The purpose of §§17.38—17.43 is to promote public safety and welfare by reducing congestion on public streets and roads by requiring on each lot sufficient parking and loading space to accommodate the traffic generated by the use of the lot.

The off-street parking and loading provisions of this chapter shall apply as follows:

(1)

For all buildings and structures erected after the effective date of this chapter, accessory parking and loading shall be according to the provisions of this chapter.

(2)

Where the intensity of the use of any building structure or premise shall be increased, additional parking to match the increased intensity of use shall be provided.

(3)

Wherever an existing building or structure is converted to a new use, parking shall be provided according to the requirements of the new use.

(4)

Any existing parking and loading serving any type of use may not be reduced below the requirements of this chapter.

(1)

MINIMUM SIZE REGULATIONS. Each parking space shall not be less than 180 square feet in area, 20 feet in length, and 9 feet in width, exclusive of aisles and access drives.

(2)

ACCESS. Each off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway designed to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to such parking space. All off-street parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movement.

(3)

COMPUTING REQUIREMENTS. In computing the number of spaces required, the following rules shall govern:

(a)

Floor space shall mean the gross floor area of the specific use.

(b)

For structures containing more than one use, the required number of spaces shall be computed by adding the space required for each use.

(c)

Where parking spaces are calculated according to the number of employees, the number of employees on the main shift, or greatest number of employees present at one time, shall be used to compute the number of stalls required.

(d)

In any case where there is question as to parking requirements for a use of where such requirements are not specifically enumerated, the City Inspector shall bring such case to the Plan Commission which body shall recommend the appropriate application of the parking requirements to the specific situation as required in §17.42 of this chapter.

(e)

All seating capacities shall be determined by the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations Code whenever there is any doubt or conflict.

(4)

LOCATION OF PARKING FACILITIES. All parking spaces required herein shall be located on the same lot with the building or use served, except that where an increase in the number of spaces are provided collectively or used jointly by 2 or more buildings or establishments, the required spaces may be located not to exceed 300 feet from any institutional building served and not to exceed 500 feet from any other nonresidential building served.

(5)

SCREENING. Any off-street parking area, other than that provided for single and two-family dwelling units, which abuts or faces a residential district for single and two-family dwelling units, shall provide a planting screen. landscaped fence or wall, at least 4 feet in height along the side abutting or fronting on the residential district for a single or two-family dwelling unit.

(6)

LIGHTING. Lights provided in any parking area shall be hooded or beamed so as not to create undesirable glare or illumination of adjacent residential property or streets.

(7)

YARDS.

(a)

In any off-street parking area, other than that provided for a residential district of single and two-family dwelling units, which abuts any residential district, no vehicles shall be allowed to park closer than 10 feet to the abutting lot line between the districts.

(b)

In any off-street parking area no vehicles shall be allowed in the required setback areas on the street side except in the industrial districts where the required setback may be reduced to 10 feet.

(c)

Traffic Visibility Triangle. In any off-street parking area no vehicle shall be allowed in the traffic visibility triangle as defined and required in §17.10 of this chapter.

(8)

SURFACING. (Am. #05-26) Any off-street parking area, other than that provided for single-family and two-family dwelling units, having a capacity for more than 4 vehicles shall be hard surfaced and maintained in a reasonable dustless condition, except that, subject to Plan Commission approval, this requirement may be waived temporarily or permanently as provided for in subs. (a) and (b) below. The Plan Commission shall find that if a waiver is approved for an unimproved surface that it will not result in a public nuisance or pose a potential danger to adjacent properties or the public right-of-way due to erosion, blowing dirt or dust, or ponding of water. The Plan Commission may require conditions for approval.

(a)

Temporary waivers may be allowed by the Plan Commission where it finds that future development or change in use of the property would remove or change the parking planned for paving.

(b)

Permanent waivers may be allowed by the Plan Commission where it finds the limited use of the parking area does not warrant the need for a hard surface, such as special event parking or seasonal parking, or the parking area is not required parking or is a storage yard area.

(9)

PROHIBITED PARKING OF MOBILE EQUIPMENT. It shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, motor home, motor bus, mobile home, school bus, camping trailer, semi-trailer, or any vehicle to park on private property within the City limits of the City for the purpose of storage or warehousing of goods, wares, merchandise, inventory, or other business or commercial property of any nature, except as provided in (a) below:

(a)

Mobile equipment for the purpose of providing shelter to materials and equipment of those engaged in the construction of a permanent building, or for use as a real estate sales field office, shall not be required to conform to the regulations in (9) above. However, mobile equipment shall require a temporary certificate of occupancy issued by the Zoning Administrator. The mobile equipment shall be allowed on the premises for a period not to exceed one year. The certificate of occupancy may be extended for up to one additional year by the Zoning Administrator if good cause and need is shown by the applicant.

In all districts except the Central Business District, there shall be provided at the time any building or structure is erected or structurally altered, off-street parking spaces in accordance with the following requirements:

ANIMAL HOSPITALS: 1 space per employee plus 4 additional spaces.

ATHLETIC FIELDS (such as softball fields, tennis courts or similar uses not associated with schools): Parking spaces shall be provided in adequate number as determined by the Plan Commission to serve the public.

BOWLING ALLEYS: 5 spaces per lane plus the requirements for connected commercial uses such as restaurants, taverns. or retail stores.

BUSINESS, PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, OR BANK: 1 space for every 300 square feet of primary floor area.

CHURCHES: 1 parking space for every 5 seats.

CLINICS: 5 spaces for every practitioner on the staff.

COLLEGES, TRADE, VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS: 1 space for each 3 students based on the maximum number of students attending classes at any time, plus 1 space for each employee per largest working shift.

