Chadds Ford Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXIV
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 135-178 Required off-street parking.
A.
Unless specified otherwise in another article of this chapter, all off-street Parking Spaces shall be provided and satisfactorily maintained in accordance with the following provisions for each Building or use which, after the effective date of this chapter, is established, erected, enlarged, or altered for any of the following purposes or uses in any district. For uses not specifically listed, the requirements for the most similar use listed shall be followed.
B.
The required Parking Spaces set forth below shall be considered to be minimum standards. Additional spaces may be required if the Board of Supervisors finds that conditions warrant the increase in Parking Spaces for certain uses or activities.
Use | Off-Street Parking Space Required |
|---|---|
Agricultural Uses | |
Agriculture | 1 for each full-time Employee |
Residential Uses | |
All types of dwelling units | 2 for every Dwelling Unit |
Home professional offices | 2 for every Dwelling Unit, plus 1 for every 100 square feet of space used for the office |
Assisted living facility | 1/2 for each living and/or residential unit, plus 1 space for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Public or private recreational uses | |
Private clubs, lodges | 1 for every 100 square feet of Floor Area available to patrons |
Golf course | 5 for each hole, plus Club requirement as listed above |
Golf driving range | 2 for each tee |
Miniature golf | 1 for each hole |
Bowling alley | 5 for each lane |
Gymnasium, stadium | 1 for every 4 seats |
Public swimming pool | 1 for every 12 square feet of water surface, or 1 for every 5 persons for whom dressing facilities are provided (whichever is greater) |
Outdoor active recreation | 1 for every 1,500 square feet of area |
Indoor commercial recreation | 1 for every 150 square feet of Gross Floor Area devoted to such use |
Governmental, Institutional and Educational Uses | |
Places of public or private assembly, including churches, auditoriums, theaters, and assembly halls | 1 for every 4 permanent or temporary seats, plus 1 for every 100 square feet of meeting room area |
Club, lodge | 1 for every 50 square feet of assembly area, or 1 for every 5 persons of total capacity (whichever is greater) |
Community center, library, museum | 1 for every 250 square feet of Floor Area in public use |
Hospital, sanitarium | 1 for each bed, plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Convalescent home, nursing home | 1/2 for each bed, plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Private kindergarten, or child institutional home | 1 for each adult attendant, plus 1 for every 500 square feet of Gross Floor Area |
Schools | 1 for each faculty member and other full-time Employee, plus 2 for each classroom, plus 1 for every 12 students aged 16 years or older |
Dormitory | 1 for every 3 residents |
Retail, Commercial and Other Business Uses | |
Retail store or shop | 1 for every 100 square feet of Gross sales Floor Area or area serving customers |
Department store or supermarket | 1 for every 75 square feet of store sales Floor Area or other area serving customers |
Personal service businesses such as barbershops, photo shops, tailors, beauticians, shoe repair and the like | 1 for every 100 square feet of Gross Floor Area |
Restaurant without drive-through service, cafeteria, tavern or cafe | 1 space for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment, plus 2 spaces for every 100 square feet of Gross Floor Area, plus Valet Parking or 1 space for every 200 square feet of Outdoor Dining Area |
Restaurant with drive-through service | 1 for every 65 square feet, plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Self-service laundromat | 1 for every 50 square feet of Gross Floor Area |
Automobile service and repair | 4 for each bay, or 1 for every 200 square feet of floor and ground area devoted to service and repair (whichever is greater), plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
New and used automobile sales and service agency | 1 for every 200 square feet of floor and ground area devoted to sales, service and repair, plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Banks, credit unions and the like | 1 for every 75 square feet of Floor Area for serving customers |
Medical or dental offices and clinics | 6 for each Practitioner |
Funeral home | 1 for every 4 seats for patron use, or 1 for every 50 square feet of Gross Floor Area, whichever is greater |
Professional offices and businesses | 1 for every 250 square feet of Gross Floor Area |
Other office building | 1 for every 200 square feet of floor space in office use, but in no case less than 2 for each Tenant |
Shopping center | For centers having a gross leasable area from 25,000 to 400,000 square feet: 4 for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area |
For centers having a gross leasable area from 400,000 to 600,000 square feet: 4 1/2 for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area | |
For centers having a gross leasable area of greater than 600,000 square feet: 5 for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area | |
Movie theater | 1 for every 4 seats, plus 1 for every Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Hotel or motel | 1 1/5 for each rental room or suite, plus 1 for every 3 seats in Restaurants or meeting rooms |
Bed-and-breakfast inn | 1 for each rental room, plus 1 for each innkeeper, plus 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment |
Temporary use where Christmas trees, flowers, produce or other goods are sold | 10 minimum, plus any additional spaces as determined by the Code Enforcement Officer after personally observing traffic conditions at such locations |
Marijuana dispensary facility or vape shop | 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment, plus 1 for every 250 square feet of Gross Floor Area; provided, however, that at least 30 Parking Spaces and at least 2 handicapped Parking Spaces shall be designated |
Industrial and Other Related Uses | |
Industrial and other related uses | 1 for each Employee on the shift of greatest employment, or 1 for every 500 square feet of Gross Floor Area (whichever is greater), plus 1 for each company vehicle |
C.
