East Petersburg City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 124-601 Required number of off-street parking spaces.
A.
Overall requirements.
(1)
Number of spaces. Each use that is newly developed, enlarged, significantly changed in type of use, or increased in number of establishments shall provide and maintain off-street parking spaces in accordance with Table 6.1 and the regulations of this article.
(2)
Uses not listed. Uses not specifically listed in Table 6.1 shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in Table 6.1, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that an alternative standard should be used for that use.
(3)
Multiple uses. Where a proposed lot contains or includes more than one type of use, the number of parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking requirements for each separate use.
(4)
Table 6.1. Off-Street Parking Requirements (See § 124-601B below for the NC District.) [Amended 4-7-2015 by Ord. No. 273] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Use | Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Required | Plus 1 Off-Street Parking Space for Each: | |
A. Residential uses: 1. Dwelling unit, other than types listed separately in this table | 2 per dwelling unit As part of a new subdivision, if a vehicle must be moved from one space in order to access the second space, then an additional parking space shall be available for each dwelling unit, such as an on-street space in front of the dwelling or an overflow parking lot | ||
2. Home occupation | See § 124-403D(8). | ||
3. Housing permanently restricted to persons 62 years and older and/or the physically handicapped | 1 per dwelling/rental unit, except 0.4 per dwelling/rental unit if evidence is presented that the non-physically handicapped persons will clearly primarily be over 70 years old | Nonresident employee | |
4. Boardinghouse | 1 per rental unit or bed for adult, whichever is greater | Nonresident employee | |
5. Group home | 1 per 2 residents, unless the applicant proves the home will be limited to persons who will not be allowed to drive a vehicle from the property | Employee | |
B. Institutional uses: 1. Place of worship or church | 1 per 5 seats in room of largest capacity; for pews that are no individual seats, each 48 inches shall count as one seat | Employee | |
2. Hospital | 1 per 3 beds | 1.1 employees | |
3. Nursing home | 1 per 5 beds | 1.1 employees | |
4. Assisted living facility and/or retirement community | 1 per 4 beds, plus 1.5 for each individual dwelling unit | 1.1 employees | |
5. Day-care center | 1 per 10 children, with spaces designed for safe and convenient dropoff and pickup | 1.1 employees | |
6. School, primary or secondary | 1 per 4 students aged 16 or older | 1.1 employees | |
7. Utility facility | 1 per vehicle routinely needed to service facility | ||
8. College or university | 1 per 1.5 students not living on campus who attend class at peak times (plus required spaces for on-campus housing) | 1.1 employees | |
9. Library, community center or cultural center or museum | 1 per 5 seats (or 1 per 250 sq. ft. of floor area accessible to patrons and/or users if seats are not typically provided) | 1.1 employees | |
10. Treatment center | 1 per 2 residents aged 16 years or older plus 1 per nonresident intended to be treated on site at peak times | Nonresident employee | |
11. Swimming pool, nonhousehold | 1 per 50 sq. ft. of water surface, other than wading pools | 1.1 employees | |
C. Commercial uses: | All commercial uses, as applicable, shall provide additional parking or storage needed for the maximum number of vehicles stored, displayed or based at the lot at any point in time. These additional spaces are not required to meet the stall size and parking aisle width requirements of this chapter. | ||
1. Auto service station or repair garage | 5 per repair/service bay and 1/4 per fuel nozzle with such spaces separated from accessways to pumps | Employee, plus any parking needed for a convenience store under "retail sales" | |
2. Auto, boat, recreational vehicle or manufactured home sales | 1 per 15 vehicles, boats, RVs or homes displayed | Employee | |
3. Bed-and-breakfast use | 1 per rental unit plus the 2 per dwelling unit | Nonresident employee | |
4. Bowling alley | 2 per lane plus 2 per pool table | 1.1 employees | |
5. Car wash | Adequate waiting and drying areas | 1.1 employees | |
6. Financial institution (includes bank) | 1 per 200 sq. ft. of floor area accessible to customers, plus "office" parking for any administrative offices | 1.1 employees | |