COMMERCIAL LODGINGS (hotels, motels, tourist homes, etc.): 1 space for every rental unit, plus 1 additional space for every 200 square feet of primary floor area of restaurant or commercial activity operated in conjunction therewith.

DWELLINGS, MULTIPLE-FAMILY (including studio or efficiency apartments): 1½ parking spaces for each dwelling unit.

DWELLINGS, SINGLE-FAMILY: 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit. (Rep. & recr. #97-29)

DWELLINGS, TWO-FAMILY: 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (if the school includes a public assembly facility, the public assembly facility requirements shall govern if it is greater): 2 spaces for every classroom. (Where an elementary school is connected with a church, the requirements for a church shall govern.)

FUNERAL HOMES OR MORTUARIES: 20 per chapel, plus 1 space per vehicle kept on the premises.

HIGH SCHOOLS: Public assembly facility requirements or 1 space for every 5 students at maximum capacity, whichever is greater.

INDUSTRIAL USES: 1 space for every 1 employee as provided for in §17.40(3)(c), plus space to accommodate all trucks and other vehicles used in connection therewith.

INSTITUTIONS OF A CHARITABLE OR PHILANTHROPIC NATURE: 1 space for each 1 employee plus such additional facilities for residents and visitors as the Plan Commission shall reasonably deem necessary. Such determination shall be based upon the required space for each proposed use or for the most comparable proposed use as specified in this section.

MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, LIBRARIES: Parking spaces shall be provided in adequate number as determined by the Plan Commission to serve the public.

NURSERY SCHOOLS, DAY NURSERIES AND CHILD CARE CENTERS: 2 parking spaces, plus 1 space for every 1 employee as provided for in §17.40(3)(c).

NURSING, CONVALESCENT, REST AND OLD AGE HOMES: 1 space for every 3 beds, plus 1 space for each staff member and employee.

PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS: Parking spaces shall be provided in adequate number as determined by the Plan Commission to serve the public.

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT: Parking spaces shall be provided on the basis of the required space for each individual use.

PRIVATE CLUBS, LODGE HALLS: 25 parking spaces, plus 1 parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area above 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. In addition, if other types of uses are involved with the club or lodge (i.e., restaurant, tavern) the provisions of §17.40(3) shall be applied.

PUBLIC ASSEMBLY FACILITIES (providing for seated audiences: theaters, auditoriums, gymnasiums, outdoor stadiums, athletic fields, etc.): 1 space for every 3 seats.

RESIDENTIAL CARE APARTMENT COMPLEXES: 1 space for every 3 residential apartment units. (Cr. #99-25)

RESTAURANTS, TAVERNS: 1 space for every 50 square feet of primary floor area, plus 1 space per employee as provided for in §17.40(3)(c).

RETAIL STORES: 1 space for every 150 square feet of primary floor area.

ROOMING, BOARDING OR LODGING HOUSES: 1 parking space for each sleeping room.

SHOPPING CENTER, ENCLOSED MALL: 5.5 parking stalls per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. (Am. #92-13)

SHOPPING CENTER, STRIP: 4 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. (Am. #92-13)

The parking space requirements for uses not listed in §17.41 of this chapter shall be defined by the Plan Commission. Such determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable use specified in §17.41.

(1)

LOADING AND UNLOADING FACILITIES. Loading and unloading facilities shall be provided prior to occupancy for every commercial or industrial building hereafter erected or altered, and shall be maintained as long as such building is occupied or unless equivalent facilities are provided in conformance with the regulations of this chapter.

(2)

ZONING INSPECTOR. The Zoning Inspector may waive loading requirements dependent upon the character of the proposed use or the impracticality of adding loading docks to existing buildings. The Zoning Inspector may allow 2 or more uses to cooperatively provide off-street loading spaces, subject to the assurance of permanent availability.

(3)

SITE PLAN FOR OFF-STREET LOADING REQUIRED. Detailed drawings of off-street loading facilities shall be submitted for approval by the Zoning Inspector. The Zoning Inspector may require structural and landscape features such as bumper guards, curbs, walls, fences, shrubs, ground cover, or hedges to further carry out the screening objectives of this Code before an application is approved by the Zoning Inspector and a Zoning Certificate issued.

(4)

ALLOCATION OF USE. Space required and allocated for any off-street loading facility shall not, while so allocated, be used to satisfy the space requirements for off-street parking. An off-street loading space shall not be used for repairing or servicing of motor vehicles.

(5)

LOCATION OF FACILITY. All required loading facilities shall be related to the function of the building and use to be served and located so as not to interfere with access and driveways.

(6)

ACCESS DRIVEWAYS. Each required off-street loading space shall be designed for direct vehicular access by means of a driveway, or driveways, to a public street, provided, however, that loading shall not be from the public right-of-way except in situations of existing commercial facilities in the Central Business District where no other opportunities for loading exist. Generally, where servicing is provided from a public right-of-way, the following, principles shall be followed:

(a)

Servicing should be provided from other than the principal entrance of the use or uses.

(b)

Trucks shall be parked for loading or unloading purposes on other than the principal street serving the use, on side streets or alleys when available.

(7)

MINIMUM SIZE CRITERIA. A required off-street loading space shall be at least 12 feet wide by at least 40 feet in length. The above area shall be exclusive of the maneuvering space, and each loading facility shall have a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet.

(8)

MINIMUM SPACE REQUIRED. Every building having over 5,000 square feet of gross floor area shall be provided with at least one truck loading space. The following minimum number of spaces shall be required:

(9)

USES NOT SPECIFIED. In the case of any use which is not specifically mentioned in subsection (8) above, the provisions for a similar use which is so mentioned shall apply. The Plan Commission shall make all such determinations.