Cornwall City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 24
OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
§ 14-2401 Intent.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
The regulations concerning off-street parking and loading facilities are provided for all new, altered, or expanded buildings and uses. The general intent shall be to require off-street parking spaces, loading and unloading areas, driveways and accessways to (1) satisfy the minimum standards contained within this Article and (2) be designed to prevent overcrowding and congestion and impairment of traffic circulation and access.
§ 14-2402 Definitions.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
For the purpose of determining accessory off-street parking and loading requirements, definitions and standards shall be as follows:
The total area of all the floors measured from the exterior faces of the structure or, where set forth in the schedule in §14-2405, only the floor area used by a specific use.
The number of seating units installed or indicated, or each 24 lineal inches of benches, pews, or space for loose chairs or similar seating facilities: spacing of rows shall be 30 inches on center.
§ 14-2403 Requirements for Off-Street Parking and Loading Facilities.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
Accessory off-street parking facilities, including access driveways and loading/unloading areas, shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this Article as a condition precedent to the occupancy of such building or use. Facilities shall be provided for the entire building or use as follows:
A.
Whenever a structure is constructed or a new use established.
B.
Whenever the use of an existing structure is changed to a use requiring more parking or loading facilities.
C.
Whenever an existing structure is altered or enlarged so as to increase the amount of parking spaces and loading space required under this Article.
§ 14-2404 General Standards.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008; as amended by Ord. 2011-1, 2/14/2011]
1.
Off-street parking areas shall satisfy the following general requirements:
A.
Off-street parking areas shall have safe access to and from a street; however, no portion of any street or road right-of-way shall be utilized for off-street parking.
B.
Off-street parking spaces shall be designed so that the area necessary to maneuver a vehicle in and out of a space does not extend into any street, road rightof-way, alley, or sidewalk. Parking spaces shall also be designed so that vehicles may have access to and from spaces without moving another vehicle.
C.
Off-street parking spaces shall be readily accessible to, and a reasonable distance from, the structures and uses served. Such spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal structure or use, except where otherwise permitted in this Chapter.
D.
All parking spaces shall be available to patrons, customers, or visitors throughout the hours of operation of the structure or use for which the spaces are provided. Carnivals, displays, promotions, or other events held on parking lots shall not utilize parking spaces required for customers. Adequate additional parking spaces shall be available for the supplemental use.
E.
Parking spaces shall be improved and individually delineated in accordance with §14-2412 of this Chapter. Additionally, special purpose spaces and areas such as loading/unloading areas, “handicapped” parking, “visitor only” parking, “limited time” parking and fire and police spaces shall be clearly labeled.
F.
Off-street parking requirements will be considered to be met only when actual spaces meeting the requirements of this Article are provided and improved in accordance with §14-2412. Parking spaces may not thereafter be reduced below the minimum requirements as long as the principal structure or use remains, unless an equivalent number of spaces are provided for use in another approved location.
G.
Unless otherwise specifically regulated, improved, hard surface off-street parking for all uses shall be limited to portions of the lot as follows:
(1)
Parking shall not be permitted within 25 feet of any street or road right-ofway; however, provided the minimum 25 feet is satisfied, up to 50% of the required front yard may be utilized for parking.
(2)
Required side and rear yards may be utilized for parking provided:
(a)
The side or rear yard are not a part of a required buffer area.
(b)
A minimum setback of 10 feet from the property line is maintained in all cases where more prohibitive regulations do not appear herein.
(c)
Minimum setbacks of 40 feet in all Commercial Districts and 100 feet in Industrial Districts are maintained in all yard abutting a residential, planned development, or conservation recreation boundary.
(3)
Exceptions.
(a)
No setback from a side or rear property line is required when said side or rear property line abuts a public alley.
(b)
No setback is required from a side and/or rear property line where the adjacent owners have a written agreement, suitable to Borough Council, waiving the side and/or rear yard setbacks relating to parking facilities along their abutting property line(s).
(4)
Additional Regulations for Parking Spaces in the Village District. Required. Off-street parking spaces in the Village Residential District shall not be located closer to the front lot line than the face of the principal building. Off-street parking located in any side yard or in the building area to the side of the principal building shall be screened from the street in accordance with the screening requirements of Article 23.