7. Funeral home | 1 per 5 seats in rooms intended to be in use at one time for visitors, counting both permanent and temporary seating | Employee | |
8. Miniature golf | 1 per hole | 1.1 employees | |
9. Haircutting/hairstyling | 1 per customer seat used for haircutting, hair styling, hair washing, manicuring or similar work | 1.1 employees | |
10. Hotel or motel | 1 per rental unit plus 1 per 4 seats in any meeting room (plus any required by any restaurant) | 1.1 employees | |
11. Laundromat | 1 per 3 washing machines | On-site employee | |
12. Offices or clinic, medical/dental | 5 per physician or physician's assistant and 4 per dentist | 1.1 employees | |
13. Offices, other than above | 1 per 300 sq. ft. of total floor area | ||
14. Personal service use, other than haircutting/hairstyling (minimum of 2 per establishment) | 1 per 200 sq. ft. of floor area accessible to customers | 1.1 employees | |
15. Indoor recreation (other than bowling alley), membership club or exercise club | 1 per 4 persons of maximum capacity of all facilities | 1.1 employees | |
16. Outdoor recreation (other than uses specifically listed in this table) | 1 per 4 persons of capacity (50% may be on grass overflow areas with major driveways in gravel) | 1.1 employees | |
17. Restaurant | 1 per 4 seats, or 3 spaces for a use without customer seats; this parking shall be calculated separately from a shopping center | 1.1 employees | |
18. Retail sales (other than types separately listed and other than a shopping center) | 1 per 200 sq. ft. of floor area of rooms accessible to customers | ||
19. Retail sales of only furniture, lumber, carpeting, bedding or floor covering | 1 per 800 sq. ft. of floor area of rooms accessible to customers | ||
20. Shopping center involving 5 or more retail establishments on a lot | 1 per 200 square feet of leasable floor area | ||
21. Nightclub or after-hours club | 1 per 30 sq. ft. of total floor area | 1.1 employees | |
22. Theater or auditorium | 1 per 4 seats, one half of which may be met by convenient parking shared with other business uses on the same lot that are typically not routinely open beyond 9:00 p.m. | 1.1 employees | |
23. Trade/hobby school | 1 per 2 students on site during peak use | 1.1 employees | |
24. Veterinarian office | 4 per veterinarian | 1.1 employees | |
D. Industrial uses: All industrial uses (including warehousing, distribution and manufacturing) | In addition to parking or storage needed for maximum number of vehicles stored, displayed or based at the lot at any point in time, which spaces are not required to meet the stall size and aisle width requirements of this chapter 1 per 1.1 employees, based upon the maximum number of employees on site at peak period of times | 1 visitor space for every 10 managers on the site | |
Self-storage development | 1 per 20 storage units | 1.1 employees | |
§ 124-602 General regulations for off-street parking.
A.
General. Parking spaces and accessways shall be laid out to result in safe and orderly use and to fully take into account all of the following: vehicular access onto and off the site, vehicular movement within the site, loading areas, pedestrian patterns and any drive-through facilities. No parking area shall cause a safety hazard or impediment to traffic off the lot.
B.
Existing parking.
(1)
Any parking spaces serving such preexisting structures or uses at the time of adoption of this chapter shall not in the future be reduced in number below the number required by this chapter.
(2)
If a new principal nonresidential building is constructed on a lot, then any existing parking on such lot that serves such building shall be reconfigured to comply with this chapter, including but not limited to requirements for channelization of traffic from adjacent streets, channelization of traffic within the lot, minimum aisle widths, paving and landscaping.
C.
Change in use or expansion. A structure or use in existence at the effective date of this chapter that expands or changes in use of an existing principal building shall be required to provide all of the required parking for the entire size and type of the resulting use, except as follows:
(1)
An existing commercial use in an NC District in a building that existed prior to the adoption of this chapter may change to a different commercial use without providing for additional parking that may be needed for the new commercial use, provided that the building is not expanded and no new residential units are added.
