The purpose of this Chapter is to ensure that required off-street space is provided to allow for loading, unloading, and parking on private property by motor vehicles, bicycles, and other allowed vehicles. It is further intended that the design of off-street parking areas ensure safe and efficient traffic circulation, with consideration given to the surrounding street plan, pedestrian movements, and safety. All development and redevelopment shall provide off-street parking in compliance with the standards set forth in this Chapter and the Engineering Design Standards.

Parking spaces and drive aisles shall conform to standard designs found in the City of Cape Coral Engineering and Design Standards.

Off-street parking facilities required by this article shall be fully within the property lines of the parcel they are intended to serve unless an alternative location is approved as provided in this Chapter.

A.

Setbacks and buffering from property lines. Landscape buffers required by Article 6 shall be maintained along the perimeter of parking lots.

B.

Driveways. All driveways shall be designed and constructed per the requirements set forth in the Engineering and Design Standards of Cape Coral.

C.

Pedestrian Safety. All off-street parking facilities, including drive aisles, travel lanes, and driveways shall be arranged to minimize hazards to pedestrian movement in the immediate area or encroach upon fire lanes, walkways, and visibility triangles. Pedestrians must be protected from exiting a building into vehicular traffic in an emergency. The applicant shall provide a walkway or a protected area with a minimum width of the doorway plus five feet beyond the swing of the door. All exit discharges from buildings shall be protected by permanent means to ensure pedestrian areas are protected from vehicular encroachment.

D.

Pedestrian Safety Zones. Within parking areas over 100 spaces for commercial uses, paved pedestrian walkways at least six feet in width shall be provided at 200-foot intervals. Such walkways may be interrupted by necessary drive aisles, but shall include adequate wheel chair ramps, if necessary. Curbs or wheel stops shall be so placed to prevent any portion of the vehicle to encroach upon the pedestrian safety zone. Diagram 6.1.3. illustrates a pedestrian safety zone.

Diagram 6.1.3. Pedestrian Safety Zone

Appropriate and adequate loading facilities shall be required for businesses which receive regular deliveries.

A.

Design and location.

1.

Loading spaces may not be blocked by parking spaces.

2.

Design of the space shall be such that the delivery vehicles can maneuver without damaging landscaped areas.

3.

Loading spaces may be shared by adjacent properties when delivery schedules do not overlap and an access agreement has been completed.

4.

Loading zones may not be placed where they obstruct required fire lanes and access to hydrants.

5.

Loading zones shall be in a place which ensures convenient and safe entry and exit for the users of the loading zone, and the convenience and safety of pedestrians and motorists using the development.

As an aid to allow for safe operation of vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists in the proximity of intersecting streets, driveways, alleys, and bicycle paths there shall be limitations on the height of fences, walls, gateways, ornamental structures, signs, hedges, shrubbery, and other fixtures as visually depicted in the Cape Coral Engineering and Design Standards and as follows:

A.

All landscaping and signs within the visibility triangle shall provide unobstructed visibility between 30 inches and eight feet, with the exception of tree trunks that do not create a traffic hazard.

B.

The property owner shall be responsible for maintaining all landscaping within the visibility triangle to provide the unobstructed visibility.

C.

The Community Development Director or Public Works Director shall make the final determination regarding visibility triangles.

A.

Common driveways shall be encouraged and may be required to reduce the number of curb cuts along a right-of-way. Driveways shall be in accordance with the Engineering Design Standards. Driveway access to State and County maintained roadways are regulated by FDOT or Lee County and require separate permits from the respective agency prior to commencement of construction. Approval of a common driveway will require submittal of a notarized shared access agreement and easement, acceptable to the City, which shall be recorded against the title for each property involved.

B.

Off-site parking and shared parking. In an instance where a business is unable to provide adequate parking on-site, off-site parking may be approved by the Director. Shared parking agreements and off-site parking agreements shall be reviewed as often as is appropriate to ensure compliance and adequacy of all provisions.

1.

Approval of off-site parking shall be dependent upon:

a.

Safe and convenient access to the off-site parking from the business which will be utilizing the off-site parking;

b.