For Buildings or uses other than those specified above, determination of the appropriate Parking Space requirements shall be made by the Board of Supervisors consistent with the standards set forth herein for similar Buildings or uses.
§ 135-179 General regulations for off-street parking.
A.
Existing parking. Structures and uses in existence at the date of adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the requirements of this article, provided that the type or extent of use is not changed, and further provided that any parking facility now serving Structures or uses shall not be reduced in the future below such requirements.
B.
Changes in use. Whenever a Structure is altered or a use is changed or extended that increases its parking requirements, then the total additional parking required for the Alteration, change or extension shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of § 135-178.
C.
Conflict with other uses. No parking area shall be used for any purpose that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve.
D.
Continuing character of obligation. All required Parking Spaces shall be provided and maintained as long as the use exists that the facilities were designed to serve. The total number of off-street Parking Spaces shall not be reduced except when such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this article.
E.
Location of parking spaces. Required off-street Parking Spaces shall be on the same Lot as the Principal Permitted Use served unless otherwise permitted in this article. In the case of a Lot with common parking areas for two or more uses, sufficient parking per § 135-178 shall be provided in the immediate vicinity of each use. In the CC District, Remote Parking may be permitted by the Board of Supervisors subject to § 135-115D(4)(b).
F.
Fractional spaces. When the computation of required Parking Spaces results in a fractional number, a fraction of 1/2 or more shall be counted as one.
G.
Maintenance of parking areas. All parking areas, loading areas, and driveways shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt or other suitable materials to prevent dust and erosion. Such areas shall also be drained in conformance with municipal standards to prevent excessive water flow onto Streets or adjoining property. All Parking Spaces and parking areas shall be clearly line-striped and properly maintained.
H.
Lighting. All artificial lighting used to illuminate any parking area shall be arranged to prevent glare on adjoining properties and shielded to ensure that the source of the light will not be visible beyond the boundaries of the property in order to minimize disturbance to motorists, pedestrians or adjoining properties and uses. Lighting design shall be in accordance with such standards as set forth in Chapter 110, Subdivision and Land Development.
I.
Persons with disability placard. When more than five Parking Spaces are required under this chapter, Reserved Parking Spaces for persons with disability placards shall be located as close as possible to the main entrance of the Building. Said spaces shall be considered as part of the required spaces and shall be appropriately marked with Signs to designate this use. The number of spaces designated for persons with a disability placard, along with stall size, signage, striping and pavement gradient shall be in accordance with the latest version of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
J.
No off-street parking or loading and unloading facilities shall be located within 20 feet of the Street Line, unless otherwise provided in other sections of this chapter.
K.
Shared parking. A common parking area may provide the required parking for two or more uses. The required number of spaces may be reduced if peak parking periods for the uses differ and a lower total will provide adequately for all uses served by the facility. Shared Parking is permitted under the following conditions:
(1)
Approval for Shared Parking shall be granted by Conditional Use by the Board of Supervisors.
(2)
The uses subject to Shared Parking shall be either part of a single Lot, such as a business park or office park, or the uses shall be on Lots that are physically adjacent to each other, with Easements or agreements that allow for Shared Driveways and Shared Parking.
(3)
Owners or Applicants for any use proposing Shared Parking shall provide written agreements, in a form acceptable to the Township, outlining the terms of the Shared Parking arrangement.
(4)
When Shared Parking is used, sufficient area shall be set aside for the remainder of the required spaces.
(5)
The Shared Parking calculations shall not include any residential uses on the site.
(6)
Calculations for Shared Parking shall be based on methodologies outlined in the latest version of the Urban Land Institute's Shared Parking report.
L.
Reserve parking. If the number of spaces required in § 135-178. is substantially larger than the number of spaces anticipated by the Applicant, the Applicant may hold a portion of the parking in reserve to avoid unnecessary paving while maintaining adequate area for future parking needs under the following conditions:
(2)
All stormwater management facilities shall be designed based on the total parking required in § 135-178. Stormwater management calculations shall include the Reserve Parking area as Impervious Surface.
(3)
Enough area shall be reserved for the balance of the total number of spaces required in § 135-178. The Applicant is responsible for the Construction of the reserved spaces if and when deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors. The Applicant and the Township shall enter into an escrow agreement that shall describe how and when the Board of Supervisors determine the spaces need to be constructed.
