No property shall be used, nor shall any structure be erected, altered or added to, unless off-street parking space is provided by the owner of such property or structure in such minimum amount as is specified in section 26-20-2, or as otherwise provided for in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2016-05, § 1, 3-15-16)

Unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, the following minimum number of off-street parking spaces are required for any structure with the corresponding use listed:

(a)

Residential.

Single-family and two-family:

Two (2) parking spaces per unit.

Exemption: Lots zoned OTR that do not have alley access shall be exempt from fifty (50) percent of the above off-street parking requirement.

Exemption: Lots zoned OTR that do not have alley access shall be exempt from fifty (50) percent of the above off-street parking requirement.

Accessory dwellings:

One (1) parking space shall be provided if the following conditions apply to the lot on which the accessory dwelling unit is located: the lot does not have an existing off-street parking space, including a driveway, garage, or tandem parking space; and the lot is located on a block where on-street parking is prohibited for any reason, including ensuring access for emergency services.

Multifamily:

For multifamily developments that include a common, central parking lot the following shall apply:

One and one-half (1.5) parking spaces per each one-bedroom unit;

Two (2) parking spaces for each two-bedroom unit;

Two and one-half (2.5) parking spaces for each three-bedroom unit.

For multifamily developments that do not include a common, central parking lot the following shall apply:

Two (2) parking spaces per unit plus one-half (0.5) spaces per unit conveniently located for guest parking.

(b)

Commercial residential uses.

Hotels, motels, and board and care facilities: One (1) space per sleeping unit plus one (1) space for every two (2) employees.

Bed and breakfast/boarding homes: One (1) space per dedicated bed and breakfast/boarding home bedroom plus two (2) spaces for the original dwelling unit.

(c)

Institutions.

Nursing homes/convalescent homes: One (1) space per three (3) beds.

Hospitals: One (1) space per bed.

(d)

Places of public assembly.

Churches, theatres, auditoriums, stadiums or meeting rooms: One (1) space for every three (3) seats in the principal place of assembly.

Library, reading room or museum: One (1) space per four hundred (400) square feet of floor space, plus one (1) space per every two (2) employees.

(e)

Commercial amusements.

Bowling: Five (5) spaces per alley plus one (1) space for every two (2) employees.

Dance halls and skating rinks: One (1) space for every 200 square feet of floor area.

(f)

Educational facilities.

Preschools, nurseries and child care centers: One (1) space per three hundred fifty (350) square feet.

Kindergarten, elementary school, intermediate school, senior high school: One (1) space per teacher and one (1) space per administrative employee, plus, in the case of a senior high school either: a) one (1) space for each five (5) students, or b) one (1) space per each three (3) seats in the main auditorium (bench capacity figured as one (1) seat per every twenty (20) inches).

Vocational or commercial schools: One (1) space per teacher, plus one (1) space per administrative employee, plus one (1) space per every three (3) students.

Colleges and universities: One (1) space for each employee, plus one (1) space for every five (5) students.

(g)

Commercial.

Retail business and commercial uses: One (1) space for every two hundred (200) square feet of floor area.

Wholesale commercial uses: One (1) space for every five hundred (500) square feet of floor area.

Motor vehicle sales and service: One (1) space for every four hundred fifty (450) square feet of floor area.

Business and professional offices: One (1) space for every three hundred (300) square feet of floor area.

Medical and dental offices: One (1) space for every two hundred (200) square feet of floor area.

Restaurants: One (1) space for every one hundred fifty (150) square feet of floor area or one (1) space per table, whichever is greater. Within the Lafayette Old Town Urban Renewal Area, seasonal outdoor dining areas (that are not enclosed) shall not count toward the off-street parking requirements.

Indoor recreational and health facilities: One (1) space for every one hundred fifty (150) square feet of floor area.

Drive-in or fast food restaurants: One (1) space for every one hundred (100) square feet of floor area.

Small animal hospitals and clinics: One (1) space for every three hundred (300) square feet of floor area.

Medical laboratories: One (1) space for every four hundred fifty (450) square feet of floor area.

Membership clubs and lodges: One (1) space per two hundred (200) square feet of floor area.

Service, commercial, including shoe repair, key shop, dry cleaners, etc.: One (1) space for every three hundred (300) square feet of floor area.

(h)

Industrial.

Manufacturing or industrial: One (1) space per each one and one-half (1.5) employees on the maximum shift, or one (1) space for five hundred (500) square feet of floor area, whichever is greater.

