Off-street parking and loading requirements and specifications are set forth in this article.

In all districts, for every industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational, residential, or any other use, there shall be provided, at the time any building or structure is erected or is enlarged or increased in capacity or at the time any other use is established, off-street parking spaces for vehicles in accordance with the requirements as set forth in the various zoning districts, and in this article.

(Ord. No. 2006-14, § 17-76, 7-11-2006)

(a)

The minimum off-street parking spaces for residential uses shall be set forth in section 40-13, table 1. In planned development districts, at least one parking space shall be required for each dwelling unit plus such additional requirements as may be specified by the amending ordinance.

(b)

No parking requirements for nonresidential uses are required in the downtown area of the city bounded on the north by the Burlington Northern/Union Pacific railroad tracks, on the east by Denver Avenue, on the south by 7th Street, and on the west by Rock Island Avenue.

(c)

Except as noted in subsection (b) of this section, the following parking space schedule for nonresidential uses is applicable to all zoning districts:

(1)

Banks, professional offices, general business offices, other than medical or dental clinics: One space for each 400 square feet of floor area.

(2)

Bowling alleys: Three spaces for each bowling lane.

(3)

Church: One space for each three seats in the main sanctuary.

(4)

Commercial amusement (indoor), dance halls, nightclubs, liquor stores and skating rinks: One space for each 100 square feet of floor area.

(5)

Commercial amusement (outdoor), driving range, amusement parks, and miniature golf courses: One space for each five persons. The maximum number of patrons which can be served shall be the basis for determining parking requirements.

(6)

Day care center: One space for every three employees or one space for every 200 square feet of floor area, whichever is greater.

(7)

Flea markets: One space for each 200 square feet of leasable area including customer circulation areas and display areas.

(8)

Furniture or floor covering stores: One space for each 400 square feet of floor area.

(9)

Gasoline service station: A minimum of six spaces.

(10)

Golf course (not miniature golf): A minimum of 30 spaces.

(11)

High school or college: One space for each classroom or instruction area, plus one space for each four students accommodated in the institution.

(12)

Hospitals: One space for every two beds.

(13)

Manufacturing, industrial and processing establishments, repair shops, warehouses, storage buildings, lumber and supply yards: One space for each five employees, or one for each 1,000 square feet of floor area, whichever is greater.

(14)

Medical or dental clinic: One space for each 250 square feet of floor area.

(15)

Motel or hotel: One space for each room, unit or guest accommodation.

(16)

Nursing home or residence for the aged: One space for each six rooms or beds, but for an apartment complex for only elderly; three-fourths of one space for each dwelling unit.

(17)

Restaurant or cafeteria: One space for each 150 square feet of floor area.

(18)

Retail or personal service: One space for each 250 square feet of floor area.

(19)

School, elementary or middle: One space for each classroom, plus one space for each three seats in any auditorium, gymnasium or other place of assembly.

(20)

Shopping center: One space for each 250 square feet of floor area, except an eating or drinking establishment in the shopping center shall provide one space for each 150 feet of floor area.

(21)

Theaters, meeting rooms and places of public assembly: One space for every three seats.

(22)

Commercial and industrial uses not listed in subsections (c)(1) through (21) of this section: One space per each two employees or one space for each 500 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.

(d)

Parking requirements for new or unlisted uses. Where questions arise concerning the minimum off-street parking requirement for any use not specifically listed, the requirements may be interpreted as those of a similar listed use. Where a determination of the minimum parking requirements cannot be readily ascertained for new or unlisted uses or where uncertainty exists, the minimum off-street parking requirements shall be established by the same process as provided in section 40-7 for classifying new and unlisted uses.

(Ord. No. 2006-14, § 17-77, 7-11-2006)

(a)

Outdoor operations. Where open land is used for manufacturing, storage, or other operations in a manner similar to indoor operations, such open land shall be added to floor space in determining the number of parking spaces required.

(b)

Indoor parking exempt from calculation. The floor area of any structure devoted to off-street parking of vehicles shall be excluded in computing the off-street parking requirements of any use.

(c)

Dimensions. All parking spaces provided shall be of usable shape and condition. Parking spaces shall measure at least nine feet in width and 18 feet in length if positioned at an angle to the access aisle or at least eight feet in width and 23 feet in length if positioned parallel to the aisle.

(d)

Maneuvering area. All off-street parking spaces shall be accompanied by adequate automobile maneuvering area permitting full and direct ingress and egress to such parking spaces. For each off-street parking space, together with three or more parking spaces, the maneuvering area thereto shall be located entirely upon private property, except that the unobstructed width of an abutting alley may be considered for maneuvering area.

