The purpose of this subchapter is to alleviate or prevent congestion of the public streets, and so promote the safety and welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for the off-street parking and loading and unloading of motor vehicles per the use to which property is put.

('71 Code, § 11-18-1) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60)

   (A)   Procedure. An application for a building permit for a new or enlarged building, structure, or use shall include therewith a plot plan, drawn to scale and fully dimensioned showing any parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

   (B)   Extent of control. The off-street parking and loading requirements of this chapter shall apply as follows:

      (1)   All buildings and structures erected and land uses initiated after the effective date of this chapter shall provide accessory off-street parking or loading facilities as required hereinafter for the use thereof, except that a building or structure for which a building permit has been issued prior to the effective date of this chapter shall not be required to furnish parking or loading facilities if construction is begun thereon within six months of the effective date of this chapter and diligently prosecuted to completion.

      (2)   When a building or structure erected prior to or after the effective date of this chapter shall undergo any decrease in number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity, number of employees or other unit of measurement specified hereinafter for the required parking or loading facilities, and further, when said decrease would result in a requirement for fewer total parking or loading spaces through application of the provisions of this chapter thereto, parking and loading facilities may be reduced accordingly, provided that existing parking or loading facilities shall be so decreased only when the facilities remaining would at least equal or exceed the parking or loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of this chapter to the entire building or structure as modified.

      (3)   When a building or structure shall undergo any increase in the number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or other unit of measurement specified hereinafter for required parking or loading facilities, and further, when said increase would result in a requirement for additional total parking or loading spaces through application of the provisions of this chapter thereto, parking and loading facilities may be increased accordingly, provided that existing parking or loading facilities shall be so increased that the facilities would at least equal or exceed the parking of loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of this chapter to the entire building or structure as modified.

      (4)   (a)   When a building is erected in the Central Business District and the compliance with the regulations and requirements for off-street parking, as set forth in this subchapter would result impractical difficulties or undue hardship, the applicant for a permit to erect or enlarge a building may elect to contribute to the city $1,200 for each required parking space. All such funds received shall be deposited with the city in a special fund to be known as “Central Business District Special Off-Street Parking Fund” and shall be used by the city to develop off-street parking facilities, within the area described below, for the convenience, safety, and general welfare of the people of the city.

         (b)   The Central Business District wherein the above applies is described as follows: Beginning at the alley first east of Main Street on First Street; thence westwardly along First Street to Main Street; thence southwardly along Main Street to Central Boulevard; thence westwardly along Central Boulevard to Tremont Street; thence northwesterly along Tremont Street to First Street; thence westwardly along First Street to the center of Lexington Avenue; thence northwardly along Lexington Avenue extended to the south line of the railroad right-of-way; thence northeastwardly along said railroad right-of- way to the center of Main Street; thence southwardly along Main Street to Third Street; thence eastwardly to the alley first east of Main Street; thence southwardly along said alley to the point of beginning.

   (C)   Existing parking and loading spaces. Accessory off-street parking and loading spaces in existence on the effective date hereof may not be reduced in number unless already exceeding the requirements of this subchapter for equivalent new construction; in which event said spaces shall not be reduced below the number required herein for such equivalent new construction.

   (D)   Permissive parking and loading spaces. Nothing in this subchapter shall prevent the establishment of off-street automobile parking or loading facilities to serve any existing use of land or buildings, subject to full compliance with the provisions of this subchapter, except that off-street parking areas accessory to existing multiple-family structures cannot be located off the premises containing the main use, unless on a lot adjacent thereto, without authorization by the City Council.

   (E)   Damage or destruction. Any building, structure or use which is in existence and is a conforming use on the effective date hereof and which subsequently shall be damaged or destroyed by fire, collapse, explosion or other cause may be reconstructed, re-established or repaired with or without off-street parking or loading facilities, except that parking or loading facilities equivalent to any maintained at the time of such damage or destruction shall be restored or continued in operation. However it shall not be necessary to restore or maintain parking or loading facilities in excess of those required by this chapter for equivalent new construction.