(4)
The Applicant shall provide evidence supporting a reduction in parking needs.
§ 135-180 Parking area design standards.
Parking design standards shall be as follows:
A.
Parking stall size and configuration shall conform to the following standards except those designated for handicapped use, which shall be designed as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All parking areas and parking Lots shall be engineered in accordance with the following:
(1)
Required Parking Spaces within a parking lot shall have an area of at least 162 square feet (nine feet by 18 feet) to which there is adequate access from a Street. Stall Depth for angled parking shall be measured on the angle. Stall Depth for parallel parking shall be 22 feet.
(2)
The minimum dimensions of parking aisles shall be as follows:
(a)
Aisles providing access to stalls for two-way traffic shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width and a maximum of 36 feet in width.
(b)
Minimum width of aisles providing access to stalls for one-way traffic only, varying with the angle of the parking, shall be:
Angle of Parking | Minimum Aisle Width (feet) |
|---|---|
Parallel | 12 |
30° | 12 |
45° | 15 |
60° | 19 |
90° | 22 |
B.
Outdoor Parking Spaces and the approaches thereto shall be paved to at least a depth of four inches of Approved paving material and no Certificates of Occupancy shall be issued until the facilities required by this chapter are completed.
C.
All parking areas in nonresidential zoning districts shall be designed so that vehicles cannot back directly into a Public Street.
D.
All parking shall be accessible from a Street or driveway.
§ 135-181 Design and layout of off-street loading facilities.
A.
In addition to the off-street Parking Space required in this article, any Building erected, converted and/or enlarged for any nonresidential use shall provide off-street areas for loading and unloading and Commercial Vehicle Parking Space adequate for their needs.
B.
The loading space shall be at least 50 feet in depth and at least 12 feet in width, with an overhead clearance of 15 feet, exclusive of drives and maneuvering space, and located entirely on the Lot being served. Any overhead canopy shall extend a minimum of four feet beyond a loading dock.
C.
All loading space shall have adequate access from a Street or way that does not block or interfere with the required parking as specified in § 135-178. This required space shall be provided in addition to established requirements for patron and Employee parking.
D.
In no case shall the public Rights-of-Way be used for loading or unloading of materials. Furthermore, no loading dock or space shall be located or arranged in such a way that it is necessary to back any vehicle into or off any public Right-of-Way, nor require the use of any public Right-of-Way for maneuvering space.
E.
All accessory driveways and entrance ways shall be graded, paved, and drained to Township standards, to the extent necessary to prevent nuisance of dust, erosion, or excessive water flow across Streets and adjoining properties.
F.
All off-street loading berths shall be provided on either the side or rear of the Lot. In no case shall off-street loading berths be provided in the front of the Lot.
G.
Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner as to at no time constitute a nuisance, a hazard, or an impediment to traffic.
§ 135-182 Access for off-street parking and loading areas.
Access to and from all off-street parking, loading, and vehicle service areas along public Rights-of-Way shall consist of well-defined separate or common entrances and exits and shall comply with the following provisions:
A.
Access drives shall not open upon any public Right-of-Way within 150 feet of the nearest Right-of-Way line of any intersecting Public Street.
B.
The required Sight Distance for access drives that open upon any Street shall be in accordance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
§ 135-183 Screening and landscaping.
All screening and landscaping shall conform to the provisions of § 135-185. and the following:
A.
Screening shall be provided between any parking area and the Street Line and shall be effective at the time of Occupancy, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
All off-street parking areas that provide more than five Parking Spaces shall be screened from any abutting property of a more restrictive zoning district. All off-street parking areas that provide more than 10 Parking Spaces shall be screened from any abutting property regardless of Zoning District. For the purposes of this chapter, the districts shall be considered to be restrictive in the following order, listed from most restrictive to least restrictive: MC, R-1, R-2, PRD, R-MA, POC, PBC, PBC-1, LI, LI-1, B, and B-1.
(2)
Effective screens may be accomplished through the use of the following: plant materials, fencing or walls, and/or mounding through the use of earthen Berms combined with evergreen plantings forming a Continuous Visual Buffer.
(3)
The area for planting, fencing, walls or earthen Berms shall not extend within the Street Right-of-Way.
(4)
When planting screens are employed, the following shall apply:
(a)
A Buffer Planting Strip shall be provided in accordance with Article XXV. It shall be a minimum of 15 feet in width unless required otherwise in this chapter.
(b)
At all intersections of accessways, the required screening shall not be greater than 24 inches in height for a distance of 15 feet from the Street Line, provided that this distance may be increased to avoid blocking the Sight Distance to or from a Lot.
(5)
Whenever fencing or walls are employed, the effective height of the Continuous Visual Buffer shall be no less than six or more than eight feet in height, subject to other regulations of the Code of Chadds Ford Township.
