Freetown City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations
§ 300-8.1 Off-street parking and loading requirements.
In any district, parking and loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations and the Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations. An existing structure which is enlarged or an existing use which is extended after the effective date of this regulation shall be required to provide parking and loading spaces in accordance with the following tables for the entire structure or use.
§ 300-8.2 Allowed reduction and waiver of requirements.
The number of spaces may be reduced to less than that stipulated below and deviation from other regulations stated in this article may be granted if, in acting on the plan under § 300-2.6, Site plan review, and/or as the special permit granting authority, the Planning Board determines that the proposed number of spaces and/or the proposed parking arrangement would be adequate for all parking needs because of such special circumstances as shared parking for uses having peak parking demands at different times, unusual age or other characteristics of site users or user-sponsored demand reduction devices such as carpooling. Such relief is contingent upon evidence being provided to the Planning Board that the site has sufficient reserve area, suitable for conversion to graded, surfaced and drained paving areas, to meet the demands of the proposed use.
§ 300-8.3 Existing spaces.
Parking or loading spaces being maintained in any district in connection with any existing permitted use on the effective date of this article shall not be decreased so long as said use remains, unless a number of parking or loading spaces is constructed elsewhere such that the total number of spaces conforms to the requirements of the tables of this article, provided that this article shall not require the maintenance of more parking or loading spaces than is required according to the tables.
§ 300-8.4 Computation of spaces.
When the computation of required parking or loading spaces results in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction over 1/2 shall require one space.
§ 300-8.5 Combined facilities.
Parking required for two or more buildings or uses may be provided in combined facilities on the same or adjacent lots, subject to approval by the Building Inspector, where it is evident that such facilities will continue to be available for the several buildings and/or uses.
§ 300-8.6 Location of parking spaces.
Required off-street parking spaces shall be provided on the same lot as the principal use they are required to serve, except that the Planning Board may authorize provision of parking spaces on a separate lot if it determines that there is no reasonable alternative, provided that such parking spaces shall be located no further than 200 feet from the premises to which they are appurtenant.
Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations | |
|---|---|
Land Use | Number of Parking Spaces Per Unit |
Single- and two-family dwellings and multifamily | 2 for each dwelling unit |
Lodging house | 1 for each lodging unit |
Theater, restaurant, auditorium, church or similar place of public assembly with seating facilities | 1 for each 3 seats of total seating capacity |
New and used car sales and automotive service establishment and other retail and service establishment utilizing extensive display areas, either indoor or outdoor, which are unusually extensive in relation to customer traffic | 1 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor space; in the case of outdoor display areas, 1 for each 1,000 square feet of lot area in such use |
Other retail, service, finance, insurance, or real estate establishment | 1 per each 300 square feet of gross floor space |
Hotel, motel, tourist court | 1 for each sleeping room, plus 1 for each 4 seats of total seating capacity of the combined public meeting room and restaurant space |
Wholesale establishment, warehouse or storage establishment | 1 per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor space |
Manufacturing or industrial establishment | 1 per each 600 square feet of gross floor space or 0.75 per each employee of the combined employment of the 2 largest successive shifts, whichever is larger |
Hospital | 2 per bed at design capacity |
Nursing home | 1 per bed at design capacity |
Business, trade or industrial school or college | 1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area in classrooms |
Other school | 2 per classroom in an elementary and junior high school; 4 per classroom in a senior high school, plus space for auditorium or gymnasium, whichever has the larger capacity |
Community facility (Town building, recreation, etc.) | 1 per each 400 square feet gross floor space |
Dormitory, fraternity, sorority, YMCA or similar use | 1 for each sleeping room |
Public utility | 1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor are devoted to office use; 1 for each 800 square feet of gross floor area per other use |
Public transportation terminal establishment (including platform) | 1 for each 10 square feet of gross floor area or 1 for every 2 forecasted riders 20 years from the initial proposal, whichever is greater |
Mixed use | Sum of various uses computed separately |
Any use permitted by this regulation not interpreted to be covered by this schedule | Closest similar use as shall be determined by the Building Inspector or by the appropriate permit granting authority |
§ 300-8.7 Minimum off-street loading and unloading requirements.
Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations | |
|---|---|
Use | Number of Loading Spaces Per Unit |
Retail or wholesale business or service, plant for manufacturing, processing, fabrication or assembly, warehouse or facilities for distributing merchandise, and hospital establishment with over 5,000 square feet of floor area | 1 per 20,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area up to 2 spaces; 1 additional space for each 60,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area over 40,000 square feet; space used for ambulance receiving at a hospital is not to be used to meet these loading requirements. |
Business or professional office, other services, religious, educational, or municipal use by the Town of Freetown, recreational or sports facilities or public utility establishment with over 5,000 square feet of gross floor area. | 1 per 75,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area up to 2 spaces; 1 additional space for each 200,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area over 150,000 square feet |
§ 300-8.8 Location of loading spaces.
