Elizabethtown City Zoning Code
GENERAL PARKING
STANDARDS
§ 154.175 INTENT AND PURPOSE.
The intent of this subchapter is to provide for safe and adequate off-street parking, to protect, preserve and promote the safe movement of vehicles and the occupants; and to promote public health and safety through appropriately designed parking and maneuvering areas.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.0)
§ 154.176 PARKING/LOADING ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO ADOPTION OF CHAPTER.
Any parking or loading spaces established prior to the adoption or amendment of the zoning regulations which are used or intended to be used in connection with any principal building or use shall hereafter be maintained so long as said building, structure or other use remains unchanged.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.1)
§ 154.177 PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGE IN PRINCIPAL USE.
When the principal use is changed to a use for which additional parking is required by the zoning regulations, it shall be unlawful to begin or maintain such altered use until such time as the required off- street parking is provided.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.2)
§ 154.178 SPECIAL ACCESS, SURFACE AND LOCATION REQUIREMENTS.
(A) No gasoline pump, oil drain pit or similar appliance for any purpose shall be located within 15 feet of any right-of-way line; or within 15 feet of the entrance or exit of the principal building; or within 50 feet of a residential zone, except where such a pump, pit or appliance is within a completely enclosed building and at a distance of at least 15 feet from any vehicular entrance or exit of such building.
(B) Except for gasoline service stations, no gasoline pump shall be permitted as an accessory use for another activity unless a development plan showing the following is submitted and approved.
(1) A safe traffic pattern shall exist for vehicles to be served with gas, including a safe entrance and exit to the area and traffic lanes are not impeded by parked vehicles or other objects.
(2) A safe traffic pattern shall exist for pedestrians to ensure that pedestrian flow for other purposes is not routed by the gasoline pumps, thereby exposing pedestrians to unnecessary hazards.
(3) The gasoline pump shall be operated by employees of the activity, or if others are permitted to operate them, the gas pumps shall be located so it will be within an easily visible access of an employee at all times.
(4) Every parcel of land hereafter used as an automobile, truck, mobile home, boat, trailer or camper sales lot, or as an automobile service station, shall be considered a vehicular use area and subject to the requirements of the zoning regulations concerning surfacing, lighting, landscaping and screening and minimum yards and setbacks and shall be considered as the equivalent of a parking area for more than five vehicles regardless of its size.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.3)
§ 154.179 STACKING AREAS.
For any uses which utilize a drive-in or drive-through window or service area, a vehicular stacking area shall be provided for a minimum of five vehicles. Vehicular stacking areas shall not include any spaces located at the windows or service area and shall be provided wholly on the property and not include any right-of-way. Where menu boards or other stopping points are utilized before moving to the window or service area, the vehicular stacking area shall not include the space at the stopping point, or the spaces between that stopping point and the window or service area. Vehicular stacking areas shall be subject to all yard, paving, landscaping and other requirements for vehicular use areas as contained herein.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.4)
§ 154.180 LOCATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF PARKING.
The location of parking spaces shall be as set forth, and where distances are specified, they shall be the walking distance measured from the nearest point of the building to the nearest space.
(A) For one and two-family dwellings, on the same lot with the building they are required to serve.
(B) For multi-family dwelling, not more than 200 feet from the building they are required to serve.
(C) For uses located in or permitted in any business zone, and for hospitals, nursing, convalescent and rest homes, orphanages, private clubs, fraternity or sorority houses and churches, not more than 300 feet from the building they are required to serve.
(D) For uses located in or permitted in any industrial zone and for uses not specified herein above, not more than 700 feet from the building or other place of assembly they are required to serve.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.5)
§ 154.181 MINIMUM DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.
Every parcel of land hereinafter used as a parking area shall be designed and maintained in accordance with the following requirements.
(A) Off-street parking areas shall equal or exceed the number of spaces required and shall be of usable shape and surface and have convenient ingress and egress. Aisles and access drives shall be designed so as to provide adequate vehicular maneuvering wholly on the property being served.
(B) All driveways shall be a minimum of five feet from a property line except single-family residential units or as otherwise provided for in the zoning regulations.
(C) Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be arranged so as to reflect away from any adjoining residential zone or uses or private right-of-way.