(2)
If a nonresidential use expands by an aggregate total maximum of 5% in the applicable measurement (such as building floor area) beyond what existed at the time of adoption of this chapter, then no additional parking is required. For example, if an existing building included 3,000 square feet and a single minor addition of 150 square feet was proposed, then additional parking would not be required. This addition without providing new parking shall only be allowed one time per lot.
D.
Continuing obligation of parking and loading spaces. All required numbers of parking spaces and off-street loading spaces shall be available as long as the use or building which the spaces serve still exists, and such spaces shall not be reduced in number below the minimum required by this chapter. No required parking area or off-street loading spaces shall be used for any other use (such as storage or display of materials) that interferes with the area's availability for parking.
E.
Location of parking.
(1)
Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or abutting lot with the principal use served, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that a method of providing the spaces is guaranteed to be available during all of the years the use is in operation within 300 feet walking distance from the entrance of the principal use being served. Such distance may be increased to 500 feet for employee parking of a nonresidential use. A written and signed lease shall be provided, if applicable. A sign shall direct persons to the parking spaces.
(a)
The Zoning Hearing Board may require that the use be approved for period of time consistent with the lease of the parking and that a renewal of the permit shall only be approved if the parking lease is renewed.
(2)
Within the NC District, no new off-street surface parking space shall be placed between a principal building and the curbline of Main Street or State Road. This requirement shall not prevent the realignment of existing parking areas. This provision shall not limit vehicle parking to the side or rear of a building. This provision shall not by itself prevent the use of a lot that is not occupied by a principal building from being used for parking.
F.
Reduction of parking requirements as a special exception.
(1)
Purposes: To minimize the amount of land covered by paving, while making sure adequate parking is provided. To recognize that unique circumstances may justify a reduction in parking.
(2)
As a special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board may authorize a reduction in the number of off-street parking spaces required to be provided for a use if the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that a lesser number of spaces would be sufficient.
(a)
The applicant shall provide evidence justifying the proposed reduced number of spaces, such as studies of similar developments during their peak hours. The applicant shall also provide relevant data, such as numbers of employers, peak expected number of customers/visitors and similar data.
(b)
Under this section, an applicant may prove that a reduced number of parking spaces is justified because more than one principal use will share the same parking. In such case, the applicant shall prove that the parking has been designed to encourage shared use and that long-term agreements ensure that the parking will continue to be shared. The amount of the reduction in parking should be determined based upon whether the different uses have different hours of peak demand and/or overlapping customers.
[1]
In addition, an applicant may prove that parking needs will be reduced or that off-site parking is feasible because the applicant agrees to make a long-term commitment to a shuttle service for residents or employees.
(c)
Reserved area for additional parking. Under this section, the Zoning Hearing Board may require that a portion of the required parking be met through a reservation of an area for future parking. The Board may require the reservation for a certain number of years or an indefinite period corresponding to the years the buildings are in use.
[1]
Such reservation shall be in a form acceptable to the Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor that legally binds current and future owners of the land to keep the reserved parking area in open space and then to provide the additional parking if the Borough determines it is necessary. A deed restriction is recommended.
[2]
If approved under this Subsection F(1)(c), the applicant shall present a site plan to the Zoning Officer that shows that layout that will be used for the additional parking if the parking is required to be provided in the future. The site plan shall show that the additional parking is integrated with the overall traffic access and pedestrian access for the site and that the additional parking will be able to meet Borough requirements.
(3)
The additional parking that is reserved under this subsection shall be required to be kept as landscaped open area, until such time as the Zoning Hearing Board decision may authorize the land's release from the restriction or until the Borough may require that the land be developed as parking.
(4)
The Zoning Officer shall periodically review the sufficiency of the parking that is provided. If the Zoning Officer in the future determines that the reserved parking is needed to meet actual demand, he/she shall provide written notice to the property owner. The property owner shall then have one year to develop the reserved area into off-street parking in compliance with this chapter.
