The regulation of loading spaces in this Appendix E is to alleviate or prevent congestion of the public right-of-way and to promote the safety and general welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for off-street loading and unloading from motor vehicles in accordance with the utilization of various parcels of land or structures.

The number of required off-street loading areas shall be as follows:

(1)

Customer drop off spaces shall not constitute off-street loading spaces as may be required by subsection 20-2(2) of this Appendix E.

(2)

Number of loading spaces required. Off-street loading areas shall not be required in residential districts and the Downtown Commercial District. In all other districts, the number of required off-street loading area spaces shall be as follows:

a.

Uses having 5,000 square feet of floor space or more not included as a part of subsections 20-2(2)b. or 20-2(2)c. below. Five thousand to 20,000 square feet of gross floor area, one loading berth; for each additional 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof above one-fourth, one additional loading berth.

b.

Retail sales, office public administration buildings, hospitals, schools, hotels, and similar uses. For such a building having 5,000 to 10,000 square feet of gross floor area, one off-street loading berth.

c.

Manufacturing, fabrication, warehousing, storing, servicing, and similar establishments. For such a building having 5,000 to 30,000 square feet of gross floor area, one loading berth 50 feet in length.

(3)

Reductions to the number of loading spaces required by subsection 20-2(2) of this Appendix E may be granted by conditional use permit, in accordance with article 4 of this Appendix E, upon determination of facility need.

(Ord. No. 657, § 1, 9-18-2023)

Except for residential districts and the Downtown Commercial District, any structure erected or substantially altered for a use which requires the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by trucks or similar vehicles, shall provide off-street loading area as required for a new structure.

(Ord. No. 657, § 1, 9-18-2023)

(a)

All required loading areas shall be off-street and located on the same lot as the building or use to be served.

(b)

All loading area curb cuts shall comply with standards established in article 19 of this Appendix E and shall not be located less than 25 feet from the intersection of two street rights-of-way.

(c)

Except for uses allowed within residential districts, or unless located within a structure, loading areas established after the date of this Appendix E shall be prohibited within 100 feet of residentially zoned or guided property unless completely screened by an intervening building. Loading areas not screened by an intervening building shall be screened from adjacent residentially zoned or guided property by the use of berms, fences, or walls to provide 100 percent opacity to a height of at least ten feet.

(d)

Loading areas shall not occupy the required front yard setbacks in residential districts and the front yards in commercial districts, except as provided herein.

(e)

Loading areas located at the front or side of buildings on a corner lot shall be reviewed and approved in the following manner:

(1)

Commercial zoning districts. Loading areas shall be located in side or rear yards away from public rights of way. Where physical conditions unique to the site warrant, loading areas may be located at the front or side of a building located on a corner lot by conditional use permit subject to the following conditions:

a.

Loading areas shall not conflict with pedestrian movement.

b.

Loading areas shall not obstruct the view of the public right-of-way from off-street parking access.

c.

Loading areas shall comply with all other requirements of this article.

d.

Loading areas and associated staging areas shall be screened from the abutting public rights of way. Said screening shall consist of either a screening fence or a greenbelt planting strip as provided for by article 21 of this Appendix E.

(f)

Each loading area shall be located with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or public alley in a manner which will cause the least interference with traffic.

All loading areas and accessways shall be improved to control the dust and drainage according to a plan submitted to and subject to the approval of the city engineer.

Any space allocated as a required loading area or access drive so as to comply with the terms of this Appendix E shall not be used for the storage of goods, inoperable vehicles or snow and shall not be included as part of the space requirements to meet the off-street parking area.

All loading areas shall be screened and landscaped from abutting and surrounding residential uses and districts and public rights-of-way in compliance with article 21 of this Appendix E.

(a)

Loading areas shall be not less than 25 feet in length and not less than ten feet in width, exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space, and 14 feet in clearance height.

(b)

The size of the loading area may be reduced upon approval of an administrative permit. To qualify for such exception, the following provisions must be met:

(1)

It must be demonstrated that the site cannot physically accommodate a loading area to the size required.

(2)

It must be demonstrated that semitrailer truck deliveries will not occur at the site or all deliveries will occur at such a time as to not conflict with customer or employee access to the building and parking demand.

(a)

All maneuvering for off-street loading shall be accomplished on private property.

(b)

In addition to the required loading space, all loading spaces shall include a maneuvering area. The maneuvering area shall not use any of that portion of the site containing parking stalls or customer service areas. Maneuvering areas shall be of such size as to permit the backing of truck tractors and coupled trailers into the loading space, without blocking the use of other loading spaces, drives, parking spaces, or maneuvering areas on public right-of-way.

The construction and setback standards listed in article 19 shall apply to all loading spaces.