There shall be provided, at the time of the erection of any building or at the time any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guestrooms, seats, or floor area, or before conversion from one type of use or occupancy to another, permanent off-street parking in the amount specified by this Article. Such parking space may be provided in a parking garage or parking lot or in driveways serving single- and two-family residences. Parking facilities provided in accordance with the terms of this Ordinance shall not subsequently be reduced below the requirements of this Ordinance.

1201.01 Parking lots to be improved. Parking lots intended to provide for the off-street parking space required by this Ordinance shall be improved and maintained.

1201.02 Joint use of parking lots. Parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing the required parking facilities for any other use on the same or separate lots, except under circumstances wherein a combination of uses or other factors might require total parking facilities in excess of actual need if so determined and certified by the Department of Inspections, and subsequently approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

1201.03 Certification of minimum parking requirements. Each application for a zoning approval shall include information as to the location and dimensions of off-street parking spaces, if required, and the means of ingress and egress between such space and a street or alley. This information shall be in sufficient detail to enable the Department of Inspections to determine whether or not the requirements of this Article are met. The zoning approval for the use of any building, structure or land where off-street parking space is required shall be withheld by the Department of Inspections until the provisions of this Article are fully met.

1201.04 Free flow of traffic and pedestrian protection. Access and egress for parking facilities shall be so arranged for the free flow of vehicles at all times, so as to prevent the blocking or endangering of vehicles on sidewalks or streets. If a reservoir or vehicle standing area on the property is necessary to prevent such blocking of traffic, an adequate reservoir shall be provided.

1201.05 Use of setback space. In all districts except single family where the side and rear yards adjoin single-family districts, all of the required setback space may be utilized for parking space only as follows: The outermost 15 feet shall be grassed or landscaped.

1201.06 Remote parking space. All dwelling units, and motels, [and] tourist courts shall have the required parking spaces provided on the lot or lots on which such dwelling type unit is located. For all other uses, if the off-street parking space required by this Ordinance cannot be reasonably provided on the same lot on which the principal use is located, such space may be provided on any land within 400 feet walking distance of the main entrance to such principal use. Said land shall be used for no other purpose so long as no other adequate provisions for parking space meeting the requirements of this Ordinance have been made for the principal use. However, remote parking areas must be zoned the same as the principal use or as may be permitted upon appeal.

1201.07 Dimensional requirements. For purposes of this Resolution [Ordinance], each off-street parking space should be not less than 200 square feet in area exclusive of access drives or aisles, should be of usable shape and condition, and should have vehicular access to a public street. Except for single-family and two-family residences in residential districts, turning space should be provided so that no vehicle will be required to back into a public street. This parking must comply with City Ordinance number 2004-24 [chapter 6, article I of the City Code].

The number of automobile parking spaces provided shall be at least as great as the number specified below for various uses. Where a use is not specifically mentioned herein, the parking space requirements of a similar or related use shall apply. All parking for commercial or public use must comply with the specifications and requirements in the Americans with Disabilities Act in addition to the following requirements:

1203.01 Purpose. The minimum landscaping requirements for off-street parking are provided to improve the environmental performance of new development, to enhance the appearance of buildings and their parking areas, and to minimize the impact of parking lots on adjacent land uses.

Benefits derived to the community include the protection and enhancement of property values, the reduction of stormwater runoff from parking lots, the reduction of erosion and sedimentation, the improvement of groundwater quality and air quality, and the provision of shade in parking lots thus minimizing solar heat gain. Trees and other forms of vegetation, in the process of photosynthesis, remove some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, generate a significant amount of oxygen that is necessary for life support, and hold and absorb some chemical pollutants.

Landscaping shall be provided as part of the site plan, parking lot, and stormwater system design. It shall be conceived in a total pattern throughout the site, integrating the various elements of site design, minimizing adverse environmental impacts, enhancing and preserving the particular identity of the site, and creating a pleasing character.

1203.02 Applicability. All parking lots containing 12 or more spaces shall be subject to these regulations. When existing parking lots, including those previously exempt from these regulations, are expanded to include a total of 12 or more spaces the additions shall comply with the requirements of this Section. All Landscape Plans submitted for compliance with these regulations shall be subject to review and approval by the Department of Inspections for compliance with the terms and conditions of these regulations.

1203.03 Definitions. To assist in the understanding and application of the provisions of this Section, the following terms are defined in Article 19 of this Ordinance: landscaping; parking lot; parking space; and shade tree.

1203.04 Landscape Plan review and approval.

a.

Prior to the issuance of a zoning approval, certification of compliance with these regulations must be obtained from the Department of Inspections.

b.

Prior to the issuance of an Occupancy Permit, parking lot landscaping shall be installed in accordance with the approved Landscape Plan.

