Friday Harbor City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
68 OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS
§ 17.68.010 General.
A.
The purpose of this chapter is to prevent or minimize congestion in the streets, to promote and protect property values and to provide for the health, safety, welfare, prosperity and enjoyment of the town's residents and visitors;
B.
Reduced or waived parking requirements are provided for in certain portions of the commercially zoned areas of town, referred to herein as the downtown core area, as defined in FHMC § 17.08.180, because of the relative scarcity of available and more efficient use of available parking in such densely used areas; and
C.
Parking provisions are set forth as minimum standards in order to preserve land for other uses.
(Ord. 1172 § 89, 2001)
§ 17.68.020 Applicability.
A.
General Applicability.
1.
All parking surfaces, whether required or not, shall comply with the surface requirements of FHMC § 17.68.060(E);
2.
Except as otherwise provided in FHMC § 17.64.070, parking and loading areas shall be provided in accordance with the minimum requirements provided hereinbelow whenever any structure is constructed, erected, relocated or expanded or whenever any outdoor use is expanded in activity area;
3.
Whenever any structure is expanded in floor area or whenever an outdoor use is expanded in activity area, off-street parking shall be required only for the uses to be accommodated in such expansion;
4.
Parking and loading areas shall be constructed and completed in accordance with approved plans and specifications pursuant to FHMC § 17.68.060 through § 17.68.080 prior to the issuance of a building permit for the construction, erection, relocation or expansion of any structure and prior to the use of any outdoor use expanded in activity area; provided, that the administrator shall have authority to authorize issuance of a building permit prior to installation upon posting of a bond or other security to ensure compliance;
5.
The provision of off-street parking and loading in the manner and extent required herein shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of a given property/structure; provided, however, that any owner granted a waiver pursuant to FHMC § 17.68.050 shall be relieved of such requirements after all required fees have been paid. Off-street parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing parking facilities for any other use, except as may be provided in FHMC § 17.68.040;
6.
Except as otherwise provided herein, required parking areas shall be used for motor vehicle parking only, with no sales, storage, repair work or dismantling of any kind. Removal, discontinuance or reduction of such required parking and loading facilities from practical use by obstruction, erection of structures or other actions which reduce the parking or loading capacity or usefulness thereof is prohibited unless replacement facilities are established which meet the requirements of this chapter.
B.
Mixed Occupancy. In the case of two or more uses for the same structure, the total off-street parking requirements for the various uses shall be the sum of the requirements for each of the uses computed separately.
(Ord. 1172 § 90, 2001; Ord. 1189 § 13, 2002; Ord. 1372 § 14, 2008)
§ 17.68.030 Parking space requirements.
A.
Definition. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the required number of off-street parking spaces shall be in conformance with the table set out in subsection B of this section.
B.
Use Space Table. For purposes of this chapter, gross floor area shall not include elevator shafts, stairwells, storage or mechanical equipment rooms. Where alternative requirements result in conflicting computations, the greater shall apply.
Use | Parking Space Requirements |
|---|---|
Banks and other financial offices with customer service on premises | 1 per each 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Bed and breakfast inns, tourist homes and rooming houses | 1 per sleeping room plus 1 for the operator dwelling unit |
Boat building/repair | 1 per 1,500 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Child day care and preschool | 1 plus 1 loading space if serving 12 or fewer children, otherwise 1 parking space per employee plus 2 loading spaces |
Churches, mortuaries, auditoriums and similar places of assembly | 1 per 4 seats or 60 lineal inches of pew or 40 sq. ft. of gross floor area used for assembly purposes |
Convalescent homes for the aged | 1 per each 5 beds |
Dance halls, skating rinks, and similar recreation uses | 1 per 200 sq. ft. of floor area used for recreation |
Dry cleaners, appliance and shoe repair shops, bakeries without customer seating, similar front counter uses | 1 per 450 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Furniture, major appliance, floor covering, hardware stores: | |
If less than 1,500 sq. ft. of floor area | 1 per 500 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
If more than 1,500 sq. ft. of floor area | 3 spaces plus 1 per each 600 sq. ft. in excess of 1,500 sq. ft. |
Health and physical fitness clubs | 1 per 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Libraries and museums | 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Manufacturing uses, research testing and processing, assembling, all industries except boat building/ repair | 1 per each 2 employees on maximum shift and not less than 1 per 800 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Medical, dental or veterinary offices | 1 per each 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Moorage facility other than those reserved for exclusive use of adjacent residence | 1 per each 2 mooring spaces, excluding mooring spaces used only for transient moorage |
