East China Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 17
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 480-53 Off-street parking requirements.
There shall be provided in all districts at the time of erection or enlargement of any main building or structure automobile off-street parking space with adequate access to all spaces. The number of off-street parking spaces, in conjunction with all land or building uses, shall be provided prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, as hereinafter prescribed.
Residential off-street parking spaces shall consist of a parking strip, parking bay, driveway, garage or combination thereof and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve, and subject to the provisions of § 480-61, Accessory buildings and structures, of this chapter.
Off-street parking for other than residential use shall be either on the same lot or within 300 feet of the building it is intended to serve, measured from the nearest point of the building to the nearest point of the off-street parking lot. Ownership shall be shown of all lots or parcels intended for use as parking by the applicant.
Required parking spaces for two or more buildings or uses may be provided within a common parking area. However, in such cases the required number of parking spaces shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the individual uses computed separately. The Board of Appeals may allow a reduction in the required number of parking spaces where operating hours of uses do not overlap.
For the purpose of computing the number of parking spaces required, the definition of “usable floor area” in § 480-5, Definitions, shall govern.
When units or measurements determining the number of required parking spaces result in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including 1/2 shall be disregarded, and factions over 1/2 shall require one parking space.
For those uses not specifically mentioned, the requirements for off-street parking facilities shall be in accordance with a use which the Planning Commission considers is similar in type.
The storage of merchandise, motor vehicles for sale, trucks, or the repair of vehicles is prohibited.
Any area once designated as required off-street parking shall not be changed to any other use unless and until equal facilities are provided elsewhere.
Off-street parking existing at the effective date of this chapter, in connection with the operation of an existing building or use, shall not be reduced to an amount less than hereinafter required for a similar new building or new use.
Off-street parking may be permitted in a side or rear yard unless otherwise provided in this chapter.
The minimum number of off-street parking spaces by type of use shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule:
[Amended 11-15-2021 by Ord. No. 323; 8-7-2023 by Ord. No. 326]
Type of Use | Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces | |
|---|---|---|
Residential Uses | ||
Residential, one-family | 2 for each dwelling unit | |
Multiple-family | 1.5 spaces for each efficiency or 1 bedroom unit; 2 spaces for each unit containing 2 or more bedrooms; plus 0.5 spaces per unit shall be provided for visitor parking | |
Mobile home park | 2 for each mobile home pad and 1 for each employee of the mobile home park | |
Family day-care home | 2 plus 1 for each nonresident employee | |
Group day-care home | 2 plus 1 for each employee In addition, a designated dropoff area is required | |
Institutional Uses | ||
Places of worship | 1 for each 3 seats or 6 feet of pew in the main area of worship | |
Convalescent homes and nursing homes | 1 for every 4 persons in residence plus 1 for each employee in the largest working shift | |
Hospitals/health care centers | 1 for each 1 bed | |
Nursery schools\day-care centers | 1 for each 350 square feet of usable floor plus 1 designated off-street loading space for children entering and leaving the facility | |
Private clubs, or lodges halls | 1 per 100 square feet of usable floor area | |
Private golf clubs, swim clubs, tennis clubs, or other similar uses | 1 for every 2 member families or individuals, plus additional spaces for accessory uses | |
Golf courses open to the general public except miniature courses | 6 for each golf hole and 1 for each employee, plus spaces required for each accessory use such as a restaurant or bar | |
Elementary or junior high schools | 1 for each 1 teacher, employee, or administrator plus the requirements for an auditorium or stadium In addition, 5 spaces shall be provided for visitor parking | |
High schools | 1 for each teacher, employee or administrator, and 1 for each 5 students, plus the requirements for an auditorium or stadium In addition, 10 spaces shall be provided for visitor parking | |
Stadium or sports arenas or similar outdoor place of assembly | 1 for each 3 seats or 6 feet of benches | |
Theaters and auditoriums | 1 for each 3 seats plus 1 for every 2 employees | |
Library or museum | 1 for each 400 square feet of usable floor space | |
Veterinary hospitals or clinics | 1 for each 25 square feet of usable floor space in waiting rooms, plus 1 for each exam room or similar use area | |
Commercial Uses | ||
Amusement arcade | 1 for each 1 game table and 1 for each amusement device | |
