Number of spaces. Adequate off-street parking must be provided to service all increases in parking demand created by new structures or additions or created by change of use. The number of parking spaces provided must be as required in § 123-15B, unless the special permit granting authority or the Planning Board in either performing site plan review or responding to a request for determination by the Building Inspector finds that a lesser provision would be adequate for all parking needs because of such special circumstances as shared parking for uses having peak parking demands at different times, unusual age or other characteristics of site users, company-sponsored carpooling, or other measures which reduce parking demand.

Table of Requirements.

Location of spaces. Required parking spaces must be on the same lot as the use they serve, except that crediting the following may be authorized on special permit by the Planning Board for cases where both the use and the parking are located within either or both the Commercial District or the Village Overlay District, upon determination by the Planning Board that, subject to conditions regarding location, egress design, landscaping and screening, or other matters doing so will be more beneficial to the vicinity than the alternative of requiring all demand to be met on site, and will not result in departure from historic patterns of land or street usage or substantially add to congestion or hazard:[1]

No off-street parking area shall be maintained within 10 feet of a street line and, if servicing a use not allowed in a residential district, not within 10 feet of said district bounds.

Driveways. Use of land for shared driveways is permitted in all districts, However, a shared driveway shall not be considered to adequately provide access for parking as required by this chapter on any lot for which a shared driveway is proposed as the sole means of access for parking unless the Planning Board so authorizes in performing site plan review under § 123-2C of the Zoning Bylaw or under a special permit. Authorization shall be granted only if all shared portions of the drive are to be paved and the Board determines that the arrangement improves public safety, such as by reducing the number of curb cuts on a major road or by avoiding a driveway at a potentially dangerous location; or serves environmental protection, such as by eliminating a wetlands crossing; and unless the Board further finds that the use of a shared driveway does not circumvent the intent of the Subdivision Control Law.[2]

No activity shall be permitted in any district unless it can be demonstrated that its operation will be so conducted that the following standards will be met:

The Zoning Agent may require that applicants furnish evidence of probable compliance with the above requirements, whether by example of similar facilities or by analysis and certification by a professional engineer. Issuance of a permit on the basis of that evidence shall indicate acceptance of the conformity of the basic structure and equipment, but future equipment changes and operating procedures must be such as to also comply with these requirements.

Illumination, motion and location regulations.

Temporary signs. Temporary signs listed below shall be allowed for up to 12 months in any district without necessity of a permit:

Permitted accessory signs in residence districts.

Permitted accessory signs in Business and Industrial Districts.

Permitted nonaccessory signs. No nonaccessory signs shall be erected, except that a nonaccessory directional sign, designating the route to an establishment not on a state highway, may be erected and maintained in any district on special permit from the Board of Appeals, subject to their finding that such sign will promote the public interest, will not endanger the public safety and will be of such size, location and design as will not be detrimental to the neighborhood.

Administration.

Buffering. All parking areas for more than four vehicles and all outdoor equipment or materials storage areas of 1,000 square feet or larger shall be buffered from each property line, including the street line, by:

Parking area plantings. At least 2% of the interior area of parking areas for 20 or more vehicles shall be unpaved planting areas, each 40 square feet or larger, providing at least one tree per eight parking spaces or fraction thereof, located to assist in guiding traffic, provide shading or preserve existing trees.

Fixtures. Lighting fixture types are defined as follows:

Lighting limitations. The following limitations shall be observed by all uses, unless granted a special permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon determination by the Board that it is inherently infeasible for that use (e.g., public outdoor recreation) to meet these standards, and that all reasonable efforts have been made to avoid light overspill onto residential premises and glare on public roads.

Flashing. No flickering or flashing lights shall be permitted. Processes, such as arc welding, which create light flashes shall be confined within buildings or shielded to prevent either direct glare or flashing reflected from the sky.

Lighting plan. An exterior lighting plan may be required where compliance with these requirements is not apparent to include indication of location, mounting height and orientation of luminaires and sufficient technical information on the fixtures to determine their type and resulting illumination levels.