Warehouse and storage building: One (1) space per every two (2) employees plus parking as required for office use.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 1987-02, §§ 8, 9, 2-17-87; Ord. No. 1996-11, §§ 4—6, 4-16-96; Ord. No. 2001-9, § 15, 3-20-01; Ord. No. 2006-01, § 3, 3-7-06; Ord. No. 2010-22, §§ 1, 2, 9-21-10; Ord. No. 2016-05, § 2, 3-15-16; Ord. No. 2017-30, § 6, 9-5-17; Ord. No. 2025-10, § 3, 5-20-25)

(a)

Uses or structures in existence on May 1, 2016, within the Lafayette Old Town Urban Renewal Area whose existing off-street parking is inadequate under the specifications of section 26-20-2, need not provide the minimum number of off-street parking space specified in this chapter, provided that:

(1)

The number of off-street parking spaces does not decrease from the number provided on May 1, 2016;

(2)

Such structure is not enlarged by more than twenty-five (25) percent or one thousand (1,000) square feet, whichever is lesser, or such enlargement would otherwise require additional parking space; and

(3)

The use of the property is not changed to a use that would result in an increase in the number of parking spaces required.

(b)

In the event that such a structure is enlarged, additional off-street parking spaces in the incremental amount specified for such enlargement shall be furnished. In the event that such a structure or property undergoes a change of use to a use that requires more off-street parking spaces, additional off-street parking spaces shall be furnished in a number equal to the number of spaces that the new use would otherwise require pursuant to section 26-20-2, less the number of spaces the use of the structure on May 1, 2016, was required to provide pursuant to section 26-20-2 without adjustment pursuant to sub-section (a) above. See example:

Example: An one thousand eight hundred-square-foot building undergoes a change of use from office to retail with two (2) off-street parking spaces on site. On May 1, 2016, the office use was required to provide six (6) off-street parking spaces in accordance with section 26-20-2, without the adjustment pursuant to subsection (a) above. (One thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet divided by three hundred (300) square feet of floor area = six (6) off-street parking spaces. The new retail use would require nine (9) off-street parking spaces in accordance with section 26-20-2.1, off-street parking space/two hundred (200) square feet of floor area = nine (9) off-street parking spaces.) The change of use would need to furnish three (3) additional off street parking spaces: Nine (9) spaces - six (6) spaces = three (3) spaces.

(c)

If an existing structure within the Lafayette Old Town Urban Renewal Area is vacant on May 1, 2016, the last known use of the structure shall be treated as the structure's then existing use for purposes of this section.

(Ord. No. 2016-05, § 3, 3-15-16)

(a)

For properties within the Old Town Urban Renewal Area a property owner or developer may, prior to the issuance of the building permit or a change in use of the property, submit an application to the planning department in accordance with section 26-17-3 for payment of a cash in lieu of off-street parking requirements fee.

(b)

The submitted application shall be presented by the planning department to city council for a determination as to whether sufficient public parking to serve the proposed structure or use exists, or can be made available to serve the structure or use. This determination shall be at the sole discretion of the city council, who may approve or disapprove the application. Upon approval of an application by the city council, and execution of a payment agreement, the property in the approved application may comply with the minimum off-street parking standards of this chapter by payment of such fee in lieu of providing such number of off-street parking spaces as specified in the agreement.

(c)

At the option of the owner, an approved cash in-lieu fee may be paid in annual installments, including interest, over a multi-year period, subject to a payment agreement acceptable to the city attorney with an annual interest rate to be set by resolution of the city council. Such an agreement shall include provisions for termination of the certificate of occupancy for the affected structure if any periodic payments are not made, in addition to such other remedies that may be available under the Lafayette Code of Ordinances.

(d)

The cash in lieu fee shall be established by a resolution of the city council in an amount that is calculated to approximate the cost of obtaining, developing and maintaining public parking space in the Old Town Urban Renewal Area, and that established cash fee shall be increased annually by an amount equal to the Denver-Boulder-Greeley Metropolitan Consumer Price Index.

(e)

All cash in lieu fees paid pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in a separate fund, which fund may, at the city council's direction, be made available to the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority to undertake future projects to accommodate parking demand within the downtown commercial core. These fees may not be used for, the general expenses of the city.