(6)
Whenever earthen Berms, combined with evergreen plantings, are employed, the effective height of the Continuous Visual Buffer shall be no less than six feet in height.
B.
Landscaping within any parking area that provides more than five Parking Spaces shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Off-street parking areas and parking lots shall be landscaped to reduce wind and air turbulence, heat and Noise, and the glare of automobile lights; to reduce the level of carbon dioxide; to provide shade; to ameliorate stormwater drainage problems; to replenish the groundwater table; and to provide for a more attractive setting.
(2)
Each parking lot shall have at least one shade tree for every five Parking Spaces. When planting trees to achieve this minimum, three inches to 3 1/2 inches Caliper shade trees shall be used. The Township encourages the use of shrubs, ground covers and other plant materials to complement the trees, but they shall not be the sole contribution to the landscaping.
(3)
The type of plant materials to be used shall be subject to review and approval by the Board of Supervisors.
(4)
The landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lot, except where there are 20 or more Parking Spaces, in which case the following shall apply:
(a)
Landscaped "islands" shall be provided at the end of each parking bay. Such islands shall be a minimum of eight feet in width and 18 feet in length. Such islands shall be provided to enhance the appearance of the parking area and to control access and movement within the parking area.
(5)
All planting islands and planting beds within a parking lot shall be surfaced with ground covers and/or dwarf shrubs and shall not be grassed. Any bare areas shall be mulched. Stone mulch may be used in conjunction with shrubs and ground covers, and shredded hardwood mulch shall only be used to form the plant saucers.
(6)
Island plantings shall not interfere with Sight Distance and visibility in parking areas.
(7)
Landscaped parking islands shall be crowned to promote visual interest and better drainage, unless such areas will be used to accommodate stormwater management facilities.
§ 135-184 Highway frontage development.
In order to encourage the sound Development of Highway Frontage and to minimize traffic congestion and hazard, the following special provisions shall apply to any Development with Frontage along a roadway that is classified as an Arterial Highway by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation:
A.
All areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading, and the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from the Highway or Street by a raised curb, Buffer Planting Strip, fence, wall, Berm, or other suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle entrance or exit, except for necessary accessways or access Roads that provide ingress to and egress from such parking, loading or storage area. All parking areas or lots shall be designed to prohibit vehicles from backing out on the Street, and the capacity of each lot shall provide adequate storage area and distribution facilities upon the lot to prevent backup of vehicles on a Public Street while awaiting entry to the lot.
B.
In the case of a Shopping Center, office complex, group of Multi-Family Dwellings or similar grouping or Buildings on a Lot, and in any other multi-building Development in the nonresidential zoning districts:
(1)
All points of vehicular access to and from a Public Street shall be located not less than 150 feet from the intersection of any Public Street Lines; provided, however, that such a point of vehicular access, which, in effect, converts a "T" intersection into an intersection of two Streets that cross one another, shall be permitted.
(2)
Provision shall be made for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from Public Streets serving the unified Development, without undue congestion to or interference with normal traffic flow within the Township.
(3)
All Streets and accessways shall conform to the design standards of Chapter 110, Subdivision and Land Development. Provisions shall be made for adequate signalization, turn, standby and deceleration lanes, and similar facilities where desirable.
(4)
All driveways, aisles, maneuvering spaces, vehicular service areas or spaces between or about Buildings, other than those related to a Dwelling, shall be adequately illuminated during night hours of use at no cost to the Township.
(5)
Direct vehicular access shall be strongly discouraged onto any Collector Street or Arterial Highway and Reverse Frontage shall be encouraged.
C.
All off-street parking abutting Wilmington-West Chester Pike or the southbound portion of Baltimore Pike to the east of Brandywine Drive shall have a Pier-Fence-Hedge combination installed and maintained along the street edge in order to screen the off-street parking located adjacent to the Highway. A Pier-Fence-Hedge combination shall comply with the following design standards:
(1)
A Pier-Fence-Hedge combination, consisting of stone/masonry piers, black steel/aluminum fence, and evergreen shrubs shall be located one foot outside of the Right-of-Way of the Street. If there is an existing or proposed sidewalk, the Pier-Fence-Hedge combination shall be located adjacent to the sidewalk on the Building side, subject to the review and approval by the Township Engineer and subject to the review of utility companies.
(2)
The stone/masonry pier shall be 42 inches in height and 24 inches by 24 inches in dimension with a flagstone or masonry cap.
(3)
The black steel or aluminum fence shall be 36 inches in height, and shall be installed and maintained between the Piers of the Pier-Fence Hedge combination.
(4)
The evergreen shrubs shall be a height of 18 inches to 24 inches, planted on three foot centers, and shall be installed and maintained on the Street side of the fencing for the Pier-Fence-Hedge combination.