Athletic clubs, exercise establishments, health studios, sauna baths, martial arts studios and other similar uses | 1 parking space for each 3 persons allowed within the maximum occupancy load as established by local, county or state fire, building or health codes, plus 1 space per employee In those instances where memberships are provided for, not less than 1 space per each 5 memberships shall be provided, plus 1 space per employee | |
Auto repair | 2 per each service stall, rack or pit and 1 per employee | |
Auto service stations (self serve) | In addition to space provided for vehicles being fueled, 1 stacking space per fueling station shall be provided. 1 parking space shall be provided for each 50 square feet of usable floor area in the cashier’s and office areas. In no instance shall such a facility provide less than 3 parking spaces. In no instance shall a required parking space or its maneuvering area conflict with vehicles being fueled or awaiting fuel. In addition, parking for accessory uses, such as mini-markets, must be provided. | |
Auto wash (automatic). | 1 for each 1 employee | |
Auto wash (self-washing or coin-operated) | 3 for each stall in addition to the stall itself | |
Beauty parlor, barbershop, or salon | 1.5 spaces for each chair or station, plus 1 for each employee | |
Bowling alleys | 4 for each bowling lane plus parking for accessory uses such as restaurants or bars | |
Dance halls, roller rinks, exhibition halls and assembly halls without fixed seats | 1 for each 3 persons allowed within the maximum occupancy load as established by the fire marshal or health codes | |
Establishments for sale and consumption on the premises of beverages, food and refreshment | 1 for each 3 persons permitted by maximum occupancy including outdoor seating areas | |
Funeral home or mortuaries | 1 for each 50 square feet of usable area of assembly room and parlors | |
Furniture and appliance, household equipment, repair shops, showroom of a plumber, decorator, electrician or other similar uses | 1 for each 800 square feet of usable floor area. (For that floor area used in processing, 1 additional space shall be provided for each 2 persons employed therein.) | |
Golf driving range | 1 space for each driving tee plus 3 spaces for employees | |
Hardware stores | 1 for each 300 square feet of usable floor area | |
Laundromats and coin-operated dry cleaners | 1 for each 2 machines | |
Miniature golf courses | 2 spaces per hole plus 5 additional spaces to accommodate employees | |
Motel/hotel, bed-and-breakfast | 1 for each occupancy unit, plus 1 for each employee | |
Motor vehicle sales establishments | 1 for each 200 square feet of usable floor area of sales room, plus 1 for each auto service stall in the service room if provided | |
Pool hall or club | 1 for each 3 persons allowed within the maximum occupancy load as established by the Fire Marshal | |
Restaurants, carry-out (with no eating on premises) | 1 for each employee and 1 for each 60 square feet of usable floor area with a minimum of 4 spaces | |
Restaurants, drive-in | 1 for each employee and 1 for each 25 square feet of usable floor area | |
Retail stores except as otherwise specified herein | 1 for each 250 square feet of usable floor area | |
Self-storage rental | 1 space for each employee and 1 space for each 50 storage rental units | |
Shopping centers and super markets | 1 for each 250 square feet of usable floor area | |
Mini storage buildings [Added 10-20-2003 by Ord. No. 281] | 1 space for each 30 units that do not have direct access from outside the building or directly from a vehicular aisle within the building, and 3 for the office or residence, and 1 for each employee | |
Office Uses | ||
Banks | 1 for each 200 square feet of usable floor space | |
Business or professional offices | 1 for each 250 square feet of usable floor space | |
Offices of doctors, dentists, or similar professions | 1 for each 25 square feet of usable floor area in waiting rooms and 1 for each examining room, dentist chair, office, or similar use area | |
Governmental offices | 1 for each 250 square feet of usable floor space | |
Industrial Uses | ||
Industrial or research establishments | 5 plus 1 for every 1 1/2 employees in the largest working shift. Space shall also be provided for all construction workers during periods of plant construction. | |
Wholesale establishments | 5 plus 1 for every 1 employee in the largest working shift, or 1 for every 1,700 square feet of usable floor area, whichever is greater | |
§ 480-54 Parking space layout, construction and maintenance.
Whenever an off-street parking facility is required or proposed, including those within P-1 Vehicular Parking Districts, such off-street parking lots shall be laid out, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the following standards and regulations:
No parking lot shall be constructed unless and until a permit therefor is issued by the Building Official. Applications for a permit shall be submitted to the Building Department in such form as may be determined by the Official and shall be accompanied with two sets of plans for the development and construction of the parking lot showing that the provisions of this section will be fully complied with.
Ingress and egress.
Adequate ingress and egress to the parking lot by means of clearly limited and defined drives shall be provided for all vehicles.
