Cressona City Zoning Code
OFF-STREET PARKING
REQUIREMENTS
§ 155.205 ACCESSORY OFF-STREET PARKING FACILITIES.
(A) Accessory off-street parking facilities shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter as a condition precedent to the occupancy of any new building or use so as to alleviate traffic congestion on streets.
(B) Facilities shall be provided:
(1) Whenever a building is constructed;
(2) Whenever the use of an existing building is changed to a use requiring more parking facilities; and
(3) Whenever an existing building or use is altered or enlarged so as to increase the amount of parking spaces required by this subchapter.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1301) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.1)
§ 155.206 CONTINUATION OF PARKING FACILITIES.
(A) All off-street parking facilities, or those required as accessory to a use of a proposed or altered building, shall continue unobstructed in operation, shall not be used for automobile service or repair, and shall not be reduced below the required size as long as the principle use remains, unless an equivalent number of spaces is provided for such use in another approved location.
(B) In order to ensure the continued use for parking purposes of any areas established therefor by persons who are not the owners thereof, the Borough Council may require, before approval, evidence in writing that the owner or owners of the land to be included in such parking areas have by covenant agreed to allow the use of such land for the required off street parking, which covenant shall so indicate that said covenant will bind any successors, heirs or assigns of the owner or owners of the land affected; such covenant may be filed for record with the Recorder of the county.
(C) Except for residential uses, all off-street parking spaces shall be provided within 300 feet of the lot line of the principal building or structure.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1302) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.2)
§ 155.207 STANDARDS AND DEFINITIONS.
For the purpose of determining accessory off-street parking requirements, definitions and standards shall be as follows.
(A) Definitions. For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACCESSORY PARKING SPACE.
(a) An open or enclosed area exclusive of any public right-of-way, accessible from a street for parking of motor vehicles of owners, occupants, employees, customers or tenants of the principal building or use; each parking space shall be sufficient in size to accommodate at least one automobile.
(b) Off-street parking spaces may be located in any required yard provided that no parking stall or aisle shall be located within two feet of a property line and that a buffer screen is planted and maintained so that no visual evidence of the parking area is apparent.
FLOOR AREA. The total area of all floors measured from the exterior faces of the building (except the floor area used for storage or packaging of merchandise may be excluded).
REQUIRED MINIMUM PARKING SPACES. Minimum number of spaces required by applying the schedule in § 155.20 to a specific building or group of buildings. Where the computation results in a fractional unit, one additional off-street parking space shall be provided.
SEAT. The number of seating units installed or indicated, or each 24 lineal inches of benches, pews or space for loose chairs or similar facilities; spacing for rows shall be 30 inches on center.
(B) Parking space standards.
(1) All parking spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet wide and 19 feet in depth.
(2) An unobstructed aisle, 24 feet wide for two-way traffic and 12 feet wide for one-way traffic, shall be maintained for vehicular circulation in parking areas.
(3) Aisle widths may be reduced depending proposed angle of parking. Reference to Architectural Graphic Standards, the American Institute of Architects.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1303) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.3; Ord. 323, passed 7-6-1998)
§ 155.208 SCHEDULE OF REQUIRED OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES.