In lieu of installation of landscaping prior to issuance of an Occupancy Permit, a cash deposit or surety in an amount equal to the cost plus 20 percent for installation of approved landscaping, guaranteeing the complete installation of the landscaping within six months, may be accepted by the Zoning Officer. If cash deposit/surety is forfeited, any remaining funds will be returned to the owner/developer upon completion of required landscape improvements.

1203.05 Landscape Plan submittal requirements.

a.

Format and materials. The Landscaping Plan and Details shall be drawn at an appropriate standard scale sufficient to convey the design intent of the submittal. Complete Landscape Plans, when required, shall be included in Preliminary Plan sets and Construction Plan sets submitted to Center Point for review and approval in accordance with the City's Subdivision and Construction Regulations.

b.

General information. Plan sets submitted for review and approval shall include the following:

1.

A title block, showing the title of the development, the name and address of the owner/developer/agent, the name and address of the person or firm preparing the plan, the date of preparation, the scale, the north point, and the date of all revisions.

2.

A location map, showing the relative location of the site to the nearest existing public street intersection.

3.

The boundaries of the subject property including the location and description of all adjoining property, the location and names of all adjoining streets and easements.

4.

The parcel identification number, zoning classification, the required number of parking spaces according to Section 1202 of these regulations, and the proposed number of parking spaces of the subject property/development.

5.

The total square footage, including required landscaped areas, of the proposed parking lot and the total square footage of the required landscaped areas.

6.

Location and dimensions of all entrances and exits of the parking lot and the manner in which vehicles will be parked, and the location and names of all utility lines, easements or rights-of-way on, or adjacent to, the site.

7.

All existing and proposed built improvements, all plant materials, natural features such as streams and rock outcroppings, and other landscape elements.

8.

All cross sections, elevations and details needed to communicate appearance, and methods of construction and/or installation.

9.

A Planting Schedule, keyed to the plant materials shown on the Landscape Plan, listing all proposed plant materials by botanical name, common name and cultivar, if any, quantity of materials, size of materials at planting, and plant spacing.

1203.06 General requirements. Landscape improvements to parking lots shall be subject to the following requirements:

a.

For developments requiring 100 or more off-street parking spaces, Landscape Plans shall be prepared by a registered landscape architect or licensed landscape designer. Submitted plans shall bear the registered landscape architect's/designer's seal, signature and State of Alabama registration number.

b.

All landscape improvements shall be constructed and/or installed by a contractor who is knowledgeable of and licensed by the State of Alabama to perform such work.

c.

Site protection and general planting requirements.

1.

Topsoil. To the extent practicable, topsoil moved during the course of construction shall be preserved and stockpiled for reuse on the site.

2.

Existing trees. Preservation of each existing healthy tree of an approved species, within required landscape areas, shall count as 1½ trees toward fulfillment of these requirements.

a)

The existing tree to be preserved must be at least four inches in caliper to receive credit.

b)

Methods for preserving existing trees shall be subject to review and approval by the Zoning Officer.

c)

Existing trees that are credited towards meeting the requirements of this Section shall be subject to the same maintenance and replacement requirements as newly planted trees.

3.

Slope plantings. Landscaping of all cuts and fills and/or terraces shall be sufficient to prevent erosion.

4.

Additional landscaping. All areas of the site not occupied by buildings and required improvements shall be left in its natural state or landscaped with mulch, grass or other groundcover, shrubs and trees as part of the Landscape Plan approved by the Department of Inspections.

5.

Planting specifications. Deciduous shade trees shall have at least a two-inch caliper at planting. Small deciduous ornamental trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height at planting. The size of evergreens and shrubs shall be allowed to vary depending on the setting and type of shrub. Only nursery-grown plant materials which conform with the current edition of "Horticulture Standards" for number one grade nursery stock, as adopted by the American Association of Nurserymen, shall be acceptable. All trees, shrubs and groundcovers shall be planted and maintained according to accepted horticultural standards. Dead and dying plants shall be replaced during the following planting season.

6.

Plant species. Plant species selected should be hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7b, be appropriate for soil conditions, water availability and the environment and appropriate in terms of function and size.

7.

Mulch. All planting areas, except those with turf grass, shall be provided with a layer of mulch.

8.

Irrigation systems. The use of irrigation systems is encouraged in all planting areas. Refer to Section 1203.08 for specific requirements.

d.

Shade trees.

1.

Location. Trees shall be either massed or strategically spaced on the site, or both. Trees shall be planted so as not to interfere with utilities, roadways, sidewalks, sight easements, or streetlights. Tree location, landscaping design, and spacing plan shall be approved by the Department of Inspections as part of the Landscape Plan.

2.

