(a)

Proper access. This article sets forth regulations designed to ensure property access to each lot and each development, via connection to the public street system.

(b)

Need for parking. Space for the parking of motor vehicles is needed to serve every property that contains a principal use, for the safety and convenience of the people who live or work on the property, shop or do business on the property, or otherwise visit the property in the normal course of activity of the principal use. It is in the public interest to establish minimum off-street parking and loading areas in proportion to the need created by each use, considering reductions for the provision of alternative modes of travel.

(c)

Need for loading and unloading spaces. Space for the loading and unloading of equipment, supplies, and products is needed to serve properties engaging in such loading and unloading operations. If not required, adequate and proper loading spaces in acceptable locations tend not to be provided.

(d)

Environment. Poor design of parking lots can lead to damage to the environment and may require the community to subsidize the interests of a private property owner at the expense of the community's environment. It is reasonable to require good design of parking lots. Possible negative effects of parking and loading areas include changes to microclimate, isolation of pedestrians, increased stormwater runoff, and reduced stormwater infiltration into the ground.

(e)

Stormwater management. Parking lot surfaces such as asphalt and concrete contribute to the degradation of local water quality. Parking lots can be more compatible environmentally if protection measures are incorporated into design standards and regulations. Porous pavement and grass pavers reduce runoff by allowing it to pass through the paved surface and infiltrate back into the soil and groundwater. Utilizing porous pavements and grass pavers also reduces or eliminates land dedicated to surface storm water management facilities. Porous pavement designs and grass pavers are appropriate in some instances. Other types of stormwater management facilities are environmentally compatible, such as vegetative swales and bioretention. It is therefore appropriate to provide for alternative pavement materials, such as porous asphalt, turf block, gravel, and cobbles which have higher degrees of water quality effectiveness than conventional asphalt and pervious concrete.

(f)

Pedestrian mobility. Areas of paving are necessary to accommodate automobiles, but they can be unfriendly to pedestrians without specific regulations requiring that designers accommodate pedestrians. Large, open parking areas are conducive to high speeds and random maneuvers which can endanger pedestrians. Wide driveway aisles and access roads also increase speeds and discourage pedestrian travel. Street and parking lot design can balance the needs to accommodate automobile-centered standards with approaches that take into account the needs of pedestrians. It is in the public interest to establish on-site circulation patterns conducive to safe pedestrian as well as vehicular and truck access.

(g)

Overbuilding of parking lots. Off-street parking requirements, as conventionally implemented, have resulted in excess, unnecessary parking around commercial development because it remains unused for most of the year. Parking lot construction is a considerable factor in the cost of development. Reducing parking areas reduces development costs. Therefore, reductions in the size of paved parking and flexibility in the types of pavement and parking designs are beneficial to all concerned. It is in the public interest to establish maximum off-street parking limitations.

(h)

Connectivity. Abutting properties which do not provide interconnecting access to one another make it difficult, dangerous, and inefficient if not impossible, for motorists to travel between those properties. Between compatible uses, provisions requiring inter-parcel access meet substantial public purposes of convenience and safety. It is therefore in the public interest to promote and require inter-parcel access to facilitate movement of customers from business to business without generating additional turning movements on the public street, thus increasing public safety.

(i)

Public improvements. It is in the public interest to establish design and improvement specifications for the development of driveways and the connection of parking lots to public streets.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Access: A way or means of approach to provide physical entrance to a property.

Curb cut: Any interruption or break in the line of a street curb for the purpose of connecting a driveway to a street, or otherwise to provide vehicular access to abutting property.

Deceleration lane: A speed-change lane, including tapered areas, for the purpose of enabling a vehicle that is making an exit turn from a roadway to slow to a safe turning speed after it has left the mainstream of faster-moving traffic. Also called a "decel lane"; it denotes a right turn lane or a left turn lane into a development.

Driveway: A constructed vehicular access serving one or more properties and connecting to a public or private street.

Driveway, residential: Any private passageway to any property used for dwelling purposes. However, if a driveway provides access for more than four dwelling units, it shall be considered a commercial driveway. Any private access connecting property zoned and used for a residential dwelling. Residential driveways may connect to a public street, roadway, or state route.

Driveway width: The narrowest width of a driveway measured perpendicular to centerline of the driveway, from edge of pavement to edge of pavement or edge of gutter to edge of gutter.

Gated community: Residential areas that restrict access to normally public roads and spaces. Gates can include guard houses, electronic arms operated by card, codes, or remote control devices. Visitors must stop to be verified for entry.