   (F)   Schedule of requirements.

      (1)   Tables for required parking and loading. Requirements governing the number and location of off-street parking and off-street loading facilities in relation to the use of property are established hereinafter in this subchapter. The parking and loading requirements for any use not specified herein shall be the same as for a similar specified use, as determined by § 155.125.

      (2)   Floor area. The term FLOOR AREA as employed in this parking and loading subchapter in the case of office, merchandising or service types use shall mean the gross floor area of a building or structure used for service to the public as customers, patrons, clients, patients, or tenants, including areas occupied by fixtures and equipment used for display or sale of merchandise. FLOOR AREAS for the purposes of this subchapter shall not include any area used for:

         (a)   Storage accessory to the principal use of a building;

         (b)   Incidental repairs;

         (c)   Processing or packaging of merchandise;

         (d)   Show windows, or offices incidental to the management or maintenance of a store or building;

         (e)   Rest rooms;

         (f)   Utilities; or

         (g)   Dressing, fitting or alteration rooms.

('71 Code, § 11-18-2) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60; Am. Ord. 1506, passed 6-13-66) Penalty, see § 155.999

   (A)   Use of parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential use and developed in any residential district per the requirements of this subchapter shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles owned by occupants of the dwelling structures to which such facilities are accessory or by guests of said occupants. Under no circumstances shall required parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage of commercial vehicles or for the parking of automobiles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants, visitors, or customers of business or manufacturing establishments, except as permitted in division (E) of this section.

   (B)   Joint parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities for different buildings, structures or uses, or for mixed uses, may be provided collectively in any zoning district in which separate parking facilities for each constituent use would be permitted, provided that the total number of spaces so located together shall not be less than the sum of the separate requirements for each use.

   (C)   Control of off-site facilities. When required accessory off-street parking facilities are provided elsewhere than on the lot on which the principal use served is located, they shall be in the same possession, either by deed or long-term lease, as the property occupied by such principal use, and the owner shall be bound by covenants filed on record in the office of the Recorder of Deeds or the Registrar of Titles of the county, requiring the owner and his said heirs and assigns to maintain the required number of parking spaces during the existence of said principal use.

   (D)   Permitted districts for accessory parking. Accessory parking facilities provided elsewhere than on the same zoning lot with the principal use served per § 155.125 may be located in any zoning district except as follows:

      (1)   No parking facilities accessory to an apartment use shall be located in an R-1, R-2 or R-3 District.

      (2)   No parking facilities accessory to any business or manufacturing use shall be located in a Residential District, except when authorized by the City Council as prescribed hereinafter.

      (3)   No parking facilities accessory to a manufacturing use shall be permitted in a B-1 or B-2 District.

   (E)   Nonresidential parking in residential districts. Accessory off-street parking facilities serving nonresidential uses of property may be permitted in all residential districts when authorized by the City Council, subject to the following requirements in addition to all other relevant requirements of this subchapter:

      (1)   A special use permit must be applied for and the permit shall be subject to the same process and receive the same consideration as any other request for a special use permit required by the City Code.

      (2)   The parking lot shall be accessory to, and for use in connection with, one or more nonresidential establishments located in adjoining districts or in connection with one or more existing professional or institutional office buildings or institutions.

      (3)   Said parking lot shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles.

      (4)   No commercial repair work, sales or service of any kind shall be conducted on said parking lot.

      (5)   No sign of any kind other than signs designating entrances, exits, and conditions of use, shall be maintained on said parking lot.

      (6)   Each entrance to and exit from said parking lot shall be at least 20 feet distant from any adjacent property located in any Residential District, except where ingress and egress to the parking lot is provided from a public way or public alley separating the residential areas from the proposed parking lot.

      (7)   In addition to the foregoing requirements, such parking lots shall conform to any further requirements and conditions as may be prescribed by the Plan Commission for the protection of properties adjacent to and in the vicinity of the proposed parking lot.

   (F)   Design and maintenance.