§ 14-2405 Schedule of Required Off-Street Parking Spaces.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
The minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for a specific use is listed in the following chart. Where appropriate when computing the number of required parking spaces, the Zoning Officer may exclude floor area of structures (e.g., storage, employee lounge, bathroom), which do not bear any relationship to the parking needs of the uses.
Structure or Use | Parking Spaces Required |
|---|---|
A. Institutional | |
Civic and educational; primary and secondary school; library; places for public assembly | 1 space for each employee plus 1 space for each 4 seats in assembly rooms |
Governmental; municipal building used for administrative functions | 1 space for each 200 square feet of office floor area plus 1 space for each 4 seats in assembly room |
Place of worship | 1 space for each 3 seats in principal assembly room |
Welfare: | |
Hospital | 1 space per 2 beds plus 1 space for each employee on the largest shift |
Health care center | 1 space per 150 square feet floor area |
Special care residential community/retirement housing (individual or combined total, depending upon the use): | |
Nursing home/rehabilitation center | 1 space for each 4 personal care units plus 1 space for each employee on the largest shift |
Elderly housing complex/retirement home apartments/personal care facility | 0.5 space for each personal care room or apartment plus 1 space for each employee |
Independent living dwellings | 2 spaces for each single-family dwelling unit |
Support services or uses | See applicable use listing under §14-2405 of this Chapter for additional parking requirements |
B. Residential | |
Oneand two-family dwellings | 2 spaces per dwelling unit; must be off-street, but need not be improved with hard surface |
Group family dwelling | 2 spaces plus those required for resident vehicles |
Multi-family residence (including townhouses and garden apartments) | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
Guest home | 1 space per guest room, plus 1 space for each employee plus 2 spaces for manager/owner(s) |
C. Home Occupation/Home Business/Day Care | |
Home business | in addition to parking required for the residence, 2 spaces plus 1 additional space for any assistant; must be off-street, but need not be improved with hard surface |
Home occupation | parking required for the residence |
Day care home, family | 2 spaces plus those required for the residence |
Day care home, group | 2 spaces plus 1 space for each assistant plus those required for the residence |
Day care center | see §14-2609 |
D. Commercial | |
Medical and dental offices, clinics, professional offices and banks | 1 space per 200 square feet or floor area plus 1 space for each practitioner, doctor, dentist, or professional |
Other offices | 1 space per 200 square feet of ground floor area; 1 space per 300 square feet of floor area of upper floors |
Motel, hotel, or boarding house | 1 space per guest room or unit |
Mortuary or funeral home | 1 space per 30 square feet of assembly rooms, or 1 space for each 4 seats whichever requires the greater number but in no case less than 20 spaces |
Outdoor retail activities, flea markets, etc. | 1 space for each 200 square feet of stall space and customer circulation area |
Retail stores, service establishments, and shopping centers | 1 space per 200 square feet of ground floor area; 1 space per 300 square feet of floor area of upper floors |
Eating places, bars, taverns | 1 space per 50 square feet of floor area, or 1 space per 4 seats whichever requires the greater number of spaces |
club, lodge, or other assembly halls | 1 space per 4 seats in building |
Indoor and outdoor theater | 1 space per each 4 seats |
Dance hall, skating rink, swimming pool | 1 space per 100 square feet of area used for dancing, skating, or swimming |
Amusement center | 1 space per 150 square feet of gross floor, building, or ground area devoted to such use |
Carnivals, racetracks, and other outdoor amusement or recreation uses | 1 space for each 4 seats or 4 visitors at maximum capacity |
Bowling alley | 6 spaces per bowling lane |
Service and storage establishments | 1 space for every 2 employees on the combined employment of the 2 largest shifts |
Gas station, repair garage | 1 space per employee plus 1 space per 200 square feet of floor area |
Auto body shop | 1 space per employee plus 2 spaces per repair bay |
Car wash, self-service | 4 spaces per bay/stall, plus 1 space for each employee |
Car wash, full-service | 10 stacking spaces per bay/stall, plus 1 space for each employee |
Golf course | 4 spaces for each green plus 50% of the requirement for any associated uses |
Golf course, par three or miniature | 25 spaces per 9 holes, plus 1 space for each employee |
Golf driving range | 1 space per tee, plus 1 space for each employee |