Handicapped parking space: A space for parking a standard sized passenger vehicle, laid out and designated by signage in accordance with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Highway: A term applied to streets and roads that are under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Department of Transportation or federal highway agency. Highways are major arteries of the circulation network, carry significant volumes of traffic for both long and short trips, and are designed with access to abutting properties with some degree of control and safe standards of design.

Inter-parcel access: A roadway or series of connecting roads within a property providing access to interior lot frontage or other properties, not connected to a public road or state route.

Parking aisle: The traveled way, which is not the public right-of-way, by which cars enter and depart parking spaces and maneuver within a designated parking lot.

Parking lot: Any public or private area at grade used for the express purpose of temporarily parking automobiles and other vehicles otherwise in operation for personal or business use.

Parking space: A space identified and set aside for the temporary parking of an automobile or other motor vehicle. The typically acceptable parking space has a dimension of nine feet in width by 20 feet in length, although this article permits reductions in parking space widths in certain circumstances.

Pavement width: The width of a given lane, road, or other road pavement width, measured from back-of-curb to back-of-curb or to the edge of pavement where no curbs are required or exist.

Public improvement: The construction, enlargement, extension or other construction of a facility intended for dedication to the county or to a facility already owned by the county, including but not limited to a street, curb and gutter, sidewalk, cross drain, catch basin, other roadway appurtenance, domestic water supply system main, fire hydrant, valve or other water system appurtenance, or sanitary sewerage main or outfall, lift station, force main, manhole or other appurtenance. Utility supply lines to a building are not considered public improvements.

Reservation: The designation by plat or deed of a certain area reserved for possible future public purposes. A reservation does not transfer title of the reserved area to the public unless the Jackson County Board of Commissioners accepts the area for public purposes.

Right-of-way: Land reserved for and immediately available for public use as a street or other purpose.

Right-of-way, private: That area, distinguished from an access easement or public right-of-way, dedicated to property owners of the subdivision involved or to other individuals, and which affords permanent access to abutting property or properties. A private right-of-way is distinguishable from a public road right-of-way in that maintenance and ownership of the road and accessory improvements is by private individuals or a private association rather than the county, state, or another governmental entity.

Right-of-way, public: That area, distinguished from an easement or private road right-of-way, which is owned in fee-simple title by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, State of Georgia, or other government, for the present or future use of roads, roads and highways, together with its drainage facilities and other supporting uses and structures.

Right-of-way miter: A right-of-way line at a street or highway intersection, which is parallel to neither road but forms a triangle with extensions of the right-of-way lines of the adjacent sides of the intersecting roads. The purpose of a right-of-way miter is to provide improved visibility for vehicles approaching the intersection by enabling the elimination of visual obstructions or to provide room for a traffic signal support pole or guy wire.

Road: A state highway, a county road, a road adopted as a county-owned right-of-way approved for county maintenance, a street owned and/or maintained by a municipality, or where permitted, a private road. Roads afford the principal means of access to abutting property or properties and are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC. The term includes "street" but does not include "access easement."

Road, private: An improved road, distinguished from a public road in that the right-of-way which affords a principal means of access to abutting property or properties is privately owned and maintained. Private roads are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC.

Road, public: A state highway, county road, a road adopted as a county-owned right-of-way approved for county maintenance, or a street owned and/or maintained by a municipality. New public roads are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC.

Roadway: The portion of a highway or road, including shoulders, for vehicle use.

Roadway drainage structure: A device such as a bridge, culvert, or ditch, composed of a virtually non-erodible material such as concrete, steel, plastic, or other such material that conveys water under a roadway by intercepting the flow on one side of a traveled way consisting of one or more defined lanes, with or without shoulder areas, and carrying water to a release point on the other side.

Sidewalk: A hard-surfaced pedestrian access area adjacent to or within the right-of-way of a street.

Street: A dedicated and accepted public right-of-way, or a private street approved by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, which affords the principal means of access for motor vehicles to abutting properties.

Traveled way: The portion of a roadway for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders and auxiliary lanes.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Before any land disturbance permit, development permit or building permit is issued for a given development or building, the access (including driveways), parking lot layout and area, and if applicable loading area, must be found by the public development director to be in compliance with all applicable requirements of this article. No such permit shall be issued if the access and improvements fail to comply with the requirements of this article.

(b)

The building inspector shall not issue a building permit and shall not allow occupancy or use of a building until advised by the public development director that access, parking, and loading as applicable meet the requirements of this article.

(c)

No lot shall be subdivided unless it complies with the requirements of this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

For properties within an overlay district (see article 4 of this UDC), the overlay district standards for access, parking and loading, as applicable, supersede the requirements in this article to the extent they are more restrictive (less permissive).

