Number of spaces. In the CBD Zoning District, off-street parking is not required to be provided, except if new dwelling units are being developed or a hotel or rooming house is being developed. In all other districts, 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 the table below and the regulations of this Article XI.

Uses not listed. Uses that are not specifically listed in the table below shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in the table below, unless the applicant provides suitable evidence acceptable to the Zoning Officer, based upon actual counts of peak demand at similar facilities, that an alternative standard should be used for that use.

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, except as provided in § 319-46A(6).

Fractions. Where the required number of parking spaces is calculated to not be a whole number, it should be rounded to the nearest whole number, with 0.5 or higher rounded upwards.

The above table includes reductions in parking for housing limited to persons over certain ages.

In addition, as a special exception use, the Zoning Hearing Board may approve a reduction of up to 50% in the required number of off-street parking spaces for an institutional or residential use based upon written evidence that is provided that the typical residents or clients will not be physically able or allowed to operate a vehicle from the site because of their disabilities or similar conditions.

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.

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.

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.

An existing nonconforming deficit in the numbers of parking spaces can be grandfathered. For example, if an existing business would be required to provide six spaces and only three spaces are provided, and the use changes to needing eight total spaces, then only five total spaces need to be provided (three existing spaces plus two spaces for the change in use).

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 Officer 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. A written and signed lease deed restriction, or other legal arrangement acceptable to the Borough shall be submitted assuring the availability of such spaces in accordance with this section. A sign shall direct persons to the parking spaces.

A parking lot that is accessory to a permitted-by-right use in an adjoining business district shall be allowed to be located in a RMD District, provided it shall also comply with the following:

Backing onto a street. No parking area or space shall be designed to require or encourage parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space, except for parking for a single-family detached, two-family detached or single-family semidetached dwelling. Parking spaces may back onto an alley.

Except for spaces serving one household, 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.

Parking areas shall not extend into a required buffer yard. New parking spaces shall only be allowed within a street right-of-way where they are specifically approved by the Borough.

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. See landscaping provisions in § 319-64.

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.

Provisions allowing flexibility or reduction of parking requirements.

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, except as provided for parking for persons with disabilities in Subsection G below. Larger parking spaces are required for persons with disabilities, as provided below. A maximum of 10% of required parking spaces may be nine feet by 16 feet if they are clearly marked as "compact cars only" and provided they are not the most conveniently located spaces.

All spaces shall be marked to indicate their location, except those of a one- or two-family dwelling, and except where stone parking may be allowed.

Motorcycle parking spaces may be provided with a minimum size of nine feet by nine feet. Each two motorcycle parking spaces may count as one required regular parking space, comprising up to 3% of the total required number of spaces.

Bicycle parking. If a lot will include more than 10,000 square feet of new commercial building space or 10 or more dwelling units, a bike rack or similar feature shall be provided to allow locking of bicycles without obstructing sidewalks. For dwellings, a suitable indoor area may be provided, instead of a public bike rack.

Width.

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.

Clear sight distances. A driveway shall be designed and located to minimize obstructions to vision by motorists and pedestrians of other traffic. PennDOT also has sight distance requirements for driveways entering onto a state road.

Driveway setbacks. A new driveway shall be set back a minimum of five feet from a utility pole or fire hydrant.

Slope and width. The slope of a driveway shall not exceed 10% within 20 feet of a street right-of-way. The slope and width of a driveway and the clear height above it shall be sufficient to allow access by emergency vehicles.

Driveway grading. Grading shall allow drainage to continue to gutters, unless an alternative method of drainage is approved.

Number. A lot shall have a maximum of two points of vehicle access onto a street, unless specifically approved otherwise by PennDOT or by the Borough as part of a subdivision or land development.

Setback. Driveways and parking areas must be located a minimum of one foot from the side and rear lot line. However, a residential driveway may be located on the lot if it physically abuts a driveway on the adjacent lot. This location will only be allowed if agreed to by the owners of each lot, and such approval is recorded as a shared driveway on a Borough-approved plan.

Separation from intersection. No access drive or driveway shall open onto a public street less than 40 feet from the closest existing right-of-way line of any intersecting public street.

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.

Except for landscaped areas, all portions of required parking areas for commercial, industrial, multifamily and institutional uses involving four or more spaces, off-street loading facilities and driveways serving such uses shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete or paving block, or other alternative hard surfaces materials that have been preapproved by the Borough Engineer, and except as provided below:

Motor vehicles shall not routinely be parked on grass or dirt surfaces, except where specifically approved under the above provisions. Entrances to parking spaces shall only occur at lawful driveway locations.

Number of spaces. See requirements under the federal Americans With Disabilities Act[1] 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.

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.

Minimum size and slope. See requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act regulations.

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.

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.

Note: A separate Borough ordinance addresses placement of an individual handicapped parking space in front of a home.

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.

Any new or expanded vehicle parking or vehicle storage area of four or more parking spaces that serves a principal nonresidential use shall be separated from a public street by a planting strip. The planting strip shall have a minimum width of eight 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 the planting width totals eight feet. This eight-foot-width shall be increased to 15 feet for a lot including 30 or more parking spaces that are visible from the street.

See landscaping requirements in §§ 319-63 and 319-64.