areas

§ 340-93 General regulations and standards.

A. 
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided as specified in this article for any development, structure or use in the Township of Berlin. In determining whether sufficient spaces have been provided, consideration shall be given to the necessity of providing areas for pedestrian use, emergency vehicles, driveways, loading areas, turning movements and landscaping within the parking area. Parking areas shall be required space in the lot on which it is situated and shall not be encroached upon or reduced in any way.
B. 
Paving. All parking spaces except those for single-family detached dwellings shall be paved in accordance with the standards and specifications of the Township. Paved areas shall be surfaced with a durable, permanent and dustless surface and provided with drainage facilities subject to review and approval of the Planning Board and Township Engineer. All spaces shall be clearly marked, and traffic control markings shall be included if required.
C. 
None of the off-street parking facilities as required in this chapter shall be required for any existing building or use not now conforming to these requirements unless said building or use shall be enlarged, in which case the provisions of this chapter shall apply.
D. 
All parking areas and access drives serving parking areas for any use except a single-family dwelling shall be adequately illuminated during the hours between sunset and sunrise. After 10:00 p.m., business uses may reduce this lighting to a minimum of 40% of the lights within the parking area.
E. 
Lights within parking areas shall be shielded to prevent glare, the illumination of adjoining residential uses and traffic hazards on adjoining streets.
F. 
Off-street parking areas shall be a minimum of 20 feet from the established curbline or shoulder of any street. On roads designated for widening by the Township, county or state, the parking area shall be a minimum of 20 feet from the future curbline.
G. 
Where there is a change in the number of employees, visitors or use in size of any unit used in § 340-95 to calculate parking requirements and that change creates a need to increase the required off-street parking as required by this chapter, the developer, owner or proprietor of that use shall provide the additional off-street parking facilities within a reasonable period of time not to exceed six months from the date on which the change generating the need for added parking occurs.
H. 
In the case of mixed uses, the parking facilities required shall be the sum of the requirements for the various individual uses computed separately in accordance with § 340-95. Parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing the required parking facilities for any other use.
I. 
Stall and driveway dimensions.
(1) 
The following lists of stall and driveway dimensions shall be adhered to:
[Amended 10-13-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-18]
Angle of Parking
(degrees)
Stall Width
(feet)
Stall Depth
(feet)
Driveway 1-Way
(feet)
2-Way
(feet)
90
9
18
25
25
60
9
18
18
21
45
9
18
15
18
30
9
18
12
18
Parallel
8
22
12
18
(2) 
In parking areas containing 20 or more spaces, only 90° parking shall be permitted unless, because of the exceptional narrowness, shape or topographic conditions of the lot, it is the determination of the Planning Board that another stall and driveway alignment should be utilized.
J. 
Off-street parking areas shall be designed to prevent the maneuvering of vehicles within any portion of an entrance driveway lane that is within 20 feet of the right-of-way lane of the street which provides ingress and egress.
K. 
Intersections between driveways, aisles and access drives in parking areas shall be as nearly at right angles as is possible and in no case less than 60°.
L. 
A curb, bumper block or similar abutment shall be installed along the perimeter of all parking areas to prevent erosion, damage to landscaped areas and encroachments on sidewalks, streets, driveways or alleys. Retaining walls shall be constructed where needed to prevent deterioration of the parking surface and erosion.
M. 
All parking areas shall be provided with a drainage system subject to the review of the Planning Board and Township Engineer.
N. 
Parking for residential development shall comply with Subchapter 4, Street and Parking, in the NJRSIS.
[Added 7-8-1997 by Ord. No. 1997-12]

§ 340-94 Loading and delivery areas.

Off-street loading and delivery areas shall be required for any use or activity which creates a need for the loading or delivery of goods or materials.
A. 
Loading and delivery areas shall not be located in an area designated to be required to meet the off-street parking requirements of this chapter and shall not be encroached upon or reduced in any manner. In addition, all loading and delivery areas shall be paved in accordance with the standards and specifications of the Township and shall be surfaced and provided with drainage subject to the review and approval of the Planning Board and Township Engineer. All loading areas shall be clearly marked, and traffic control markings shall be included if required.
B. 
A minimum of off-street loading and delivery areas shall be provided for each development as specified in the following schedule:
(1) 
For retail and business uses: one loading and delivery area not less than 12 feet in width, 35 feet in length and 14 feet in height.
(2) 
For any industrial uses: one loading and delivery area not less than 14 feet in width, 55 feet in length and 14 feet in height for any use of 25,000 square feet or less, plus one additional loading and delivery area having the dimensions listed in this subsection for each additional 50,000 square feet or fraction thereof.