Motor vehicle, machinery, plumbing, heating, ventilating, building supply stores and service | 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area or 1 per each 3 employees |
Motor vehicle, motorcycle and small engine repair | 1 per 400 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Offices, business and professional (other than banks, medical, dental or veterinary offices) with on-site customer service | 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Offices not providing on-site customer service | 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Playing fields | 25 per acre |
Recreational, commercial center | 4 per each bowling alley, tennis or racquetball court, pool or billiard table; or 1 per each miniature golf hole or each 3 video games |
Residential, single-family dwelling unit, 2-unit dwelling (duplex), and townhouse(s) | 2 per dwelling unit |
Residential, multifamily (3 or more units in a building), manufactured home community, mixed-use residential (3 or more units in a building) with a nonresidential use | 1.5 per dwelling unit; or 1 per dwelling unit in a mixed-use development; or Manufactured home community |
Residential-accessory, ancillary dwelling unit, accessory dwelling unit | 1 per accessory dwelling unit or dwelling unit in commercial |
Residential-transient | 1 per dwelling unit or sleeping unit |
Restaurant or tavern | 1 per 130 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Retail, not otherwise listed: | |
If less than 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area | 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
If over 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area | 17 plus 1 per each 500 sq. ft. in excess of 5,000 sq. ft. |
Schools, elementary and junior high | 2 per classroom, plus 2 loading spaces |
Schools, senior high | 6 per classroom |
Schools, adult education | 1 per each 4 fixed seats or 1 per 50 sq. ft. of gross floor area used for classrooms, exercise, dance or rehearsal |
Stadiums, sports arenas and similar open assemblies | 1 per 8 fixed seats and 1 per 100 sq. ft. of assembly space without fixed seats |
Storage areas which are incidental and subordinate to the principal use which otherwise conforms to this chapter | No requirement |
Theaters | 1 per 4 seats |
Warehouse, storage and wholesale business | 1 per each 2 employees on maximum working shift |
C.
Fractional Spaces. If the provisions of this chapter result in a parking requirement which includes a fractional parking space, any fraction less than one-half shall be disregarded, and any fraction of one-half or greater shall require one parking space.
D.
Uses Not Specified. In the case of a use not specifically mentioned in subsection B of this section, the requirements for off-street parking facilities shall be determined by the land use administrator, based on the most similar uses for which requirements are specified.
E.
Location. Off-street parking facilities shall be located as hereinafter specified. Where a distance is specified, such distance shall be the distance measured along the shortest safe public pedestrian way, from the nearest point of the parking facility to the nearest portion of the downtown core area for uses in subsection (E)(1) of this section or to the nearest entrance to the structure which the facility is required to serve, for uses in subsection (E)(2) of this section.
1.
For all uses in the downtown core area the parking facility must be within 200 feet.
2.
For marinas the parking facility must be within 400 feet.
3.
Ancillary residential uses, as defined in FHMC § 17.08.060, in the downtown core area as defined in FHMC § 17.08.180, are subject to the provisions of this chapter and shall have one space per dwelling unit.
4.
For all uses outside the downtown core area the parking area must be within 100 feet.
5.
For all residential dwelling units the parking facility must be on the same lot which the parking spaces are to serve.
F.
On-Street Parking Spaces.
1.
If the proposed parking area plan submitted pursuant to FHMC § 17.68.060 would require elimination of one or more existing on-street parking spaces within the downtown core area, the parking requirements prescribed in subsection B of this section are increased by two off-street parking spaces for each on-street space to be eliminated;
2.
If, however, such parking area plan would restore one or more existing on-street parking spaces within the downtown core area, by reducing existing curb cuts or other conflicts, the off-street parking requirements prescribed in subsection B of this section are reduced by two off-street parking spaces for each on-street parking space restored by said plan.
(Ord. 1172 § 91, 2001; Ord. 1802 § 13, 2024)
§ 17.68.040 Joint use.
A.
The land use administrator may authorize the joint use of parking facilities, in order to meet the requirements of this chapter, through a joint use agreement between the owners of a use which required parking primarily during one time period and a use which required parking primarily during a substantially different time period.
B.