§ 124-603 Design standards for off-street parking.
A.
General requirements.
(1)
Backing onto a street. No parking area shall be designed to require or encourage parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space, except for a) a driveway serving one dwelling or b) a driveway that enters onto a local street or parking court. Parking spaces may back onto an alley.
(2)
Every required parking space shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other vehicle, unless specifically permitted otherwise.
(3)
Parking areas shall not be within a required buffer yard or street right-of-way.
(4)
Separation from street. Except for parking spaces immediately in front of individual dwellings, all areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading and the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from the street by a continuous grass or landscaped planting strip, except for necessary and approved vehicle entrances and exits to the lot.
(5)
Stacking and obstructions. Each lot shall provide adequate area upon the lot to prevent backup of vehicles on a public street while awaiting entry to the lot or while waiting for service at a drive-through facility.
B.
Size and marking of parking spaces.
(1)
Each parking space shall be a rectangle with a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum length of 18 feet, except the minimum-sized rectangle shall be eight feet by 22 feet for parallel parking and except where a larger space is required by Subsection C.
(3)
All spaces shall be marked to indicate their location, except those of a one- or two-family dwelling.
C.
Aisles. Parking spaces and aisles shall be designed and built in conformance with the following:
Angle of Parking | Parking Space Minimum Width (feet) | Parking Space Minimum Depth (feet) | Aisle Width: One-Way Traffic (feet) | Aisle Width: Two-Way Traffic (feet) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
90° | 9 | 18 | 20 | 22 | |
55° to 89° | 10 | 22 | 18 | 22 | |
35° to 54° | 10 | 21 | 15 | 20 | |
1° to 34° | 10 | 19 | 12 | 20 | |
Parallel | 8 | 22 | 12 | 20 |
D.
Accessways and driveways.
(1)
Width of driveway at street.
Width of Driveway at Entrance Onto a Public Street, at the Edge of the Cartway* | One-Way Use* (feet) | Two-Way Use* (feet) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum | 12 | 22 | |
Maximum | 20 | 30 |
NOTE: | ||
|---|---|---|
* | This standard may be revised where the State Department of Transportation requires a different standard is required by PennDOT for an entrance to a state road or where the applicant demonstrates to the Zoning Officer that a wider width is needed for truck access. | |
(2)
Drainage. Adequate provisions shall be made to maintain uninterrupted parallel drainage along a public street at the point of driveway entry. The Borough may require an applicant to install an appropriate type and size of pipe at a driveway crossing.
E.
Paving, grading and drainage.
(1)
Parking and loading facilities and including driveways shall be graded and adequately drained to prevent erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining properties.
(2)
Except for landscaped areas, all portions of required parking areas involving four or more spaces, off-street loading facilities and commercial and industrial driveways shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, paving block, or other low-dust materials preapproved by the Borough.
(a)
However, by special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board may allow parking areas with low or seasonal usage to be maintained in stone, grass or other suitable surfaces. For example, the Board may allow parking spaces to be grass, while major aisles are covered by stone.
(b)
If the design and materials are found to be acceptable by the Borough Engineer, portions of parking areas may be covered with a low-dust porous parking surface that is designed to promote groundwater recharge. This might include porous asphalt or pervious concrete placed over open graded gravel and crushed stone. Porous parking surfaces shall not be allowed in areas routinely used by heavy trucks.
(c)
Curbing should not be required in parking areas except where absolutely necessary to control stormwater runoff.
(d)
If a lot for a dwelling includes three or fewer outdoor off-street parking spaces, a hard surface may be used under the tire treads, while grass or other vegetative surface is used between the tire treads.
G.
Parking for persons with disabilities/handicapped parking.
(1)
Number of spaces. See requirements under the Federal Americans With Disabilities Act for parking for persons with disabilities. The following is a summary of some of the relevant requirements in effect as of the enactment of this chapter.