Ingress and egress to a parking lot lying in an area zoned for other than one-family residential use shall not be across land zoned for one-family residential use.
Each entrance and exit to and from any off-street parking lot located in an area zoned for other than one-family residential use shall be at least 25 feet distant from adjacent property located in any one-family residential district.
The Planning Commission shall have full power to regulate and determine the places of ingress and egress so that traffic on the streets and highways in the Township shall be controlled, regulated and coordinated and to require the installation and maintenance of suitable barriers to insure the safety of pedestrians passing any such parking lot, in order to provide for the greatest possible public safety and welfare. Such necessary directional signs and controls as are required by the City shall be established and maintained by the owner or lessee of the parking lot.
In all cases where a wall extends to an alley which is a means of ingress to an off-street parking area, it shall be permissible to end the wall not more than 10 feet from such alley line in order to permit a wider means of access to the parking area.
The layout of off-street parking facilities shall be in accordance with the following minimum requirements:
Parking Pattern (degrees) | Aisle Width* (feet) | Parking Space Length (feet) | Parking Space Width (feet) | Total Width of One Tier of Spaces + Aisle (feet) | Total Width of Two Tiers of Spaces + Aisle (feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0° (parallel) | 12 | 23 | 8 | 28 | 36 |
30° to 53° | 12 | 20 | 8.5 | 32 | 52 |
54° to 74° | 15 | 20 | 8.5 | 36 | 58 |
75° to 90° | 20 | 20 | 9 | 40 | 60 |
*NOTE: The required aisle width may be reduced by not more than four feet, provided that the depth of each parking space shall be increased by a dimension not less than the reduction of the aisle width for that portion of the parking area so reduced. | |||||
Off-street parking areas shall be provided with a continuing obscuring wall as specified in § 480-64, Obscuring walls and landscaped berms. Upon application by the property owner of the off-street parking area, the Planning Commission may modify the yard or wall requirements where, in unusual circumstances, no good purpose would be served by compliance with the requirements of this section.
 |
When a front yard setback is required, all lands between a required wall and the front property line or street right-of-way line shall be kept free from refuse and debris and shall be landscaped with deciduous shrubs, evergreen material and ornamental trees. The ground area shall be planted and kept in lawn. All such landscaping and planting shall be maintained in a healthy, growing condition, neat and orderly in appearance.
The Planning Commission may require the joining of parking lots in adjacent parcels in order to reduce the number of curb cuts onto a public street and to facilitate movement between sites.
Construction standards.
Except for single-family residences, the entire parking area, including parking spaces and maneuvering lanes, required under this section shall be provided with asphaltic or concrete surfacing in accordance with specifications approved by the Township Engineer. The parking area shall be surfaced within one year of the date the permit is issued. Time extensions due to earth settlement problems may be approved by the Board of Appeals.
Off-street parking areas shall be drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulated in the parking area in such a way as to preclude drainage of water onto adjacent property or toward buildings.
All lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall be so installed as to be confined within and directed onto the parking area only.
§ 480-55 Off-street loading and unloading.
On the same premises with every building, structure, or part thereof involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles or materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the lot adequate space for standing, loading, and unloading in order to avoid undue interference with public use of dedicated rights-of-way. Such space shall be provided as follows:
All loading spaces shall be provided as required in Article 16, Schedule of Regulations, footnote after minimum rear yards, except as hereinafter provided for in I-1 and I-2 Districts.
Within any LB or GB District, off-street loading space shall be provided in the rear yard only and in the ratio of at least 10 square feet per front foot of building. In exceptional instances such space may be permitted in an interior side yard with approval of the Planning Commission, provided that such location is necessitated by the site conditions and provided that the area is screened from view from any public street.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord. No. 308]
Within any IRO, I-1 or I-2 District, off-street loading shall be provided as follows:
All spaces shall be laid out in the dimension of at least 10 feet by 50 feet, or 500 square feet in area, with a clearance of at least 14 feet in height unless otherwise specified.
All spaces in IRO, I-1 and I-2 Districts shall be provided in the ratio of space to floor area as follows:
Gross Floor Area (square feet) | Number of Loading Spaces Required | |
|---|---|---|
0 to 1,400 | 1 space (9 x 20) | |
1,401 to 20,000 | 1 space | |
20,001 to 100,000 | 1 space, plus 1 space for each 20,000 square feet in excess of 20,001 square feet | |
100,000 to 500,000 | 5 spaces, plus 1 space for each 40,000 square feet in excess of 100,001 square feet |