It is the purpose and intent of this chapter that off-street parking and loading areas be provided and adequately maintained in every zoning district for the purpose of promoting safe and efficient storage of motor vehicles; to avoid unnecessary congestion and interference with public use of streets; and to provide for sound and stable environmental conditions and the prevention of future blighted areas.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 601)

(a)

Off-street parking and loading requirements. In all zoning districts, off-street parking and loading requirements shall be provided in amounts not less than those specified for the various districts.

(b)

Use. Requirements for a use not mentioned shall be the same for that use which is most similar to the use not listed.

(c)

Parking ratio to floor area. Additional parking shall be provided and maintained in proper ratio to any increase in floor area or building use capacity.

(d)

Determining off-street parking and loading requirements. For the purpose of determining off-street parking and loading requirements, the following provisions shall apply:

(1)

Mercantile establishments. In mercantile establishments, gross floor area shall mean the floor area used for service to the public. It shall not include floor area used for storage or the processing and packaging of merchandise where it is carried on in a room in which service to the public is not involved.

(2)

Hospitals. In hospitals, bassinets shall not be counted as beds.

(3)

Alternate seating. Where benches, pews, or other similar seating facilities are used as seats, each 20 inches of such seating facilities shall be counted as one seat.

(e)

Mixed uses in same building. In the case of mixed uses in the same building, the total requirements of off-street parking and loading shall be the sum of the requirements for the separate individual uses computed separately.

(f)

Joint or collective provision for off-street parking. Joint or collective provision of off-street parking for buildings or uses on two or more properties shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the participating individual uses computed separately.

(g)

Reductions in parking requirements; mixed uses. Parking requirements may be reduced in the following situations. In the case of mixed uses which each occupy 20 percent or more of the floor area of a building, and the operating schedules of any two such uses overlap for no more than six hours in a typical day, the parking requirement for the building, as determined using the table, may be reduced by ten percent.

(1)

Joint provision of off-street parking. Where two or more abutting parcels in any B or M zoning district provide paved drives and sidewalks between parking areas, allowing travel between parcels without use of a public street, the number of parking spaces required for each parcel may be reduced by ten percent, in addition to reduction allowed by other provisions of this section.

(2)

Reductions for further public benefits. In any B or M zoning district, the parking requirements for a parcel fronting on a county primary or state highway, other than an expressway, may be reduced by ten percent, in addition to other reductions allowed by this section, if any three of the following conditions are met.

a.

No driveways open onto the major road.

b.

There are no freestanding signs in the front yard setback area.

c.

The principal building's front yard setback is at least 100 feet.

d.

At least 25 percent of the parcel is devoted to natural woodlands, wetlands or landscape plantings.

e.

Sidewalks, including barrier-free curb cuts, are provided along the full length of all road frontages on the parcel, with at least one walkway connection between any such frontage and the building's main entrance.

f.

A service drive is provided along the entire major road frontage, and connects to parking area on adjoining properties. Access to this drive from any public street may not be located within 200 feet of any intersection, unless said access is configured as a fourth left of a "T" intersection.

g.

Acceleration and deceleration lanes are provided on the major road for right turns in and out of any driveway into the parcel, and a separate left turn lane is also provided for at least 200 feet in either direction from each driveway.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 602)

(a)

Size of spaces.

(1)

Standard. Parking spaces must be nine feet wide by 20 feet long.

(2)

Handicapped. Designated handicapped spaces must be 12 feet wide by 20 feet long.

(3)

Other. Spaces for special vehicles, such as cars with boat trailers, must conform to dimensions as noted in the table of off-street parking requirements in section 66-134.

(b)

Handicapped spaces. Off-street parking areas larger than 25 spaces include one handicapped parking space for each 100 spaces, or fraction thereof. Such spaces must be located within 100 feet of a barrier free entrance to the principal building, and be clearly signed for use by handicapped persons only. Curb cuts, ramps, or other necessary devices shall be provided to overcome all access barriers between these spaces and the entrance.

