Bulverde City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 14
06 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
§ 14.06.001 Intent.
The minimum number of required off-street parking spaces for each use shall be determined by the gross building area or other measures as listed in section 14.06.003. The uses enumerated in the table below are general and are intended to include all similar uses. For uses not specifically listed below, the city manager or designee shall choose the most comparable use to determine the parking requirement.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 687 adopted 2/8/22)
§ 14.06.002 Calculation of parking.
(a)
Parking for a building shall be calculated on the basis of the number of dwelling units for residential uses and on the basis of the gross floor area of a nonresidential building, as defined herein, unless otherwise specified.
(b)
Where different uses and different types of uses are combined in a single building, the required parking for the building shall be the total of the required parking spaces for each use.
(c)
Where the calculation of required parking results in a fractional unit, a fraction of one-half (0.5) or more shall be considered a whole unit and a fraction less than one-half (0.5) shall be disregarded, except that where the total number of spaces equals less than give [five], a full parking space shall be required to fulfill the fractional requirement.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 687 adopted 2/8/22)
§ 14.06.003 Parking requirements.
Use | Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
Agriculture | Two spaces per dwelling unit |
Amusement center, inside or outside | To be proposed in the special use permit application |
Assisted living/skilled nursing facility | One space for every two rooms or two beds, whichever is greater |
Bed-and-breakfast inn | * Two spaces for each dwelling unit plus one per guest room if in a single-family home * See below if in a hotel or motel building |
Bowling alley | Six spaces per bowling lane |
Cemetery/mausoleum | To be proposed in the special use permit application |
Church or other place of worship | * One space for each 2.5 seats in the main worship area * A proposed parking ratio for banquet/ reception/multi-purpose space shall be included in the application for a special use permit for this use; these spaces may be required in addition to parking for the main worship area; the application may propose no additional parking, but must stipulate the ratio in the application * All spaces to be provided on the same lot as the church unless a cooperative parking agreement is executed and approved as required herein or a special use permit for off-site parking is approved * Parking for a church or other place of worship in a residential zoning district shall not be provided in an above-grade parking structure |
College/university | One space for each student (design capacity) plus one space for each classroom, office, laboratory, instructional space or other non-classroom area excluding restrooms and cafeterias |
Contractor’s office | * One space per employee plus one space for each company vehicle * Spaces provided for vehicle parking shall not be used for outside storage |
Convenience store | Minimum five spaces per building plus one space per 200 square feet of gross building area in excess of 1,000 square feet |
Convenience store with gasoline sales | Minimum five spaces per building plus one space per 200 square feet of gross building area in excess of 1,000 square feet excluding spaces provided at the gasoline pumps |
Data center | One space per 1,000 square feet of gross building area |
Day care, adult or child | One space for each five children or adults (design capacity) or one space for each 300 square feet of gross building area, whichever is greater |
Distribution center | One space per 1,000 square feet of gross building area plus parking for the office component of the building as required herein |
Fine arts studio, dance studios, martial arts schools | One space per 100 square feet of activity area excluding changing areas/locker rooms |
Flight school | One space for each student (design capacity) plus one space for each classroom, office, laboratory, instructional space or other non-classroom area excluding restrooms and cafeterias |
Farmer’s market | One space per vendor plus one space for each 150 square feet of covered market area |
Food truck park | One space per 500 square feet of dining area |
Garden center | One space for each 200 square feet of gross building area (including covered or enclosed greenhouse areas) plus one space per 1,500 square feet of outdoor sales and storage area |
Gasoline service station | Minimum five spaces plus parking for convenience store area as required herein |
Golf course, private or public | Five spaces per green |
Health club/fitness center | * One space per 100 square feet of activity area excluding changing areas/locker rooms, swimming pools, bathing areas * Parking for the office component of the building as required herein * Six spaces per tennis, racquetball or squash courts * 10 spaces per basketball court |
Home furniture/furnishings/appliance store | One space per 500 square feet of gross building area |
Home improvement center | * Garden center - in accordance with the ratio for such use herein * Retail portions of the building - in accordance with the ratio for such use herein * Warehouse portions of the building (excluding the retail sales floor) - in accordance with the ratio for such use herein |
Hospital | One space for every two beds |
Hotel/motel | * Hotel - 1.25 spaces per guest room * Meeting and banquet space - one space for each 100 square feet * Motel - 1.1 spaces per guest room |
Landscape nursery, wholesale | One space for each 200 square feet of gross building area (including covered or greenhouse areas) plus one space per acre of outdoor sales and storage area or portion thereof |
Manufacturing facility or scientific/research/ development laboratory | One space per 400 square feet of gross building area. |
Minor emergency/urgent care facility | Two spaces for each examining room |
Motor vehicle repair facilities | Five spaces plus two spaces outside the building for each service bay |