(Ord. No. 2016-05, § 4, 3-15-16)

When a building is planned to include a combination of different uses, the minimum parking required will be determined by applying the above requirements based upon the floor area for each use. The minimum number of parking spaces required for the building shall be the sum of the requirements for each separate use. An off-street parking space in a business or industrial district may be used jointly for more than one (1) use, provided its occupancy ordinarily would not be used during the same hours, and a copy of a recorded agreement by owners involved in such joint use is presented to the planning director.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2011-33, § 14, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 2019-06, § 3, 2-19-19)

For specific uses not listed in section 26-20-2 above, the planning director shall determine the appropriate number of parking spaces required based upon the type of activity, intensity, number of employees, square feet of floor area, and similarity to listed uses.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2011-33, § 14, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 2019-06, § 3, 2-19-19)

A driveway designed for continuous forward flow of passenger vehicles for the purpose of loading and unloading students shall be located on the site of any school having a capacity greater than twenty-five (25) students.

(a)

A minimum loading area of three hundred (300) square feet shall be provided for all commercial or industrial uses that use a building area in excess of two thousand (2,000) square feet excluding the office and similar uses.

(b)

Buildings or structures to be built or substantially altered containing uses which receive and distribute material or merchandise by truck shall provide and maintain off-street loading berths in sufficient numbers and size to adequately handle the needs of the particular use.

(c)

No loading area for an existing use shall be eliminated unless the required loading area is re-established.

(d)

Off-street parking areas used to fulfill the requirements of this section shall not be used for loading and unloading operations except during periods of the day when not required to be used for parking areas.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

The providing of maintenance of off-street parking and loading areas is a continuing obligation of the property owner and/or occupant.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

No building permit or other permit shall be issued until plans are presented to show the location of off-street parking spaces and loading areas as well as property that is and will remain available for exclusive use as off-street parking and loading space. The use of the property for which the building occupancy permit is issued shall be conditional upon the unqualified continuous availability of the amount of parking and loading space required as herein set forth.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

Should the owner or occupant of any lot or building change the use of the lot or building thereby increasing off-street parking and/or loading requirements, it shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter to begin or to maintain such altered use until such time as the increased off-street parking and/or loading requirements are met.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

The city council may, by resolution, increase or decrease the required number of off-street parking spaces for a particular property and use after taking into consideration the following factors:

(a)

Expected number of cars owned by occupants of dwellings in a planned unit development.

(b)

Parking needs of any non-dwelling uses.

(c)

Varying time period of use.

(d)

The conveyance, dedication or lease to the city, or to the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority, of real property for the purpose of providing public parking in a location, and under conditions, as are approved by city council.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2012-38, § 1, 1-7-13)

The city council, in its sole discretion, may authorize that construction and the providing of up to twenty (20) percent of the required off-street parking spaces be deferred and may set such conditions as necessary to guarantee the providing of such deferred spaces whenever the city council determines the need for the additional spaces to exist. The city council shall consider deferral where the need for off-street parking is lessened due to unusual characteristics of the use and comparable data is available to establish that there is not a present need for the additional parking. Land area required for the providing of deferred parking spaces shall be available and maintained in reserve and shall be landscaped pursuant to a plan demonstrating the ultimate provision of the deferred parking spaces which meets all requirements of this section and which plan shall require approval by the city council.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 1989-01, § 2, 2-21-89; Ord. No. 2011-33, § 14, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 2016-05 § 5, 3-15-16)

The city council may approve a parking requirement reduction of up to seventy (70) percent for governmentally supported projects such as elderly housing.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

Off-street parking spaces for dwellings shall be located on the same lot as the dwelling. Other required parking spaces shall be located not further than three hundred (300) feet from the buildings or use they are intended to serve which shall be measured by means of pedestrian access from the building or use.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

Required off-street parking spaces shall be available for the parking of operable passenger automobiles, trucks or motorcycles of residents, customers, patrons and employees and shall not be used for the storage of vehicles or material or for the parking of trucks used for conducting the business or use located on the property.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86)

Prior to the issuance of a building permit for all uses except single-family residences, a site plan shall be submitted as required by section 26-20-8 which shall include:

(a)

Delineation of individual parking and loading spaces.

(b)

Circulation area necessary to serve parking spaces.

(c)

Access to streets and property to be served.

(d)

Curb cuts.

(e)

Dimensions, continuity and substance of screening.

(f)

Grading, drainage, surfacing and subgrading details.

(g)

Delineation of obstacles to parking and circulation in finished parking area.

(h)

Specifications relating to signs and bumper guards.

(i)

Lighting plan.

(j)

Landscaping.

(k)

Other pertinent required data.