Building or Use | Parking Spaces Required |
Building or Use | Parking Spaces Required |
Commercial Business | |
Bowling alley | 6 spaces per bowling lane |
Club, lodge or other assembly hall | 1 space per 4 seats in building |
Dance hall, skating rink, swimming pool | 1 space per 50 sq. ft. of area used for dancing, skating or swimming |
Eating places, bars, taverns | 1 space per 100 sq. ft. of gross floor area, or 1 space per 3 seats, whichever requires the greater number of spaces |
Indoor theater | 1 space per 4 seats in building |
Mortuary | 1 space per 30 sq. ft. of assembly rooms, or 1 space for each 4 seats, whichever requires the greater number, but in no case less than 20 spaces |
Motel, hotel | 1 space per guest room or unit plus 1 space for each employee |
Retail stores, banks, service establishments | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Service and storage establishments | 1 space for every 2 employees on the largest shift |
Industrial | |
Executive offices, sales offices | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. of executive and sales office floor area |
Service and storage establishments, laboratories, manufacturing plants and other uses permitted in a manufacturing district | 1 space for every 2 employees on the largest shift |
Institutional | |
Civic and educational; primary and secondary school; library places for public assembly | 1 space for each employee plus 1 space for each 6 seats in assembly rooms |
Governmental; municipal building | 1 space for each 200 sq. ft. of office floor area plus 1 space for each 4 seats in assembly rooms |
Place of worship | 1 space for each 3 seats in principal assembly rooms |
Welfare: hospital | 1 space per 3 beds plus 1 space for each employee on the largest shift |
Health center | 1 space per 150 sq. ft. of floor area |
Home for the aging | 1 space per each 4 guest rooms or apartment units plus 1 space for each employee |
Office Buildings | |
Medical and dental office clinics | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. of floor area plus 1 space for each doctor and dentist and employee |
Other office | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Residential | |
Multi-family residence | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
One- and two-family dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
Public or nonprofit elderly housing | 1 space per 4 dwelling units |
Other Buildings or Uses | For a specific building or use not scheduled, the Zoning Officer shall apply the unit of measurement of the above schedule deemed to be most similar to the proposed building or use. |
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1304) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.4; Ord. 323, passed 7-6-1998)
§ 155.209 COMBINED USE OF FACILITIES.
One or more parking lots may be designed to service a multiple number of commercial business or industrial uses so long as the total requirements shall be equal to the sum of the requirements of the component uses computed separately.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1305) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.5)
§ 155.210 PARKING AND GARAGE FACILITIES FOR RESIDENCES.
Accessory parking facilities shall be located on the same lot as the dwelling served or in close proximity if deemed appropriate by the Zoning Officer. Each single-family, and two-family dwelling shall have on its premises two private parking spaces sufficient in capacity for each dwelling unit on the premises. Each multi-family dwelling shall have two private parking spaces sufficient in capacity for each dwelling unit on the premises.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1306) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.6; Ord. 323, passed 7-6-1998)
§ 155.211 IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKING AND LOADING AREAS.
(A) All parking areas, loading areas and access driveways, shall be constructed of asphalt, concrete or other similar hard surface. Surface water shall not be permitted to discharge over or onto public sidewalks or roadways or other premises.
(B) Appropriate bumper guards or curbs shall be provided in order to define parking spaces or limits of paved areas and to prevent vehicles from projecting into required yards.
(C) The Borough Council may require landscape features or a fence between a parking or loading area and a side or rear lot line of a residential district.
(D) All curbs and bumper guards shall be constructed in accordance with standards established by the Borough Council.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1307) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.7; Ord. 323, passed 7-6-1998)
§ 155.212 ILLUMINATION OF PARKING AND LOADING AREAS.
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 residential streets, and shall not be of excessive brightness or cause a glare hazardous to pedestrians or drivers.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1308) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.8)
§ 155.213 DRIVEWAYS AND CURBS.
Access to the lot shall comply with the following regulations.
(A) Access shall be by not more than two driveways for each 100 feet frontage on any street.
(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 three feet, and no flare shall cross an extended side property line.
(C) Each driveway shall be not more than 35 feet in width, measured at right angles to the centerline of the driveway, except as increased by permissible curb return radii. The entire flare of any return radius shall fall within the right-of-way.
(D) Driveways shall be no closer than ten feet to the point of intersection of two property lines at any corner as measured along the property line, and shall not extend across extended property lines.
(E) For nondwelling uses and apartment houses, where there is an existing curb and gutter or sidewalk on the street or private road, a safety island with curbing along the entire frontage of the property shall be provided except for permitted driveways.
(F) All driveways shall be designed in accordance with Pa Code Title 67.
(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1309) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 13.9)