The vehicle parking provisions below are intended to effectively manage traffic flows and provide for an adequate number of parking spaces for vehicles while creating and maintaining vehicle areas which are safe, attractive, and functional for both pedestrians and motorists. In addition, consistent with the objective to reduce impervious surfaces, these standards are intended to promote improved management of stormwater in parking areas by limiting the number of spaces permitted and encouraging acceptable techniques of low impact design in the provision of essential parking areas. (7-7-05.)

A.

Development in all zoning districts shall comply with all of the following requirements and provide the number of off-street vehicle parking spaces required in section 10-1010, unless otherwise approved in accordance with section 10-1002.

B.

All off-street parking spaces required to serve buildings or a use erected or established after the effective date of this ordinance shall be located on the same zoning lot as the building or use served, except as may be otherwise permitted under section 10-1008, satellite parking areas.

C.

Where fractional spaces result, the parking or loading spaces required shall be construed to be the next highest whole number.

D.

Parking spaces required on an employee or person basis shall be based on the maximum number of employees/persons on duty or residing, or both, on the premises at any time, or the occupancy load of the building/use, whichever is greater. Overlapping demand for parking spaces at shift changes shall be considered.

E.

No enlargement of a building, structure or use shall be made in such a way as to reduce the number of existing parking or loading spaces below the minimum number required unless provisions are made elsewhere, as permitted by this ordinance, to replace any required spaces which may have been removed. Additional parking or loading spaces shall be provided to accommodate any additional demand created by such enlargement. (7-7-05, 3-20-14.)

A.

Due to the particularities of any given development, the strict application of the number of parking spaces set forth in the table of parking requirements may result in a development either with inadequate parking space or parking spaces far in excess of the needs of the land use or development. Alternative off-street parking spaces required may be established by the zoning administrator in accordance with the procedures and criteria set forth below:

1.

The zoning administrator shall require a parking demand and utilization study to be submitted by the applicant, documenting the justification for an alternative number of parking spaces. Such study shall be based upon recognized national studies and resources, such as, but not limited to, the Parking Generation Manual prepared by the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

2.

Such study shall take into consideration potential pedestrian traffic, mass transit, characteristics of the occupants or employees, characteristics of uses for sharing of parking, and other pertinent variables related to the actual demand for parking spaces.

3.

The zoning administrator, based upon this study and other pertinent information, may reduce the number of parking spaces, permit additional spaces, or allow for shared parking under terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the zoning administrator.

4.

The zoning administrator's discretion shall apply only to the number of spaces required for off-street parking and shall not apply to any other requirement for parking areas.

A.

The dimensions of the parking area and individual parking spaces shall provide for the minimum dimensions set forth in the off-street parking plan table shown below, except that parking spaces in gravel or similarly surfaced parking lots shall be ten (10) feet wide by twenty (20) feet long.

Off Street Parking Plan Table

* This measurement used where parking spaces abut pedestrian walkways.

** Measured between ends of parking space lines-minimum width of traffic aisle in parking lots having one-way traffic/minimum width of traffic aisles in parking lots for two-way traffic.

*** Measured to nearest foot.

B.

Wherever parking areas consist of spaces set aside for parallel parking, the dimensions of such parking spaces shall be not less than twenty-two (22) feet in length. (7-7-05.)

A.

Parking area aisle widths shall conform to the following table, which varies the width requirement measured according to the angle of parking:

Parking Angle

B.

Excluding curb offset, driveways shall be not less than ten (10) feet or exceed fifteen (15) feet in width for one-way traffic and less than eighteen (18) feet or exceed thirty (30) feet in width for two-way traffic, except that driveways twelve (12) feet in width are permissible for two-way traffic when all of the following criteria are met:

1.

The driveway is not longer than fifty (50) feet in length;

2.

The driveway provides access to not more than six (6) spaces; and

3.

The driveway provides sufficient turning space so that vehicles need not back into a public street or right-of-way. (7-7-05.)

A.

No structure shall be erected, substantially altered, or its use changed unless permanent off-street parking and loading spaces have been provided and maintained in accordance with the provision of this section. The zoning administrator may authorize a modification of the parking space requirements if the zoning administrator finds that, in the particular case, the peculiar nature of the use, the exceptional shape or size of the property, or any other exceptional situation or condition would justify such modification. Any such modifications shall be accompanied by findings consistent with section 10-1002.

