It is the purpose and intent of this chapter that parking and loading areas be provided and adequately maintained in every zoning district for the purposes of promoting safe and efficient storage of motor vehicles; to avoid unnecessary congestion and interference with public use of streets; and to provide for sound and stable environmental conditions the prevention of future blighted areas and to promote the ease of access to businesses.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006)

   (A)   In all zoning districts, off-street parking and loading requirements shall be provided in amounts not less than those specified for the various districts.

   (B)   Requirements for a use not mentioned shall be the same for that use which is most similar to the use not listed.

   (C)   Additional parking shall be provided and maintained in proper ratio to any increase in floor area or building use capacity.

   (D)   For the purposes of determining off-street parking and loading requirements, the following provisions shall apply.

      (1)   In mercantile establishments, GROSS FLOOR AREA shall mean the floor area used for service to the public. It shall not include floor area used for storage or the processing and packaging of merchandise where it is carried on in a room in which service to the public is not involved.

      (2)   In hospitals, bassinets shall not be counted as beds.

      (3)   Where benches, pews or other similar seating facilities are used as seats, each 20 inches of the seating facilities shall be counted as one seat.

      (4)   The landscaping must be maintained and kept alive.

   (E)   In the case of mixed uses in the same building, the total requirements of off-street parking and loading shall be the sum of the requirements for the separate individual uses computed separately.

   (F)   It shall be unlawful to use any of the off-street parking or loading areas established to meet the requirements of this chapter for any purpose other than the parking of licensed vehicles or the loading or unloading of necessary service trucks.

   (G)   Parking and loading is not allowed in the required front yard setback, or in the case of a corner lot, in the required setback for the side street. Off-street parking shall be no closer to any principal building than five feet. Curbs shall be installed to prevent yard encroachment. A vehicle for sale can be parked in the front yard, but not in the right-of-way. However, the grass must be maintained around the vehicle. The vehicle may not be parked for sale more than 30 consecutive days in a year. Any vehicle parked for sale must be privately owned and a non-business/commercial vehicle and owned by the property owner. A permit is required from the township and only two permits per address are allowed in a calendar year.

   (H)   The length of the pedestrian walkway between the entrance of a commercial use and the off-street parking area shall be a minimum of eight feet. In the case of an access driveway or lane between the pedestrian walkway and the off-street parking area, the length of the pedestrian walkway shall be a minimum of 16 feet between the building and the traffic lane. The widths of these walkways should correspond aesthetically to the length and meet the approval of the Zoning Administrator or his or her delegate.

   (I)   Parking and loading areas may be extended to the property line, except as herein above specified by division (F) above and as specified under § 155.083.

   (J)   The provisions of this subchapter shall further be subject to the provisions of the Tittabawassee Road Control Regulations set forth in §§ 155.350 and 155.351 and Bay Road Control Regulations set forth in §§ 155.365 through 155.374.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006; Ord. 08-03, passed 9-16-2008; Ord. 09-02, passed 10-20-2009; Ord. 12-001, passed 2-21-2012)

   The suggested minimum and maximum number of off-street parking areas by type of use shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule:

 

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006; Ord. 12-001, passed 2-21-2012)

   The Zoning Administrator may require the installation of more than the maximum number of parking stalls, for other than office uses, if the Zoning Administrator determines that:

   (A)   Additional parking is necessary to meet the parking demand for a specified use;

   (B)   Cooperative use of parking is not available or adequate to meet demand; and

   (C)   Any required transportation management program will remain effective.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006)

   (A)   Spaces serving another use. Parking spaces in excess of the maximum number allowed which serve a use located on another property through a cooperative parking agreement or other document may remain so as long as the written, recorded obligation to supply that parking remains effective.

   (B)   General. Any other parking spaces in excess of the maximum number allowed may remain until there is a substantial remodel of the structure or change in use or business use for which the parking is provided. At the time of a substantial remodel or change in use, the number of parking stalls must conform to the requirements of this section and the design of all new or modified parking and circulation areas must conform to the requirements of this section.

