A.   Scope of off-street parking requirements. Compliance with the off-street parking regulations shall be required as follows:

      1.   General applicability. For all buildings and uses established after the effective date of this ordinance, Feb. 11, 1993, off-street parking shall be provided as required in this Section. However, where a building permit has been issued prior to the effective date of the ordinance and construction has been diligently carried on, compliance with the parking requirements at the time of issuance of the building permit shall be required.

      2.   Change in use or intensity. Whenever use of a building, structure, or lot is changed, parking facilities shall be provided as required by this ordinance for the new use, regardless of any variance which may have been in effect prior to change of use.

   If the intensity of use of any building, structure, or lot is increased through the addition of dwelling units, increase in floor area, increase in seating capacity, or through other means, additional off-street parking shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use.

      3.   Existing parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities in existence on the effective date of this ordinance, Feb. 11, 1993, shall not thereafter be reduced below, or if already less than, shall not be further reduced below the requirements for the use being served as set forth in this ordinance.

   An area designated as required off-street parking shall not be changed to any other use unless equal facilities are provided elsewhere in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance.

      4.   Additional off-street parking. Nothing in this ordinance shall be deemed to prevent voluntary establishment of off-street parking facilities to serve an existing use of land or buildings, or to prevent provision of additional parking facilities beyond what is required by the ordinance, provided all such parking conforms with the regulations herein.

   B.   General requirements. In all zoning districts, off-street vehicle parking facilities shall be provided and maintained as herein prescribed:

      1.   Location. 

      1.   Collective/Shared Parking. Required parking may be located on a lot or parcel that is under different ownership from the building it serves or is not contiguous to the building site, if a written easement that provides for continued use and maintenance of the parking is filed with the Wayne County Register of Deeds and a copy is submitted to the City Planner, PMDS, and Corporation Counsel. Both the grantor and the grantee of the easement are required to comply with the parking requirements of this section. If the parking easement is terminated, the grantee's Certificate of Occupancy shall be automatically revoked. The grantor and grantee are required to notify the City within ten (10) days of a parking easement termination.

   (b)   Within yards. Off-street parking in commercial and office districts may be located in a front, side, or rear yard, provided that all landscaping and berm requirements in Article 5.00 are met, and provided further that off-street parking shall not be permitted within twenty (20) feet of a parcel zoned or used for residential purposes, nor within twenty (20) feet of the traveled portion of any road right-of-way, unless screening is provided according to Article 6.00. In cases where the lot or parcel has a depth of 120 feet or less the following exceptions shall apply:

      1.   Off-street parking may be permitted within twenty (20) feet of the traveled portion of any road right-of-way so long as one of the following alternatives is used to separate and screen the parking from the road:

         a.   A curbed landscape island or planter with a minimum depth of five (5) feet is provided between the parking and the road right-of-way; or

         b.   A three (3) foot tall decorative fence or wall is provided between the parking and the road right-of-way, with an appropriate setback for access to the parking. The fence or wall shall be designed to be compatible and complimentary to the buildings on the site and on the surrounding sites.

   Off-street parking in multiple-family and industrial districts may be located in a side or rear yard or non-required front yard, provided that all landscaping and berm requirements in Article 5.00 are complied with, and provided further that off-street parking serving an industrial use shall not be permitted within twenty (20) feet of a residential district.

      2.   Residential parking. When thirty (30) foot to thirty-five (35) foot width lots were platted in the City, typically, residents had no more than one (1) car per single-family residence and many residents used streetcars or buses as their sole means of transportation. On thirty (30) foot to thirty-five (35) foot width lots, problems have arisen because of the number of motor vehicles currently utilized per family and the lack of places to park them. Therefore, it is imperative that when new homes are constructed adequate off-street parking be provided. Off-street parking spaces for new construction in Single-Family Residential Districts shall consist of a driveway and a garage, shall allow for two (2) cars to be parked side by side and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve. Off-street parking spaces for existing homes in Single-Family Residential Districts shall consist of a parking strip, driveway, garage, or combination thereof, and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve. No parking shall be permitted on lawns or other unpaved areas on residential lots, with the exception of approved parking areas.