B.

Parking and loading requirements shall be determined by floor area of the building, structure, or total square footage devoted to the use.

C.

Parking and loading requirements per seat or seating space shall be determined by the number of fixed seats, except as otherwise required. For purposes of bench-type seating, twenty-one (21) inches shall be the equivalent of one (1) seat. Unfixed seating shall be based on the maximum occupancy as determined by the building inspector.

D.

Parking requirements for residential uses may be provided in attached or detached garages, provided that each required parking space shall have direct access to a public road unobstructed by other required parking spaces.

E.

Parking areas shall be designed so that vehicles may exit such areas without backing onto a public street without resorting to extraordinary movements. This requirement does not apply to parking areas consisting of driveways along a local street that serve single-family detached dwelling units.

F.

Access must be provided and shall be designed so that sanitation, emergency, and other public service vehicles can serve such developments without the necessity of backing unreasonable distances or making other dangerous or hazardous turning movements.

G.

Every parking area shall be designed to accommodate vehicle overhang by providing four-foot spacing between the parking spaces and any adjacent property, wall, sidewalk, vegetation other than ground cover, or any other obstruction, or by providing wheel stops in the parking spaces to accommodate for vehicle overhand between the parking spaces and any adjacent property, wall, sidewalk, vegetation other than ground cover, or any other obstruction.

H.

Circulation areas shall be designed so that vehicles can proceed safely without posing a danger to pedestrians or other vehicles and without interfering with parking areas.

I.

Lighting of parking areas shall comply with the lighting requirements and standards contained in article XI.

J.

A "sight triangle" shall be observed at all street intersections or intersections of driveways with streets as required in subsection 5-2000.O., sight triangles.

K.

No new parking area shall hereafter be constructed or used unless landscaping is provided as required by the provisions of article VIII.

L.

Any parking area that is adjacent to a road or right-of-way shall provide a landscaped buffer between the parking area and the road or right-of-way as required by the provisions of article VIII. (7-7-05; Ord. No. 2011-21-C, 11-17-11.)

A.

Parking areas that include lanes for drive-in windows or contain parking areas that are required to have more than twenty (20) parking spaces and that are used regularly for at least five (5) days per week shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other material that will provide equivalent protection against potholes, erosion, and dust.

B.

Parking areas that are not provided with the type of surface specified in subsection A. of this section shall be graded and surfaced with crushed stone, gravel, crushed shell or other suitable material to provide a surface that is stable, and will help to reduce dust and erosion, and will reduce the impervious character of the surface. The perimeter of such parking areas shall be defined by bricks, stones, railroad ties, or other similar devices as approved by the zoning administrator. In addition, whenever such a parking area abuts a paved public street, the driveway leading from such street to such area (or, if there is no driveway, the portion of the parking area that opens onto such streets), shall be paved as provided in subsection A. of this section for a minimum distance of fifteen (15) feet back from the edge of such street subject to any requirements of the Virginia Department of Transportation. This subsection shall not apply to single-family or two-family residences.

C.

Parking areas and spaces in areas surfaced in accordance with subsection A. of this section shall be appropriately delineated with painted lines or other safety markings.

D.

Parking areas shall be properly maintained in all respects. In particular, and without limiting the foregoing, parking area surfaces shall be kept in good repair and condition allowing the unimpeded movement of vehicles and parking space lines or markings shall be kept clearly visible and distinct.

E.

Consideration should be given to providing for heavy vehicular use areas (i.e., maintenance, garbage collection, deliveries, etc.) whereby reinforced surfaces are used in the vehicle movement areas to prevent surface/structural failure or damage of parking or movement areas. (7-7-05.)

A.

One (1) parking area may contain required spaces for several different uses. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the required space assigned to one (1) use may not be credited to any other use.

B.

Shared parking areas for nonresidential uses are permitted subject to the provisions of section 10-1002, in addition to the following:

1.

The operations sharing the joint use of parking areas shall not be open for business or used during the same principal operating hours, and

2.

The parties concerned with such joint use are subject to a written joint use agreement as determined by the zoning administrator.

C.

If the joint use of the same parking spaces by two (2) or more principal uses involves satellite parking spaces, then the provisions of section 10-1008 shall also apply.

D.

