Kitsap County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
490 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
§ 17.490.010 Off-street parking requirements.
The following requirements shall be used as guidelines when determining permit application requirements and, subject to code within this chapter, may be reasonably increased or decreased by the department depending on the specific need or use. Trip demand reduction programs and the availability of public transit may also be considered in decreasing parking requirements. Off-street parking spaces shall otherwise be provided and maintained as set forth in this chapter for all uses in all zones. Any fractional parking space shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number. Such off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the time:
A.
A building is hereafter erected or enlarged;
B.
The use of a building existing on the effective date of this title is changed and/or the building enlarged, parking spaces shall be provided in proportion to the increase only, provided the increase is less than fifty percent. If the increase exceeds fifty percent, parking shall be provided for the entire structure in accordance with the requirements of this section.
C.
Refer to Chapter 17.700 “Appendix A – Parking Lots: Street Trees, Landscaping, Design” for graphical assistance.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 43, 2016)
§ 17.490.020 General provisions.
A.
Parking analyses shall be provided for all proposed uses as outlined on relevant permit application checklists.
B.
More Than One Use on One or More Parcels. In the event several uses occupy a single structure or parcel of land, the total requirements for off-street parking shall be the sum of the requirements of the several uses computed separately. If the director finds that a portion of the floor area not less than a contiguous one hundred square feet in a retail store will be used exclusively for storage of merchandise which is not being displayed for sale, he may deduct such space in computing parking requirements, but the owners shall not thereafter use the space for any other purpose without furnishing additional off-street parking as required by Section 17.490.030.
C.
Joint Use of Facilities. The off-street parking requirements of two or more uses, structures, or parcels of land may be satisfied by the same parking or loading space used jointly, if approved by the director, to the extent that it can be shown by the owners or operators of the uses, structures, or parcels that their operations and parking needs do not overlap in point of time. For joint use facilities (i.e., shared-use parking and shared access facilities), a parking agreement shall be required consistent with subsection (I) of this section.
D.
Location of Parking Facilities.
1.
Within high capacity transit station areas, required parking spaces shall be located on the same parcel or on another parcel no farther than eight hundred feet from the building or use they are intended to serve, measured in a straight line from the main entrance of the building. Public parking intended for the use of a public ferry terminal may be located on another parcel no farther than one thousand feet, measured in a straight line from the ferry terminal.
2.
In all other areas, off-street parking spaces for dwellings shall be located on the same lot with the dwelling. Other required parking spaces shall be located on the same parcel or on another parcel not farther than three hundred feet from the building or use they are intended to serve, measured in a straight line from the main entrance of the building.
3.
Off-site parking shall be connected to the building or use it is intended to serve by streets improved with sidewalks or by walkways.
4.
For off-site parking, a parking agreement shall be required consistent with subsection (I) of this section.
E.
Use of Parking Facilities. Required parking space shall be available for the parking of operable passenger automobiles of residents, customers, patrons, and employees only, and shall not be used for the storage of vehicles or materials, or for the parking of trucks used in conducting the business or use.
F.
Parking in Required Front, Side, Rear Yards or Setbacks. Unless otherwise provided, required parking and loading spaces shall not be located in a required yard or setback, except for development of single-family dwellings or duplexes. Automobile sales may be allowed in no more than twenty-five percent of the front yard setback, as shown on an approved site plan.
G.
Off-Site Employee Parking. Off-site employee parking may be used to reduce the number of on-site parking spaces.
H.
Development of and Maintenance Standards for Off-Street Parking Areas. In addition to requirements of Chapters 17.490 and 17.500 and the Kitsap Stormwater Design Manual, every parcel of land hereafter used as a public or private parking area, including commercial parking lots, shall be developed as follows:
1.
An off-street parking area for more than five vehicles shall be effectively screened by a sight-obscuring fence, hedge, or planting, on each side that adjoins property situated in any residential zone, or the premises of any school or like institution;
2.
Lighting shall be directed away from adjoining properties. Not more than one foot candle of illumination shall leave the property boundaries;
3.
Except for single-family and duplex dwellings, groups of more than two parking spaces shall be so located and served by a driveway that their use will require no backing movements or other maneuvering within a street or right-of-way other than an alley;
4.
Areas used for standing and maneuvering of vehicles shall have durable and dustless surfaces maintained adequately for all-weather use, and so drained as to avoid flow of water across sidewalks. Permeable pavements are encouraged where feasible;
5.
Except for parking to serve residential uses, parking and loading areas adjacent to or within residential zones or adjacent to residential uses shall be designed to minimize disturbance of residents;
6.