(D) Any off-street parking area having more than 2,000 square feet of area and/or used by five or more vehicles shall be landscaped and screened as required by the zoning regulations.
(E) All parking areas shall be paved and drained so as to dispose of all surface water within the parking area without carrying said water accumulation over a public sidewalk. Piping the water to a suitable out fall may be required.
(F) Where parking areas are provided for five or more vehicles, or are enlarged or expanded to provide five or more vehicles, they shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, brick or other properly bound surface, so as to be durable and dustless. Each parking space shall be physically delineated on the surface of the parking area. All driveway aprons shall be concrete pavement.
(G) Permanent storm water retention, approved by the Storm Water Department, shall be provided for all off-street parking spaces containing five or more parking spaces and/or more than 2,000 square feet. For off-street parking areas of 2,000 square feet or less, or less than five parking spaces, permanent storm water retention may be required by the Storm Water Department upon the determination that the lack of such retention would cause or aggravate flooding or other drainage problems on surrounding property.
(H) All parking spaces located along the perimeter of a parking area or adjacent to any structure on the lot shall be provided with concrete or other wheel stops or a curb, so as to stop any vehicle and provide protection for any landscape materials and pedestrians.
(I) Fire lanes shall be at least 20 feet in width with the road edge closest to the building at least ten feet from the building. The designation, use and maintenance of fire lanes on private property shall be accomplished as specified by the Fire Marshal.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.6; Ord. 08-2009, passed 7-6-2009)
§ 154.182 PARKING AREA DESIGN STANDARDS.
Every parcel of land located within the city limits and containing or being used as a parking area shall be required to meet the design standards found in the tables and images in this subchapter.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.7)
§ 154.183 SINGLE PARKING AREAS FOR MULTIPLE USES.
The required off-street parking for any number of separate uses may be combined in one lot, but the off-street parking required by any use shall not be counted in the off-street parking required for any other use or on any other lot unless specifically permitted.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.8)
§ 154.184 JOINT USE OF PARKING AREAS.
(A) The Department may, upon application by all parties involved, authorize the joint use of off-street parking facilities for uses whose normal and regular hours of operation do not coincide or overlap.
(B) Joint use of off-street parking shall be subject to the following limitations and conditions.
(1) Off-street parking areas required for residential use shall not be included in any joint parking arrangement.
(2) Up to 100% of the off-street parking required for a church or facilities incidental to a public or private school, and up to 50% of the off-street parking required for any other use may be provided by a joint parking arrangement.
(3) The joint parking areas shall be within 300 feet of all of the uses being served by such facilities.
(4) The applicant shall submit sufficient data to the Department to demonstrate that the normal and regular operating hours of the uses do not coincide or overlap in any manner.
(5) All parties shall execute a properly drawn legal instrument for the joint use of off- street parking areas. This instrument, having been approved as to form and manner of execution by the legal counsel of the Commission, shall be filed with the application.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.9)
§ 154.185 PARKING, LOADING AND UNLOADING, RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
In every residential zone, there shall be provided at least two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit unless as otherwise provided for elsewhere in the zoning regulations. No required parking or maneuvering shall be located within any required front yard, with the exception of single-family and two-family uses.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.10)
§ 154.186 PARKING, LOADING AND UNLOADING, NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
In any zone other than a residential zone, off-street parking, loading or unloading areas may be permitted within the required front yard if there is sufficient depth between the street right-of-way line and the building line or other barrier to accommodate all parking and maneuvering without the necessity of backing over the street right-of-way line.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.11)
§ 154.187 LOADING AND UNLOADING SPACES.
In any zone, every building or part thereof hereafter erected, having a floor area of 10,000 square feet or more, which is to be occupied by manufacturing, compounding, processing, storage, warehousing, goods or other similar uses, requiring the receipt or distribution by vehicles of material, objects or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained, on the same premises with such building, at least one off-street loading space for every 20,000 square feet or fraction thereof of floor area so used in excess of 20,000 square feet. Loading spaces shall be no smaller than 12 feet by 35 feet. They shall not be included in calculating VUA landscaping requirements.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.12)
§ 154.188 VEHICULAR STORAGE AREAS.