No more than one joint use parking agreement may be applied to any portion of any parking facility, and no more than two uses may share any portion of any parking facility.
C.
The applicant shall clearly demonstrate that there is no substantial conflict between the operating hours of the uses for which joint use of off-street parking facilities is proposed.
D.
The applicant shall present a binding legal agreement, executed by the parties holding an ownership interest in the properties subject to the proposed joint use parking agreement. The agreement shall provide that it may be enforced by the town and shall be irrevocable for the term of the proposed joint use parking. Further, it shall provide that in the event the joint use parking becomes unavailable, adequate replacement off-street parking shall be provided or that one or both uses shall be discontinued. Such instrument, after being approved as to form and manner of execution by the town attorney, shall be approved by the land use administrator, recorded with the county auditor, and filed with the town building official prior to the issuance of a building permit.
(Ord. 1172 § 92, 2001)
§ 17.68.050 Waiver of requirements.
A.
Fee in Lieu of Parking Spaces.
1.
Within the downtown core area only, for uses other than transient accommodations, the land use administrator may waive all or part of the on-site parking requirements prescribed in FHMC § 17.68.030 upon written request by the applicant to pay a fee into the parking improvement fund created pursuant to subsection B of this section, said payment to be in lieu of furnishing the required parking spaces. In making a determination on the request, the land use administrator shall consider:
a.
The extent to which the parking requirements which apply to the proposed development impose a particular hardship upon the applicant;
b.
Whether granting the request would be unreasonably burdensome to other property owners in the downtown core area; and
c.
Whether granting the request would lead to a better overall result than would strict adherence to the parking requirements of this chapter for the purposes of encouraging appropriate land uses, improving pedestrian circulation and achieving better parking design.
2.
The fee to be paid in lieu of providing the required parking spaces shall be $22,500 per space required, or such other amount as the town council shall hereafter set by ordinance, based on current values for the purchase of land and construction of off-street parking spaces, or on a rental fee for each required space.
3.
The fee in lieu of parking spaces shall be paid in full to the town prior to the issuance of a building permit.
B.
Parking Improvement Fund.
1.
There is hereby created in the town treasury a special fund designated the "parking improvement fund," into which all in-lieu parking fees shall be deposited, to be expended only for public improvements listed in a parking improvement plan to be adopted by the town council. The town council may from time to time direct that other moneys be transferred into the fund to be used for the purposes of the fund;
2.
The fund shall be used exclusively for planning, acquisition, design, development, construction and financing of parking facilities for use by the downtown core area, all consistent with the specific project priorities set forth in the parking improvement plan, as adopted or thereafter amended by the town council.
(Ord. 1172 § 93, 2001; Ord. 1372 § 15, 2008; Ord. 1804 § 1, 2024)
§ 17.68.060 Plan required.
A.
General Plan. The applicant shall submit a plan of the proposed parking facilities at the time of the application for the building or occupancy permit which the parking facilities will serve. The plan shall include the following:
1.
North point and scale;
2.
All adjacent streets, alleys, sidewalks and curbs;
3.
Storm drainage facilities, designed and approved in accordance with Chapter 12.02 FHMC as amended;
4.
Ownership of entire lot or parcel to be developed;
5.
Existing and proposed land contours;
6.
Existing trees which have a trunk diameter of six inches or greater measured four feet above grade;
7.
Outline of all existing and proposed structures;
8.
Completely dimensioned parking layouts, clearly showing all parking stalls, driveways and aisles, with parking stalls sequentially numbered;
9.
All traffic-control devices such as parking stripes designating car stalls, directional arrows or signs, bull rails, curbs, and other developments;
10.
Parking stalls, aisles and driveways shall be clearly marked as follows:
Hard-surfaced parking areas shall use white paint or equivalent material to delineate stalls, zones for persons of disability, and directional arrows; and each stall developed to compact car dimensions shall be clearly labeled "COMPACT" on the parking surface;
11.
Landscaping shall be shown pursuant to FHMC § 17.68.070; and
12.
Lighting of areas provided for off-street parking shall be designed and arranged to prevent a nuisance or hazard to passing traffic, and where a parking facility shares a common boundary with any residentially zoned property, the lighting devices shall be shaped and directed to shield the light from such neighboring property.
B.
Minimum Dimensions.
1.