Service drives to off-street parking areas shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic, to provide maximum safety of traffic ingress and egress, and to provide maximum safety of pedestrians and vehicular traffic on the site. The number of service drives shall be limited to the minimum that will allow the property to accommodate and service the traffic to be anticipated. Service drives shall be clearly and permanently marked and defined through the use of rails, fences, walls, or other barriers or markers on frontage not occupied by service drives. Service drives to drive-in establishments shall be designed to avoid backing movements or other maneuvering within a street, other than an alley;
7.
Service drives shall have a minimum vision clearance area formed by the intersection of the driveway centerline, the street right-of-way line, and a straight line joining said lines through points twenty feet from their intersection;
8.
Parking spaces along the outer boundaries of a parking area shall be contained by a curb or bumper rail so placed to prevent a motor vehicle from extending over an adjacent property line, pedestrian walkway, or a street; and
9.
When the parking standards require ten or more parking spaces, up to thirty percent of these may be compact car spaces, as identified in Section 17.490.040. Compact spaces shall be clearly labeled on the parking space.
I.
Parking Agreement.
1.
For off-site parking, shared-use parking, or shared access to parking, a covenant, easement or other contract approved by the director for shared parking and/or access between the cooperating property owners shall be enacted and recorded by the county with the county auditor as a deed restriction on all associated properties (i.e., the property with the use and the property providing the required parking) that cannot be modified or revoked without the approval of the director. The parking agreement shall:
a.
Provide that the land comprising the required parking facilities shall not be encroached upon, used, sold, leased, or conveyed for any purpose except in conjunction with the building or use which the required parking serves;
b.
For commercial uses, provide for directional signage to off-site public or visitor parking;
c.
Assign maintenance provisions for the parking facilities and landscaping;
d.
If shared use is allowed, indicate prime hours of operation for shared uses;
e.
If shared use is allowed, designate potential times of overflow, and a parking plan which will be implemented in the event of overflow.
2.
If any of the above requirements are violated, the affected property owners must provide the full amount of required off-street parking for each use, in accordance with conditions of approval, unless a satisfactory alternative remedy is approved by the director.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 44, 2016; Ord. 587 (2020) § 9(1) (Att. 1) (part), 2020; Ord. 620 (2023) § 7, 2023; Ord. 637 (2024) § 7(D) (App. D), 2024)
§ 17.490.030 Number of spaces required.
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided as follows:
Land Use | Parking Spaces Required in All Zones (Except as Modified to the Right) | Frequent Transit Service Area Modifications |
|---|---|---|
Residential | ||
Single-Family (attached or detached) | During subdivision, 2 per unit on site + 0.5 per unit on street or set aside; for historical lots or lots with no standing requirement, 2 per unit. 1 additional space for accessory dwelling units or accessory living quarters. Garages and carports may be counted toward minimum parking requirements. | 2 per unit on site, 1 additional space per guest house, accessory dwelling unit or accessory living quarter. Garages and carports may be counted toward minimum parking requirements. |
Multifamily (Condos/Townhouses/Apartments) and Cottage Housing | Units with 1 or fewer bedrooms: 1 space per unit + 0.5 spaces per unit set aside. Units with 2 or more bedrooms: 1.5 spaces per unit + 0.5 spaces per unit set aside. | Studio apartments: 0.75 spaces per unit. Units with 1 or fewer bedrooms: 1 space per unit. Units with 2 or more bedrooms: 1.5 spaces per unit + 0.5 spaces per unit set aside. Housing units that are affordable to very low-income or extremely low-income individuals: 0.75 spaces per unit. |
Housing Units Specifically for Seniors or People With Disabilities | 0.5 per unit + 0.5 spaces per unit set aside | 0.5 spaces per unit set aside |
Institutional/Educational/Other | ||
Bed and Breakfast | 1 per sleeping unit | |
Motels and Hotels | 1 per bedroom; and spaces to meet the combined requirements of the uses being conducted such as hotels, restaurants, auditoriums, etc. | |
Club/Lodges | Spaces to meet the combined requirements of the uses being conducted such as hotels, restaurants, auditoriums, etc. | |
Hospitals and Institutions | 1 per bed; 1 per 2 employees; 1 per 2 guests | |
Places of Worship | 1 per 4 seats or 8 feet of bench length in the main auditorium | |
Library and Gallery | 1 per 250 gross square feet | |
Preschool-Kindergarten | 1 per employee; 1 per 6 children | |