(c)

Surface.

(1)

Gravel. Where the table of off-street parking requirements allows parking areas to be gravel surfaced, this surface must be of a material that provides a durable, smooth and dustless parking lot, which is graded to properly drain and dispose of stormwater.

(2)

Paved. Where the table of off-street requirements requires parking areas to be paved, this pavement must consist of at least six inches of reinforced concrete or two inches of bituminous surface over six inches of compacted crushed stone.

(3)

Mix of surface types. For some combinations of uses, the table of off-street parking requirements may specify both gravel and paved spaces. If some gravel surfaced spaces are to be built, they must be constructed as a separate parking lot, located father from the principal building than any paved spaces. Access to the gravel lot may be only from the paved lot, not from any public street. If all spaces are paved, the total number of spaces may be reduced by up to ten percent.

(4)

No parking on front lawn. No portion of a residential front lawn area may be used for parking.

(d)

Drainage. Stormwater collection, drainage, retention and outfall structures must be installed for all off-street parking areas in compliance with the specifications of the Saginaw County Road Commission and the Saginaw County Drain Commissioner.

(e)

Parking area design, driveways and aisles. In any required parking area larger than two spaces, no space may be situated so that vehicles enter it directly from a public street. Driveways and aisles must be clearly identified and meet the following requirements.

(1)

Driveway. Each driveway opening to a public street must be approved by the agency having jurisdiction over the street. Driveways and access roads must be paved. Lanes for entering and exiting traffic shall be clearly marked on the pavement. Each driveway must intersect a public street at a 90-degree angle.

(2)

Stacking area. Each driveway shall include on-site stacking area, which does not function as an access aisle for parking spaces, equivalent to at least five percent of the spaces in the parking area.

(3)

Aisles. Parking lot aisles shall be at least 20 feet wide.

(4)

Clear vision area. All driveways shall have a clear vision area, unobstructed by accessory structures or plantings, within 30 feet of any public street right-of-way, for a sight distance 100 feet along the near edge of the pavement in either direction.

(f)

Driveway spacing. Each parcel shall have no more than one driveway entrance and exit opening to any public street for each 300 feet of frontage, or fraction. Where more than one driveway is allowed, they shall not be located within 30 feet of a neighboring property line, or within 50 feet of a street intersection.

(g)

Lighting. Off-street parking areas provided for any multiple-family housing, business, industrial or institutional use must be provided with sufficient lighting to allow safety for users at any time. Lighting fixtures shall comply with height and setback standards for accessory structures for the applicable zoning district. No direct lighting from said fixtures shall be directed at adjacent properties or public streets.

(h)

Setbacks. Parking and loading areas setback areas shall conform to required yards and off-street parking shall be no closer than five feet to any principle building, 20 feet to a fire hydrant or natural gas shutoff valve, or 50 feet to any above ground fuel storage tank. Bumper guards or curbs shall be installed to prevent encroachment.

(i)

Front yard parking. No part of any front yard shall be used for any accessory building, garage, or other structure, nor shall any motor vehicle be parked in any front yard except upon a regularly constructed driveway. In addition, on a corner lot no motor vehicle shall be parked in the side yard abutting a public street except upon a regularly constructed driveway. In the case of driveways formed by a portion of a circle with two access points on the street, the portion of the driveway closest to the structure must be outside of the required front yard.

(j)

Screening for residential. Any parking area larger than ten spaces must have a visual screen not less than five feet high running the full length of any side which adjoins a parcel in the R-1 or R-2 zoning districts.

(k)

Deceleration lane. Where the posted speed for a public street is over 30 miles per hour, it is desirable to have driveways opening onto said thoroughfare served by a right turn deceleration lane at least 200 feet long in advance of the driveway. However, this would have to be volunteered by the applicant and cannot be made a requirement of any zoning permit.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 603)

TABLE OF OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS

Total parking required is the sum of spaces for all land uses proposed on the site, plus employee parking, as defined below.

* Spaces must be sized as noted.

