This chapter is intended to regulate the design, construction, use, and maintenance of public and private off street parking facilities, so as to provide for the parking needs in the community in an efficient, coordinated, and safe manner. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

The requirements of this chapter apply to all off street parking within the city, whether required or voluntarily provided, except as follows:

Within the downtown parking district, the use of buildings and land shall be exempt from providing up to one hundred (100) off street parking spaces otherwise required by this chapter. Uses in the downtown parking district that exceed this one hundred (100) space threshold shall provide off street parking in the amount required in excess of one hundred (100) spaces.

All construction requirements of this chapter, including dimensional standards and drainage control, remain applicable to off street parking constructed in the downtown parking district after adoption of this chapter.

The downtown parking district includes all land within the downtown architectural district described in section 9-2-2 of this code. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Off street parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with this chapter for any building or use hereafter established, enlarged, increased in capacity, replaced, or reconstructed as follows:

   A.   For new buildings and uses, off street parking facilities shall be provided as required by this chapter based on the proposed use and capacity of the building.

   B.   Any building or use that is hereafter enlarged, or increased in capacity through physical expansion or conversion of an area to a use with an increased parking demand (e.g., conversion of storage to commercial floor space, addition of dwelling units, utilization of vacant land for business purposes), shall provide parking as required for the increase in area or capacity.

   C.   Any building or use that is replaced or reconstructed in an amount greater than seventy five percent (75%) of the area or assessed value of the building, within any five (5) year time period, shall provide parking for the entire building in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for new buildings and uses. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

   A.   Plan Submittal: Before the granting of a development or building permit for any building or use requiring parking pursuant to this chapter, the applicant shall present satisfactory plans to the community development department showing how all parking and loading facilities will be provided as required by this chapter. A determination that the parking plan meets the requirements of this title and other city ordinances shall be obtained before issuance of a building permit for the project. If site plan review by the planning, zoning and adjustment board (planning and zoning board) is required, this determination is to be made by the planning and zoning board in conjunction with the site plan review. For projects not requiring planning and zoning board site plan review, administrative approval of the parking plan by the city engineer and city planner, or their designee, is sufficient, provided no variance or special exemption to the parking standards is requested.

Parking facilities that are to be reconstructed or reconfigured independent of any building permit or other development approval shall be subject to the dimensional and construction standards of this chapter unless the planning and zoning board determines that physical conditions peculiar to the site prevent otherwise. New parking facilities independent of any other development approval shall likewise require plan review. Plans for reconstructed, reconfigured or new parking facilities shall be submitted for review as described in the previous paragraph.

   B.   Plan Contents: The parking plan shall be drawn to a standard dimensional scale and show all parking facilities, adjacent streets, driveway locations and widths, surfacing material(s), and as applicable, internal traffic circulation, ADA parking and loading details, proposed drainage, parking lot lighting locations and fixture details, entrance gates, fencing or screening methods, wheel stops/curbing, loading docks/bays, and other features proposed or necessary to address site specific safety issues.

   C.   Plan Compliance: Parking improvements are to be installed and completed as shown on the approved plans prior to occupancy of the building, structure or use served by the parking facilities; provided, a performance bond in the amount of the remaining value of construction shall be provided to postpone installation of pavement or concrete work for up to one hundred fifty (150) days when cold weather precludes such work. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Except as specified in section 10-16-7 of this chapter, required off street parking facilities shall be on the same property as the building or use they serve, and the zoning of the parking facilities shall either be in the same zoning district, a zoning district that also permits the use served, or a zone that permits public parking facilities (e.g., parking for a commercial use is not permitted in areas zoned residential, parking for multi-family development is not permitted in areas zoned single-family residential, parking for an industrial use is not permitted in an area zoned residential or neighborhood commercial, etc.). (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

In the case of joint parking facilities that will serve multiple or mixed uses, the number of off street parking spaces required shall be the sum of the requirements for the individual uses computed separately, unless the planning and zoning board authorizes otherwise based on reliable data, such as a parking demand study prepared by a qualified parking consultant or engineer that justifies a reduced number. Site specific characteristics, such as offset peak parking times/days, are to be considered when determining whether a reduction in the number of spaces is justified for joint parking facilities. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

The planning and zoning board may authorize parking facilities located on neighboring private property to qualify as required off street parking under the following conditions:

   A.   The parking spaces are not required for another building, structure or use, unless joint parking is allowed pursuant to section 10-16-6 of this chapter;

   B.   The nearest point of the parking lot is within the following distances, as measured along the pedestrian's path of travel, from the building served:

      1.   One hundred feet (100') for accessory apartments, single- family dwellings, and two-family dwellings;

      2.   Two hundred feet (200') for multiple-family dwellings, hotels, motels, and lodging facilities;

      3.   Three hundred feet (300') for hospitals, medical offices, homes for the aged, and clubs/fraternal orders; and

      4.   Five hundred feet (500') for uses not otherwise specified above.

   C.   A legally binding long term agreement, typically a minimum of ten (10) years, for the off site parking, in a form and with conditions acceptable to the city planner, city attorney and planning and zoning board, is entered into between the affected property owner(s) and recorded in the office of the county recorder. An agreement shall be required regardless of whether the neighboring property is owned by a different or same property owner as the use requiring the parking.