Areas for storage of commercial vehicles and items such as trailers, farm machinery, construction equipment and similar items, when located in the C-4, MAZ, I-1 and I-2 zones, shall not be required to be paved. However, they shall be maintained in such a manner that they do not become a nuisance in terms of dust, mud or drainage.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.13)
§ 154.189 WAIVER OF PARKING STANDARDS.
(A) Waiver of parking standards.
(1) A property owner may request a waiver from the off-street parking requirements contained within the zoning regulations by filing and application for parking waiver with the Commission. A request for a waiver may be made for any permitted use in any zone. Waivers granted will be for the specific use stated in the request only. Waivers will not run with the land and are not transferable to other uses or other lots.
(2) A request for parking waiver shall be accompanied by a development plan and completed application form. The application shall contain the name of all adjoining property owners, so that notification of the waiver request may be sent to those owners. As part of the waiver request, the applicant shall have the burden of proof in showing that there will be no adverse impact upon the neighborhood or general area by the granting of the waiver.
(3) In granting a waiver for parking, the Commission shall consider the following:
(a) The special circumstance of the proposed use;
(b) The peak demand for parking that the proposed use would require;
(c) The potential for on street parking or public parking in the general area: and
(d) The guidelines listed in the comprehensive plan.
(4) The Commission may also consider other factors it may deem relevant in making its decision. In granting a waiver, the Commission shall not reduce the number of parking spaces by more than 50% when 50 or fewer spaces are required and shall not reduce the number of parking spaces by more than 30% when 51 or more spaces are required. The Commission may not increase the number of parking spaces by more than 50% of the required number of parking spaces as provided by the zoning regulations. A waiver of the required number of parking spaces does not exempt the parking area and development from any other requirements of the zoning regulations.
(B) Waiver not required. A property owner does not have to request a waiver from the off- street parking requirements when there is a reciprocal (joint use) parking agreement on file with the Department, the properties involved in the agreement are adjacent or are part of a shopping center or other common development project and the properties involved in the agreement jointly meet the minimum off-street parking requirements for all properties involved in the agreement.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.14; Ord. 27-2012, passed 12-3-2012; Ord. 10-2014, passed 4-7-2014; Ord. 24-2016, passed 12-19-2016; Ord. 17-2023, passed 8-21-2023)
§ 154.190 LARGE VEHICLE PARKING IN IHSB OVERZONE.
(A) IHSB Zone. Within the Interstate Highway Service Business (IHSB) Overzone, any hotel, motel, fast-food restaurant, museum, rest areas or convention centers shall install on-site parking for buses, recreational vehicles, or other large vehicles. There shall be one space for every 25 required spaces. Each space shall be a minimum of ten feet in width and 45 feet in length. Aisle widths shall be determined by the Department.
(B) Parking prohibition. Within commercial zones large commercial vehicles (e.g., buses, tractor/trailer rigs, recreational vehicles) may not park on or across parking spaces overnight. Vehicles waiting to make deliveries or for display for sale as part of the normal business operation are exempted from this regulation.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.15)
§ 154.191 BICYCLE PARKING.
Bicycle racks shall be required with the following uses when located along a designated bicycle route: government parks; private parks; outdoor commercial recreation facilities; schools; libraries; community centers; museums; pharmacies; convenience stores; theaters; regional enclosed malls; shopping centers; outdoor athletic facilities; and health clubs.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008, § 6.16)
§ 154.192 ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENT.
A minimum number of accessible parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the Kentucky Building Code or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines, whichever is greater.
(Ord. 06-2008, passed 6-16-2008; Ord. 27-2012, passed 12-3-2012; Ord. 05-2015, passed 5-4-2015; Ord. 17-2023, passed 8-21-2023)
§ 154.193 PARKING TABLES AND DIAGRAMS.
Table 1: Parking Spaces (Angle/Aisle Width) | ||||
Parking Angle (In Degrees) | 90 degrees | 60 degrees | Parallel 0 degrees | |
Aisle width | One-way traffic | 24 | 18 | 11 |
Aisle width | Two-way traffic | 24 | 23 | 19 |
Parking angles other than those shown above shall be reviewed by the Department and Engineering Department and may be approved. | ||||
(Ord. 17-2023, passed 8-21-2023)