      3.   Control of off-street parking. It shall be unlawful to park or store commercial or recreational vehicles or offer for sale any motor vehicle or recreational vehicle on private property. Where required parking is permitted on land other than on the same lot as the building or use being served, the land on which the parking is located shall be under the same ownership and control as the lot occupied by said building or use.

      4.   Access to parking. Each off-street parking space for new construction shall open directly onto an aisle or driveway of sufficient width and design as to provide safe and efficient access to or from a public street in a manner that will least interfere with the smooth flow of traffic. Access to off-street parking which serves a non-residential use shall not be permitted across land that is zoned or used for residential purposes.

      5.   Collective use of off-street parking. Off-street parking for separate buildings or uses may be provided collectively subject to the following:

         (a)   The total number of spaces provided collectively shall not be less than the sum of spaces required for each separate use. However, in the case of a site plan for development within the Planned Unit Development Mixed Use District, the plan commission may reduce the total number of required spaces by up to forty (40) percent upon making the determination that the parking demands of the uses will be met. In other nonresidential districts, the zoning board of appeals upon recommendation of the Plan Commission may modify the total number of required spaces for a use by up to forty (40) percent upon making the determination that the parking demands of the uses being served do not overlap.

         (b)   The collective off-street parking shall not be located farther than three hundred (300) feet from the building or use being served without crossing a major thoroughfare.

         (c)   An easement or other formal written agreement assuring the continuing joint usage of said common parking for the combination of uses or buildings must be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned and submitted to the city planner and city attorney for approval.

      6.   Storage, sale and repair prohibited. The storage of merchandise, sale of motor vehicles, storage of inoperable vehicles, or repair of vehicles are prohibited in required off-street parking lots or areas. Emergency service shall be permitted.

      7.   Duration. Except when land is used as permitted storage space in direct connection with a legitimate business, a forty-eight (48) hour time limit for parking in nonresidential off-street parking areas shall prevail, provided that it shall be unlawful to permit the storage of wrecked, inoperable, unlicensed, or junked vehicles in any parking area in any district for any period of time.

      8.   Parking structures. Parking structures shall be permitted subject to the following standards:

         (a)   Any parking structure shall comply with the required setbacks for the district in which it is located.

         (b)   Parking structures shall be designed as integral elements of the overall site plan, taking into account the relationship to the principal building and other structures on the site.

         (c)   The facade of the parking structure shall be compatible in design, color, and type of material to the principal building(s) on the site and comply with Article 5.00.

         (d)   Landscaping shall be placed around the parking structure in accordance with an approved landscape plan. Such landscaping shall be compatible with the overall landscape plan for the entire site.

   C.   Minimum number of spaces required. The following standards shall be used in determining the required number of parking spaces:

      1.   Definition of floor area. For the purposes of determining the required number of parking spaces, "floor area" shall be measured in accordance with the definitions provided in Article 1.00.

      2.   Units of measurement.   

         (a)   Fractional spaces. When calculations for determining the required number of parking spaces results in a fractional space, any fraction of less than one-half (½) is disregarded, while a fraction of one-half (½) or more shall be counted as one (1) full space.

         (b)   Employee parking. Parking spaces required for employees shall be based on the maximum number of employees on the premises at any one (1) time.

      3.   Uses not cited. For those uses not specifically mentioned, the requirements for off-street parking for the most similar use stated shall be determined by the City Planner.

