The multiple purposes of this article are summarized as follows:

(1)

Establish requirements for multi-modal access to development sites, including vehicular, truck service, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, as appropriate;

(2)

Establish on-site circulation patterns conducive to safe pedestrian as well as vehicular and truck access;

(3)

Establish minimum off-street parking and loading areas in proportion to the need created by each use, but considering reductions for the provision of alternative modes of travel;

(4)

Reduce congestion in the streets and ensure that uses and functions of public rights-of-ways are not interrupted;

(5)

Establish certain maximum as well as minimum requirements for parking spaces to reduce development costs and ensure that excess impervious surfaces are not constructed, while providing for additional parking spaces additions when a demonstrated need exists;

(6)

To promote flexible approaches to the provision of off-street parking, including in some cases, as appropriate, use of on-street parking, shared parking arrangements, smaller spaces for compact cars, and unimproved overflow or spillover parking areas;

(7)

To establish design and improvement specifications for the development of parking lots, loading areas, access aisles, parking decks, and connections of parking lots and decks to public streets;

(8)

To ensure that parking areas will be compatible with abutting residential districts; and

(9)

To provide for adequate off-street loading areas by applying loading regulations to specific developments at the site plan review stage.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

This article shall apply to any new building constructed; for new uses or conversions of existing, conforming buildings; and for enlargements of existing structures. This article shall not be construed as to require additional parking spaces to be furnished for an existing building which is repaired, altered, maintained, or modernized, where no structural alterations are made and the size of the building is not increased; provided, however, that when the occupancy of any building is changed to another use, parking shall be provided to meet the requirements of this article for the new use.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

All parking shall be provided with vehicular access to a street, and loading areas shall be provided with access to a street or alley; and such parking or loading area shall not thereafter be encroached upon or altered. Except for single-family and duplex dwellings, off-street parking and loading spaces shall have access so that their use will not require backing movements or other maneuvering within a street right-of-way. Access to office, commercial, and industrial zoning districts shall not be permitted to pass through residential zoning districts.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

In office and commercial zoning districts, abutting properties which do not provide interconnecting access to one another make it difficult and dangerous, if not impossible, for motorists to travel between those properties. In cases of new development or major building renovation and repaving projects in office, and commercial zoning districts, inter-parcel access for vehicles between abutting properties shall be provided so that access to individual properties can be achieved between adjacent developments as an alternative to forcing all movement onto abutting highways and public roads.

The location of vehicular connections across a property line should if possible be mutually determined and constructed by both property owners. Connection of parking areas for vehicular access should typically be provided in the front portion of the site. In cases where it is not possible to provide the connection in front, it may be provided in the rear portion of the site. In the case of coordination problems or any factors preventing construction of an inter-parcel connection, the zoning administrator will after recommendation from the city engineer determine the location of connection to be constructed by property owners.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

In regards to curb cuts, see the minimum development standards of the city.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Off-street automobile parking spaces shall be provided on every lot on which any building, structure, or use is hereafter established in all zoning districts except the CBD, Central Business District. Required parking spaces shall be available for the parking of operable passenger vehicles for residents, customers, patrons, and employees, as appropriate given the subject use.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

All parking spaces required by this article shall be provided on the same lot with the main building or use which it serves. Upon demonstration that the parking spaces required by this article are not available and cannot reasonably be provided on the same lot as the building, structure or use it serves, the zoning administrator may permit the required parking spaces to be provided on any lot a substantial portion of which is within 400 feet of such building, structure, or use. This provision shall require submittal of evidence of ownership or valid agreement to lease the parking area off-site that is intended to be used to comply with this article.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Before any building permit is issued, the parking lot layout and area must be found by the zoning administrator to be in compliance with all requirements of this article. The building official shall not allow occupancy or use of a building until advised by the zoning administrator that parking facilities are completed in accordance with the approved plan. A parking plan for all uses requiring less than five spaces shall be submitted along with the building plans for approval of a building permit by the building official. No permit shall be issued for any parking area containing five or more spaces until the plans and specifications, including required location, entrances, exits, aisles, landscaping, screening, surface materials and drainage, have been submitted for review and approval by the zoning administrator. Plans for such parking area containing five or more spaces shall include proper drainage and retention, surface materials, curbing and screening as may be required, and they must clearly mark all parking areas, with handicapped and loading or other special (e.g., compact) spaces also designated.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

On each lot where a building, structure, or use exists, off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of table 9.1. No existing facility used for off-street parking shall be reduced in capacity to less than the minimum required number of spaces, increased in capacity to more than the maximum number of spaces, or altered in design or function to less than the minimum standards, unless specifically provided for in this article.

