Off-street parking and loading requirements and regulations are established in order to achieve, among others, the following purposes:

   (a)   To relieve congestion so the streets can be utilized more fully for movement of vehicular traffic;

   (b)   To promote the safety and convenience of pedestrians and shoppers by locating parking areas so as to lessen car movements in the vicinity of intensive pedestrian traffic;

   (c)   To protect adjoining residential neighborhoods from on-street parking;

   (d)   To promote the general convenience, welfare and prosperity of business, service, research, production and manufacturing developments which depend upon off-street parking facilities;

   (e)   To protect neighboring residential properties by requiring landscaping and buffering of adjacent off-street parking and loading areas; and

   (f)   For such purposes to provide regulations and standards for accessory off-street parking and loading facilities in accordance with the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan of the city.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Accessory off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as a condition precedent to occupancy of all residential, institutional, recreational, places of assembly, business, office, research and industrial uses in conformance with the provisions of this chapter as follows:

   (a)   Whenever a building is constructed or a new use established;

   (b)   Whenever an existing building is altered and there is an increase of the number of dwelling units, seating capacity or floor area of a building; and

   (c)   Whenever the use of an existing building is changed to a use which requires more off-street parking facilities, except that certain nonconforming uses may continue as provided in § 1282.03, Nonconforming Use of Buildings.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   For the purpose of determining the off-street parking and loading facilities required as accessory to a use definitions and standards for measurement are established as follows:

   (a)   "Floor area; parking requirements" means the total area of all the floors of the building used by the principal activity as enumerated in the schedule, § 1288.05, measured from the exterior faces of the building. Basement areas or other floors or parts thereof, designed, arranged or used exclusively for accessory storage or similar uses, may be excluded from the floor area.

   (b)   "Floor area; loading requirements" means the total floor area used for the main and accessory activities and storage areas of the building served.

   (c)   "Seating capacity" means the number of seating units installed or indicated on plans for places for assembly; where not indicated on plans, it shall be assumed that a seating unit will occupy six square feet of floor area exclusive of all aisles or areas used for assembly.

   (d)   "Employees" wherever the parking requirement is based on employees, means the maximum number of employees on duty on the premises at one time or on any two successive shifts, whichever is the greater.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   The number of off-street parking spaces for each permitted use shall be not less than provided in the following schedule unless modified in other sections of this Zoning Code:

 

 

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be designated in compliance with the requirements of the Ohio Building Code as follows:

 

 

   The number of handicapped spaces may be included in the total number of spaces required for a particular use. All such spaces for the physically handicapped shall be designated by free standing signs as provided for pursuant to the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Type R-59-A and/or R-59-B.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Required off-street parking and loading facilities accessory to an existing use on the effective date of this Zoning Code, and those required as accessory to a use created or a building constructed or altered thereafter, shall be continued and maintained in operation, shall not be used for any outdoor purpose other than parking and shall not be reduced below the requirements during the period that the main use is maintained.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Accessory parking facilities shall be provided at locations as set forth in this chapter except as may be modified by the provisions in other chapters of this Zoning Code.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009; Am. Ord. 11-O-38, passed 7-11-2011)

   Parking areas and access driveways shall be designed, constructed, altered, graded and maintained as follows:

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

      (1)   Screening shall consist of one or any combination of the following:

         A.   A dense vegetative planting incorporating trees and/or shrubs of a variety which shall be equally effective in winter and summer, e.g. evergreens; and/or

         B.   A landscaped mound or berm.

      (2)   Visual screening walls, fences or mounds and fences in combination shall be a minimum of six feet high in order to accomplish the desired screening effect.

      (3)   Vegetation shall be planted within such minimum height to assure that the required six-foot screening effect shall be achieved not later than 12 months after the initial installation.

      (4)   All screening shall be free of advertising or other signs.

      (5)   Landscaping shall be maintained and replaced when necessary.

      (6)   Materials used in any ornamental wall or fence shall be compatible with the character of the development and abutting properties.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Parking areas shall be illuminated whenever necessary to protect the public safety. Lighting fixtures shall be so designed and located so as not to reflect direct rays of light in adjoining residential districts and streets. The intensity shall not be of excessive brightness nor cause a glare hazardous to pedestrians or automobile drivers. Illumination shall be permitted as provided in Chapter 1296.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009; Am. Ord. 11-O-38, passed 7-11-2011)

   (a)   The location, width and number of driveways serving off-street parking facilities shall be planned in such a manner as to interfere as little as possible with the use of adjacent property and the flow of traffic on the street system.

   (b)   Except for one-family and two-family dwellings, driveways to parking areas shall be provided for all permitted uses according to the standards set forth in the following schedule:

 

 

   (c)   Parking facilities shall be designed so that all vehicles may be driven forward into the street. This provision shall apply to all permitted uses in all use districts except for one-family and two-family dwellings located on local residential streets. One-family and two-family dwellings located on streets designated as major streets or arterial streets as shown on the city Thoroughfare Plan or Comprehensive Plan shall comply with this provision. The width of driveways to parking areas measured at the street property line (right-of-way) shall not exceed four lanes in width and shall conform to the following schedule. In the case of a four-lane drive, the lanes shall be designed as two adjacent entrance and exit lanes divided by a barrier a minimum of six feet wide.

 

 

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   Accessory loading and unloading facilities shall be provided as a condition precedent to occupancy of all business, service and industrial buildings hereafter erected and altered to such uses. Such facilities shall be maintained as long as such building is occupied or unless equivalent facilities are provided in conformance with the regulations of this chapter.

 

      If a proposed use does not require the number of loading spaces as provided in the above schedule due to the nature of the business or industrial use, the Zoning Inspector may permit the construction of a lesser number of spaces, provided however, the additional area required to provide the number of spaces in the schedule shall be reserved and held as open area (along with all required yards) for future construction of loading spaces in the event the use of the building is changed to require the additional loading spaces.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)

   No access driveways shall be permitted in or through any residential area to gain ingress or egress to land or buildings in a business or industrial district.

(Ord. 09-O-5, passed 5-18-2009)