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

The entire parcel, rather than simply a particular project, shall be considered in formulating and approving access plans. To this end, the public development director may require a development project or subdivision on only part of a lot (unsubdivided parcel) to design and provide access through the remainder of the parcel not proposed for land development at the time, or reserve such future access by easement or right-of-way.

(b)

Where land proposed to be subdivided or developed includes only part of the tract owned or intended for subdivision or development by the subdivider or land developer, a tentative plan of a future road system for the portion not slated for immediate subdivision or land development consideration shall be required by the public development director. When such tentative plan is required, it shall be prepared and submitted by the subdivider or land developer no later than the time of submission of lot subdivision or development plan approval, whichever occurs first.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

A publicly approved street meeting the requirements of this article shall serve every development and every lot within a subdivision, unless otherwise specifically provided in this article.

(b)

Every development and every major subdivision shall have access to the public street system via a standard county road.

(c)

Access improvements such as deceleration lanes, dedicated left-turning lanes, center turn lanes, merge lanes, signalization, etc., required as deemed necessary for safe traffic operations by the public development director shall be installed at all entrance roads into a development or major subdivision. These requirements are in addition to, not in lieu of, requirements for improving roads as specified in section 617 of this article. The director shall use the Georgia Department of Transportation Regulations for Driveway and Encroachment Control, Revision 4.0, dated March 15, 2016, section 4.9, "Auxiliary Turn Lanes," as may be amended from time to time, as a basis for determining whether deceleration lanes and other lanes are required; unless otherwise determined appropriate by the director, if the DOT driveway regulations would require an improvement if the road were a state route, the director shall require the same such improvements which are as follows.

1.

Right-turn deceleration lanes. Right turn deceleration lanes must be constructed at no cost to the county if the daily site generated right turn volumes (RTV) based on the institute of transportation engineers' publication Trip Generation (assuming a reasonable distribution of entry volumes) meet or exceed the values shown in the table below:

2.

Left-turn lanes. Left turn lanes must be constructed at no cost to the county if the daily site generated left turn volumes (LTV) based on the institute of transportation engineers' publication Trip Generation (assuming a reasonable distribution of entry volumes) meet or exceed the values shown in the table below:

(d)

A single entrance road to a subdivision shall serve no more than 99 lots. Where the property configuration prohibits or makes impractical the installation of more than one entrance, the board of adjustment may waive this requirement following sound engineering practice. When more than one entrance is required, the first additional entrance shall be provided to serve up to an additional 150 lots, and each additional entrance thereafter shall be provided for each additional 250 lots.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Access onto a state road shall meet the Georgia Department of Transportation Regulations for Driveway and Encroachment Control, Revision 4.0, dated March 15, 2016, as may be amended from time to time. For driveways accessing U.S. or State highways, the requirements of the Georgia Department of Transportation shall apply whenever more restrictive than the standards in this UDC.

(b)

A copy of the Georgia Department of Transportation permit, if required, shall be submitted to the public development director before plans for land development are approved or permits can be issued for building.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

For any lot of record which existed prior to adoption of this UDC but which does not have frontage on a public street or private street meeting the requirements of this UDC, access may be obtained to and from that lot of record solely via any access easement which was lawfully established for access to such lot prior to the adoption of this UDC.

(b)

A new access easement shall not be authorized as the sole means of access to a lot, except when property is lawfully divided pursuant to the exception for lots in the A-2 zoning district as provided in subsection 117(f) of this UDC. This paragraph shall not be construed to limit use of access easements on lots that otherwise meet the access and lot frontage requirements of this UDC.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Shared driveways between two parcels along the common property line of the two parcels may be required by the public development director at the time of lot subdivision.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

In the event that a development or major subdivision has access to a substandard road (i.e., a dirt, gravel or surface treated pavement road), the following project access improvements shall be required.

(a)

The street shall be upgraded by the developer to a standard county road from the project entrance to the nearest standard paved road along the route of access.

(b)

The roadway section shall meet the requirements for the functional classification of street as determined by the public development director based on the functional classification assigned by the county major roadways plan.

(c)

The developer shall design the road and provide the labor, equipment and materials required for roadway improvements and necessary drainage improvements.

(d)

The right-of-way required for these off-site improvements shall be acquired by the developer at no expense to the county. If the developer cannot acquire adequate right-of-way, the county attorney shall initiate acquisition proceedings at the expense of the developer after authorization by the board of commissioners.

(e)

If Jackson County desires the roadway to be improved to a standard greater than the functional classification of street as assigned by the county major roadways plan, the county shall provide or pay the cost of the additional right-of-way, materials and labor.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

At the time of any non-single-family residential development or major subdivision, existing roads that adjoin the development or subdivision shall be improved to meet the minimum standards of this UDC along the entire length of the development's road frontage.