§ 340-95 Parking schedule.

A. 
All uses permitted by this chapter or permitted within the Township in any zone shall provide, as minimum, the number of off-street parking spaces specified in the following schedule:
[Amended 7-28-1997 by Ord. No. 1997-12]
(1) 
Parking for all residential developments shall comply with N.J.A.C. 5:21-4.14, Parking: number of spaces, in the NJRSIS.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards.
(2) 
For private clubs or lodges: one parking space for every three members, plus one additional space for each two employees of the club or lodge.
(3) 
For hospitals, sanitariums and convalescent homes: one parking space for each three patient beds, exclusive of bassinets, plus one additional space for each staff or visiting doctor, plus one space for each two employees, including nurses. Loading and unloading spaces for hospital ambulances and similar vehicles are not included in the spaces required herein.
(4) 
For medical or dental clinics: one parking space per doctor engaged at the clinic, plus one additional space for every two employees, plus two additional spaces for each medical examination room or dental chair, or combination thereof.
(5) 
For mortuaries or funeral parlors: one parking space for each family residing on the premises, plus one additional space for each two employees (other than residing on the premises), plus one space for each 30 square feet of floor area in the viewing rooms, slumber rooms, parlors or individual funeral service rooms.
(6) 
For bowling alleys: four parking spaces for each alley, plus additional spaces equal in number to at least 60% of the number of employees on all shifts.
(7) 
For theaters: one parking space for each four seats, plus additional spaces equal in number to at least 50% of the number of employees at the theater.
(8) 
For community centers, libraries, museums, convention halls, gymnasiums, skating rinks and civic organizations: parking spaces equal in number to at least 60% of the number of employees, plus one parking space for every five persons who may legally be admitted to the building at one time under the State Fire Prevention Laws.
(9) 
For auditoriums, stadiums, sports arenas or similar uses: one parking space for each four seats, plus additional spaces equal in number to at least 50% of the number of employees thereof. Where individual seats are not provided, each 20 inches of bench or other similar seating shall be considered as one seat for the purposes of determining the required number of parking spaces.
(10) 
For churches: one parking space for each four seats, plus one additional space for each church official residing on the premises, plus additional spaces equal in number to at least 50% of the number of permanent employees thereof. Where individual seats are not provided, each 20 inches of bench or other similar seating shall be considered as one seat for the purposes of determining the required number of parking spaces.
(11) 
For all schools: one parking space for each two employees, including teachers and administrators, plus off-street space for the safe and convenient loading and unloading of students, plus additional facilities for student parking at the high school level and above, the ratio of one space for every 50 students.
(12) 
For restaurants, nightclubs, tearooms, lunch counters and the like: one off-street parking space for each three seats and one off-street parking space for each two employees on the shift of the greatest employment.
(13) 
For roadside stands, filling stations, repair shops or other roadside service establishments: one parking space for each two employees, plus additional space for customers and motorists in the ratio of one space for every 50 linear feet of road frontage.
(14) 
For industrial or manufacturing establishments: one parking space for every two employees, based upon the maximum number employed at any one time, plus one parking space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area in the buildings for use by visitors to the building and buildings.
(15) 
For office, professional or public buildings: one parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
(16) 
For general business, commercial and personal service establishments not specifically covered in this section: one space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area.
(17) 
For shopping centers, strip stores, and department stores: 5.0 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
[Amended 5-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
(18) 
For automobile dealerships, wholesale stores, furniture stores, carpet stores and similar uses: one space for each 400 square feet of gross floor area, plus one space for each employee on the maximum shift.
B. 
For any use not listed on this schedule, the developer shall submit an estimate of the parking requirements generated by his use. This estimate shall be prepared by a qualified engineer, traffic expert, planner or architect and shall refer to one or more standards or studies identifying the parking demand for his use. The calculations in this estimate shall be subject to the review and approval of the Township Engineer or Planner.