Proof of ownership of the parking lot by the business or a recorded parking agreement recorded against the title of the property to utilize the parking, which may not be eliminated or modified without concurrence by the City;

c.

Evidence that the parking will be available to the business during the times when the parking will be needed; and

d.

Appropriate paving, marking, and lighting of the off-site parking.

2.

In addition to the above requirements, to qualify for shared parking approval one of the following must apply:

a.

It can be proven that the uses in question have peak parking demands during differing times of the day or days of the week; or

b.

A finding is made that there will be a lower demand for parking due to a high proportion of multi-purpose visits. The applicant shall provide documentation to show that the proposed parking for the multiple uses will be adequate. This documentation shall account for all the potential uses allowed in the zoning district on the properties to be served by the shared parking.

C.

Proximity to city parking areas. Except for parking lot sites in the SC District identified in Table 6.1.8.A., any development within 25 feet, excluding alleys and walkways, of a city parking area may utilize that area to satisfy off-street parking requirements, provided a sufficient number of improved spaces exist in the city parking area to accommodate the number of spaces otherwise required by this ordinance for such development. If a sufficient number of improved parking spaces do not exist at the time of application, the owner or developer may improve the city parking area to the extent necessary to provide such sufficient number of improved parking spaces in accordance with the City of Cape Coral Engineering Design Standards. Once the city parking area has been properly improved and inspected, the city shall be responsible for all maintenance of the public parking area.

(Ord. 66-23, § 1, 9-6-2023)

A.

Generally.

1.

The City shall not approve the construction of a parking lot with more than 125 percent of the parking spaces required in Table 6.1.7.A. This shall not apply to development that have a minimum off-street parking requirement of 50 spaces or less.

2.

Accessible parking spaces shall meet ADA requirements.

3.

Bicycle parking. Permanently placed bicycle parking shall be provide in accordance with Subsection 6.1.7.B and Table 6.1.7.C.

4.

Opportunities for reduction in parking requirements. A developer may request a reduction in parking during the site plan process by using the following methods:

a.

If the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Reference Manual entitled Parking Generation allows a lesser number of parking spaces for the proposed use or a use of similar characteristics, then the number of parking spaces required for a development may be reduced.

b.

A reduction in the required number of spaces may be allowed if the developer provides the city with credible evidence that the parking needs are actually less than those reflected in the Table of Parking Standards or that the need for off-street parking spaces would be met through alternative means. Such credible evidence may include parking generation studies conducted within the City of Cape Coral or other similarly sized communities.

TABLE 6.1.7.A. Required Number of Parking Spaces for Uses.

For facilities having bench or booth seating, one seat shall be considered 24 linear inches of a bench or booth.

Table 6.1.7.B. South Cape (SC) and Mixed-Use Bimini (MXB) Parking Requirements.

B.

Bicycle parking. Bicycle parking shall be required for all developments of 20,000 square feet or more, in accordance with Table 6.1.7.B. Bicycle parking shall be adjacent to entrances or in a shaded or covered area when one is available. A parking space shall consist of a place for a bike to be secured in a standing position.

Table 6.1.7.C. Bicycle Parking Requirements.

C.

Electric vehicle charging stations. Charging stations for electric vehicles shall be required for all development sites of 200,000 square feet of gross floor area or more. One charging station shall be required for the initial 200,000 square feet of development and an additional charging station shall be provided for each additional 20,000 square feet over that.

(Ord. 66-23, § 1, 9-6-2023)

A.

Access to buildings. Parking shall not interfere with ingress-egress doors for stairwells, transformer rooms, elevator machine rooms, trash rooms, or any other use requiring clear access aisles for services.

B.

Marking and identification. All parking and loading spaces other than for single-family detached and duplex dwellings, shall be marked in accordance with the Engineering Design Standards. Off-street parking facilities not clearly evident from a street or alley shall be identified as to location and purpose. Marking and curb stops for duplex dwelling parking areas shall be marked in accordance with the design requirements shown in Section 6.2.2.

C.

Use of spaces. All off-street parking facilities shall be used solely for the parking of vehicles in operating condition. No automotive repair work except emergency service, no storage of merchandise, and no motor vehicles which are being offered for sale by a business in the development shall be permitted on or within any required off-street parking area.