      (1)   Parking space; description. A required off-street parking space shall be an area of not less than 162 square feet nor less than 8½-feet wide by 19-feet long, exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns, or office and work areas, accessible from streets or alleys or from private driveways or aisles leading to streets or alleys and to be used for the storage or parking of passenger automobiles or commercial vehicles under 1½ ton capacity. Aisles between vehicular parking spaces shall be not less than 12 feet in width when serving automobiles parked at a 45° angle in one direction nor less than 20 feet in width when serving automobiles parked perpendicular to the aisles and accommodating two way traffic.

      (2)   Measurement of space. When determination of the number of required off-street parking spaces results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including ½ shall be interpreted as one parking space.

      (3)   Open and enclosed spaces. Parking areas may be open or enclosed except that when parking facilities accessory to a multiple dwelling are located in a Residential or B-1 or B-2 District elsewhere than on the same zoning lot with the principal use served, such parking facilities shall be open to the sky.

      (4)   Access. Parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in such a manner as will least interfere with the movement of traffic. No driveway or curb cut in any district shall exceed 30 feet in width.

      (5)   Signs. No signs shall be displayed in any parking area within any Residential District, except such as may be necessary for the orderly use of the parking facility.

      (6)   Required setbacks. No parking space nor portion thereof established on the same zoning lot with a building shall be located within a required front yard. No parking space nor portion thereof established on a zoning lot without a building shall be located closer to any street line than the established building line on adjacent properties nor closer than the front yard setback required for the district in which the parking lot is located. Further, any wall, fence or hedge developed around any parking area shall be subject to the front yard setback requirements of this chapter in the same manner as a building or structure.

      (7)   Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas, except those accessory to single family dwellings, shall be improved with a compacted macadam base, not less than four inches thick, surfaced with asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather dustless material.

      (8)   Screening and landscaping. All open off-street parking areas six or more cars shall be effectively screened by a wall, a solid fence or a densely planted compact hedge along any side which as joins or is directly across a street or alley from a property in Residential District or an institutional property. Such wall, fence or hedge, shall be at least four feet, but not more than seven feet, in height and shall be maintained in good condition.

      (9)   Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining properties.

   (G)   Special use public parking areas: Any automobile parking area developed for transient trade, and not accessory to specific main uses or groups of uses for which parking is required by this chapter, shall be treated as a special use as defined in §§ 155.155 through 155.157 and as allowed per the provisions of said §§ 155.155 through 155.157 by the Council.

('71 Code, § 11-18-3) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60; Am. Ord. 2097, passed 12-10-79; Am. Ord. 3047, passed 4-8-96) Penalty, see § 155.999

   (A)   Loading berth; description. An off-street loading berth shall be a hard-surfaced area of land, open or enclosed, other than a street or a public way, used principally for the standing, loading, or unloading of motor trucks, tractors, and trailers so as to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets and alleys. A required loading space shall be not less than ten feet in width, 45 feet in length, and 14 feet in height, exclusive of access aisles and maneuvering space, except as otherwise specifically dimensioned hereafter.

   (B)   Location. No permitted or required loading berth shall be closer than 50 feet to any property in a Residential District unless completely enclosed by building walls, or a uniformly painted solid fence or wall, or any combination thereof not less than six feet in height. No permitted or required loading berth shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two streets. Loading berths open to the sky may be located in a required yard.

   (C)   Measurement of berths. When determination of the number of required off-street loading berths results in a requirement of a fraction, berth, any fraction up to and including ½ shall be disregarded, and fractions over ½ shall be interpreted as or loading berth.

   (D)   Surfacing. All open off-street loading berths shall be improved with a compacted macadam base not less than seven inches thick, surfaced with not less than two inches of asphaltic concrete or some comparable material which is dustless and all-weather.

('71 Code, § 11-18-4) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60) Penalty, see § 155.999

   Extent of control. Off-street automobile parking facilities shall be located as hereinafter specified; where a distance is specified, such distance shall be walking distance measured from the nearest point of the parking area to the nearest entrance of the building that said parking area is required to serve.

   (A)   For one- and two-family dwelling: On the same lot with the buildings they are required to serve, provided however that any parking of vehicles on open land in the front yard shall only be allowed when on an improved surface which is directly accessible by a properly installed approach from the street.