      4.   Parking during construction. Temporary off-street parking shall be provided for workers during construction at a rate of one space per employee. Temporary gravel surfacing may be permitted for such temporary parking subject to approval of the director of building and safety and city engineer. Temporary parking areas must be abandoned and returned to an acceptable state in accordance with the approved site plan prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

      5.   Parking for the physically handicapped. Each parking lot that serves a building, except single- and two-family dwelling units, shall have a number of level parking spaces, identified by an above-grade sign placed six (6) feet above grade which indicates the spaces are reserved for physically handicapped persons. Parking for the handicapped shall comply with the State of Michigan Barrier-Free Rules, Michigan Public Act No. 1 of 1966, as amended, and the adopted City Building Code. The number of barrier-free spaces required is as follows:

 

* City of Dearborn Ord. Section 18-726.

      6.   Use of loading space. Required loading space shall not be counted or used for parking requirements.

      7.   Modification of minimum requirements. In the case of a site plan for development within the Planned Unit Development District, the plan commission may modify a numerical standard for off-street parking. In other nonresidential districts, the zoning board of appeals may reduce a standard for a particular site, based upon evidence that another standard would be more reasonable considering the level of current or future employment and/or level of current or future customer traffic.

      8.   Cumulative nature of parking requirements. If two (2) or more uses share a common parking area, or if approved multiple uses exist within a single building or site, the required minimum requirement shall be the sum of the required spaces for each individual use.

      9.   Minimum number of spaces for each use. The amount of required off-street parking spaces shall be determined in accordance with the schedule which follows.

      10.   Credit for public parking. Where public parking lots directly abut or are within one hundred (100) feet of a site proposed for occupancy, such public parking areas may be credited to the amount of off-street parking required by this ordinance, provided no other land use has claimed credit for the same public park lot.

   SCHEDULE OF OFF-STREET PARKING

 

   D.   Layout and construction. All off-street parking facilities containing four (4) or more spaces, except those serving single-family residences, shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the following requirements:

      1.   Review and approval requirements. Plans for the construction of any parking lot in conjunction with a new development shall be submitted for review and approval according to the normal site plan review procedures. Plan for expansion of an existing parking lot that is not associated with other new development shall be submitted to the director of building and safety for review and approval prior to the start of construction. Upon completion of construction, a parking lot must be inspected and approved before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued for the parking lot and for the building or use the parking is intended to serve.

   Plans shall be prepared at a scale of not less than fifty (50) feet equal to one (1) inch. Plans shall include typical pavement cross-sections and indicate existing and proposed grades, drainage, water mains and sewers, surfacing and base materials, and the proposed parking layout. The plans shall conform to the construction and design standards established by the director of the department of public works.

   In the event that required parking cannot be constructed because of cold or inclement weather, a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be issued by the director of building and safety provided the applicant first deposits a performance guarantee in accordance with Article 8.00.

      2.   Dimensions. Off-street parking shall be designed to conform with the following standards:

   MINIMUM OFF-STREET PARKING SPACE STANDARD (All Dimensions in Feet)

 

 

      3.   Stacking spaces. Stacking spaces shall be provided as required in the schedule of off-street parking. Stacking spaces shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide and twenty (20) feet in length, shall not extend into any public right-of-way or private access easement, and shall be distinctly separated from on-site parking so as not to interfere with ingress and egress to parking spaces.

      4.   Ingress and egress. All spaces shall be provided with adequate access by means of clearly defined maneuvering lanes and driveways. Spaces backing directly onto a street shall be prohibited. Entrances and exits from off-street parking lots shall be located at least twenty (20) feet from the nearest point of any property zoned for single-family residential use.

      5.   Surfacing and drainage. Grading, surfacing, and drainage plans shall comply with City engineering standards and shall be subject to review and approval by the director of the department of public works. All off-street parking areas, access lanes, driveways and other vehicle maneuvering areas shall be hard-surfaced with concrete or plant-mixed bituminous material.

   Off-street parking areas, access lanes, and driveways shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of surface waters. Surface water shall not be permitted to drain onto adjoining property, unless in accordance with an approved drainage plan.