   (C)   Exception. If a substantial remodel results in a total gross floor area for the entire development of 10,000 square feet or less, parking spaces in excess of the maximum allowed may remain in reserve, if it is land-banked and properly landscaped, subject to the approval of the Zoning Administrator.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006)

   (A)   General. The Zoning Administrator may approve shared use of parking facilities located on separate properties if:

      (1)   A convenient pedestrian connection between the properties exists;

      (2)   The properties are within 500 feet and shall be contiguous; and

      (3)   The availability of parking or all affected properties is indicated by directional signs as permitted by Ch. 153 of this code of ordinances.

   (B)   Number of spaces required. Where the uses to be served by shared parking do not overlap their hours of operation, the property owner or owners shall provide parking stalls equal to the greater of the applicable individual parking requirements.

   (C)   Overlapping hours. Where the uses to be served by shared parking have overlapping hours of operation, the property owner or owners shall provide parking stalls equal to the total of the individual parking requirements. If the following criteria are met, that total is reduced by 10%:

      (1)   The parking areas share a property line;

      (2)   A vehicular connection between the lots exists;

      (3)   A convenient, visible pedestrian connection between the lots exists; and

      (4)   The availability of parking for all affected properties is indicated by directional signs, as permitted by Ch. 153 of this code of ordinances.

   (D)   Documentation required. Prior to establishing shared use of parking, the property owner or owners shall file with the township a written agreement approved by the Zoning Administrator providing for the shared parking use. The agreement shall be recorded on the title records of each affected property.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006)

   (A)   Surface material. Off-street parking, loading and circulation areas for all uses shall be surfaced with a material that shall provide a durable, smooth and dustless surface; and shall be graded and provided with adequate drainage to dispose of all collected surface water; and if surfaced with concrete or asphalt, shall conform to the following, with either:

      (1)   Six inches of portland cement concrete;

      (2)   Two inches of asphalt surface laid over a base of crushed stone with a compacted thickness of six inches;

      (3)   Paving with permeable, interlocking concrete pavement system, as approved by the Township Zoning Administrator;

      (4)   Except that for the following, parking spaces, strips or aprons can be asphalt, concrete or six of stone mix or gravel, which must be maintained and clearly defined:

         (a)   Single-family dwellings; and

         (b)   Accessory uses customarily associated with farming, including roadside stands and private stables and the like.

      (5)   All parking lots must be curbed. In certain cases, a slotted curb design may be permitted in order to direct runoff away from parking areas into adjacent landscaped infiltration areas.

   (B)   Accessible parking. The number, layout and design of accessible parking spaces shall comply with the requirements of the State Building Code.

      (1)   The property owner shall delineate car stalls, directional arrows and crosswalks within parking areas using paint or other methods approved by the Zoning Administrator.

      (2)   Any time restriping is done in a parking lot; the spaces shall be delineated by double striping. Where a parking lot has less than 25 spaces, a waiver from the required double striping may be given by the Zoning Administrator where the applicant can demonstrate the need for the number of existing spaces and shared parking is not available; or additional parking is necessary to meet the parking demand for a specified use.

      (3)   In addition, when a site is redeveloped, repaired, or improved, the lot shall be restriped to conform to the parking stall and isle requirements described below, except that repairs in access isles and in parking lots where less than 25% of the parking stalls are affected would not require double striping.

   (D)   Parking stalls and aisle requirements. Off-street parking shall be designed in conformance with these standards (also see the following illustrations).

      (1)   Each parking space shall be a minimum of ten feet wide and 18 feet in length.

      (2)   Aisle requirements are as follows:

 

 

      (3)   All parking spaces shall be delineated by double striping along the sides (see illustration below).

      (4)   Angled parking is strongly encouraged. Where a site can demonstrate the need for 90-degree parking, it shall be considered by the Zoning Administrator for applicability.

   (E)   Driveways.

      (1)   Entrances and exits. Adequate ingress and egress to the parking areas by means of clearly marked and limited drives shall be provided. Drives for ingress and egress to parking areas shall not be less than 22 feet in width. Further, these entrances shall be at least 25 feet from any adjacent lot or parcel. These requirements for off-street parking shall not be applicable to one- and two-family residential lots.