D.

Surfacing. All off-street parking (spaces and aisles) and drives connecting such areas with the street, including spaces required for serving single-family detached residences or duplexes, shall be surfaced in accordance with the Engineering Design Standards unless an alternative landscaped area is approved for occasional parking as part of a development approval. All parking surfaces shall be maintained in a condition that is safe and free of potholes.

E.

Unpaved parking. Clearly identified, non-paved parking areas may be permitted, only in accordance with this Subsection. Unpaved parking, which is graded and covered with sod to provide a surface that is durable, stable, and will also assist in managing stormwater, dust, and erosion may be provided for up to 50% of the off-street parking requirements for the following uses:

1.

Agriculture or farming uses;

2.

Cemeteries;

3.

Funeral homes, mortuaries, and crematoria;

4.

Places of worship;

5.

Religious facilities; or

6.

Parks and recreation facilities owned by a governmental entity.

F.

Parking on unpaved areas shall be prohibited on all parcels other than those specifically allowed by this code to utilize grass parking. Where parking occurs on unpaved areas, a violation may be issued. Resolution of the violation may include providing additional parking spaces, not to exceed the allowed pervious surface requirement for that use.

G.

Off-street circulation and maneuvering.

1.

Off-street parking facilities for multi-family, industrial, or commercial developments shall provide for on-site vehicle circulation and maneuvering in accordance with the Engineering Design Standards. Backing into the street right-of-way shall not be permitted for any uses other than single-family detached residences on a local street.

2.

Single-family detached residences which are on a right-of-way classified as a collector or higher classified roadway, and all duplex residences shall be required to install a circular driveway to eliminate the necessity to back into the roadway. See diagrams 6.1.8.A for the typical circular driveway example.

Diagram 6.1.8.A. Single-family detached circular drive.

H.

Drainage. Design and construction of all parking areas shall conform to the requirements of the City of Cape Coral Engineering Design Standards and all applicable South Florida Water Management District requirements for stormwater management. All design and construction shall be such that runoff from the property is intercepted and prevented from entering onto adjoining properties or right-of-way(s) prior to treatment. The developer shall be responsible for obtaining all required permits.

I.

Parking along alleys. Parking on sites abutting alleys is allowed provided the following conditions are met:

1.

The area of the site abutting the alley is needed to meet the minimum parking requirement for the site.

2.

The alley is improved or will be improved to allow for the movement of vehicles in the alley along the site.

3.

No portion of a parking space shall be closer than 3' from the platted alley. Vehicles can be parked in their entirety on the site. No part of any parked vehicle may extend into the alley right-of-way.

4.

All parking spaces shall be striped consistent with those standards appearing in the City Engineering and Design Standards.

5.

The minimum clear aisle width behind parking spaces adjacent to alleys shall be the same as the aisle widths required by the Engineering Design Standards for the specific parking space orientation. An additional setback for the parking space from the alley may be required to provide adequate aisle width.

J.

Supplemental parking requirements within the South Cape District.

1.

For sites with parking requirements, development may count on-street parking, parking in city parking areas identified in Table 6.1.8.A. below, and sites owned or operated by the City or CRA that are developed for public parking within 660 feet of the subject property to meet the minimum required off-street parking spaces.

2.

All sites within 25 feet, excluding alleys and walkways, of any of those city parking areas identified in Table 6.1.8.A. below shall be considered "parking lot sites." Minimum parking standards for the SC District appearing in Table 6.1.7.B. shall not apply to any site abutting a city parking area or any site within 25 feet of a city parking area, excluding alleys and walkways.

Table 6.1.8.A. City Parking Areas and Parking Lot Sites within South Cape.

K.

Satellite parking within the South Cape District. For purposes of this subsection, a satellite parking arrangement exists when the minimum total parking (excluding on-site parking) required for a site is to be provided on a site at a location different from the site which will be served by the parking as required in § 6.1.7.A. When all or part of the minimum total parking (excluding on-site parking) required for a site is to be satisfied by one or more satellite parking arrangements, such satellite parking arrangements shall comply with the requirements of this subsection as follows:

1.