      6.   Curbs, wheel chocks. A curb of at least six (6) inches in height shall be installed to prevent motor vehicles from being driven or parked so that any part of the vehicle extends within two (2) feet of abutting landscaped areas, sidewalks, streets, buildings, or adjoining property. In lieu of a curb, wheel chocks may be provided to prevent vehicles from extending over grass areas, setback lines, or lot lines. A freeway type guardrail is prohibited from use in lieu of curbs or wheel chocks.

      7.   Lighting. All parking areas, driveways, and walkways shall be illuminated to ensure the security of property and the safety of persons using such areas, in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 2.12. All lighting shall be confined within and directed onto the parking area only.

      8.   Buildings. No building or structure shall be permitted on an off-street parking lot, except for a maintenance building/attendant shelter, which shall not be more than fifty (50) square feet in area and not more than fifteen (15) feet in height.

      9.   Signs. Accessory directional signs shall be permitted in parking areas in accordance with City sign regulations. The plan commission, upon review and recommendation of the public safety official, may require the posting of traffic control signs as it deems necessary to promote vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

      10.   Screening and landscaping. All off-street parking areas, except those serving single- and two-family residences, shall be screened and landscaped in accordance with the provisions set forth in Article 5.00.

      11.   Striping. To facilitate movement and to help maintain an orderly parking arrangement, all parking spaces shall be clearly striped. Except for parallel parking spaces, each stall shall be delineated with four (4) inch wide double lines twenty-four (24) inches apart. The width of the parking stall may be computed from the centers of the double striping.

      12.   Maintenance. All parking areas shall be maintained free of dust, trash, and debris. Surfacing, curbing, lighting fixtures, signage, lane marking, space striping, and related appurtenances shall be maintained in good condition.

      13.   Driveways. The minimum driveway width for one (1), two (2), and three (3) family residential properties shall be nine (9) feet, except for lots with frontage that exceeds forty-nine (49) feet the driveways shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet in width.

(Ord. No. 93-553, § 4.01, 2-2-1993; Ord. No. 95-625, 3-7-1995; Ord. No. 02-888, 4-16-2002; Ord. No. 03-967, 7-1-2003; Ord. No. 04-996, 2-17-2004; Ord. No. 04-1013, 9-7-2004; Ord. No. 08-1190, 12-1-2008; Ord. No. 08-1191, 12-1-2008; Ord. No. 09-1215, 2-17-2009; Ord. No. 15-1491, 10-20-2015; Ord. No. 15-1500, 11-24-2015; Ord. No. 15-1508, 9-6-2016; Ord. No. 16-1542, 9-6-2016; Ord. No. 17-1588, 7-18-2017; Ord. No. 17-1602, 1-16-2018; Ord. No. 17- 1572, - -2017; Ord. No. 25-1839, 5-20-2025; Ord. No. 25-1845, 7-15-2025)

   A.   Scope of loading space requirements. Compliance with the loading space regulations set forth herein shall be required in order to avoid interference with the public use of streets, alleys, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, and other public areas.

      1.   General applicability. On the same premises with every building, or part thereof, erected and occupied for manufacturing, storage, warehousing, display and sale of goods, including department stores, wholesale stores, markets, hotels, hospitals, mortuaries, laundries, dry cleaning establishments, and other uses involving the receipt or distribution of materials, merchandise, or vehicles, there shall be provided and maintained adequate space for loading and unloading as required in this Section.

      2.   Change in use or intensity. Whenever use of a building, structure, or lot is changed, loading space shall be provided as required by this Ordinance for the new use, regardless of any variance which may have been in effect prior to change of use.

   B.   General requirements.   

      1.   Location. Required loading space shall be located to the rear or side of the building being served such that it is screened from view from adjoining roads. Loading/unloading operations shall not interfere with vehicular traffic circulation on streets, alleys, or within off-street parking areas. Loading/unloading areas shall not be placed in required fire lanes.