      (2)   Combined driveway. The owners of adjoining properties shall provide combined driveways wherever practical. In conjunction with approval of a development, the township may require a property owner to provide an access and circulation easement to an abutting owner where joint access is reasonable to serve future development.

      (3)   Management plans. All projects located along M-84 and Tittabawassee Road must also meet the adopted access management plans.

      (4)   Driveway dimensions. Internal circulation driveways that do not provide direct access to parking stalls must be a minimum of 20 feet wide for two-way traffic and five feet wide for one-way traffic unless otherwise specified by the Zoning Administrator or by the Fire Marshal.

   (F)   Loading space. A property owner shall provide an off-street loading space that can access a street. The number and size of loading spaces must be equal to the maximum number and size of vehicles that would be simultaneously loaded or unloaded in connection with the business conducted on the property.

      (1)   Standard requirement. Each loading space must be a minimum of ten feet wide and 55 feet long. Where a loading space is adjacent to an arterial, the property owner shall provide an additional 40 feet maneuvering length.

      (2)   Reduction. The Zoning Administrator may reduce required stall length and maneuvering length if the property owner demonstrates that known delivery vehicles can park and maneuver within the proposed loading and maneuvering spaces so that no part of a vehicle using or maneuvering into the loading space projects into a public right-of-way, access easement or private road.

      (3)   Waiver. If the property owner demonstrates that the development has and will have no loading needs, the Zoning Administrator may waive the requirements of divisions (F)(1) through (F)(3) herein.

   (G)   Drive-through facility stacking lanes. A property owner proposing a drive-through facility shall provide seven stacking spaces for each drive-though station in addition to the parking required by this section. Each lane of stacking space must be at least nine feet wide and must be delineated with pavement markings. Each stacking space must be at least 12 feet long; however, individual spaces within the lane may not be delineated with pavement markings. Stacking lanes may not be located within required driveway, internal circulation drive or parking aisle widths.

   (H)   Grade separation protection. Where a parking area, service yard or other vehicle area slopes or has a drop-off grade separation, the property owner shall install a wall, railing or other barrier which will prevent a slow-moving or driverless vehicle from escaping the area and which will prevent pedestrians from walking over drop-off edges.

   (I)   Lots adjoining residential districts. Off-street parking on lots adjoining or within a residential district shall in addition conform with the following requirements.

      (1)   Non-commercial vehicles may be parked in any part of the required side or rear yard, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

      (2)   Lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall be so located and arranged as to direct light away from the adjoining premises.

      (3)   Where the required parking area of three spaces or more is within 40 feet of an adjoining residential district or lot, the parking area shall be no closer to any side or rear property line than ten feet and within the ten-foot strip, either of the following shall be established:

         (a)   A planting strip ten feet in width approved by the Zoning Administrator. The planting strip shall not be less than five feet in height and shall consist of a sufficiently dense plant material to screen the parking and shall be adequately maintained;

         (b)   A solid masonry wall or uniformly treated wood fence not less than five feet in height or greater than eight feet in height; and/or

         (c)   The wall or planting strip shall be of a length as the width or length of the parking area.

   (J)   Solid waste collection facilities. The following rules are intended to prevent unhealthful or unsightly conditions regarding solid waste handling facilities. These rules apply to any solid waste container large enough to require a mechanical device to empty it.

      (1)   Enclosure. Each container must be located in an enclosure which is screened on at least three sides by a masonry wall at least one and one-half feet higher than the container or containers. The enclosure shall further have an opaque gate which shall remained closed when not in use. The enclosure itself shall provide for an entrance for access by employees, separate of the gate itself.

      (2)   Paving. The enclosure and an approach area for trucks shall be paved with reinforced concrete not less than nine inches thick.

      (3)   Location. The enclosure and container shall be so situated that trucks collecting waste from the container shall not conflict with the orderly flow of traffic onto or through the parcel or any parking spaces thereon. The enclosure or container shall be located so that trucks collecting waste will not block any portion of a public street or alley.