Off-street parking areas required for residential use shall not be included in any shared parking arrangement. (7-7-05.)

A.

Where it is not feasible, as determined by the zoning administrator, for uses to provide all or part of the required off-street parking on the premises, satellite parking may be permitted subject to the following requirements:

1.

Such parking shall only be in the same zoning district as the use it is intended to serve.

2.

Such spaces shall be within five hundred (500) feet of uses served measured by normal pedestrian routes.

3.

To satisfy the requirements of this ordinance, the land on which satellite parking is located shall be held in fee simple by the owner of the use served or in such other tenure as assures continued availability for parking as long as the particular land will be needed for such use; provided, that if tenure is other than ownership in fee simple, the form of tenure shall be approved by the county attorney before use to provide required off-street parking space is allowed.

4.

An agreement, approved as to form by the county attorney, shall be recorded with the office of the clerk of the circuit court of Isle of Wight County providing that any satellite parking required and permitted will not be alienated from the use for which it is required unless other arrangements acceptable to the zoning administrator and the county attorney are made to provide the required parking.

B.

No commercial repair work or service of any kind shall be conducted in satellite parking areas. No sign of any kind, other than designating ownership, entrances, exits, and conditions of use, shall be erected on such satellite parking areas.

C.

The satellite parking areas shall be subject to all requirements of this ordinance concerning surfacing, lighting, buffering, drainage, landscaping, screening, and setbacks. (7-7-05.)

When the required number of parking spaces is increased due to a change in use or occupancy by less than twenty percent (20%), parking facilities shall be provided for the increase, but not for any existing deficiency in such facilities. When the required number of parking spaces is increased due to a change in use or occupancy by more than twenty percent (20%), including consecutive increases from the date of this ordinance, parking facilities in conformity with the requirements of this ordinance shall be provided for the entire building, structure or use on premises. (7-7-05.)

Schedule A

This schedule sets forth minimum parking requirements for uses with elements having different functions or operating characteristics within a single overall use.

Schedule B

Specific requirements shall be determined by the zoning administrator based on requirements for similar uses, location of the proposed use, expected demand and traffic generated by the proposed use, and appropriate traffic engineering and planning criteria and information. Determinations of requirements may be appealed to the board of zoning appeals. (7-7-05; 3-20-14; 11-17-16; 7-18-19.)

A.

Subject to subsection E. of this section, whenever the normal operation of any use requires that goods, merchandise, or equipment be routinely delivered to or shipped from that site, a sufficient off-street loading and unloading area shall be provided in accordance with this section to accommodate the delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.

B.

The loading and unloading area must be of sufficient size to accommodate the numbers and types of vehicles that will use this area, given the nature of the use. Each loading area intended for a semi-tractor trailer shall have a minimum dimension of twelve (12) feet by fifty-five (55) feet and overhead clearance of fourteen (14) feet from the driveway or street grade. The following table indicates the number of spaces required by the floor area of the building. However, the zoning administrator may require more or less loading and unloading area if reasonably necessary to satisfy the foregoing standard.

Loading Space Requirements

* Plus one (1) loading space for each additional seventy-two thousand (72,000) square feet of floor area or the fraction thereof.

C.

Loading and unloading areas shall be located and designed so that the vehicles intended to use such areas can maneuver safely and conveniently to and from public rights-of-way, and complete the loading and unloading operations without obstructing or interfering with any public rights-of-way, parking space, parking lot aisle, drive-through lane, or pedestrian access.

D.

No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities may be used to satisfy the area requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off-street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading and unloading facilities.

E.

No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities shall be located closer than fifty (50) feet to any lot in a residential district unless wholly within a completely enclosed building or unless enclosed on all sides by a wall or uniformly painted board fence not less than six (6) feet in height.

F.

Loading and unloading facilities shall be located at the side or rear of the primary structure and screened from all public rights-of-way. (7-7-05.)

A.

Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be located as close as possible to ramps, walkways, entrances, and elevators. Where feasible, these parking spaces shall be located so that the physically handicapped are not forced to wheel or walk across main traffic lanes or behind parked cars to reach the ramps and other facilities. The spaces shall be situated in those areas of the vehicle parking area located nearest to each primary building entrance.

B.