      2.   Dimensions. Unless otherwise specified, each required loading space shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet in width and fifty (50) feet in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of fifteen (15) feet.

      3.   Surfacing and drainage. Loading areas shall be hard-surfaced with concrete or plant-mixed bituminous material. Loading areas shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of surface waters. Grading, surfacing, and drainage plans shall be subject to review and approval by the director of the department of public works. Surface water shall not be permitted to drain onto adjoining property, a public easement, a public right-of-way or into the City sanitary sewer system, except in accordance with a City-approved drainage plan.

      4.   Storage and repair prohibited. The storage of merchandise, sale of motor vehicles, storage of inoperable vehicles, or repair of vehicles is prohibited in required loading space.

      5.   Use of loading space. A required loading space shall be dedicated to loading and unloading purposes and shall not be counted or used for required parking.

      6.   Central loading. Central loading facilities may be substituted for individual loading spaces serving businesses on separate lots provided that all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

         (a)   Each business served shall have direct access to the central loading area without crossing a public street or alley.

         (b)   Total loading space provided shall meet the minimum requirements specified herein, in consideration of total floor area of all businesses served by the central loading space.

         (c)   No building served shall be more than three hundred (300) feet from the central loading area.

      7.   Minimum loading space. The amount of required loading space shall be determined in accordance with the schedule which follows. In a Planned Unit Development District, the plan commission may modify the minimum requirements. In other districts, the zoning board of appeals may reduce or modify the standards upon making the determination that another standard would be more appropriate considering of the number or type of deliveries expected or experienced for a particular use or site.

 

 

(Ord. No. 93-553, § 4.02, 2-2-1993; Ord. No. 08-1189, 12-1-2008)

   A.   Purpose. The purpose of these bicycle parking requirements are to:

      1.   Encourage bicycle travel as an additional mode of transportation for residents and visitors;

      2.   Ensure that safe and convenient bicycle parking spaces are provided for bicyclists;

      3.   Address the need for short-term bicycle parking; and

      4.   Improve the City's multi-modal transportation options.

   B.   Applicability. 

      1.   Bicycle parking facilities shall be provided for any new building or any addition or enlargement of fifty (50) percent or greater.

      2.   Bicycle parking regulations apply to: (a) multi-family residential structures; (b) community and civic facilities; and (c) commercial buildings in all zoning districts.

   C.   Bike spaces required. Bicycle parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with the following schedule, with fractional requirements of one-half (0.5) or greater being rounded up:

 

 

   D.   Site requirements. 

      1.   In order to address a wide range of building configurations and site design characteristics, bicycle parking may be provided in a variety of locations but shall be visible from the roadway, sidewalk or building entrance so that it provides sufficient security from theft and damage.

      2.   Bicycle racks shall be securely anchored to a concrete pad. The inverted "U" style racks or equivalent are required.

      3.   Bicycle parking shall not interfere with pedestrian and vehicle circulation. A clear area of at least thirty-six (36) inches between bicycles and other existing and potential obstructions must be provided.

   E.   Long-term bicycle parking. Bicycle storage rooms, bicycle lockers, or other secure storage spaces inside or outside of the building may be provided and shall comply with all applicable codes and ordinances.

   F.   In all cases this ordinance shall not require in excess of twenty (20) bicycle parking racks and no fewer than two (2) spaces (one (1) rack).

   G.   Waiver. The City Planner may authorize a reduction or waiver of bicycle parking spaces if the site requirements listed in Section 4.03(D) cannot be met.

   H.   Exemption. 

      1.   Buildings that are located within two hundred (200) feet of City-owned or County-owned bicycle parking are not required to provide bicycle parking.

      2.   The following uses are exempt from this ordinance: Senior housing, industrial uses; utilities; vehicle sales and services; parking lots; and child or day care centers.

(Ord. No. 17-1568, 1-31-2017)