Preliminary Parking Plans. Preliminary parking plans which do not show each parking space, access aisle and driveway pursuant to subsection A of this section, or acres reserved for future parking on a gross area basis, shall allow 300 square feet per vehicle.
2.
Standard Sized Parking Spaces.
a.
Standard sized parking spaces placed parallel to the access driveway or aisle shall be a minimum of nine feet wide and 23 feet long. Driveways or aisles serving standard sized parallel spaces shall be a minimum of 22 feet wide for two-way traffic or 12 feet wide for one-way traffic.
b.
Standard sized parking spaces placed at an angle to the access driveway or aisle shall conform to the minimum dimensional requirements for standard sized cars set forth in subsection C of this section.
3.
Compact Sized Parking Spaces.
a.
When more than 10 parking spaces are required for a particular use, one-half of the parking spaces may be designated as "COMPACT" spaces and be developed in conformance with the minimum dimensional requirements for compact sized cars set forth in subsection C of this section.
b.
Compact car sized parking placed parallel to the access driveway or aisle shall be a minimum of eight feet wide and 20 feet long. Driveways or aisles exclusively serving compact sized parallel parking spaces shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide for two-way traffic or 11 feet wide for one-way traffic.
c.
Compact sized parking spaces placed at an angle to the access driveway or aisle shall conform to the minimum dimensional requirements for compact sized cars set forth in subsection C of this section.
d.
Every compact sized parking space developed pursuant to this chapter shall be clearly identified as such by painting the word "COMPACT" in upper case, block letters on the pavement within the space or, in the case of unpaved parking stalls, on the bull rails or wheel stops of each such stall.
4.
Tandem parking spaces (allows forward car to be blocked by second car immediately behind) are permitted as follows:
a.
One per single- or two-family dwelling;
b.
One per each four multifamily dwelling units;
c.
Otherwise, one per each four employees.
5.
Disability Parking Spaces. The minimum number and dimensions of parking spaces for persons of disability shall be provided pursuant to applicable state laws and regulations.
C.
Parking Space Table.
Minimum Parking Dimensions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Sized Spaces | ||||
A | B | C | D | E |
30° | 9' | 17.3' | 12' | 12' |
45° | 9' | 19.8' | 15' | 12' |
60° | 9' | 21.0' | 18' | 17' |
90° | 9' | 19.0' | 24' | 19' |
Compact Sized Spaces | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E |
30° | 8' | 14.9' | 12' | 12' |
45° | 8' | 17.0' | 13' | 12' |
60° | 8' | 17.9' | 16' | 15' |
90° | 8' | 16.0' | 22' | 18' |
 |
D.
Curb Cuts. Width of curb cuts shall be determined by the street and storm drainage standards, as defined in Chapter 12.02 FHMC, but in no case shall be wider than 30 feet. For parking lots with fewer than 10 parking spaces, a single curb cut which is no wider than 12 feet is allowed. Parking lots with separate points of ingress and egress shall have curb cuts of maximum width of 12 feet separated by a distance of at least 20 feet.
E.
Surface Requirements. Off-street parking and access areas serving single-family residential uses in single-family residential zones shall be paved or surfaced so as to eliminate dust or mud. All other off-street parking and access areas shall be paved with asphalt, constructed of concrete, or other approved surfaces, and maintained at all times.
(Ord. 1172 § 94, 2001; Ord. 1372 § 16, 2008)
§ 17.68.070 Landscaping.
A.
General Landscaping.
1.
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to achieve the following:
a.
Provide an opportunity for preservation and development of a pleasing visual environment in the commercial, industrial and multifamily residential districts of the town from the viewpoint of residents and visitors;
b.
Preserve land values of properties surrounding off-street parking facilities;
c.
Avoid and reduce visual blight which may be created by large expanses of barren asphalt which often make up parking lots; and
d.
Provide for the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens by minimizing discordant and unsightly surroundings, assuring vehicular visibility at intersections, and providing for the beauty and balance of the town, as are the proper and necessary concerns of the town council.
2.
Applicability. This section applies to all surfaced off-street parking lots in the town excluding those which are accessory to single- or two-family dwellings.
3.
Performance Standards. The applicant shall submit a parking landscaping plan as required by FHMC § 17.68.060 in accordance with the following standards:
a.
Provide separation and screening of parking areas from public streets, pedestrian areas and surrounding uses;
b.
Preserve and protect existing significant trees;
c.
Plant species which:
i.