   D.   If the off site parking is no longer available for any reason, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of the parking agreement, then the certificate of occupancy may be revoked pursuant to section 10-16-12 of this chapter, and the property owner shall be subject to such other penalties as provided in this title. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Off street parking facilities shall be designed and constructed to the following standards:

   A.   Ingress, Egress, Internal Circulation: The parking facilities must have adequate ingress, egress, and internal circulation and shall provide the number of off street spaces required under section 10-16-9 of this chapter, as determined by the reviewing official specified by subsection 10-16-4A of this chapter.

   B.   Outside Rights Of Way And Sight Triangles: All off street parking spaces must be entirely outside of the public street right of way and required sight distance triangles.

   C.   ADA Requirements: As required by the international building code, handicap accessible (ADA) parking space(s), loading areas, and travelways from the ADA space to the building, shall be provided in accordance with adopted ADA standards. Required ADA parking spaces count toward the number of spaces required by section 10-16-9 of this chapter.

   D.   Entrances/Exits: The city engineer shall determine and specify the locations, widths, and designs of all approaches to and from all city streets. The parking lot designer and city engineer shall consider and apply appropriate access management techniques consistent with professional engineering practices, such as those found in the "Access Management Manual" (2003 or current edition, transportation research board), to preserve street capacity, minimize safety issues, and minimize future costs to the city. The access management requirements of the city engineer shall be incorporated in the parking lot/access design; provided, any appeal to such requirements from the applicant may be presented to the planning, zoning, and adjustment board for a ruling. For access to state highways, access management techniques shall be determined through consultation and permitting with WYDOT prior to city approval of the parking plan. (See also WYDOT "Access Manual", 2005 or current edition.)

   E.   Lighting: Parking areas for civic, commercial, and industrial uses that will be utilized outside of daylight hours shall be provided with illumination. All parking lot lighting shall be designed and installed such that illumination will be directed away from any neighboring residential properties and shall be directed downward by utilizing full cutoff or fully shielded fixtures.

   F.   Vertical Clearance: Parking spaces and aisles shall have a vertical clearance of at least seven feet (7').

   G.   Tandem Configuration: Single-family residential (attached or detached), two-family residential (duplex), and family daycare home uses may utilize a tandem (one vehicle directly behind the other) parking configuration and have both spaces count toward the required number, so long as both tandem spaces are designated to serve the same dwelling unit. Tandem parking space configuration shall not be permitted for off street parking required of any other type of use.

   H.   Parking Lots With Five Or More Spaces: Parking lots containing five (5) or more required spaces shall be designed and constructed to the following minimum standards:

      1.   Surfacing: Parking spaces, drives, and aisles shall be constructed of either concrete, asphalt concrete pavement, recycled asphalt, asphalt millings, compacted gravel meeting WYDOT "grading GR" or "grading W" specifications, or other functionally comparable materials approved by the planning and zoning board. Base material in a depth suitable for the traffic anticipated to utilize the facility, including emergency vehicles, shall also be provided. ADA spaces must be concrete or asphalt concrete pavement.

      2.   Entrance: Commercial development, industrial/light industrial development, and multi-family developments that are accessed directly from a state highway or street classified as an arterial or major collector shall have a paved entrance/exit extending from the curb cut (face of curb, or edge of the roadway pavement in areas without curbing), to a point at least twenty five feet (25') from the public street, measured along the direction of travel.

      3.   Back Out Prohibited: Off street parking for commercial, industrial, civic, and multiple-family development shall be designed so as to make it unnecessary for a vehicle to back out into an arterial or collector street. Backing into alleys is acceptable.

      4.   Painted Parking Stalls: Hard surfaced parking areas shall use paint, curbing, or similar improvements to delineate car stalls. Painted parking lot stripes and directional markings must be white or yellow.

      5.   Wheel Stop Parking Stalls: Parking areas of gravel or similar material shall use wheel stops/parking stops to delineate car stalls, and signage as necessary for the direction of traffic. The wheel stops/parking stops may be premanufactured stops (typically made of concrete, rubber, or composite material), six inch (6") tall treated wood timbers, or other functionally comparable items approved by the planning and zoning board.