      (4)   Failure. Failure to provide and/or maintain the facility and adequately control the trash and debris typically associated with a facility will be deemed a violation of this chapter.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006; Ord. 12-001, passed 2-21-2012; Ord. 17-05, passed 6-19-2017) Penalty, see § 155.999

   Landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of uses from streets and visual separation of compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of street, parking areas and building elevations.

   (A)   Required amount.

      (1)   If the parking area contains no more than 50 parking spaces, at least 25 square feet of landscape development for each parking space must be provided as described in division (B) below for each parking stall proposed.

      (2)   If the parking area contains more than 99 parking spaces, at least 50 square feet of landscape development for each parking space must be provided as described in division (B) below for each parking stall proposed.

      (3)   If the parking area contains more than 50, but less than 100 parking spaces, the Building and Zoning Administrator shall determine the required amount of landscaping by interpolating between 25 and 50 square feet for each parking space proposed. The area must be landscaped as described in division (B) below.

      (4)   All landscaping must be maintained and kept alive.

      (5)   Additional landscaping is required for developments in the Cardinal Square area, per the design guidelines stated in § 155.333.

   (B)   Design. Each area of landscaping must be at least 100 square feet of area in size and must be at least four feet in any direction. The area must contain at least one tree at least six feet in height. A minimum size of one and one-half inches in caliper must be met if it is deciduous. The remaining ground area must be landscaped with plant materials, grass, decorative mulch or unit pavers, as approved by the Zoning Administrator.

      (1)   A landscaped area must be placed at the interior end of each parking row in a multiple lane parking area. This area must be at least four feet wide and must extend the length of the adjacent parking stall.

      (2)   Plantings used to buffer a parking area, access or site development other than a building, may use any of the following alternative unless otherwise noted.

         (a)   Shrubs, a minimum of three and one-half feet in height, and living ground cover must be planted so that the ground will be covered within three years.

         (b)   Earth-mounding, an average of three and one-half feet in height, planted with shrubs or living ground cover so that the ground will be covered within three years.

         (c)   A combination of earth-mounding and shrubs to produce a visual barrier at least three and one-half feet in height.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006) Penalty, see § 155.999

   (A)   When required. The property owner shall install internal walkways in each new development or substantial remodel of existing development in the commercial districts.

   (B)   Location. The property owner shall provide internal walkways around the building to the extent necessary to assure safe access to the building for parking areas, adjacent properties and public sidewalks or street right-of-ways and to assure consistency. All required internal walkways must be located and constructed as an integrated part of existing sidewalks and pedestrian trails and must coordinate with the township's plans for pedestrian circulation, including, but not limited to, the master plan, formed or local corridor plans and approved capital improvement projects.

   (C)   Design criteria. Except as otherwise specified, internal walkways provided pursuant to this section must be designed and installed in conformance with the following.

      (1)   Surface materials. Internal walkways must be paved with hard-surfaced material such as concrete, asphalt, stone, brick, tile and the like. Only non-skid paving may be used in walkway construction.

      (2)   Walkway marking. Internal walkways must be curbed and raised at least six inches above the parking lot grade, except where they cross driveways or aisles or where necessary to meet handicap requirements. Alternatively, the Building and Zoning Administrator may approve walkways delineated by distinctive paving material or marking when adequate pedestrian safety is provided.

      (3)   Width. Internal walkways must be a minimum of four feet wide, exclusive of parked car overhangs. Where necessary to ensure four feet of unobstructed walkway, wheel stops are required.

      (4)   Lighting. Night lighting must be provided where stairs, curbs, ramps or abrupt changes in walk direction occur.

      (5)   Markings. Where pedestrian walks cross parking areas or automobile circulation lanes, the pedestrian walk must be defined by use of a contrasting material or marking, including, but not limited to, white concrete in an asphalt area, visually obvious paint stripes or other clearly defined pattern.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006) Penalty, see § 155.999

   (A)   Parking area and other exterior on-site lighting fixtures shall be a decorative style fixture, have a height not to exceed 30 feet and designed such that there will be no light trespass beyond property lines. The height and design engineering must be verified, at the applicant's expense, by the Township Engineer.

   (B)   The lighting shall be so arranged so that it is deflected away from adjacent residential districts and adjacent streets.

(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006) Penalty, see § 155.999