Fulfill the screening, shading and appearance purposes of the landscaping in all seasons;
ii.
Will be comparable in scale to surrounding existing and anticipated uses when plants reach maturity;
iii.
Will be comparable in scale to surrounding existing and anticipated uses when plants reach maturity;
iv.
Are native to the regional environment or readily adaptable to local conditions;
v.
Will not create particularly burdensome maintenance or damage problems such as large leaf debris, dripping sap, or pavement damage; and
vi.
Will not require regular irrigation under normal local weather conditions after three years of growth.
d.
Planting methods which follow accepted nursery standards and practices suited to the particular conditions of the site;
e.
Provide protection of trees from vehicular damage;
f.
Provide adequate watering systems and unpaved areas around plantings;
g.
Preserve necessary sight triangles at intersections so vegetation will not create a vehicular sight hazard.
4.
Minimum Standards. Excepting the downtown core area, or where otherwise authorized pursuant to subsection (A)(5) of this section, each parking lot landscaping plan shall provide for the following minimum landscaping installations:
a.
Perimeter Landscaping. Off-street parking lots shall provide perimeter landscaping in accordance with the following minimum requirements:
i.
A three-foot-wide planting strip along the entire lot perimeter, excluding driveways;
ii.
One tree for each 20 lineal feet of lot perimeter or fraction thereof, excluding driveways;
iii.
Each tree shall be healthy "balled and burlapped" stock and carefully planted;
iv.
Each deciduous tree shall measure a minimum of two inches in diameter at time of planting;
v.
Each evergreen tree shall have a minimum height of eight feet at time of planting;
vi.
The remaining planting strip area shall be planted with shrubs and ground cover;
vii.
Shrubs shall be a minimum height of two feet at time of planting; and
viii.
All property other than the designated parking area shall be landscaped with at least grass or other ground cover.
b.
Parking Lot Interior Landscaping. Each parking area which has 40 or more parking spaces shall provide interior landscaping in accordance with the following minimum standards:
i.
At least four percent of such parking area shall be used for interior landscaping; and
ii.
Each landscaping area shall contain at least one deciduous tree or acceptable substitute which measures a minimum of two inches in diameter at time of planting.
5.
Alternate Plans. Alternate parking lot landscaping plans may be approved by the land use administrator upon a satisfactory showing that: (a) due to the physical characteristics of the site or those of abutting properties, strict adherence to the minimum standards set forth in subsection (A)(4) of this section would be unsafe or unnecessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter; and (b) the alternative plan proposed would satisfy the performance standards set forth in subsection (A)(3) of this section.
B.
Maintenance. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all off-street parking, pedestrian and landscaping facilities and any abutting public sidewalks. Such maintenance shall include removal and replacement of dead and dying trees, grass and shrubs; removal of trash and weeds; and within the off-street parking facilities, repair of traffic-control devices, signs, light standards, fences, walls, surfacing material, curbs and railings.
(Ord. 1172 § 95, 2001)
§ 17.68.080 Loading and queuing spaces.
A.
Loading and Queuing Spaces – Number Required and Location.
1.
Each department store, freight terminal, hospital, sanitarium, industrial or manufacturing establishment, retail or wholesale store, supply house, laundry, dry cleaning establishment, storage warehouse or similar use where large amounts of goods are received or shipped shall provide the minimum number of truck loading spaces indicated by the following table and locate said spaces on the same premises as the use:
Aggregate Gross Floor Area (in square feet) | Minimum Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
Less than 999 | None |
1,000 to 14,999 | 1 |
15,000 to 29,999 | 2 |
each additional 20,000 | 1 additional |
2.
Each auditorium, convention or exhibit hall, sports arena, hotel, office building, restaurant, or similar use shall provide the minimum number of truck loading spaces indicated by the following table and locate said spaces adjacent to the premises of the use:
Aggregate Gross Floor Area (in square feet) | Minimum Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
Less than 1,999 | None |
2,000 to 14,999 | 1 |
15,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
each additional 40,000 | 1 additional |
3.
Each loading space shall not be less than 10 feet in width and 25 feet in length, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet in height;
4.
All banks, savings and loan associations, restaurants, and any other businesses which maintain drive-in facilities shall provide sufficient vehicular queuing space to prevent obstruction of public rights-of-way or private driveways or aisles during peak business hours.
(Ord. 1172 § 96, 2001)