Motor vehicle sales and service center | * Showroom and administrative office areas shall provide parking in accordance with the appropriate ratios listed herein * Service facilities shall provide parking in accordance with the motor vehicle repair facilities * Twenty-five percent of the required parking spaces shall be designated as customer parking and shall not be used for storage or display of vehicles for sale |
Movie theater, theater/stage/live performance venue | One space per 2.5 seats in the facility |
Office, bank or financial institutions | |
* For buildings of less than 75,000 square feet | * One space per 250 square feet of gross building area |
* For buildings of 75,000 square feet or more | * One space per 300 square feet of gross building area |
Residential: | |
* Apartment/condominium home | * Two spaces per dwelling unit * Additional requirements in article 14.12, Supplemental Regulations for Certain Uses |
* Single-family, duplex, cluster home, townhome, patio home | * Two spaces per dwelling unit * 0.5 additional guest spaces for each townhome |
Restaurants and other food/beverage establishments providing seating for patrons - Dine-in, drive-through, drive-in | One space per 100 square feet of gross building area |
Garden center | One space for each 200 square feet of gross building area (including covered or greenhouse areas), plus one space per 1,500 square feet of outdoor sales and storage area |
Retail: | |
* Buildings of less than 10,000 square feet | * One space per 333 square feet of gross building area |
* Buildings of 10,000 square feet or more | * 30 spaces, plus one space per 200 square feet of gross building area in excess of 10,000 square feet |
* Reduction for large retail buildings or centers | * Ten percent reduction in the total number of required spaces for retail buildings and centers with gross building area of 100,000 square feet or more on a single platted lot |
Riding academy/stables, commercial | One space for every two stalls |
Schools - Elementary and secondary grades, public/private/parochial: | |
* Elementary and middle school/junior high school | * One space for each 15 students (design capacity) |
* High school | * One space/1.5 students, (design capacity) * One space/faculty and staff member * One space/three seats in the auditorium; parking provided for students, faculty and staff can be credited towards the fulfillment of this requirement if the auditorium will not normally be in use during school hours |
Self-storage facility | * One space for each 20 storage units plus parking required for office areas in accordance with the office ratio * Minimum five customer spaces designated on the approved site plan * Spaces provided for vehicle storage shall not count toward the total spaces required |
Showroom | One space per 1,000 square feet of gross building area plus parking for the office component of the building as required herein |
Technical/occupational training school | One space per 100 square feet of classroom floor area (design capacity) plus one space for each classroom, office, laboratory, instructional space or other non-classroom area excluding restrooms and cafeterias |
Tree farm | One space per 200 square feet of gross building area plus one space for each 5 acres of outside growing area |
Utility or telecommunications facility | One space per employee plus one space for each service vehicle |
Warehouse | One space per 1,000 square feet of gross building area plus parking for the office component of the building as required herein |
Wholesale facility | One space per 1,000 square feet of gross building area plus parking for the office component of the building as required herein |
Parking spaces or a parking area shall be provided for the exclusive use of vehicles transporting temporarily or permanently disabled persons as defined in applicable state or federal statutes. | |
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 687 adopted 2/8/22)
§ 14.06.004 Downtown Bulverde Village.
(a)
The off-street parking provided for any property within the Downtown Bulverde Village area existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall be deemed conforming for any use permitted by the zoning, provided, however, such use does not require any new construction or zoning change or special use permit.
(b)
The off-street parking requirements set forth herein shall apply to any property in the Downtown Bulverde Village area for which a change in zoning or special use permit is required, or if new construction is proposed, for any use within the zoning district. An application for planned development zoning may include a proposal for non-standard parking ratios itemized by use using the above ratios as guidelines.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 687 adopted 2/8/22)
§ 14.06.005 Design, construction and maintenance of off-street parking areas.
(a)
Off-street parking shall be constructed in accordance with the design standards herein.
(b)
The construction and maintenance of off-street parking facilities shall be the joint and several responsibility of the owner of the land upon which is located the building or use for which the off-street parking facilities are required.
(c)
Construction plans sufficient for review to ensure compliance with development and drainage requirements shall be submitted and approved by the city manager or designee prior to the construction of the parking area improvement.
(d)
All parking areas shall be properly graded for drainage and surfaced with concrete, asphaltic concrete or asphalt; provided, however, that parking areas may be surfaced with permeable materials, such as crushed rock, in accordance with the following:
(e)
All parking areas shall be maintained to minimum construction specifications and shall be free of weeds, holes, dust, trash, debris and other defects which would collect water or other materials and cause further deterioration of the parking surface or would in any way impair the movement of a vehicle using said parking area. Repairs shall be done in accordance with the design standards.
(f)
Off-street parking shall be constructed in accordance with the following design standards.
(1)
Off-street parking spaces shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet in width and 18 feet in length exclusive of area required for access, maneuvering, ramps and other appurtenances.