Each parking space for the physically handicapped shall be at least eighteen and one-half (18.5) feet in length and sixteen (16) feet in width which includes a loading and unloading area eight (8) feet in width for single spaces and four (4) feet in width for contiguous spaces. Such spaces shall be arranged and dispersed throughout the vehicle parking area so as to provide convenient access to all major entrances of the proposed business or businesses.

C.

The following number of parking spaces shall be reserved for the physically handicapped:

D.

Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be identified by signs, generally located four (4) feet above grade. Such signs shall state that the space is reserved by law for the physically handicapped. Where these signs are placed flush against buildings or structures or in other locations not accessible to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, the height may be increased to six (6) feet. Additional consideration should be given to demarcation of the international handicapped symbol on the pavement for those spaces provided for the handicapped.

E.

All physical improvements adjacent to or within parking areas such as curbs, sidewalks, and grades shall be certified by a licensed professional engineer, or other individual as may be approved by the zoning administrator, as conforming with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and any applicable state requirements.

F.

Storm drain grates or similar devices shall not be located within the required access for the physically handicapped. (7-7-05.)

A.

Stacking spaces shall be provided for any use having a drive-through facility. The following general standards shall apply to all stacking spaces and drive-through facilities:

1.

Stacking spaces and lanes for drive-through stations shall not impede on- and off-site traffic movements, shall not cross or pass through off-street parking areas, and shall not create a potentially unsafe condition where crossed by pedestrian access to a public entrance of a building.

2.

Drive-through lanes shall be separated from off-street parking areas. Individual lanes shall be striped, marked or otherwise distinctly delineated.

3.

Approach lanes for drive-through facilities shall have the following minimum widths:

a.

One lane = twelve (12) feet.

b.

Two or more lanes = ten (10) feet per lane.

4.

All drive-through facilities shall be provided with a bypass lane with a minimum width of ten (10) feet.

5.

Alleys or driveways in residentially zoned areas adjacent to drive-through facilities shall not be used for circulation of customer traffic.

6.

Each stacking space shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet by twenty (20) feet.

B.

Stacking spaces shall be provided as follows:

1.

Financial institutions with drive-through windows. .....Six (6) stacking spaces for the first drive-through window and three (3) stacking spaces for each additional window.

2.

Car wash. .....Four (4) stacking spaces per bay/stall for self-service establishments, and five (5) stacking spaces per bay/stall for an automated establishment.

3.

Drive-in or fast food restaurant. .....Six (6) stacking spaces per drive-through window measured from the order board or station. In the instance where there are multiple order boards or stations and only one (1) drive through window where food and/or beverages are delivered to the customer, then the total number of required stacking spaces referenced above may be divided between the multiple order boards or stations.

4.

All other uses. .....Three (3) stacking spaces for each window. (7-7-05; Ord. No. 2013-2-C, 4-18-13.)

Uses that typically have regular drop-off and pick-up activities, including but not limited to, day care facilities, adult care facilities, hospitals, clinics, medical facilities, schools, and other uses as determined by the zoning administrator shall provide suitable site design and facilities for such activity. The following factors shall be considered in the approval of such designs:

A.

The drop-off and pick-up area shall be connected to the main building by a sidewalk.

B.

Driveways, entrances and exits shall be designed to maximize pedestrian safety. (7-7-05.)

It is intended that the application of the landscape standards set forth in this section will reduce the visual and environmental impacts of large expanses of parking areas. Breaking up of paved parking areas with plantings will provide improved aesthetics and microclimatic benefits by reducing heat and glare. (7-7-05.)

No new parking areas shall hereafter be constructed or used unless landscaping is provided as required by article VIII. (7-7-05, 3-20-14.)

Where a parking area is altered or expanded to increase the size to twenty (20) or more vehicular parking spaces, interior landscaping for the entire parking area shall be provided and not merely to the extent of its alteration or expansion. (3-20-14.)

Editor's note—An ordinance adopted March 20, 2014, amended § 10-2003, which pertained to perimeter landscaping buffer as adopted July 7, 2005, in its entirety to read as herein set out.

Editor's note—An ordinance adopted March 20, 2014, deleted § 10-2004, which pertained to interior landscaping as adopted July 7, 2005, in its entirety.

Editor's note—An ordinance adopted March 20, 2014, deleted § 10-2005, which pertained to landscaping of expanded nonconforming parking areas as adopted July 7, 2005, in its entirety.