(b)

These requirements are in addition to, not in lieu of, requirements for right-turn lanes and left-turn lanes as specified in section 612 of this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Developments abutting an arterial or collector street shall provide an access street to abutting commercial or multi-family residential development, whether existing or planned (i.e., according to either the zoning map and/or the future land use map, as determined by the public development director), so as to provide a vehicular connection among all adjacent parcels also abutting an arterial or collector street. This requirement may necessitate driveway aprons, stub-outs, or other design features to provide for cross-connection access to abutting properties as determined by the public development director.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

New commercial or multi-family residential development that abuts a planned, new or existing multi-family residential property or commercial property shall provide a sidewalk connecting the two uses, unless the public development director determines that it is unnecessary to provide inter-parcel pedestrian access due to the unlikelihood of patrons walking among two or more existing or proposed uses on abutting or nearby sites. This provision shall require such developments to construct the required sidewalk to the property line so that it may be continued by the adjacent development for future connectivity.

(a)

Internal to each building site, non-single-family residential developments shall provide safe routes of pedestrian access between points of departure and destinations. Such provisions for pedestrian access shall be shown on plans, including site plans for development permits and building permits.

(b)

When multiple buildings are proposed, they shall be linked with on-site pedestrian walkways.

(c)

All walkways internal to the site shall be a minimum of five feet wide.

(d)

The internal sidewalk system shall connect to the public sidewalk system along streets and highways, where it exists or is planned.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

All land developments shall be provided with traffic control signs (e.g., speed limits, direction of travel, etc.) if necessary, that meet or exceed The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways published by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, as may be amended from time to time, subject to the approval of the public development director.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

For subdivisions or land developments accessing state routes, the Georgia Department of Transportation requires a driveway permit and may require the installation of deceleration lanes and/or other improvements per its Regulations for Driveway and Encroachment Control, Revision 4.0, dated March 15, 2016, as may be amended from time to time. Such state approval and driveway permit shall be a precondition of subdivision and development permit approval.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

No driveway shall be connected to a county road, and no curbs or medians on public streets or rights-of-ways shall be cut or altered for access unless approved by the public development director in consultation with county road superintendent.

(b)

No driveway or other improvement constructed on a county road right-of-way shall be constructed or relocated or have its dimensions altered without the approval of the public development director in consultation with county road superintendent.

(c)

Driveways must be permitted. Approval of driveways shown on approved development plans shall constitute driveway approval unless specified otherwise in such approval. Approval of driveways shown on a building permit application shall constitute driveway approval unless specified otherwise by such permit approval. A separate driveway permit shall be required, if the driveway proposed has not been shown on approved development plans or approved as part of a building permit.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Residential driveways shall meet the following requirements:

(a)

Limitation in number. Residential driveways shall be limited to one per lot, except that a circular driveway with two entrances onto a county public road may be authorized if the driveway connections are separated by 100 feet or more.

(b)

Width. Eight feet minimum, except for shared driveways which shall be at least 12 feet wide. A residential driveway shall not exceed a width (measured at the right-of-way line of the street to which the driveway is connected) of 12 feet, unless the driveway serves a garage or carport designed to park two or more cars located within 40 feet of the right-of-way, in which case the maximum residential driveway width shall be 20 feet. The maximum driveway widths of this paragraph shall not be construed to prevent additional surfacing for purposes of connecting the driveway to a garage or carport, or for additional uncovered parking, or for additional maneuvering space on the lot.

(c)

Spacing from road intersection. Spacing of residential driveways shall be as required by standard drawing T-10 (see article 23) for purposes of observing minimum required sight distance, unless specifically approved otherwise as part of final plat approval for a common development or per individual driveway permit.

(d)

Locations. Driveways will be restricted to locations where movements into and out of them can occur in a safe and orderly manner, subject to the approval of the public development director.

(e)

Angle of intersection with street. Right angled (80 degrees to 100 degrees).

(f)

Driveway apron. The public development director may require installation of an asphalt or concrete driveway apron at any driveway connecting to a county road. When a driveway apron is required, the minimum driveway radius for a residential driveway shall be five feet.

(g)

Slope and elevation. Any driveway entering on a roadway or street may be required to be sloped down from the street or roadway at a rate of one-half inch per one foot for a minimum of ten feet. In any case, the finished driveway surface within the right-of-way where it abuts the adjacent road must be no higher in elevation than the roadbed.