Unless otherwise noted, the parking requirement shall be based on the gross square footage of the building or buildings devoted to the particular use specified.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Table 9.1
Minimum and Maximum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required

Retail facilities with over 250 parking stalls shall require a minimum of one standard size stall clearly marked in yellow on pavement "EMERGENCY PARKING ONLY." The location of the parking stall shall be as close as possible to major building entries.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Regulations and dimensions for handicapped parking spaces shall be per requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Public Law 101-136) and the State Building Code. The required number of handicapped accessible spaces, which must be provided on-site, shall be as provided in table 9.2.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Table 9.2
Handicapped Parking Requirements

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

42-120.1.

Fractions. Where a fractional space results during the calculation of required parking, the required number of parking spaces shall be construed to be the next lowest whole number.

42-120.2.

Parking space requirement not specified. Where the parking requirement for a particular use is not described in this article, and where no similar use is listed, the zoning administrator shall determine the number of spaces to be provided based on requirements for similar uses, location of the proposed use, the number of employees on the largest shift, the total square footage, potential customer use, and other expected demand and traffic generated by the proposed use.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

42-121.1

Reduction of required parking for off-site arrangements.

Off-site parking may be used in combination to meet minimum parking space requirements. A reduction in required off-street parking spaces on a given site may be permitted by the zoning administrator in cases where additional, off-site parking in sufficient quantity and availability and in conformity with this article compensates for the reduction, subject to the following:

(1)

The property is under one ownership, or a valid agreement exists between the two property owners for use of the parking area.

(2)

The zoning administrator may, in individual cases, administratively authorize a reduction in the minimum number of parking spaces for projects that are directly served by on-street parking. Public parking spaces assigned to meet minimum parking requirements for one use or site may not also be assigned to meet minimum parking requirement for another use or site.

(3)

Off-site parking shall not exceed 50 percent of the required parking for a building or buildings.

(4)

Off-site parking shall be located within 1,000 feet of the building or buildings which it is intended to serve.

(5)

Safe and convenient pedestrian access, such as a sidewalk or path, must exist or be provided from the structure or use to the off-site parking lot.

42-121.2.

Reduction of required parking for alternative transportation arrangements.

The zoning administrator may in individual cases administratively authorize a reduction in the minimum number of parking spaces for projects that are directly served by bicycle facilities, provided that it can be shown that such available alternative travel modes will reduce the overall need for parking on the site proportional to the requested reduction in parking spaces.

42-121.3.

Reduction of parking for mixed or joint use of parking spaces.

When more than one use is provided on one lot or adjacent lots, and such uses operate more or less simultaneously, the total requirements for off-street parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately. The zoning administrator may authorize a reduction in the total number of required off-street parking spaces for two or more uses jointly providing parking facilities when their respective hours of need of maximum parking do not normally overlap, provided that the applicant submits sufficient data to demonstrate that the hours of maximum demand for parking at the respective uses do not normally overlap. The parking spaces required for churches, theaters or assembly halls whose peak attendance will be at night or on Sundays may be assigned to a use which will be closed at night or on Sundays.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Compact auto parking spaces may be used in commercial parking uses when more than 20 parking spaces are required, provided the area for compact parking is clearly marked and not more than 20 percent of the number of parking spaces in the entire parking area is designated compact auto parking. Compact auto parking spaces shall be not less than eight feet wide by 17 feet long.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

(a)

On the same lot with every building, structure or part thereof, erected or occupied for manufacturing, storage, warehouse, truck freight terminal, department store, wholesale store, market, hotel, hospital, mortuary, dry cleaning plant, retail business, or other uses similarly involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles, materials, or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained adequate space for the standing, loading and unloading of such materials to avoid undue interference with public use of streets, alleys, and parking areas.