# Per building design capacity

** Employee parking surface type shall be same as for the main use.

*** Parking/paving standards in mobile home parks shall comply with Michigan Mobile Home Commission Rules 922, 925, and 926.

(1)

Calculations. To determine the total number of spaces required for any parcel, add the requirements for each existing or proposed activity. Read down the land use column to identify all uses which apply to the parcel. For each such use, determine the number of activity units involved and the number of parking spaces required to serve that many units. Finally, add the spaces required for all said uses to find the total.

(2)

Uses not listed. If a use is not listed in the table, the zoning administrator shall determine its parking requirements based upon similar uses, or an applicant may request an interpretation by the zoning board of appeals.

(3)

Additions. Parking spaces must be added in proportion to added floor area or use on a parcel.

(4)

Availability of spaces. Parking spaces may count toward the requirement for a parcel if they are located on it or on an adjoining parcel where the farthest space is not over 500 feet from the nearest public entrance to the principal building, with a continuous paved walkway between the lot and entrance.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 604)

No parking lot shall be constructed unless and until a permit therefor is issued.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 605)

(a)

Intent. This section is intended to provide adequate access for commercial vehicles to major generators of truck traffic and minimize traffic interference caused by trucks parked for loading or unloading.

(b)

Dimensions of loading space. Each loading space must be at least ten feet wide and 30 feet long. If roofed, it must have at least 15 feet of vertical clearance. Where it is expected that semitrucks will make daily deliveries, the loading space must be at least 60 feet long.

(c)

Hard surface. Loading spaces must be paved with a surface providing the equivalent load strength of nine inches of concrete.

(d)

Location and setbacks. A loading space must be located within or adjacent to the building it serves and arranged so that trucks entering or using the space do not block any portion of a public street or alley. Loading spaces must conform to setbacks for accessory structures for the applicable zoning district.

(e)

Number required. These requirements are intended to insure long range usefulness of structures.

(1)

Multifamily residential. For any dwelling units, which are not entered directly from the outside, one loading space must be supplied, with barrier free access to any hallway or elevator.

(2)

Retail. Building used for retail sales or eating and drinking establishments shall include one loading space, plus one for each 30,000 square feet of public area, or major fraction thereof.

(3)

Office. Any office building taller than one story shall include one loading space.

(4)

Wholesale, warehouse or industrial. Each such building shall have at least one loading space for each 25,000 square feet.

(5)

Off-street loading areas for dumpsters. Loading area for dumpsters present special consideration as off-street loading spaces. These rules are intended to prevent unhealthy or unsightly solid waste handling facilities. They apply to any solid waste container so large that a mechanical device is required to empty it.

(6)

Screening and enclosure. Each container must be obscured from view from any adjoining parcel by a visual screen, which is at least high as the container. Containers are to be protected by a fenced enclosure with a lockable gate, unless each container has a lid that is kept locked when waste is not being deposited or removed.

(f)

Solid waste collection facilities. Loading areas for "dumpsters" present a different set of conditions than standard off-street loading spaces. These rules are intended to prevent unhealthy or unsightly solid waste handling facilities. They apply to any solid waste container so large that a mechanical device is required to empty it.

(1)

Screening and enclosure. Each container must be obscured from view from any adjoining parcel by a visual screen that is at least as high as the container. Containers are to be protected by a fenced enclosure with a lockable gate, unless each container has a lid that is kept locked when waste is not being deposited or removed.

(2)

Paving (hard surface). Each container site and approach area for trucks shall be constructed with either asphalt or concrete to a sufficient depth that the surface withstands the weight of the truck and container as it is emptied. Any deteriorating, broken up material will be treated as a blighted condition and the owner will be notified that the area needs repair.

(3)

Siting. Containers shall be located inside rear yards and meet all setback requirements for accessory structures. Trucks collecting waste shall not conflict with the orderly flow of traffic onto or through the parcel or any parking areas thereon, nor block any portion of a public street or alley.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 606; Ord. No. 2018-04, § I, 9-24-2018)