(h)

Drainage. As a condition of driveway approval, the public development director is authorized to require a driveway applicant to install a storm drainage culvert of a size as approved by the public development director in consultation with the county road superintendent (eighteen-inch culvert typical where curb and gutter do not exist). All waters from driveways must enter onto the shoulders of adjacent roads and into the ditch or gutter. No water shall be permitted to enter onto the adjacent road surface or pavement.

(i)

Sidewalk transitions. Where a sidewalk is provided or planned, the driveway shall be designed and constructed with sidewalk transitions as appropriate.

(j)

Sight visibility clearance. With the exception of sign posts and other structures less than eight inches in diameter, structures and landscaping shall not exceed three feet in height within a triangle measuring 20 feet along the edge of a driveway and 20 feet along the street right-of-way line.

(k)

No access easement. Residential lots in any major subdivision shall have no direct driveway access to a county arterial road unless approved by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, or to a state or U.S. numbered highway unless approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and incorporated into the construction drawings for the project prior to issuance of a development permit by Jackson County. An easement of at least 20 feet in width, across which there shall be no right of access, shall be provided along the entire width of lots in a major subdivision that abut any major collector or arterial road. Notwithstanding this provision, the public development director may permit up to a maximum of four driveways on an arterial road serving individual residential lots, if driveway separation requirements are met.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Nonresidential driveways shall meet the following requirements. Driveways serving agricultural properties shall not require compliance with all of the requirements of this section; provided, however, that farms with poultry houses or livestock operations may be required by the public development director to meet any of these specifications or other alternatives for the safe ingress and egress of trucks and trailers in a manner that does not damage public improvements including roadway drainage structures.

(a)

Number. Along any county road, each lot shall be permitted no more than two points of vehicular access to each abutting public road; provided however, that lots with 150 feet of frontage or less shall have no more than one point of access to any one public street. The public development director shall determine whether the points of access may be unrestricted or will have to be designed for right-in, right-out traffic flow.

(b)

Two-way width: 24 feet minimum and 32 feet maximum.

(c)

One-way width: 12 feet minimum and 18 feet maximum.

(d)

Spacing from road intersection. Spacing of nonresidential driveways shall be as required by standard drawing T-10 (see article 23) for purposes of observing minimum required sight distance, unless specifically approved otherwise as part of final plat approval for a common development or per individual driveway permit.

(e)

Distance from property lines. Curb cuts may be located no closer than 20 feet from a property line, unless a common access driveway is approved by the public development director, in which case there is no setback from the common property line.

(f)

Locations. Driveways will be restricted to locations where movements into and out of them can occur in a safe and orderly manner, subject to the approval of the public development director.

(g)

Angle of intersection with street. Right angled (80 degrees to 100 degrees).

(h)

Driveway apron. Installation of an asphalt or concrete driveway apron may be required for any nonresidential driveway connecting to a county road. When a driveway apron is required, the minimum driveway radius for a shall be 15 feet for commercial and multi-family residential development and 25 feet for industrial development.

(i)

Slope and elevation. Any driveway entering on a roadway or street may be required to be sloped down from the street or roadway at a rate of one-half inch per one foot for a minimum of ten feet. In any case, the finished driveway surface within the right-of-way where it abuts the adjacent road must be no higher in elevation than the roadbed.

(j)

Drainage. As a condition of driveway approval, the public development director is authorized to require a driveway applicant to install a storm drainage culvert of a size as approved by the public development director in consultation with the county road superintendent (18-inch culvert typical where curb and gutter do not exist). All waters from driveways must enter onto the shoulders of adjacent roads and into the ditch or gutter. No water shall be permitted to enter onto the adjacent road surface or pavement.

(k)

Sidewalk transitions. Where a sidewalk is provided or planned, the driveway shall be designed and constructed with sidewalk transitions as appropriate.

(l)

Sight visibility clearance. With the exception of sign posts and other structures less than eight inches in diameter, structures and landscaping shall not exceed three feet in height within a triangle measuring 20 feet along the edge of a driveway and 20 feet along the street right-of-way line.

(m)

Alignment. Non-single-family residential driveways may be required to be aligned with existing or planned driveways on the opposite side of the road.

(n)

Additional location restriction. A driveway shall not be allowed along a right-of-way miter.

(o)

Additional travel lane. If the centerline of a driveway entrance on a major collector or arterial street is less than 400 feet from the centerline of an intersection, a continuous travel lane shall be constructed by the developer from the intersecting street to the driveway.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

This division shall apply to construction of any new parking lot containing five or more spaces; and to the expansion of an existing parking lot by five or more parking spaces.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Construction of a new parking lot containing five or more spaces, or the addition of five or more spaces to an existing parking lot, shall require issuance of a development permit.

