It is the purpose of this chapter to provide for adequate, convenient, and safe off-street parking and loading areas for the different land uses described in this title.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Off-street parking and loading spaces shall be provided as an accessory use in all zones in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, at the time any building or structure is erected, enlarged or at the time there is a change in its principal use.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Any off-street parking area already in use or established hereafter shall not be reduced below the limits required by this chapter by the construction of any addition to a building or structure, nor by the erection of an additional building or structure on the property.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Any required off-street parking and loading facilities shall be developed in accordance with the following standards:

A.

Location.

1.

Any on-premises parking area, which contains parking stalls, located more than one thousand feet from the principal use shall require board of architectural review approval for the entire parking lot.

2.

Off-premises parking areas shall be provided through a deed or easement or other legally binding agreement running with the land, the term of which shall be at least as long as the reasonable life of the premises served thereby, or in lieu thereof, obtain a conditional use permit, issued pursuant to the requirements and procedures of the conditional use permits Ch. 17.64 of this title.

B.

Minimum parking area dimensions for surface and structured parking facilities shall be as provided in Table 17-7.

C.

Tandem Parking Spaces. In the R-MD zone, tandem spaces (where one car is parked directly behind another) will be allowed for each three bedroom and one-third of all two bedroom units. No more than one-third of all project parking spaces may be tandem and all tandem parking spaces will be designed for full size rather than compact size vehicles based on the dimensions in Table 17-7.

D.

Parking Area and Parking Area Entrance and Exit Slopes. The slope of off-street parking spaces shall not exceed five percent. The slope of entrance and exit driveways providing access for off-street parking areas and internal driveway aisles without parking stalls shall not exceed fifteen percent.

E.

Driveways and Maneuverability.

1.

Adequate ingress to and egress from each parking space shall be provided without moving another vehicle and without backing more than fifty feet.

2.

Turning and maneuvering space shall be located entirely on private property unless specifically approved by the public works director and board of architectural review.

3.

All parking spaces shall be internally accessible to one another without reentering adjoining public streets.

4.

When off-street parking is provided in the rear of a building and a driveway or lane alongside the building provides access to rear parking area, such driveway shall require a minimum width of twelve feet and a sidewalk of at least a five-foot section, adjoining the building, curbed or raised six inches above the driveway surface.

5.

Ingress and egress to any off-street parking lot shall not be located closer than twenty feet from point of tangent to an intersection.

6.

The public works director may require ingress separate from an egress for smoother and safer flow of traffic.

F.

The public works director may require areas not designed or approved for parking to be appropriately marked and/or signed to prevent parking.

G.

Surface.

1.

The surface of any required off-street parking or loading facility shall be paved with asphalt or concrete and shall be graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water, but not across sidewalks.

2.

All traffic-control devices, such as parking stripes designating car stalls, directional arrows or signs, bull rails, curbs and other developments shall be installed and completed as shown on the approved plans.

3.

Paved parking areas shall use paint or similar devices to delineate car stalls and direction of traffic.

4.

Where pedestrian walks are used in parking lots for the use of foot traffic only, they shall be curbed or raised six inches above the lot surface.

5.

Wheel stops shall be required on the periphery of parking lots so cars will not protrude into the public right-of-way or off the parking lot or strike buildings. Wheel stops shall be two feet from the end of the stall of head-in parking.

H.

Parallel parking stalls shall be designed so doors of vehicles do not open onto the public right-of-way.

I.

Obstructions. No obstruction that would restrict car door opening shall be permitted within five feet of the centerline of a parking space.

J.

Lighting. Any lighting on a parking lot shall illuminate only the parking lot, designed to avoid undue glare or reflection on adjoining premises.

K.

Curb Cuts. All parking areas shall have specific entrance and/or exit areas to the street. The public works director shall determine the width of access roads and curb cuts. The edge of the curb cut or access road shall be as required by the public works director for safe movement of vehicles or pedestrians. Curb cuts in single-family districts shall be limited to a maximum of twenty feet in width and the public works director shall approve the location.

L.

No commercial trucks over eight thousand pounds gross vehicle weight, machinery, bulldozers, or similar construction equipment shall be allowed to be stored or parked in a residential zone.

M.

