East Whiteland Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 200-69 General regulations.
A.
General requirements. Off-street parking areas shall be oriented to and within a reasonable walking distance of the buildings the parking areas are designed to serve. Access to parking lots shall be designed so as not to obstruct free flow of traffic. There shall be adequate provision for ingress to and egress from all parking spaces to ensure ease of mobility, ample clearance, and safety of vehicles and pedestrians. Off-street parking areas shall provide paved surfaces for vehicular movement and parking spaces.
B.
Setbacks. Off-street parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from front lot lines and a minimum of one foot from side and rear lot lines; greater setbacks may be required in accordance with the standards applicable to each district. In cases where parking is shared between two adjacent properties, minimum setbacks from relevant side or rear property lines may be reduced to zero feet.
C.
Off-street parking dimensions.
[Amended 4-10-2019 by Ord. No. 310-2019]
(1)
Parking spaces for each vehicle shall be at least nine feet wide by 18 feet long, except as outlined in § 200-69C(3).
(2)
The required parking area shall be measured exclusive of interior drive aisles or maneuvering areas.
(3)
In the design of the parking lots, the minimum required stall depth, stall width and aisle width shall be provided as shown in the following table:
Angle of Parking (degrees) | Stall Width* (feet) | Stall Depth** (feet) | Stall Line Length (feet) | Minimum Aisle Width One-Way (feet) | Minimum Aisle Width Two-Way (feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
90 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 25 | 25 |
60 | 9 | 19 | 22 | 16 | Not permitted |
45 | 9 | 17 | 24 | 14 | Not permitted |
Parallel | 8 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 25 |
NOTES: |
* Stall width is measured perpendicular to the stall lines |
** Stall depth for all angled degrees of parking is measured perpendicular to the front edge stall. |
(4)
Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by suitable markings. Special use spaces such as short-term visitor parking, handicapped parking and pick-up/drop-off zones shall be differentiated from long-term parking by suitable signing and markings.
(5)
Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be in conformance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(6)
Parking spaces shall be constructed of a paved surface, except for parking spaces serving single-family detached dwellings served by private driveways, which may be constructed of an improved all-weather surface, providing safe and convenient access in all seasons.
(7)
In the case of residential dwellings served by private garages, the applicant must demonstrate that the proposed garage satisfies the required parking stall dimensions for each space the garage is intended to provide.
(8)
In order to provide for adequate visitor and overflow parking, any proposed driveway serving a private garage must comply with the required parking stall dimensions.
E.
Parked vehicle overhang. Parking areas shall be designed so as to prevent parked vehicles from overhanging or extending over sidewalks or required landscaped areas.
F.
Perimeter landscaping. For any off-street parking area accommodating 20 or more vehicle spaces, a landscape strip of at least five feet in width shall be provided between vehicular use areas and any adjacent public street, walk, or right-of-way, or any contiguous property. The landscape strip shall be planted and perpetually maintained with shade trees, with at least one tree per 35 linear feet. The required landscape strip area shall be planted and perpetually maintained with grass, ground cover, or other landscape materials.
G.
Interior (nonperimeter) landscaping. For any off-street parking area accommodating 20 or more vehicle spaces, landscaped areas shall be provided for interior vehicular use areas so as to provide visual and climatic relief from broad expanses of pavement, to channel and define areas for pedestrian and vehicular circulation, to reduce stormwater runoff, and to provide groundwater recharge:
(1)
At least 5% of the gross area of the interior vehicular use area shall be landscaped.
(2)
Interior (nonperimeter) landscaped areas shall be dispersed so as to define aisles and limit unbroken rows of parking and shall be provided at the ends of rows of parking stalls.
(3)
Each separate landscaped area shall be at least 300 square feet in area and a minimum of six feet in width.
(4)
Landscaped areas shall be planted and perpetually maintained with grass, ground cover, or other landscape materials.
(5)
Shade trees shall be planted and perpetually maintained in interior landscaped areas, with at least one shade tree per 300 square feet of interior landscaped area.
(6)
No hedge, tree, shrub, or other growth shall be maintained that may cause danger to vehicular or pedestrian traffic in any off-street parking area by obscuring the view.
H.
Parked vehicle registration. All vehicles parked outdoors must be registered, with current, valid, state motor vehicle plates and safety and emission inspection credentials plainly visible.
I.
Recreational vehicle and boat parking in Residential Districts. Except as provided in Subsection 1(4) below, no more than two recreational vehicles or boats may be parked outdoors on any lot in any Residential District.