(2)
A maximum of 10 percent of the required parking spaces may be designated for use by compact vehicles with minimum dimensions of eight feet six inches in width and 16 feet in length. Compact vehicle parking areas shall be identified by either of the following methods:
(3)
The minimum width of access aisles internal to a parking lot or structure shall be as follows, except that where a fire lane is required, the minimum aisle width shall be the minimum width required for a fire lane:
Parking Angle | Minimum Aisle Width | |
|---|---|---|
One-Way Operation | Two-Way Operation | |
30° | 12 feet | 20 feet |
45° | 12 feet | 20 feet |
60° | 16 feet | 22 feet |
75° | 22 feet | 22 feet |
90° | 25 feet | 25 feet |
(4)
Entrances and exits to parking areas shall be provided with entrances and exits so located as to minimize traffic congestion.
(5)
Boundary or perimeter areas shall be provided with wheel guards or bumper guards, located so that no part of a parked vehicle will extend beyond the property line of the parking area.
(6)
Parking lot lighting shall be arranged and oriented and lighting fixtures shall be chosen so that the source of the light is concealed from public view and adjacent residential properties and does not interfere with traffic.
(7)
Parking facilities shall be constructed with entrances and exits located and designed so as to minimize traffic congestion.
(8)
Dead-end parking shall be prohibited unless adequate turn-around area is reserved on-site so as not to require any vehicle to back into a public right-of-way or rely on adjacent property for maneuvering area.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 687 adopted 2/8/22)
§ 14.06.006 Cooperative parking plan.
(a)
Except as otherwise permitted under a cooperative parking plan, off-street parking facilities shall be located on the lot on which the use or structure for which they are provided is located. Pursuant to the following procedure, part of or all of the required off-street parking may be located on a site other than the one occupied by the use or structure requiring such facilities.
(b)
Two or more users may share the same off-street parking facilities and each user may be considered as having provided such shared space individually. Such shared parking space, however, shall not be considered as having been provided individually unless the schedules of operation of all such users are such that none of the users sharing the facilities require the off-street parking facilities at the same time. This arrangement for sharing of off-street parking facilities shall be subject to the approval of a cooperative parking plan.
(c)
An application for approval of a cooperative parking plan shall be filed with the board by the owner of the entire land area to be included within the cooperative parking plan, the owner or owners of all structures then existing on such land area, and all parties having a legal interest in such land and structures. Sufficient evidence to establish the status of applicants as owners or parties in interest shall be provided. The application shall include plans showing the location of the uses or structures for which off-street parking facilities are required, the location of the off-street parking facilities and the schedule of times used by those sharing in common.
(d)
The application shall be reviewed for approval or disapproval by the board. Upon approval, a copy of the plan shall be registered among the records of the city and shall thereafter be binding upon the applicants, their heirs, successors and assigns. The registration shall limit and control the issuance and validity of permits and certifications and shall restrict, limit and control the use and operation of all land and structures included within such cooperative parking plan.
(e)
Pursuant to the same procedure and subject to the same limitations and requirements by which the cooperative parking plan was approved and registered, any such plan may be amended or withdrawn, either partially or completely, if all land and structures remaining under such plan comply with all the conditions and limitations of the plan and all land and structures withdrawn from such plan comply with the regulations of this chapter.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 586, sec. 2B, adopted 6/11/19)
§ 14.06.007 Off-street loading requirements.
Off-street truck facilities shall be constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with the following specifications:
(1)
Off-street truck loading facilities shall be required for the C-2, C-3 and I-1 districts except where the building permit expressly waives such requirement as provided in this section.
(2)
No structure shall be designed, erected, altered, used or occupied unless any required off-street truck loading facilities are provided. In the event that structures are enlarged, expanded or changed, the structure shall not be used, occupied or operated unless there is provided at least the amount of off-street truck loading facilities that would be required if the increment were a separate structure.
(3)
Loading and unloading of product or inventory shall take place entirely outside of the public right-of-way and no vehicle shall encroach on the public right-of-way during the process of loading or unloading.
(4)
The provision and maintenance of the off-street truck loading facilities shall be the joint and several responsibility of the operator and owner of the land upon which the structure requiring the facilities is located.
(5)
Off-street truck loading facilities shall be located on the same lot on which the structure for which they are provided is located; provided, however, that facilities provided under cooperative arrangement as hereinafter permitted may be located on another site not more [than] 150 feet from the structure for which they are provided.
(6)
Loading areas shall not be located on the street side of a building and shall be screened from view of streets using a wall or permanent architectural feature and landscape elements such as walls, berms, trees and shrubs.
(7)
The following minimum truck loading spaces shall be provided in all districts for structures containing the uses enumerated above in the nonresidential zoning districts or for nonresidential uses in the PD Planned Development District.
Square Feet of Gross Floor Area in Structure | Required No. of Spaces |
|---|---|
0 up to and including 12,500 | 1 |
12,501 up to and including 25,000 | 2 |
25,001 up to and including 40,000 | 3 |
(8)
The zoning board of adjustment may approve a waiver of the off-street loading facilities required herein for structures that are required to provide and maintain fewer than five off-street parking spaces, or any other structure if the design and the proposed use of the structure shows no need for off-street loading.
(Ordinance 437, ex. A, adopted 9/13/16; Ordinance 586, sec. 2B, adopted 6/11/19)