E. Industrial | |
Service and storage establishments; laboratories; manufacturing, fabricating, or processing plants; and other industrial uses | 1 space for every 2 employees on the largest shift |
Executive offices, sales offices, and outlet stores | 1 space per 200 square feet of executive and sales office floor area in addition to parking requirements for manufacturing area |
Recycling processing facility | 1 space for each vehicle operated by facility plus 1 space for each employee |
Recycling collection facility | 1 space for each vehicle operated by facility plus 1 space for each employee plus 1 space for each 500 square feet of area used for collection area (minimum of 5 spaces required for collection area) |
F. Other Structures or Uses | |
1. For a specific structure or use not scheduled, the Zoning Officer shall apply the unit or measurement of the above schedule deemed to be most similar to the proposed structure or use. | |
2. In lieu of a similar structure or use, one of the following minimum standards shall be applied when deemed applicable by the Zoning Officer. | |
a. 1 space for each 200 square feet of ground floor plus 1 space for each 300 square feet of upper floor areas, or | |
b. 1 space per 4 seats, visitors, or clients at maximum capacity or frequenting the premises or main assembly area at any given time. | |
§ 14-2406 Handicapped Parking.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
Handicapped accessible parking shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as may be amended from time to time.
A.
Said spaces shall be most accessible and approximate to the building or buildings that the parking spaces shall serve.
B.
Each space or group of spaces shall be identified with a clearly visible sign displaying the international symbol of access.
C.
Each space shall be 120 inches wide to allow room for persons in wheelchairs or on braces or crutches to get in and out of either side of an automobile onto level, paved surface suitable for wheeling and walking.
D.
Parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following table:
Total Parking Spaces in Lot | Required Minimum Number of Accessible Spaces |
|---|---|
1 to 25 | 1 |
26 to 50 | 2 |
51 to 75 | 3 |
76 to 100 | 4 |
101 to 150 | 5 |
151 to 200 | 6 |
201 to 300 | 7 |
301 to 400 | 8 |
401 to 500 | 9 |
501 to 1,000 | 2% of total |
1,001 and over | 20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000 |
E.
Where possible, such spaces shall be located so that persons in wheelchairs or using braces or crutches are not compelled to wheel or walk behind parked cars.
F.
Where applicable, curb ramps shall be provided to permit handicapped people access from the parking lot to the sidewalk or building entrance.
§ 14-2407 Separate or Combined Use of Facilities.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
A structure containing one use shall provide the off-street parking spaces as required for the specific use. A structure or group of structures containing two or more uses operating normally during the same hours, and which have different off-street parking requirement, shall provide spaces for not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use. Where the applicant can demonstrate that adequate off-street parking capacity is not feasible on the same lot as the proposed nonresidential use or structure, the new use or structure may be permitted if the applicant:
A.
Provides written authorization from an adjoining or nearby property owner to allow establishment and/or use of parking facilities meeting the requirements of this Article on that property.
B.
Obtains authorization said other property to establish and use parking facilities which will be a maximum of 600 feet from the use or building proposed by the applicant.
§ 14-2408 Access Drives to Parking Areas and Curbing for All Uses Excepting Single- and Two-Family Dwellings.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
The location and width of entrance and exit driveways to paved, hard surface parking facilities for all uses excepting Single- and two-family dwellings shall be planned to interfere as little as possible with the use of nearby property and with pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the nearest streets. The centerline of the access driveways on the frontage street shall be at least 80 feet from the right-of-way line of the nearest intersecting street or any other driveway. Where there is more than one driveway to a parking area, the driveways, whenever possible, shall be limited to one-way travel, either as an entrance to or exit from the parking area. Entrances and exits shall be limited to three lanes. The width of such entrances and exits, measured at the street property line, shall conform with the following schedule:
Width (feet) | ||
|---|---|---|
Minimum | Maximum | |
One lane | 12 | 14 |
Two lanes | 20 | 28 |
Three lanes | 30 | 40 |
2.