(b)

To ensure compliance with this article, parking and circulation plans shall include the number of spaces provided, the minimum parking spaces required, the maximum number of parking spaces allowed, the location of entrances, exits, aisles, curbing where required, landscaping, screening, surface materials, provisions for drainage and other specifications necessary to ensure compliance with this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Efficient and easily recognized vehicular circulation routes within a development are vital and shall be provided. Internal vehicle circulation shall be designed or redesigned in a manner that avoids conflicts between through-traffic (i.e., traffic flowing into and out of the site) and local traffic (i.e., traffic through parking areas). Interior vehicular circulation shall also be facilitated by the following means:

(a)

Considering the entire parcel and its anticipated development, rather than simply a particular project, in formulating and approving access plans;

(b)

Avoiding dead-end parking areas;

(c)

Visually orienting the driver with a regular, logical system of interior driveways and roadways;

(d)

Identifying entrance drives with small entry signs; and

(e)

Preventing vehicles from driving across or through designated parking areas by placing raised landscaped dividers or walkways between parking aisles.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Except for parcels of land devoted to one-family or two-family dwellings, all areas devoted to off-street parking shall be so designed such that no vehicle is required to back into a public street to obtain access.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

No parking space shall be located or accessed directly from a driveway within the first 40 feet of the driveway back from the street right-of-way line.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Off-street parking areas shall be set back from front, side, and rear property lines by at least five feet. Buffer and landscape strips may require larger setbacks. Unenclosed off-street parking for single-family and two-family dwellings and agricultural uses shall have no setback requirements.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Every parking space shall provide a useable, rectangular area at least nine feet wide by 20 feet long; provided that parking space widths may be reduced in width only as specifically authorized in this division.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Every parking space shall be clearly demarcated by lines painted on or otherwise applied to the parking lot surface.

(b)

One-way traffic aisles must be clearly marked with directional arrows on the pavement at each intersection with another aisle, driveway, or street entrance.

(c)

The public development director may grant exceptions to the requirement of this section to mark common boundaries between parking spaces in the case of gravel parking lots, if and where permitted, and to authorize traffic directional signs in lieu of one-way pavement markings.

(d)

The public development director may require the installation of concrete parking "stops" to avoid encroachment of a vehicle onto landscaped areas.

(e)

There must be separation of at least two feet between parking spaces that abut one another front to front or back to back.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Access aisles in parking lots serving parking spaces which are perpendicular (90 degrees) to the access aisle shall be at least 24 feet wide (exclusive of area devoted to parking spaces) and provide for two-way traffic (see figure).

(b)

Parking spaces may be permitted with 90-degree, 60-degree, or 45-degree angles to the access aisle. Parking lots with parking space angles less than 45 degrees to the access aisle are not allowed, except for parking spaces that are parallel to the access aisle. Access aisles in parking lots serving parking spaces that are angled shall be limited to one-way traffic. Such access aisles shall be a minimum of 18 feet wide serving spaces that are at a 60-degree angle to the aisle and a minimum of 13 feet wide serving spaces that are at a 45-degree angle to the aisle (see figure).

(c)

The intersection of parking aisles with a ring road or other on-site roadway or driveway shall provide adequate intersection sight distance. Parking aisle end islands shall be curbed unless that requirement is waived for water quality purposes or in a rural/exurban area; painted end islands are ineffective and are generally not permitted.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Except as provided otherwise in this section, all off-street parking areas and all access drives for customer, visitor, and employee automobile parking serving uses other than single-family and two-family dwellings and agricultural uses shall be improved with a permanent dust-free surface consisting of a minimum of a six-inch graded aggregate base overlaid with a two-inch type B binder and a one and one-half-inch type E or F asphalt surface.

(b)

The public development director may authorize other paving materials such as pervious pavers.

(c)

The public development director or may allow driveway approaches and parking lots to be graveled in agricultural and rural character areas and in other character areas where water quality effectiveness would be enhanced with use of alternative improvement materials.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Curbs meeting county specifications for standard or roll back curbing shall be installed around the periphery of every parking lot, and shall extend along both sides of every access drive between the parking lot and the street or another parking lot or loading area, as applicable; provided, however, that the public development director may be waived for cases where water quality effectiveness would be enhanced with use of infiltration devices, biofiltration swales, and other low impact development techniques in lieu of required curbs.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Storm water drainage plans, including grading plans, shall be submitted to and approved by the public development department prior to the issuance of a development permit.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Any lights used to illuminate parking areas shall be arranged, located or screened to direct light away from any adjoining residential uses. "Shoe box" (full cutoff) lighting fixtures on poles shall be utilized for this purpose.