Except as otherwise provided herein, satellite parking shall be located not more than 1,320 feet from a public entrance to the principal building which contains the use associated with such satellite parking, except that no satellite off-street parking area shall be located on parkway or primary street designations or across Del Prado Boulevard or Cape Coral Parkway from the use it is serving. When the site that contains the use(s) to be served by the satellite parking offers valet parking at all times that such use(s) are open to the public so that valets will transport the vehicles of patrons of such use(s) to the satellite parking site(s) and such valet service is documented in an agreement entered into by the city and the owners of the property to be served by the satellite parking and the property offering the satellite parking, then the satellite parking site(s) may be more than 1,320 feet from a public entrance to the principal building containing the use served by such valet parking.

The aforesaid agreement shall be in addition to the agreement required by § 6.1.8.K.1.4. and shall be recorded in the public records of Lee County at the sole expense of the owner(s) of the property to be served by the valet parking. Upon request by the owner of the property to be served by a proposed satellite parking location, the City may allow satellite parking that does not include valet parking to be located more than 1,320 feet from a public entrance to the principal building which contains the use associated with the proposed satellite parking or to be across Del Prado Boulevard or Cape Coral Parkway from the use it is serving, if the City finds that the proposed satellite parking would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare of the persons utilizing it. Factors which shall be considered by the City in making this determination include, but are not limited to, the following: the proximity of the proposed satellite parking to a signalized intersection, the availability of pedestrian crosswalks or other pedestrian-oriented features at any intersections and any other locations between the proposed satellite parking and the use(s) to be served by it, whether the satellite parking is to be utilized by employees only or by patrons of the use(s) to be served, and the availability of any complementary or supplementary services to such parking, such as trolley or tram systems that would provide transportation for the public to and from the satellite off-street parking area and the use(s) to be served. If the City approves satellite parking at a distance of more than 1,320 feet or across Del Prado Boulevard or Cape Coral Parkway, the City may impose conditions on such satellite parking that would be reasonably designed to mitigate any negative effects from such approval. Examples of such conditions include the requirement that a satellite off-street parking area be clearly identified for only employee parking, the requirement that a pedestrian walkway between the off-street parking area and the use(s) it serves be covered so as to protect pedestrians from the elements, and that any supplementary or complementary services be continued so long as the satellite parking is being used.

2.

The satellite off-street parking area and the site which contains the use associated with such satellite parking shall be shown on a site plan, development plan, or other equivalent plan. The submitted plan shall show the pedestrian connection(s) between the two sites and shall demonstrate that all pedestrian connections have sidewalks, or other paved walkways, dedicated solely to pedestrians. In addition, the plan shall demonstrate that the distance between the sites is not more than 1,320 feet when measured from a public entrance to the principal building (on the site to be served by the satellite parking) to the closest point on the proposed satellite parking site.

3.

Satellite parking spaces on the off-site lot shall only be counted if they are above and beyond the minimum parking requirement for uses on the off-site lot.

4.

The owner of the off-site lot of land (and, the owner of the land intended to be served by such off-site parking, if different than the owner of the lot to be used for parking) shall enter into an agreement with the city, which shall be recorded in the public records of Lee County, Florida, at the expense of the owner of the land intended to be served by the off-site parking.

5.

The satellite off-street parking area shall never be sold or transferred except in conjunction with the sale of the lot served by the off-site parking facilities unless:

a.

The lot to be sold or transferred will continue to be used as provided in the off-site parking agreement and the new owner or transferee executes a consent to assume and to be bound by the obligations of the owner of the lot used for parking as provided in the agreement;

b.

A different lot complying with all provisions of the City of Cape Coral Code of Ordinances and Land Development Code and subject to a recorded off-site parking agreement as specified herein is substituted for the lot of land subject to the off-site parking agreement; or

c.

The lot being served by the off-site parking no longer requires the parking as evidenced by a written statement executed by the parties executing the off-site parking agreement and as approved by the City. The aforesaid statement shall be recorded in the public records of Lee County at the expense of the owner of the lot formerly being served by the off-site lot.

(Ord. 66-23, § 1, 9-6-2023; Ord. 21-24, § 1, 5-1-2024)