(b)

Unless otherwise approved by the zoning administrator, loading spaces shall be a minimum of 14 feet wide, 40 feet long, with 14 feet of height clearance. Said loading area shall be located to the rear of the building unless site design precludes a rear location, in which case loading shall be to the side of a building.

(c)

One off-street loading space shall be provided for the first 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for light industrial use and one off-street loading space for the first 5,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for retail or other non-industrial use for which a loading space is required. One additional space shall be required for each additional 25,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for light industrial use and for each additional 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for retail or other non-industrial use.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Parking facilities and loading areas shall be operated and maintained in accordance with the following:

(1)

Parking and loading areas shall not be used for the repair or dismantling of any vehicle, equipment, materials, or supplies.

(2)

Parking and loading areas shall not be used to store vehicles for sale, except in cases where the property owner owns the vehicle(s), provided auto sales is a permitted use in the district in which the property is located. This provision shall not apply to the placing of a "For Sale" sign on or in one licensed vehicle, boat, or other vehicle located in a private residential driveway and which licensed vehicle, boat, or other vehicle is owned by an occupant of said private residence.

(3)

An attendant's shelter building which does not contain more than 50 square feet of gross floor area and which is set a distance of not less than 20 feet from any boundary of the parking lot may be permitted.

(4)

Upon application, the zoning administrator may approve temporary structures and uses such as tent sales within required parking spaces that are not used on a continuous basis, provided that such uses are moveable from the site upon order by the zoning administrator.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

42-125.1.

Access. All parking shall have access to a public street. All loading areas shall have access to a public street or alley.

42-125.2.

Drainage. Parking and loading areas shall be properly graded for drainage, and they shall be drained so as to prevent damage to abutting properties or public streets. Curbing shall be installed as required by the city engineer when considered necessary for drainage, although water quality effectiveness shall be a consideration in determining curbing requirements. Drainage plans must be consistent with the requirements of the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual and must infiltrate or treat the first one and two-tenths inches of runoff.

42-125.3.

Surfacing. Parking and loading areas shall be surfaced with concrete, asphaltic concrete, asphalt, or other dust-free surface; provided, however, that porous pavement parking spaces may be substituted for standard dust free pavements subject to the approval of the city engineer according to standards that may be adopted by the city engineer. A maintenance plan describing how pervious parking areas shall be maintained and by whom, will be required for permit approval. Pervious materials are the preferred materials for parking lot surfacing, and their use shall result in a reduction of parking requirements by 20 percent upon approval by the zoning administrator and city engineer.

42-125.4.

Striping. All parking and loading spaces must be striped with paint lines, lined with curbstones, or otherwise permanently marked to designate the space, except in cases where the materials used are not conducive to striping or lining with permanently marked materials.

42-125.5.

Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided if the facilities are to be used at night or if necessary for security purposes. All lighting facilities shall be so arranged to prevent the direct illumination of adjacent properties or public streets.

42-125.6.

Signs. Signs essential to the proper functioning of the parking lot and loading areas shall be installed. Such signs shall not be illuminated, shall not exceed four feet in area, or nine feet in height.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)

Stacking spaces shall be provided for any use having a drive-through facility or areas having drop-off and pick-up areas in accordance with the following. Financial institutions with drive-through windows, restaurants with drive-through facilities, car washes (automated or staffed facilities), drive-through photo finishing booths, coffee kiosks, and any other uses with drive-through facilities shall provide three stacking spaces for each window or drive-through service facility. Stacking spaces shall begin at the window or communication/mechanical device (e.g., order board) first encountered by the vehicle user. The following general standards shall apply to all stacking spaces and drive-through facilities:

(1)

Stacking spaces and lanes for drive-through stations shall not impede on and off site traffic movements, shall not cross or pass through off street parking areas, and shall not create a potentially unsafe condition where crossed by pedestrian access to a public entrance of a building.

(2)

Drive-through lanes shall be separated from off-street parking areas. Individual lanes shall be striped, marked or otherwise distinctly delineated.

(3)

All drive-through facilities shall be provided with a bypass lane with a minimum width of ten feet.

(Ord. No. 12-22-20, 1-5-2021)