[Amended 12-10-2014 by Ord. No. 262-2014]
(1)
Such vehicle or boat must be owned and operated by the permanent occupant of the dwelling, shall not be parked in front yards and shall be parked no closer than 10 feet to any property line. When a vehicle or boat is parked 10 feet from a property line, such vehicle or boat shall be screened from view from adjoining lots and public streets by means of a buffer area.
(2)
Such vehicles or boats shall not have exterior identification signs indicating an occupation, employment, or enterprise that is carried on for profit.
(3)
Such vehicles or boats shall not be used for living or sleeping quarters on any lot in the Township.
(4)
On a lot containing two or more dwelling units, a designated parking area may be established to accommodate several such vehicles or boats, provided that:
(5)
A boat parked outdoors on a lot in any Residential District shall not exceed 30 feet in body length, 8.5 feet in width, or 12 feet in overall height. If a boat is mounted on a trailer, then the height of such boat shall include the trailer.
J.
Parking in residential zoning districts. All off-street parking accessory to residential uses and developed in any residential district in accordance with the requirements of this section shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles owned and operated by the permanent occupants, guests or visitors of the dwellings to which they are accessory. Further, the parking of not more than one truck of not more than 1 1/2 ton capacity used by occupants of the dwelling structures to which such facilities are accessory shall be permitted. Under no circumstances shall parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage of commercial vehicles, or for the parking of automobiles belonging to non-occupants of the residential structure. For purposes of this section, commercial vehicles shall be defined to include trucks in excess of 1 1/2 ton capacity, and construction vehicles and equipment. Temporary parking of these types of vehicles shall be allowed provided the vehicles are engaged in the delivery of goods and services, the parking occurs overnight or over a weekend and the vehicle is driven by an occupant of the residential structure or the vehicle is used for the construction of improvements on the premises as may be necessary from time to time. In addition, the outdoor storage, parking, repairing or maintaining of race cars or similar vehicles shall be prohibited in all residential zoning districts.
[Added 12-10-2014 by Ord. No. 262-2014]
§ 200-70 Required parking for specific uses.
[Amended 4-10-2013 by Ord. No. 246-2013; 8-11-2021 by Ord. No. 342-2021; 7-10-2024 by Ord. No. 361-2024]
Except as provided for in other articles, any building or structure erected, altered, or used and any lot used or occupied for any of the following purposes, regardless of the zoning district in which the use is located, shall be provided with the minimum number of off-street parking spaces set forth below, together with adequate driveways and street access in compliance with the requirements of § 200-69 of this article and of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1] Where a use is not specifically listed below, the requirement of the most similar use shall apply.
Structure or Use | Spaces Required | |
|---|---|---|
Single-family detached dwelling | 3 per dwelling unit | |
Two-family dwelling and single-family attached dwelling | 2.5 per dwelling unit; plus 0.5 per dwelling unit for visitor parking which shall be located within areas of on-street parking along internal roadways or within standalone parking areas, separate from individual driveways and garages | |
Multifamily dwelling | 1 per studio unit, 2 per dwelling unit for any other unit | |
Retirement community, senior housing | 1 per dwelling unit | |
Bed-and-breakfast | 2, plus 1 per rental unit | |
Home occupation or office within a residence | ||
General home occupations | 1 additional per use | |
Professional services | 4 additional per use | |
Healing arts practitioners | 7 additional per use | |
Places of worship, public auditorium | 1 per 4 seats | |
Elementary or intermediate school | 1.75 per classroom | |
High school | 5 per classroom | |
Hospital, nursing home, rehabilitation center | 1 per 2 beds plus 1 per employee | |
Community center, library, public building, colleges, universities | 2 per 500 square feet gross floor area | |
Day-care | 1 per 12 children plus 1 per employee | |
Institutional home | 1 per 5 occupants of total capacity | |
Correctional institution | 1 per 3 occupants | |
Membership club (nonresidential) | 1 per 6 members of total capacity | |
Indoor recreation | ||
Bowling alley | 5 per lane | |
Court for racquet sports | 2 per court | |
Sports club/health spa billiard room, etc. | 1 per 250 square feet of gross floor area | |
Dance, music or art studio | 1 per 250 square feet of gross floor area | |
Outdoor recreation | ||
Golf course | 3 per hole plus 1 per employee (Any area for restaurant, clubhouse, etc., shall meet standards for those facilities separately.) | |
Ballfield or other outdoor court | 1 per 4 persons of total designed capacity | |
Medical/dental office | 1 per 200 square feet gross floor area | |
Retail store | 1 per 200 square feet gross floor area | |
Shopping center, supermarket | 1 per 200 square feet gross floor area | |
Bank, financial institution without drive-in | 6 per teller window | |