Parking stalls shall not be used for permanent or semi-permanent parking or storage of trucks or materials.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

The minimum number of off-street parking spaces for the listed uses shall be as shown in Table 17-7. Minimum parking requirements shall be maintained over the life of the original or primary use. Any additional uses, either secondary or accessory in nature must have parking available that does not impact the minimum parking of the original or primary use. This extends to parking spaces used for park-and-fly lots or use of parking for storage or outdoor displays.

Table 17-7

Required Number of Parking Spaces for
Automobiles and Bicycles

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Off-street space for standing, loading and unloading services shall be provided in such a manner as not to obstruct freedom of traffic movement on streets or alleys. For all office, commercial, and industrial uses, each loading space shall consist of at least a ten-foot by thirty-foot loading space with fourteen-foot height clearance for small trucks such as pickup trucks, or a twelve-foot by sixty-five-foot loading space with fourteen-foot height clearance for large trucks, including tractor-trailer large spaces. The prescribed number of spaces required is as follows:

Loading Space Requirements
Square Feet of Gross Floor Area
(Except Basement Area)

These requirements may be modified as a Type 4 decision, where the planning commission or, on appeal, the city council finds that such reduction will not result in injury to neighboring property or obstruction of fire lanes or traffic and will be in harmony with the purposes and intent of this chapter.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

A.

Shared Parking. When two or more property owners agree to enter into a shared parking agreement, the setbacks and landscaping requirements on their common property line(s) may be waived with that land used for parking, driveway and/or building.

B.

Covenant Parking. When off-site parking is provided on a lot other than the lot of the use to which it is accessory, the following conditions shall apply:

1.

A covenant between the owner and operator of the principal use, the owner of the parking spaces and the town stating the responsibilities of the parties shall be executed. This covenant and accompanying legal descriptions of the principal use and the lot upon which the spaces are to be located shall be recorded with Snohomish County, and a copy with the recording number and parking layouts shall be submitted as part of any permit application for development.

2.

The covenant lot must be within eight hundred feet of the primary commercial use or a shuttle service to the use must be provided with its route, service and operations approved by the director.

C.

When any shared or covenant parking agreement between parties, as referenced in subsections (B)(1) and (2) of this section, is modified or terminated, the owner of the parking spaces shall be responsible for notifying the town clerk. In this event, all affected parties shall provide documentation that a minimum of fifty percent of the required minimum parking will be available within ninety days following termination of the agreement, with the remainder to be available three hundred sixty-five days following termination of the original agreement. If a variance is sought, the application must be submitted within fourteen days of the signed agreement to terminate and the reduction in parking spaces will only be allowed if the variance is approved.

D.

Complimentary Parking. A complementary use is a portion of the development that functions differently than the primary use but is designed to serve or enhance the primary land use without creating additional parking needs for the primary traffic generator. Up to ten percent of the useable floor area of a building or facility may be occupied by a complementary use without providing parking spaces in addition to the number of spaces for the principal use. Examples of complementary uses include pharmacies in hospitals or medical offices, food courts or restaurants in a shopping center or retail establishment.

E.

Applications for shared, covenant or complementary parking shall be processed as Type 2 decisions, pursuant to DMC Section 17.108.020.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

A.

Application. Parking for the handicapped shall be provided in all parking lots and garages except for parking areas accessory to buildings and portions thereof not customarily occupied by humans, and residences, apartment houses, boarding and rooming houses with ten or fewer dwelling units.

B.

Minimum Requirement. A minimum of one parking space and not less than one additional space for every one hundred spaces, with a maximum of thirty-five spaces shall meet the requirements of this section.

C.

Location and Size. The required spaces shall be those nearest the primary public building entrance of the building or buildings served, shall abut the accessible route of travel, and shall not be less than twelve feet six inches wide. The surface shall be firm, stable, smooth, nonslip, and shall slope not more than one in fifty.

D.

Curb Cuts. Where any curb occurs between the accessible route of travel and any parking space required by this section, curb cuts shall be provided for each such parking space. The curb shall be located so that disable persons may gain access to the accessible route of travel directly from the parking space without entering a vehicular roadway.

E.

Signage. Parking spaces required by this section shall be identified by a sign centered from four feet to five feet above grade, at the head of the required parking space, marked with the international symbol of access. The sign shall also indicate that such space is reserved for disabled persons authorized to display the Washington State disabled overtime parking permit on or in their vehicles.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

A.