Maintenance specifications. Upon reaching adequate size, branches of all shade trees shall be trimmed and maintained at a minimum height of eight feet above finished grade.

e.

The use of raised curbing is discouraged throughout parking lots so that stormwater may infiltrate into planting areas.

f.

Parked vehicles shall not be allowed to overhang planting areas or sidewalks.

1203.07 Landscaping requirements. Parking lots shall be subject to the following requirements:

a.

Peripheral parking lot landscape requirements. All parking lots containing 12 or more spaces shall be required to provide peripheral landscaping adjacent to abutting properties as follows:

1.

Facing onto abutting property lines. A landscaped strip shall be located the entire length between the parking lot and the abutting property lines, except where driveways or other openings may necessitate other treatment.

a)

Parking lots with 12—49 spaces. The landscaped strip shall be a minimum of eight feet in width.

b)

Parking lots with 50 or more spaces. The landscaped strip shall be a minimum of ten feet in width.

2.

Facing onto public rights-of-way. A landscaped strip a minimum of ten feet in width, exclusive of any sidewalk or trail, shall be located between the parking lot and the public right-of-way.

3.

Where minimum yard setbacks are 15 feet or more, as part of the overall planting within the landscape strip, a minimum three-foot wide row of evergreen plant materials capable of forming a visual screen at maturity shall be provided with a minimum height of 18 inches at time of installation.

4.

At a minimum, the equivalent of one shade tree for every 50 linear feet or portion thereof shall be planted in the landscaped strip; however, this should not be construed as requiring the planting of trees at 50 feet on center.

5.

Where peripheral landscaping required by this Article conflicts with street planting regulations of the Alabama Department of Transportation, the regulations of the latter shall govern; compliance with both regulations, when possible, shall be pursued on a case-by-case basis.

6.

Landscaping in and adjacent to parking lots shall not obstruct the driver's view of the right-of-way at driveways and intersections, including that from adjoining properties.

7.

Vision clearance triangle setbacks are ten feet in parking areas, 30 feet at intersections, and as required by the Alabama Department of Transportation. Line of sight shall be measured at 3½ feet above the crown of such intersecting roads.

b.

Interior parking lot landscape requirements.

1.

Parking lots with 30 to 49 parking spaces shall be provided with interior landscaped areas covering not less than five percent of the total parking area. Such landscaping shall be in addition to all planting within six feet of a building and any required peripheral plantings and buffers.

2.

Parking lots with 50 to 99 parking spaces shall be provided with interior landscaped areas covering not less than 7.5 percent of the total parking area. Such landscaping shall be in addition to all planting within six feet of a building and any required peripheral plantings and buffers.

3.

Parking lots with 100 or more parking spaces shall be provided with interior landscaped areas covering not less than ten percent of the total parking area. Such landscaping shall be in addition to all planting within six feet of a building and any required peripheral plantings and buffers.

4.

Parking lots containing 30 or more spaces shall be subject to the following requirements:

a)

The primary landscaping material used in parking lots shall be shade trees. At a minimum, the equivalent of one shade tree per 50 linear feet of parking bay or portion thereof shall be provided; this shall not be construed as requiring the planting of trees at 50 feet on center. Double-loaded parking bays may share a common shade tree.

b)

Shrubs and other planting material may be used to complement the shade tree planting, but shall not be the sole component of the landscaping.

5.

The interior dimensions of any planting area shall be sufficient to protect all landscaping materials planted therein.

a)

In general, no planting area shall be less than five feet in width.

b)

No planting area shall be less than 100 square feet in area.

6.

Landscaping requirement summary chart.

1203.08 Irrigation system requirements. Installation of irrigation systems is encouraged in all planting areas to ensure the survivability of plant materials. Installation of automatic irrigation equipment is required in all parking lot planting areas that have raised curbs.

a.

Complete irrigation plans that comply with the Plumbing Code of the City of Center Point, shall be submitted as part of the Landscaping Plan when such is required by this Section. Irrigation plans shall be drawn at the same scale as the Landscaping Plan and shall cover the entire area where irrigation is required.

b.

Shrub and lawn irrigation heads adjacent to pedestrian walks, parking spaces, driveways and structures shall be pop-up heads or drip emitters.

c.

The owner shall maintain the irrigation system in proper working condition as part of a regular maintenance program.

1203.09 Maintenance.

a.

The owner, tenant and their agent, if any, shall be jointly and severably responsible for the maintenance of all landscaping in good condition so as to present a healthy and attractive appearance, free of refuse and debris.

b.

Failure to properly maintain all landscaping shall be considered a violation of these regulations.

All inoperable and abandoned vehicles must comply with Ordinance 2002-08 [chapter 46, article IV of the City Code] as amended.