      6.   Sidewalk Encroachment: Wheel stops or parking stops shall be provided next to sidewalks and pedestrian aisles when necessary to prevent vehicle overhang from reducing the sidewalk or pedestrian aisle to less than four feet (4') in width. When determining possible encroachment into the sidewalk or pedestrian aisle, an overhang of 2.0 feet is to be assumed for ninety degree (90°) parking, 1.7 feet for sixty degree (60°) parking, 1.6 feet for forty five degree (45°) parking, and 1.0 foot for thirty degree (30°) parking. The wheel stops/parking stops may be premanufactured stops, six inch (6") tall treated wood timbers, or other functionally comparable items approved by the planning and zoning board.

      7.   Access Gates: Primary access gates located next to an arterial or collector street shall be set back sufficiently from the public street to allow an appropriate design vehicle to completely pull off the street before having to stop to open or close the gate.

      8.   Screening: Parking areas situated within twenty feet (20') of a neighboring residence shall provide a "visual screen" as defined in this title, or functionally equivalent vegetative screen, as necessary to prevent headlight glare disturbance to the occupants of the neighboring residence.

      9.   Access To Rear Parking Area: When off street parking is provided to the rear of a building, and a driveway or lane alongside the building provides access to the rear parking area, such driveway shall be a minimum of twelve feet (12') wide and a minimum four foot (4') wide walkway must be installed adjoining the building.

      10.   Dead End Parking Aisles: Dead end one-way parking aisles shall not be permitted. Additional backup area or turnaround area shall be provided at the end of two-way dead end parking aisles. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

The minimum number of parking spaces required for a use shall be according to table 1 of this section, unless the planning and zoning board authorizes otherwise based on reliable data, such as parking data from a highly comparable facility or a parking demand study prepared by a qualified parking consultant or engineer, which justifies use of a different parking ratio.

Calculations based on the following figures that result in a fraction of one-half (1/2) or greater are to be rounded up, and fractional results of less than one-half (1/2) may be rounded down. Area per square foot (sq. ft.) refers to square foot of gross floor area, unless noted otherwise.

   TABLE 1

   MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES

 

(Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

   A.   Parking Stall Dimensions: A standard angled or perpendicular parking space on a paved or concrete surface shall measure a minimum of nine feet (9') in width by twenty feet (20') in length. A standard angled or perpendicular parking space on a gravel or similar surface shall measure a minimum of ten feet (10') in width by twenty feet (20') in length. The minimum length may be reduced to eighteen feet (18') when an additional space of two feet (2') is provided for the front overhang of vehicles (e.g., overhanging a curb, sidewalk, wheel stop, landscaped area or combination thereof). Any front overhang of a vehicle may not reduce the clear width of an adjacent sidewalk or ADA accessible route to less than four feet (4') in width. The minimum dimensions for an off street parallel parking space shall be nine feet (9') wide by twenty two feet (22') long.

   B.   Standards For Parking Rows And Aisles: Parking lot rows and aisles shall meet the following minimum dimensional requirements, as set forth in table 2 of this section. Refer to subsection A of this section for which minimum stall width and length is applicable to the parking lot.

   TABLE 2

   DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS

 

Note:

(Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Outside of the downtown parking district, buildings or structures used for commercial, industrial, institutional, or warehouse purposes that regularly receive or distribute material or merchandise by truck shall provide and maintain off street loading spaces or docks in sufficient size and number to fill the anticipated needs of the use.

Loading facilities shall be designed to the following standards when located outside of the downtown parking district:

   A.   Minimum Loading Space: A minimum of one off street loading space or dock shall be provided for each fifty thousand (50,000) square feet of building, or portion thereof.

   B.   Projection Into Public Street: No part of a truck or van using the loading space or dock may project into a public street.

   C.   Forward Motion: New loading facilities that will be accessed from an arterial or major collector street must be designed so that vehicles enter and exit the site in a forward motion. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Off street parking facilities required by this chapter shall remain available and dedicated for parking purposes so long as the building, structure or use for which they are provided exists, unless an equivalent number of substitute off street parking spaces is approved by the city, provided, and thereafter maintained as specified by this chapter.

In the event any off street parking facilities required in connection with any building, structure or use are at any time altered, modified, eliminated, or otherwise changed in a manner that they are not available and dedicated for parking purposes to the extent required, the planning, zoning and adjustment board shall direct the building official to revoke and cancel the certificate of occupancy for such building, structure or use after holding a hearing. At least ten (10) days' written notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing shall be mailed to the owner or other person occupying the same as shown on the records of the city clerk. Provided, that if it appears that the failure to maintain such required parking was reasonably beyond the control of the person required to maintain the same, no certificate of occupancy shall be revoked until such person shall have had ninety (90) days to reestablish the minimum required parking. In the event any certificate of occupancy is revoked, the premises covered thereby shall not be occupied or used for any purpose until a new certificate of occupancy has been issued. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)

Variances to the requirements of this chapter are to be considered under the special exemption process of section 10-14-2, "Special Exemptions", of this title. (Ord. 2013-04, 3-5-2013)