(b)

Light poles should be located in landscaped strips. Where this cannot be accomplished, light poles must be placed on a reinforced concrete pedestal to protect them from damage or being knocked over.

(c)

Parking lot lighting shall be located outside of any public right-of-way.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

All parking lots must provide landscaping as required by article 12 of this UDC.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Permanent off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of this article at the time: of the establishment of any use, or erection of any building; of occupancy of a building by a new use; and when any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, seats, or floor area.

(b)

All required off-street parking areas shall be ready for use, including surfacing as required, prior to occupancy of the property.

(c)

Loading spaces, including truck trailer storage spaces, if provided, shall not count toward meeting the minimum off-street parking requirements of this division.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Fractions. Where a calculation of minimum or maximum parking or loading spaces results in a fraction, the required number of parking spaces shall be construed to be (rounded up to) the next highest whole number of spaces.

(b)

Parking space requirement not specified. Where the parking requirement for a particular use is not described in this article, and where no similar use is listed, the public development director shall determine the number of spaces to be provided based on requirements for similar uses, location of the proposed use, the number of employees on the largest shift, total square footage, potential customer use, and other expected demand and traffic generated by the proposed use. At the discretion of a development applicant, a parking generation study prepared by a qualified professional may be submitted to aid the public development director in making such a determination; if submitted, it shall be considered by the public development director prior to making a determination.

(c)

Computations for multiple floor uses within a building. In cases where a building contains some combination of office space, retail or wholesale sales area, and/or bulk storage area, the public development director may authorize that the building space be divided into such floor space use areas and combined computations of floor areas (e.g., warehousing, retail, and/or office) utilized in meeting the off-street parking or loading space requirements of this article.

(d)

Maneuvering lanes not considered parking. Areas designated for temporary occupancy of vehicles while maneuvering on a site, such as queuing lanes for a drive-in window, are not considered and shall not be counted as parking spaces for purposes of meeting the requirements of this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Reference to requirements table. Unless specifically provided otherwise in this article, on each lot where a building, structure, or use exists, each site shall be designed to provide and shall provide for off-street parking in the minimum (and not to exceed the maximum) amounts in table 6-1.

(b)

Reduction. No existing or future off-street parking area shall be reduced in capacity to less than the minimum required number of spaces, or increased to more than the maximum permitted number of spaces, or altered in design or function to less than the minimum standards or more than the maximum permitted, unless specifically provided for otherwise in this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

No lot or use shall be allowed to exceed the maximum number of parking spaces for the use as provided in table 6-1, except as otherwise permitted by this article.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the parking requirement shall be based on the gross square footage of the building or buildings devoted to the particular use specified.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Table 6-2
Handicapped Parking Requirements

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

Reference to requirements. Regulations and dimensions for handicapped parking spaces shall be per requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Public Law 101-136) and the Georgia Accessibility Code (Chapter 120-3-20 adopted by the Safety Fire Commissioner). The required number of handicapped accessible spaces, which must be provided on-site, shall be as provided in table 6-2.

(b)

Part of overall requirements. Said spaces shall count toward the requirements for off-street parking as specified in table 6-1.

(c)

Aisle specifications and van accessibility. Handicap accessible parking spaces shall have an adjacent aisle five feet wide, and one in every eight handicapped spaces shall be adjacent to an aisle eight feet wide and the space shall be signed "van accessible." For van spaces, the width of the parking space shall be at least 11 feet. Handicapped parking space aisles shall be clearly demarcated by lines painted on or otherwise applied to the parking lot surface.

(d)

Surface slope. Handicap accessible parking spaces shall be located on a surface with a slope not exceeding one vertical foot in 50 horizontal feet (1:50).

(e)

Ramps. Wheelchair ramps shall be provided in accordance with applicable specifications at locations appropriate to normal travel routes from the parking lot to the principal use.

(f)

Signage. Accessible parking spaces shall be designated as reserved by a sign showing the symbol of accessibility, per applicable state law requirements. Such signs shall be located so that they cannot be obscured by a vehicle parked in that space.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

The public development director may authorize parking at a rate of up to 20 percent above the maximum permitted number of spaces, or at a rate of no more than 20 percent below the minimum required, upon application on a case-by-case basis, based upon the scale and impacts of the request, for good cause shown.

(b)

The public development director may require an applicant for administrative variance to include documentation from an acceptable industry publication (e.g., Institute of Transportation Engineers, Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, etc.) or a study prepared by a qualified professional that documents parking demands.