Elementary/Middle or Junior High School | 1 per employee; 2 per classroom | |
High School | 1 per employee and teacher; 1 per 10 students | |
Colleges, Technical School | 1 per 3 seats in classroom; 1 per employee and teacher | |
Stadium, Arena, Theater | 1 per 4 seats or 8 feet of bench length in the main auditorium | |
Bowling Alley | 6 per alley | |
Dance Hall, Skating Rink | 1 per 200 gross square feet | |
Self Storage | 1 per 3,000 gross square feet | |
Commercial/Retail/Office | ||
Restaurants/Bars/Taverns | 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Retail stores generating relatively little automobile traffic (e.g., appliance, furniture, hardware and repair stores) | 1 per 800 square feet of gross floor area | |
Retail and personal service establishments generating heavy automobile traffic (e.g., department, drug, and auto parts stores, fitness centers, supermarkets, ice cream parlors, bakeries and beauty and barber shops) | 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Espresso Stands, Drive-In, and Fast Food Restaurants | 1 per 80 square feet of gross floor area | |
Professional Office | 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Shops and stores for sales, service or repair of automobile, machinery and plumbing, heating, electrical and building supplies | 1 per 600 square feet of gross floor area | |
Mortuaries, Funeral Homes, Crematories | 1 per 75 square feet of assembly area | |
Medical and Dental Office or Clinic | 1 per 300 square feet of gross floor area | |
Bank, Financial Institutions | 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Industrial | ||
Marinas and Moorage Facilities | 1 per 4 moorage slips | |
Warehouse, Storage, and Wholesale Facilities | 1 per 2 employees; 1 per company vehicle parked on site at night (if applicable); 1 per 300 square feet of office space | 1 per 2 employees; 1 per company vehicle parked on site at night (if applicable); 1 per 400 square feet of office space |
Manufacturing, Research, Testing, Processing and Assembly Facilities | 1 per 1,000 square feet | |
Winery/Brewery | 1 per 800 square feet of gross floor area | |
A.
Deviation from Required Spaces.
1.
The director may authorize a reduction up to twenty-five percent to the amount of required parking if a project proponent demonstrates that, due to the unusual nature of the proposed use, it is reasonable that the parking required by this section exceeds any likely need, or that trip demand reduction programs or public transit availability serves to further reduce parking demand.
2.
An increase over ten percent or a reduction greater than twenty-five percent from the required parking ratio shall be processed pursuant to Chapter 17.560, except in high capacity transit station areas a reduction greater than twenty-five percent may be granted by the director if the reduction is supported by a parking and traffic impact analysis and the development:
a.
Provides a car share program, shuttle program, or regional transit pass/subsidy program to all residents that is adequate to offset the parking reduction;
b.
Implements recorded lease/deed restrictions that limit the combined total number of vehicles owned by tenants to the number of parking spaces available for tenants;
c.
Participates in a public parking management program or a parking improvement district with adequate capacity to offset the parking reduction;
d.
Implements an alternative transportation management plan with measures adequate to offset the parking reduction that has been approved by the director and recorded on the title of the affected properties; or
e.
Substantially replaces on-site surface parking with parking underground and/or in a structured parking facility (e.g., an under building or multi-level parking garage) located on site and/or, if otherwise allowed, off site.
3.
The maximum amount of reduction in required parking spaces based on incentives used in Sections 17.490.070 and 17.490.080 may be no more than twenty-five percent. Any further reductions would be handled as outlined in subsection (A)(2) of this section.
B.
Other Uses.
1.
Other uses not specifically listed above shall furnish parking as required by the director. The director shall use the above list as a guide for determining requirements for said other uses.
2.
Storage of junk motor vehicles is subject to the provisions of Section 17.105.090(I).
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 45, 2016; Ord. 541 (2017) § 10, 2017; Ord. 587 (2020) § 9(1) (Att. 1) (part), 2020; Ord. 620 (2023) § 8, 2023; Ord. 637 (2024) § 7(D) (App. D), 2024; Ord. 641 (2025) § 14, 2025)
§ 17.490.040 Off-street parking lot design.
A.
Permeable Pavement and Parking Dimensions. Use of permeable pavement shall be evaluated and used unless determined by the county to be infeasible in accordance with the Kitsap Stormwater Design Manual. Design and construction shall be done in accordance with the Kitsap Stormwater Design Manual. Each parking space and parking lot aisle shall comply with the minimum dimension requirements in Table 17.490.040 and further displayed in Figure 17.490.040.