This subsection applies only to parking customarily or routinely used by the occupant(s) of the dwelling(s) on the site, not to parking of visitor’s vehicles, nor to parking of a vehicle to facilitate care of same.

   (B)   For three- and four-family dwellings not over two stories in height: On the same lot or parcel of land as the buildings they are required to serve, provided however that any parking of vehicles on open land in the front yard shall only be allowed when on an improved surface which is directly accessible by a properly installed approach from the street. This subsection applies only to parking customarily or routinely used by the occupant(s) of the dwelling(s) on the site, not to parking of visitor’s vehicles, nor to parking of a vehicle to facilitate care of same. For the purposes of this requirement, a group of such uses constructed and maintained under single ownership or management shall be assumed to be on a single lot or parcel of land.

   (C)   For rooming houses, lodging houses, dormitories, sorority and fraternity houses, apartment houses containing four or more dwelling units and for other similar uses: On the same lot or parcel of land as the building they are required to serve, or on a separate lot or parcel of land not more than 300 feet from the nearest entrance to the main building being served; provided the lot or parcel of land selected for the parking facilities is located in a district which is the same as or less restricted than the district in which the main building or principal permitted use being served is located.

   (D)   For clubs, hospitals, sanitariums, orphanages, homes for the aged, convalescent homes and for other similar uses: The off-street parking facilities required shall be on the same lot or parcel of land as the main building or buildings being served or on a separate lot or parcel of land not more than 500 feet from the nearest entrance to the main building served; provided the lot or parcel of land selected for the parking facilities is located in a district which is the same as or less restricted than the district in which the main building or principal permitted use being served is located.

   (E)   For uses other than those specified above, off-street parking facilities shall be provided on the same lot or parcel of land as the main building being served or on a separate lot or parcel of land not over 1,000 feet of the entrance of the main building, measured from the nearest point of the parking area; provided the separate lot or parcel of land intended for the parking facilities is located in the same district as the principal permitted use or in a less restricted district.

('71 Code, § 11-18-5) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60; Am. Ord. 2216, passed 7-27-81; Am. Ord. 3298, passed 2-26-01; Am. Ord. 3300, passed 3-26-01)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

('71 Code, § 11-18-6) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60; Am. Ord. 3297, passed 2-13-01) Penalty, see § 155.999

   In all districts where property uses include the loading and unloading of materials or merchandise from vehicles, off-street loading and unloading facilities shall be provided per the following requirements:

   (A)   For hotels or apartment hotels wherein there are contained exhibition halls, convention halls, auditoriums, office facilities or retail shops: One off-street loading and unloading space for the first 40,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus one additional off-street loading space for each 150,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof of gross floor area in excess of 40,000 square feet.

   (B)   For hospitals or sanitariums containing 40,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area: One off- street loading and unloading space, plus one additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet.

   (C)   For buildings containing bowling alleys, taverns, restaurants, or any retail shops and having 10,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area: One off-street loading and unloading space, plus one additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet.

   (D)   For banks, business or professional offices or public administration buildings containing 40,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area, one off-street loading and unloading space, plus one additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet.

   (E)   For buildings containing furniture and appliance stores, motor vehicles sales, wholesale stores, household equipment or machinery sales and having 8,000 to 25,000 square feet of gross floor area, one off-street loading and unloading space, plus one additional space for each additional 25,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 25,000 square feet.

   (F)   For buildings containing manufacturing uses; research and testing laboratories; laundry and dry cleaning establishments; printing, binding, publishing and issuing of newspapers, periodicals, books, and other reading matter; warehouses and storage facilities; engraving shops; assembly of materials and products; processing and distribution of materials and products; and other similar uses having more than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area, exclusive of basement area, and less than 40,000 square feet of gross floor area, one off-street loading and unloading space, plus one additional such space for each additional 60,000 square feet of gross floor area in excess of 40,000 square feet.

('71 Code, § 11-18-7) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60) Penalty, see § 155.999