George City Zoning Code
19.54 Off-Street
Parking and Loading
19.54.010 Off-Street Parking and Loading Mandatory.
Every building hereafter erected, enlarged, converted, or relocated shall provide usable permanent off-street parking and loading areas as required by this title, except that no off-street parking shall be required for home occupations nor for businesses located within the C-1, Central Business District. The parking and/or loading areas shall have reasonable access and a capaCity according to the use of the building listed in the following sections. Where a use is not listed, the Zoning Administrator shall determine the required parking and/or loading space based on similar uses for which the requirements are specified. When an existing building is occupied by a new use which would require greater parking and/or loading space than is provided within the building, the Zoning Administrator may waive the additional parking requirement provided he finds existing development renders compliance with the requirement impractical.
19.54.020 Specific Parking Requirements.
The number of off-street parking spaces required of each use shall be as follows, except that for lots having less than eighty feet (80') frontage in non-residential zones where compliance may prove a hardship, the Planning Agency may modify the requirements.
A. Residential:
1. Single Family Dwellings | 2 per unit |
2. Duplex | 2 per unit |
3. Multiple Family | 1 ½ per unit one bedroom and efficiency units |
2 per unit for two or more bedrooms |
In addition to the above requirements for Multiple Family additional “visitor” parking at a rate of 1 space for every two units will be required.
No lot or portion thereof shall be used for parking or storing of truck or other motor vehicles exceeding one (1) ton net capacity (see subsection L of this section), or commercial, industrial, and agricultural equipment or machinery, or recreational vehicles or trailers which exceed twenty-five feet (30') in length.
B. Retail Business in all Zones:
Spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area | |
1. Department and clothing stores | 3.3 |
2. Variety and drug stores | 3.3 |
3. Furniture stores | 1 |
4. Grocery stores | 3.3 |
5. Auto sales | 1 |
C. Personal Services:
1. Barber shops and beauty shops, self-service laundries, etc. | 2 per chair |
2. Motels and hotels | 1 per unit |
D. Financial Institutions:
1. Banks, savings & loan, etc. | 2.5 |
E. Offices:
1. Human services (clinics, welfare employment offices) | 1 |
2. Professional offices | 2.5 |
3. Other offices | 2.5 |
F. Shopping Centers: 5
G. Eating Establishments:
1. Sit-down restaurants | 10 |
2. Taverns | 10 |
3. Drive-in restaurants | 14 |
H. Industrial:
1. Industrial warehouses, freight terminals, manufacturing, etc. | 1 per shift employee |
I. Public and Semi-Public Places of Assembly:
1. Churches | 1 per 6 seats or 12 feet of bench |
2. Theaters and auditoriums | 1 per 4 seats or 8 feet of bench |
3. Schools: | |
Pre-School | 1 ½ per teacher |
Elementary | 2 per classroom |
High School | 1 per 2 students |
College or Commercial | 1 per 2 students |
4. Libraries | 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area |
J. The Planning Agency shall determine the adequate parking spaces for special uses such as airports, depots, swimming pools, and other recreational uses.
K. Buildings having mixed occupancies shall provide parking for each use as required. Multiple use buildings shall provide parking for the most intensive use.
L. Off-street parking areas used to fulfill the requirements of this title shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to care for parking needs.
M. Formula used for determining square footage of gross floor area:
Main Floor | 100% |
Basement and Second Floor | 50% |
Additional Stories | 25% |
Equals square footage of gross floor area |
19.54.030 Size of Parking Space.
Each parking space shall not be less than nine feet (9') in width and twenty feet (20') in length.
19.54.040 Location of Parking Area.
A. Residential: Required parking space shall be located adjacent to the residence.
B. Commercial: Required parking shall be on site or within three hundred feet (300') of the building. Businesses located within a parking district shall be exempt from the parking requirement.
19.54.050 Improvement of Parking Lots.
All parking lots established in an "R" zone, or on a lot adjacent to a lot in an "R" zone, or adjacent to an existing paved street, shall be improved as follows:
A. The required front yard shall be planted or maintained in lawn or shrubbery.
B. Screening shall be provided along the property line(s) which adjoin any lot in an "R" zone, except along the front yard. The screening shall comply with the fence requirements of the zone.
C. Any of the lot which is to be driven on by automobiles shall be maintained in hard surface paving. A six inch (6") by six inch (6") inner curb between drives located on the property line adjoining a street shall be required for service stations in all zones.
19.54.060 Specific Loading Requirements.
A. Commercial, industrial and public utility uses, except hotels and motels, shall provide truck loading and unloading space as follows:
Square Feet of Floor Area | No. of Spaces Required |
Less than 10,000 | 0 |
10,000 - 30,000 | 1 |
30,001 - 100,000 | 2 |
100,001 and over | 3 |
B. Restaurants, office buildings, hotels, motels, hospitals and institutions, schools and colleges, public buildings, recreational or entertainment facilities, and any similar use shall provide off-street truck loading or unloading spaces as follows:
Square Feet of Floor Area | No. of Spaces Required |
Less than 30,000 | 1 |
30,000 - 100,000 | 2 |
100,001 and over | 3 |
19.54.070 Size of Loading Space.
A loading space shall consist of a space not less than ten feet (10') wide, thirty-five feet (35') long, and a height clearance of fourteen feet (14'). Where vehicles generally used for loading and unloading exceed these dimensions, the required length of these spaces shall be increased. The Building Official may waive the height requirement upon receipt of evidence that such height is unnecessary.
19.54.080 Location of Loading Area.
The required off-street loading area shall be located on the same lot with the use it is intended to serve and may occupy any side or rear yard thereon; provided that it shall be enclosed when required by this title. Off-street parking areas used to fulfill the requirements of this title shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to care for parking needs.