The loading spaces required for the uses listed in the Table of Off-Street Loading Regulations shall, in all cases, be on the same lot as the use they are intended to serve. In no case shall the required loading spaces be part of the area used to satisfy the parking requirements of this regulation.
§ 300-8.9 Parking and loading space standards.
All parking and loading areas containing over five spaces shall be either contained within structures or subject to the following:
A.
The area shall be effectively screened with suitable plantings or fencing on each side which adjoins or faces the side or rear lot line of a lot situated in any R District.
B.
The area and access driveways thereto shall be surfaced with bituminous or cement concrete material and shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulation in accordance with acceptable engineering practices. The measures taken shall be to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector or, when applicable, to the satisfaction of the site plan and/or special permit granting authority, either of whom may require drainage plans and analyses stamped by a registered professional engineer and may further require that the applicant fund independent peer review of such plans and analyses. The location of spaces shall be suitably marked by painted lines or other appropriate markings.
C.
A substantial bumper of masonry, steel or heavy timber, or a concrete curb or berm curb which is backed shall be placed at the edge of surfaced areas except driveways in order to protect abutting structures, properties, sidewalks and screening materials.
D.
Any fixture used to illuminate any area shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from the street and away from adjoining premises used for residential purposes.
E.
There shall not be any vehicle repair for profit or gasoline or oil service facilities or any repair made to any motor vehicles, except on a lot occupied by a permitted automotive use. Any gasoline or oil facilities shall be at least 25 feet from any lot line.
F.
There shall not be any storage of materials or equipment or display of merchandise within required parking area except as part of approved temporary building operations.
G.
Parking spaces shall be 18 feet in length and 10 feet wide.
H.
Parking spaces shall not be located within 15 feet of any lot line in any district.
I.
Parking and loading spaces shall be so arranged as not to permit backing of automobiles onto any street.
J.
Any portion of any entrance or exit driveway shall not be closer than 50 feet to the curbline of an intersecting street.
K.
Any two driveways leading to or from a street to or from a single lot shall not be within 30 feet of each other at their intersections with the front lot line for an interior lot and 40 feet for a corner lot.
L.
Any entrance or exit driveway shall not exceed 24 feet in width at its intersection with the front lot line except for automotive service stations and fire stations, in which cases the widths may be increased to 40 feet.
M.
An open-air parking space shall be at least five feet from any building and 15 feet from any lot line.
N.
All off-street parking and loading spaces, accessways and maneuvering area shall be laid out so as to provide for adequate drainage, snow removal, maneuverability and curb cuts. A minimum twenty-four-foot aisle width for two lanes is required. Access drives connecting parking areas with the street shall be clearly delineated by the use of curbing, directional signs (if applicable), landscaping or other means and shall be located in a manner which provides motorists with an unobstructed view of approaching traffic.
O.
There shall be no paving within 15 feet of any lot line or five feet of any building line, except that paved accessways shall be permitted, and that such accessways shall be generally perpendicular to any lot line. Paving to any building line shall be permitted for off-street loading docks or doors.
P.
The layout of the parking area shall allow sufficient space for the storage of plowed snow unless removal by some other means is assured.
§ 300-8.10 Handicap accessibility.
All parking and loading areas shall conform to the most current Americans with Disabilities Act and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board Rules and Regulations.
§ 300-8.11 Buffer zones.
A.
A fifteen-foot landscaped buffer zone shall be provided along the front lot line and not less than the following along a side or rear lot line:
Use | Depth of Required Side and/or Rear Lot Line Buffer (feet) |
|---|---|
Multifamily | 20 |
Business use in an R, B, and G District | 40 |
Business use in an I District | 25 |
Warehouse or facilities for distributing merchandise; plant for manufacturing, processing, fabricating or assembly | 40 |
B.
For all parking areas of uses or development requiring site plan review or special permits, adequate screening will be provided in the side and rear landscaped buffer zones per the satisfaction of the Planning Board.
(1)
Earth berms, landscaping or screening shall be provided to control noise and dust, to prevent soil erosion, to provide shade, to screen from public view areas for waste disposal or outdoor storage, and to protect the visual character and natural resources of the Town. Earth berms, where used, should vary in width and height throughout their length in order to achieve topographical relief and to appear to occur naturally.
(2)
All land located between the street line and parking areas as required by this regulation shall be provided with attractive and durable landscaped areas consisting of natural vegetation, shrubs, mulches, evergreens and such other vegetation. Such landscaped areas shall be located in a manner which provides unobstructed lines of sight for vehicles entering and exiting the premises.
(3)
Parking areas will be subdivided by medians containing trees and other landscaping material. One ten-foot-wide median will be required for every two bays of parking. Parking bays shall have a minimum width of 60 feet to accommodate for the two rows of parking stalls and central aisle.