In all cases, the radius of the edge of the driveway apron shall be at least 15 feet so that a car entering or leaving may not obstruct vehicles in other traffic lanes in the driveway or street.
§ 14-2409 Driveways and Curbs for Single- and Two-Family Dwellings.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
Access to the lot shall comply with the following regulations:
B.
No two such driveways shall be closer to each other than 12 feet, and no driveway shall be closer to a side property line than five feet. No flare shall cross an extended side property line.
C.
Each driveway shall not be more than 35 feet in width, measured at right angles to the center line of the driveway, except as increased by permissible curb radii. The entire flare of any return radius shall fall within the right-of-way area.
D.
On any corner lot, driveways shall not transect any portion of the clear sight triangle as defined in §14-2207 of this Chapter.
E.
Driveway grades shall not exceed 15% slope.
§ 14-2410 Loading and Unloading Space.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
Each commercial or industrial use shall provide off-street loading and unloading space at the side or rear of the principal structure according to the following table. Such space or spaces shall be not less than 660 square feet in area with dimension of 12 feet by 55 feet per space, which shall be located exclusive of any buffer area, public right-of-way or required front yard. Each space shall have a vertical clearance of not less than 15 feet. Additionally, any loading or unloading spaces necessitated by uses in other districts shall also comply with the specifics of this Section.
Gross Floor Area | Loading/Unloading Space Required |
|---|---|
0 to 2,000 square feet | None, provided all loading/unloading can be accomplished on-site without restricting traffic flow or disrupting off-street parking access. |
2,001 to 10,000 square feet | 1 space |
10,001 to 50,000 square feet | 2 spaces |
50,001 square feet and over | 3 spaces plus 1 additional space or each 40,000 square feet in excess of 50,000 square feet |
§ 14-2411 Illumination of Parking and Loading Areas.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
1.
Parking and loading areas shall be illuminated whenever necessary to protect the public safety. Such illumination shall be so designed and located that the light sources are shielded from adjoining residences and streets, and shall not be of excessive brightness or cause glare hazardous to pedestrians or drivers.
2.
Except for public streetlights and traffic signals, freestanding lighting fixtures shall not exceed 25 feet in height. Security or floodlighting may exceed this requirement when attached top a building provided that such lighting shall be arranged and installed to deflect and focus lights away from adjacent properties; in no case shall parking areas be illuminated by building mounted lights.
3.
In addition to the requirements above, light emanating from any source on a property used for commercial and industrial purposes shall not be greater than 0.1 horizontal foot-candles measured at the property line. At designated vehicular entrances/exits, a maximum illumination level of 0.5 horizontal foot-candles shall be allowed; provided, said area of illumination is limited to the said property and the adjoining pavement and rights-of-way of public streets. The area of illumination shall not extend beyond 50 feet from the centerline of the designated entrance/exit in any direction along the property line(s) of the said property.
§ 14-2412 Improvements to Parking and Loading Areas.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
All parking areas, loading areas, and access driveways, except for Single- and twofamily dwellings and home businesses shall have an asphalt, concrete, or other similar hard surface, in accordance with ordinance requirements of the Borough Council. Improved hard surface off-street parking areas for three or more automobiles shall have individual spaces painted or marked. Surface water shall not be permitted to discharge over the public sidewalks or roadways or onto other premises. The maximum grade of the parking area shall not exceed 4%. Appropriate bumper guards or curbs shall be provided in order to define limits of paved areas and to prevent vehicles from projecting into required yards. The Zoning Officer may require landscaping in accordance with Article 23 of this Chapter. All curbs and bumper guards shall be constructed in accordance with standards established by the Borough Council.
§ 14-2413 Approval of Parking and Loading Plans.
[Ord. 2008-1, 6/9/2008]
Detailed, scaled drawings of off-street parking and loading areas (except for Single- and two-family dwellings) shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer for approval prior to their construction. The drawings shall show each space, dimensions of driveways, aisles, and other features required under the provisions of this Chapter.