(c)

In approving administrative variances to the reduce the minimum parking requirements of this division, the public development director may as a condition of approval require an area on the same lot to be reserved or set-aside for additional parking area for future use if needed.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Stacking spaces shall be provided for any use having a drive-through facility or areas having drop-off and pick-up areas in accordance with this section.

(a)

Stacking spaces shall begin at the window or communication/mechanical device (e.g., order board) first encountered by the vehicle user. Financial institutions with drive-through windows, car washes (automated or staffed facilities), drive-through coffee sales facilities, and any other uses with drive-through facilities shall provide three stacking spaces for each window or drive-through service facility. Restaurants with drive-through facilities shall at least provide five stacking spaces for each window or drive-through service facility.

(b)

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.

(c)

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

(d)

All drive-through facilities shall be provided with a bypass lane with a minimum width of ten feet, aside the drive-through lane.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

(a)

In parking areas for uses which require ten parking spaces be provided, compact parking spaces, with widths of eight and one-half feet may be used for employee parking or overflow customer parking areas, but only if the compact parking spaces are clearly marked.

(b)

Where authorized to reduce parking space width, no more than 20 percent of the number of parking spaces provided in the entire parking area may be designated compact auto parking.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017; Ord. No. 19-001, 10-21-2019)

The parking spaces provided for separate uses may be combined in one parking lot but the required spaces assigned to each use may not be assigned to another use, except as follows:

(a)

Shared parking between day and night users. One-half of the parking spaces assigned to a church, theater, or assembly hall whose peak attendance will be at night or on Sundays may be assigned to a use that will be closed at night or on Sundays.

(b)

Shared use. Parking spaces may be shared by more than one use if the public development director finds that the total number of spaces will be adequate at the peak hours of the uses they serve. The ratios shown on table 6-3 may be used in determining the time of day and the day of the week at which the maximum number of spaces will be needed by the uses served by the shared parking facility.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017; Ord. No. 19-001, 10-21-2019)

Table 6-3
Percentage of Parking Spaces Demanded by Time Period

(c)

Availability of shared spaces. Parking spaces that are proposed to be shared among two or more uses must be clearly available to each use and not appear in any way to be serving a particular use, either through signage dedicating the spaces or through design techniques that would tend to orient use of the spaces to a particular business or building.

(d)

Recordation of shared parking agreement. Shared parking arrangements must be committed to writing in an instrument acceptable to the public development director, and approved by the owners of each of the affected properties or uses. The instrument must be recorded with the clerk of superior court, and a copy of the recorded document must be supplied to the public development director.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017; Ord. No. 19-001, 10-21-2019)

(a)

The public development director may in individual cases administratively authorize a proportional reduction in the required minimum number of parking spaces for office, institutional, industrial, and public uses with 50 or more employee parking spaces, if a formal carpool or van pool program is instituted.

(b)

For purposes of this section, carpool is defined as two or more persons per car, and vanpool is defined as five or more persons per van. Any carpool or vanpool program shall provide at least five spaces reserved for carpool or vanpool vehicles and shall be clearly marked "Reserved—Carpool/Vanpool Only" through signage or pavement markings.

(c)

Designated carpool/vanpool spaces shall be the closest employee parking spaces to the building entrance normally used by employees except for any handicapped parking spaces provided.

(d)

The applicant must agree that the parking preferences will be enforced.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

On the same lot with every building, structure or part thereof, erected or occupied for manufacturing, storage, warehouse, truck freight terminal, department store, wholesale store, grocery supermarket, hotel, hospital, mortuary, dry cleaning plant, retail business, or other uses similarly involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles, materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained adequate space for the standing, loading, and unloading of such materials to avoid undue interference with public use of streets, alleys, and private or public parking areas.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

One off-street loading space shall be provided for the first 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for light industrial use and one off-street loading space for the first 5,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for retail or other non-industrial use for which a loading space is required. One additional space shall be required for each additional 25,000 square feet of gross floor area or fractional part thereof for light industrial use and for each additional 10,000 square feet for retail or other non-industrial use.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Loading areas shall be located to the rear of the building unless site design precludes a rear location, in which case loading shall be to the side of a building.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

Unless otherwise approved by the public development director, loading spaces shall be a minimum of 14 feet wide, 40 feet long, with 14 feet of height clearance. When the development requires loading and unloading by full-size tractor-trailers, loading spaces shall be 60 feet long with a 63-foot apron, for a total of 123 feet.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)

The public development director is authorized to modify the loading area specifications of this division and reduce or waive off-street loading space requirements for good cause shown, after application for administrative variance.

(Ord. No. 17-003, § 1, 10-2-2017)