Total Number of Parking Spaces on the Lot | Required Minimum Number/Percentage of ADA-Accessible Parking Spaces | |
|---|---|---|
1 to 25 | 1 van-accessible | |
26 to 50 | 2, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
51 to 75 | 3, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
76 to 100 | 4, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
101 to 150 | 5, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
151 to 200 | 6, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
201 to 300 | 7, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
301 to 400 | 8, 1 of which must be van-accessible | |
401 to 500 | 9, 2 of which must be van-accessible | |
501 to 1,000 | 2% of total number of spaces, 1/8 of which must be van-accessible | |
1,001 or more | 20 plus 1% of spaces for each 100 over 1,000 spaces, 1/8 of which must be van-accessible |
(2)
Location. Handicapped parking spaces shall be located where they would result in the shortest reasonable accessible distance to a handicapped accessible building entrance. Curb cuts shall be provided as needed to provide access from the handicapped spaces.
(3)
Minimum size and slope. See requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act regulations.
(4)
Marking. All required handicapped spaces shall be well marked in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Such signs and/or markings shall be maintained over time.
(5)
Paving. Handicapped parking spaces and adjacent areas needed to access them with a wheelchair shall be covered with a smooth surface that is usable with a wheelchair.
H.
Paved area setbacks (including off-street parking setbacks).
(1)
Intent. To ensure that parked or moving vehicles within a lot do not obstruct sight distance or interfere with pedestrian traffic, to aid in stormwater management along streets and to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting a lot other than at approved driveways.
(2)
Any new or expanded vehicle parking or vehicle storage area serving a principal nonresidential use shall be separated from a public street by a planting strip. The planting strip shall have a minimum width of five feet and be maintained in grass or other attractive vegetative ground cover. The planting strip may be on one or both sides of any sidewalk, provided that the planting width totals five feet. This five-foot width shall be increased to a) 10 feet for a lot including 10 to 20 parking spaces that are visible from the street, and b) 20 feet for a lot including more than 20 parking spaces that are visible from the street.
(a)
The planting strip shall not include heights or locations of plants that would obstruct safe sight distances but may include deciduous trees that allow motorists to maintain views under the leaf canopy.
(b)
The planting strip may be placed inward from the shoulder of an uncurbed street or inward from the curb of a curbed street. The planting strip may overlap the street right-of-way, provided it does not conflict with PennDOT requirements, and provided that the Borough and PennDOT as applicable maintain the right to replace planting areas within the right-of-way with future street improvements.
(c)
Approximately perpendicular driveway crossings may be placed within the planting strip. Mostly vegetative stormwater channels may be placed within the planting strip.
(d)
The following shall be prohibited within the planting strip:
(e)
Where feasible, where a sidewalk is not installed, this setback should include an unobstructed generally level width running parallel to a street that is suitable for a person to walk.
§ 124-604 Off-street loading.
A.
Each use shall provide off-street loading facilities which meet the requirements of this section, sufficient to accommodate the maximum demand generated by the use and the maximum size vehicle, in a manner that will not routinely obstruct traffic on a public street and traffic entering and exiting the lot. If no other reasonable alternative is feasible, traffic may be obstructed for occasional loading and unloading along an alley, provided that traffic has the ability to use another method of access.
B.
At the time of review under this chapter, the applicant shall provide evidence to the Zoning Officer on whether the use will have sufficient numbers and sizes of loading facilities. The Planning Commission and/or Borough Council may provide advice to the Zoning Officer on this matter as part of any plan review by such boards. For the purposes of this section, the words "loading" and "unloading" are used interchangeably.
C.
Each space and the needed maneuvering room shall not intrude into approved buffer areas and landscaped areas.
§ 124-605 Fire lanes and access.
[Amended 4-7-2015 by Ord. No. 273]
A.
Fire lanes shall be provided where required by state or federal regulations or other local building code ordinances.
B.
Access shall be also provided so that fire equipment and personnel can reach all sides of principal nonresidential buildings and multifamily/apartment buildings.
C.
The specific locations of fire lanes and fire equipment and personnel access are subject to approval by the Borough, after review by local fire officials.