A maximum of thirty percent of the total required off-street parking stalls might be permitted and designated for compact cars.

B.

Each compact stall shall be designated as such, with the word "compact" printed on the stall, in a minimum of eight-inch letters and maintained as such over the life of the use of both the space and the adjacent structure it serves.

C.

Dimensions of compact parking stalls shall conform to the standards as depicted in Table 17-6 of this chapter.

D.

Compact spaces shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lot.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

In the case of a use not specifically mentioned in this chapter, the town planner shall determine the requirements for off-street parking facilities. Such determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable use specified in this chapter.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Landscaping and screening requirements shall be as provided in the landscape, recreation, recycling/solid waste space requirements Ch. 17.52 of this title.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

Detailed plans of off-street parking areas, indicating the proposed development including the location, size, shape, design, curb-cuts, adjacent streets, circulation of traffic, ingress and egress to parking lots and other features and appurtenances of the proposed parking facility, shall be filed with and reviewed by the planning department. The parking area shall be developed and completed to the required standards before an occupancy permit for the building may be issued.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

A.

Required Number of Bicycle Parking Spaces. The required number of parking spaces for bicycles are include in DMC Section 17.56.050, Table 17-7.

B.

Location.

1.

Required bicycle parking must be located within fifty feet of an entrance to the building or use.

2.

Bicycle parking may be provided within a building, but the location must be accessible for bicycles.

C.

Safety and Security.

1.

Legitimate bicycle spaces are individual units within ribbon racks, inverted "U" racks, locking wheel racks, lockers, or other similar permanent structures.

2.

If bicycle lockers are used, windows and/or view holes must be included to discourage improper uses.

3.

If bicycle parking is not visible from the street, a sign must be posted indicating the location of the bicycle parking spaces.

4.

All bicycle parking must be separated from motor vehicle traffic by a barrier, curb, post, bollard or other similar device.

D.

Process. Upon application to and review by the planning commission, subject to a Type 4 decision process outlined in DMC Section 17.108.040, the bicycle parking requirements may be modified or waived, where appropriate.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)

A.

General.

1.

A request for an administrative variance from required parking standards must be received prior to any issuance of building or engineering permits. Administrative variances are only eligible for requests for reductions of required parking between one and ten percent. Requests for reductions from minimum parking standards in excess of ten percent must be made to the planning commission.

2.

The project developer shall present all findings to the planning department prior to any final approvals, including design review, conditional use permit review, building review or any other permit reviews required by the department.

B.

Criteria.

1.

All requests for reductions in parking shall be reviewed under the criteria established in this section.

2.

In addition to the following requirements, the town planner may require specific measures not listed to ensure that all impacts with reduced parking are mitigated. Any spillover parking, which cannot be mitigated to the satisfaction of the department, will serve as the basis for denial. A reduction may be allowed, pursuant to either an administrative variance or requests to the planning commission, after:

a.

All shared parking strategies are explored;

b.

On-site park and ride opportunities are fully explored;

c.

The site is at least three hundred feet away from a single-family residential zone;

d.

A report is submitted providing a basis for less parking and mitigation necessary to offset any negative effects.

C.

Process.

1.

An applicant shall submit evidence that decreased parking will not have a negative impact on surrounding properties or potential future uses. This may take the form of a brief report for administrative variances. Decreases in excess of ten percent must be made to the planning commission. The town planner may require additional studies to ensure that negative impacts are properly mitigated. A complete and detailed parking demand study is required for requests reviewed by the planning commission.

2.

All site characteristics should be described in report, including:

a.

Site accessibility for transit;

b.

Site proximity to transit, with fifteen to thirty-minute headways;

c.

Shared use of on-site parking;

d.

Shred use of off-site parking;

e.

Combined on-site parking;

f.

Employee density;

g.

Adjacent land uses.

D.

Review.

1.

Applications for administrative variances for reductions below minimum parking requirements between one and ten percent shall be processed as Type 2 decisions, pursuant to DMC Section 17.108.020. Applications for reductions from minimum parking requirements in excess of ten percent shall be processed as Type 4 decisions, pursuant to DMC Section 17.108.040, including a hearing before the planning commission.

(Ord. 541 § 1 (part), 1999)