Table 17.490.040 Parking Lot Space and Aisle Dimensions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Parking Stall Type | Minimum Stall Dimensions | Minimum Width for Drive Aisle with Parking(C) | ||
Width (A) | Length (B) | One-Way | Two-Way | |
Standard parallel | 8 feet* | 23 feet | 12 feet | 20 feet |
Standard 45-degree | 8 feet | 20 feet | 15 feet | 20 feet |
Standard 60-degree | 8 feet | 20 feet | 18 feet | 20 feet |
Standard 90-degree | 8 feet | 20 feet | 20 feet | 24 feet |
Compact – parallel | 8 feet | 16 feet | 12 feet | 20 feet |
Compact – all degrees and angled | 8 feet | 16 feet | 20 feet | 24 feet |
Notes: | |
|---|---|
* | For parallel stalls on street, eight-foot width may include up to one foot of gutter width. |
 Figure 17.490.040 Parking Space and Drive Aisle Dimensions |
B.
Other Requirements. All surface parking lots, excluding underground or above ground parking garages, with more than four-teen stalls shall conform to Table 17.490.040.B. Landscaping shall be provided in the required front, side and rear setback area for surface parking lots and parking garages. One street tree shall be provided at the ends of each row of parking spaces, and a minimum of one street tree shall be provided for each fifteen spaces. Parking lots with one hundred or more spaces shall provide a landscape strip of street trees every other row between double-loaded rows. This design is encouraged for parking lots with more than three double-loaded rows and lots with less than one hundred spaces. Shrubs and ground cover shall be required in all landscape areas. Up to fifty percent of shrubs may be deciduous. Plant size, spacing, and installation standards shall comply with Chapter 17.500.
Table 17.490.040.B Required Landscape Area per Parking Space | |
|---|---|
Total Number of Parking Spaces | Minimum Required Landscape Area |
15 to 50 | 15 square feet per parking space |
51 to 99 | 25 square feet per parking space |
100 or more | 35 square feet per parking space |
C.
Screening Buffer. A screening perimeter buffer shall be provided in compliance with Chapter 17.500.
D.
Pedestrian Walkways. Pedestrian walkways shall be provided from the parking lot to building entrances. Parking lots with a landscape strip between double-loaded rows shall provide pedestrian walkways next to the landscape strip leading to building entrances.
E.
Refer to Chapter 17.700, Appendix A, Parking Lots: Street Trees, Landscaping, Design, for graphical representation of design elements for this chapter.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 46, 2016; Ord. 637 (2024) § 7(D) (App. D), 2024)
§ 17.490.050 Off-street loading.
A.
When Required. Off-street loading and unloading spaces shall be required for all commercial, industrial, and multifamily uses having a gross area of over four thousand square feet and which provide or receive deliveries or pick ups by trucks or truck-trailer combinations over thirty-five feet in length more frequently than once per month. Lots less than ten thousand square feet may share required off-street loading areas with adjacent properties, so long as there are no on-site alternatives, loading areas are consistent with dimensional requirements of subsection (B) of this section, and there is a written agreement between the property owners. Loading areas may share designated parking spaces, so long as loading/unloading occurs when the use is closed for business and during which time parking is not needed or used.
B.
Design Requirements. Loading and unloading spaces shall be minimum forty-five feet in length, ten feet in width and provide for clearance of fifteen feet. Adequate access shall be provided to each space. Except as noted above, no area required for off-street parking may be used as a loading or unloading space.
C.
Number of Spaces Required. The following number of off-street loading and unloading spaces is required:
Gross Square Feet | Required Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
4,000 – 9,999 | 1 |
10,000 – 24,999 | 2 |
25,000 – 99,999 | 3 |
100,000 – 200,000 | 4 |
Additional 50,000 over 200,000 | 1 |
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 47, 2016)
§ 17.490.060 Handicapped parking.
Off-street parking and access for physically disabled persons shall be provided in accordance with the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title 14.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016; Ord. 540 (2016) § 48, 2016)
§ 17.490.070 Bicycle parking standards.
A.
Minimum Required Standards for Bicycle Parking. Standards shall apply in the urban growth areas, rural commercial and industrial zones, and LAMIRDs to all new construction where ten or more vehicle parking spaces are required and to redevelopment projects where the project cost is fifty percent or more of the assessed value of the buildings.
1.
In urban growth areas and Type 1 LAMIRDs, one bicycle parking space is required for every ten vehicle parking spaces. In rural commercial and industrial zones and Type 3 LAMIRDs, one bicycle parking space is required for every twenty vehicle parking spaces. No more than thirty bicycle parking spaces will be required on a project.
2.
Bicycle parking shall be located to be protected from motor vehicle maneuvering, and adjacent to a sidewalk or pedestrian walkway that serves the building entrance. For uses without a structure, such as transportation terminals, bicycle parking shall be located in the most visible location on the site.
3.
Bicycle parking shall be constructed on a dustless, durable, rideable maneuvering surface such as pavement, concrete, or similar materials. Bicycle parking shall not be constructed on dirt, grass, or gravel.