(e)

Driveway access. For all off-street parking spaces, there shall be adequate provisions for driveway connection with the street system, except where abutting alleys are employed for direct vehicle access to parking spaces. All connections from a parking area to the street system shall be by a paved driveway or access connection. No land use other than single-family residential and duplexes shall have direct access to an alley which is immediately adjacent to any residential zoning district.

(f)

Garage entrances. All vehicle entrances to a garage where the primary use of the land is for residential purposes shall be a minimum of 20 feet from a lot line that abuts a street or alley, except if garages accessing a side street or alley within the same block and the same side of the street have observed a vehicle entrance which is lesser in dimension than 20 feet, then the vehicle entrance with the least restrictive dimension shall establish the minimum vehicle parking entrance requirement.

(g)

Location. Parking lots shall be within the same zoning district classification required for the use which the parking lot supports (for example, a parking lot serving a particular commercial land use must be located in a zoning district where that commercial land use is also allowed). For any new use, building or structure, where the required off-street parking cannot be provided on the premises because of the size or location of lot such parking may be provided on other property not more than 400 feet distance from the building site. Where off-street parking for any use is to be provided on an adjacent lot or tract, it shall be consolidated under a single building permit and certificate of occupancy and compliance with the main use, and the parking area shall not be sold separately from the main use without first achieving compliance with the requirements for parking to be provided under separate ownership or providing replacement parking and securing a new certificate of occupancy and compliance for the main use.

(h)

Collective parking facilities. No requirement set forth in this chapter shall be construed to prevent collective utilization of any off-street parking facility for two or more buildings or uses; provided, however, that the total number of off-street parking spaces shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the particular individual uses computed separately in accordance with the applicable regulations for off-street parking spaces.

(i)

Screening and landscaping. Off-street parking areas for more than five vehicles shall be effectively screened by a solid opaque wall or fence of acceptable design, on any boundary adjoining a lot in a residential district, if located closer than 50 feet to such residential district. The wall or fence shall be at least six feet in height and shall be maintained in good condition with no advertising thereon. Any space between the walls or fence and the property line adjoining the premises shall be landscaped with grass, hardy shrubs, or evergreen ground cover and maintained in good condition.

(j)

Barriers. All off-street parking areas shall be separated from the street right-of-way by a barrier, curb, or tire stop.

(k)

Surfacing. To satisfy the off-street parking requirements established by this chapter, both residential and nonresidential parking spaces, as well as accompanying maneuvering areas and driveway access, shall be paved with asphalt or concrete so as to provide a durable and dustless surface. The off-street parking area shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water accumulated within the area, and shall be so arranged and marked as to provide the orderly and safe loading and unloading, parking and storage of vehicles.

(l)

Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from adjoining property.

(m)

Nature of use. Required off-street parking areas in all zoning districts shall not be used for the commercial sale, repair, dismantling or servicing of vehicles, equipment, material or supplies. The following vehicles are prohibited from being parked or stored on any lot in a residential district, including, but not limited to: commercial vehicles of over 1½ ton manufactured capacity, truck tractor, road tractors and special mobile equipment as defined by the Texas Motor Vehicle Laws Uniform Act. This provision shall not apply to and shall not prohibit the parking or storing of church and school buses and recreational equipment in residential areas. Any such vehicle so parked after having been given notice by the city of the violation of the requirement set forth in this subsection on any previous occasion may be towed from its location or detained at the operator's expense.

(n)

Handicapped parking. In parking lots, handicapped parking shall be provided in accordance with handicapped parking and accessibility requirements of the most current edition of the building code adopted by the city.

(Ord. No. 2006-14, § 17-78, 7-11-2006)

(a)

Number required. In all districts, for every nonresidential building or part thereof hereafter erected with a minimum gross floor area of 10,000 square feet, there shall be provided and maintained, on the same lot with such building, at least one off-street loading space plus additional off-street loading spaces as follows:

(1)

For buildings which are to be occupied by manufacturing, storage, warehouse, goods display, retail store, wholesale store, market and other similarly commercial or industrial uses there shall be one additional loading space for each additional 20,000 square feet, or major fraction thereof.

(2)

For hospitals, schools, and other similar institutional uses there shall be one additional loading space for each additional 40,000 square feet or major fraction thereof.

(3)

For hotels, offices and other similar uses there shall be one additional loading space for each additional 60,000 square feet or major fraction thereof.

(b)

Dimensions. Each loading space shall not be less than 12 feet in width, 30 feet in length, and 14 feet in height.

(c)

Location. No such space shall be located nearer than 50 feet to any lot in any residential district, unless wholly within a completely enclosed building or unless effectively screened on each side which faces said district by a wall or opaque fence of not less than seven feet in height.

(Ord. No. 2006-14, § 17-79, 7-11-2006)