Bank, financial institution with drive-in | 3 per inside teller window plus 3 per self-service facility | |
Indoor theater | 1 per 3 seats | |
Restaurant, bar or tavern | 1 per 100 square feet gross floor area | |
Vehicle sales | 1 per 500 square feet indoor gross floor area, plus 1 per 5,000 square feet to be set aside for customer parking and not used for display or storage | |
Motor vehicle service/repair | 3 per service bay | |
Gasoline service station | 1 per 300 square feet of gross floor area or 3 per service bay (whichever is larger) | |
Undertaking or funeral establishment | 1 per 4 seats or per 50 square feet of public floor area (whichever is larger) | |
Job printing | 1 per employee on largest shift plus 1 per 250 square feet of public floor area | |
Hotel or motel | 1 per room plus 1 per 200 square feet of additional public floor area | |
Offices | 1 per 250 square feet gross floor area | |
Warehouse, storage or flex space | 1 per 250 square feet gross floor area | |
Industry, research and development | 1 per 450 square feet of gross floor area or per employee on largest shift, whichever is larger | |
Newspaper publishing | 1 per 450 square feet gross floor area or per employee on largest shift, whichever is larger | |
Animal hospital or kennel | 1 per 200 square feet of gross floor area | |
Commercial stable or riding academy | 1 per horse stall plus 1 per employee | |
Self-service storage facility | 0.10 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area or 1.26 spaces per 100 storage units, whichever is less. Such facilities shall be served by adequate loading areas in addition to the required parking spaces. | |
Notes: |
1 All schools shall designate an area of lawn or field for overflow parking for special events, which shall provide at least 100 parking spaces. |
§ 200-71 Reserve parking.
[Amended 5-9-2012 by Ord. No. 237-2012]
If the number of spaces required under § 200-70 is substantially greater than the number of spaces anticipated as needed by the applicant, the applicant may, as part of a land development plan application, request that the number of spaces required be reduced by up to 35%. Upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission and the Township Engineer, the Board of Supervisors may reduce the required number of parking spaces in accordance with the following criteria:
A.
The applicant shall provide evidence of reduced parking needs to the Planning Commission and Township Engineer for their review and recommendation.
B.
Sufficient area shall be set aside for construction of the remainder of the required spaces, if and when they are deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors.
C.
All stormwater engineering shall be designed based on total parking requirements, including the reserve.
D.
Parking capacity shall be re-evaluated by the Zoning Officer should any change occur in the use, ownership, size of building, or number of residents or employees and, following such reevaluation, the Board of Supervisors may require the construction of additional parking spaces, up to the maximum required by this chapter, upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission and Township Engineer.
E.
The Zoning Officer may deny or revoke the certificate of occupancy permit of any use that fails to comply with the provisions of this section and § 200-70.
F.
If determined necessary by the Board of Supervisors, the applicant shall provide a financial guaranty to cover the cost of installation of the reserve parking spaces for a period of one year following installation of the initially constructed spaces, in a manner approved by the Board of Supervisors upon the recommendation of the Township Solicitor and the Township Engineer.
§ 200-72 Loading and unloading.
A.
Requirement for loading and unloading areas. Whenever the normal operation of any business, enterprise, or use requires that goods, merchandise, or equipment be routinely delivered to or shipped from that business, enterprise, or use, a sufficient paved off-street loading and unloading area must be provided in accordance with this § 200-72 to accommodate the delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.
B.
Specifications for loading and unloading areas. The loading and unloading area must be of sufficient size to accommodate the numbers and types of vehicles that are likely to use this area given the nature of the business, enterprise, or use in question.
(1)
Loading and unloading areas shall be so located and designed that the vehicles intended to use them can maneuver safely and conveniently to and from a public right-of-way and complete loading and unloading operations without obstructing or interfering with any public right-of-way or any parking space or parking lot aisle.
(2)
No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities may be used to satisfy the area requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off-street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading and unloading facilities.
(3)
All loading and unloading areas shall be landscaped and screened sufficiently to obscure the view of the loading and unloading vehicles and platforms from any public street and adjacent residential districts or uses. Such screening shall be an extension of a building, a fence, planting, or combination thereof, and shall be a minimum of six feet in height.