4.
Bicycle parking shall be illuminated with downcast lighting.
5.
Bicycle parking rack design shall:
a.
Accommodate common styles and sizes of bicycles;
b.
Make contact with the bicycle frame at two points so that, if desired, both wheels can be locked to the rack without being removed from the bike;
c.
Have a diameter no greater than three inches at the locking points;
d.
Be constructed of durable, rust-free materials, and not damage bicycle finishes, e.g., aluminum, galvanized, and powder-coated surfaces;
e.
Be securely anchored to the ground or a wall with tamper-resistant hardware;
f.
Vertical parking is allowed, so long as the provisions of subsections (A)(5)(a) through (e) of this section are met, and at least ten percent of bicycle parking provided is not vertical.
6.
Bicycle Parking Dimensions.
a.
A single bicycle parking space shall be forty inches wide by ninety-six inches long (Figure 1). The bicycle rack shall be inside the bicycle parking space, twelve inches away from one of the long sides, with the first locking point located twenty-four inches back from the front of the bicycle parking space and the second locking point located fourteen to twenty-four inches back from the first.
Figure 1  |
b.
A double bicycle parking space utilizing a double-sided rack shall be fifty-two inches wide by ninety-six inches long (Figure 2). The bicycle rack shall be inside the bicycle parking space, centered in double space, with the first locking point located twenty-four inches back from the front of the bicycle parking space and the second locking point located fourteen to twenty-four inches back from the first (Figure 3).
Figure 2  |
Figure 3  |
7.
Where any covered vehicle parking on a surface parking lot is provided, covered bicycle parking shall also be provided.
B.
Incentives for Bicycle Parking. When incentives are used, only the amount of required vehicle parking on the site is reduced; the number of bicycle parking spaces is calculated from the required vehicle parking amount prior to use of any reductions.
1.
If bicycle parking is provided at the ratio of one bicycle parking space for every five vehicle parking spaces, required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
2.
If covered bicycle parking is provided when it is not required in subsection (A)(7) of this section, required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
3.
If bicycle parking is provided inside the primary building, required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent and bicycle parking dimensional standards do not apply.
4.
If bicycle lockers or bicycle cages are provided instead of bicycle racks, required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
5.
If bicycle parking is provided that uses artistic design or adds to aesthetic values that also meets the requirements of Section 17.490.070(A)(5)(a) through (e), required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
(Ord. 620 (2023) § 9, 2023)
§ 17.490.080 Electric vehicle charging standards.
A.
Minimum Standards for Electric Vehicle Charging Spaces. Standards shall apply to all new construction, and to redevelopment projects where the project cost is fifty percent or more of the assessed value of the buildings.
1.
One electric vehicle charging space is required for every ten standard vehicle parking spaces required, rounded up. Ten percent of the electric vehicle charging spaces shall be accessible parking spaces, rounded up, with a minimum of one required.
2.
Electric vehicle infrastructure is required to be sized, installed, and have capacity in accordance with provisions of Chapter 14.04.
3.
Electric vehicle charging stations shall be at least Level 2 chargers: two hundred eight or two hundred forty volts.
4.
Electric vehicle charging spaces are reserved solely for charging of electric vehicles. Vehicles that are no longer charging should be relocated to a standard vehicle parking space. Signage to this effect shall be posted.
5.
Electric vehicle charging spaces shall have the same dimensions as standard parking stalls as identified in Table 17.490.040. Accessible charging spaces shall have the dimensions required in the building code for accessible parking stalls.
6.
Site lighting shall illuminate any electric vehicle charging spaces that are available for use outside of daytime hours.
7.
Contact information for the charging station operator shall be posted on the charging station equipment in order to report malfunctions or other issues.
8.
Provisions for shared charging infrastructure may be allowed as outlined for shared parking in Section 17.490.020(I).
B.
Incentives for Electric Vehicle Charging. When incentives are used, only the amount of required non-EV vehicle parking on the site is reduced; the number of electric vehicle charging spaces is calculated from the required vehicle parking amount prior to use of any reductions.
1.
The provision of Level 3 charging stations (“fast” chargers) – four hundred eighty volts – rather than Level 2 charging stations shall allow for the reduction of required parking on the site of five percent.
2.
If one electric vehicle charging space is provided for every five required parking stalls, the required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
3.
For projects with two hundred fifty or more required parking stalls, if one electric vehicle charging space that would allow for a passenger truck towing a trailer to be charged is installed (pull-through or double-length stall with charger located to the side), the required vehicle parking may be reduced by five percent.
(Ord. 620 (2023) § 10, 2023)