The planning director shall make the initial determination as to whether or not the plans and specifications comply with the provisions of this section. The planning director's decision may be appealed in writing by any aggrieved party to the planning commission within fourteen (14) days after such decision pursuant to Section 26-16.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2011-33, § 14, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 2019-06, § 3, 2-19-19)

Parking and loading areas shall be designed in accordance with the following requirements:

(a)

Surfaces. All off-street parking spaces and maneuvering areas shall be surfaced with asphalt or concrete material.

(b)

Screening. All off-street parking areas with six (6) or more spaces shall be adequately screened from any adjoining residential zoned lot by landscaping and/or an opaque fence six (6) feet in height. The landscaping and fencing shall be maintained in good condition at all times.

Parking lots of six (6) or more spaces located adjacent to public rights-of-way shall be screened by either a minimum thirty-six-inch-high fence, wall or berm. A berm may average thirty-six (36) inches in height but may be no less than eighteen (18) inches in height from the top of the closest curb within a public right-of-way.

(c)

Maneuvering space. All parking areas servicing a use requiring three (3) or more parking spaces shall be designed and traffic controlled so that access to and from a public street shall require vehicular traffic to be traveling in a forward direction when entering or exiting the parking area. The off-street parking area shall further be designed so that the parking area is separated from the public street or sidewalk by a physical barrier which is adequate to prevent a vehicle from entering or exiting the parking area except by access routes indicated on the parking plans.

(d)

Service drives:

()

Service drives to off-street parking areas shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic to provide maximum safety for traffic access and egress and maximum safety for 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 the traffic to be anticipated.

(2)

Service drives shall not be more than thirty-five (35) feet in width and shall be clearly and permanently marked and defined through the use of rails, fences, walls or other barriers or markers on the lot frontage not occupied by the service drives.

(3)

Service drives on the same lot frontage shall be separated by a minimum length of curb of fifty (50) feet unless designed for one-way access movements. The minimum required length of curb separation shall be increased by one (1) foot for every five (5) feet of lot frontage beyond one hundred (100) feet up to a maximum requirement of two hundred (200) feet. In the case of a corner lot, service drives shall not be located closer than thirty (30) feet to the intersecting street lines.

(4)

The access from a street to a service drive for uses other than single-family residences shall be located no closer than fifteen (15) feet to a side lot line except that a common service drive to serve two (2) adjacent properties with a width not exceeding thirty-five (35) feet may be provided at the common lot line.

(5)

Service drives on corner lots shall be placed no closer than thirty (30) feet from the intersection of the two (2) property lines adjacent to a street right-of-way.

(6)

All service drives shall maintain a sight vision clearance area as defined by section 26-14-16.

(7)

In the Old Town Residential zone district, service drive access for all garages constructed after the effective date of this subsection, November 15, 2002, shall be from the alley if an alley abuts the rear or side lot lines of the lot, or may be from a side street if a lot is bounded on two (2) adjacent sides by a street. In the Old Town Residential zone district, service drive access for all accessory dwelling units shall be from the alley if an alley abuts the rear or side lot lines of the lot, or may be from a side street if a lot is bounded on two (2) adjacent sides by a street. In the Old Town Residential zone district, if an alley or side street does not abut the lot, the service drive for an accessory dwelling unit shall share its access to a public street with the service drive for the principal dwelling unit.

(e)

Lighting. A lighting plan shall be submitted to the city for review and approval with building permit application. All lighting shall be designed to minimize illumination onto adjoining residential property and glare directly onto streets.

(f)

Small car spaces. A maximum of twenty (20) percent of a parking lot containing five (5) or more spaces may be designed for small cars. A small car space for ninety-degree parking shall be eight and one-half (8½) feet by sixteen (16) feet.

(g)

[Specific use.] All areas to be considered as off-street parking shall be unobstructed and free of other uses.

(h)

[Access.] Unobstructed access to and from a public street shall be provided for all off-street parking spaces.

(i)

Accessible parking. The minimum number of designated parking spaces for each parking area shall comply with the following table:

MINIMUM NUMBER OF REQUIRED ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES

The width and depth of an accessible parking space shall be as shown in Table 26C.

(j)

[Buffer area.] All buildings shall be separated from parking lots and maneuvering areas by a minimum five-foot walkway or landscaped area.

(k)

[Landscape area.] Parking areas in excess of twenty-five (25) spaces shall provide an additional landscaped area of two hundred (200) square feet per each twenty-five (25) required parking spaces over twenty-five (25) or portion thereof.

(l)

Construction standards. See Table 26-C for design requirements. The standard space shall be nine (9) feet by nineteen (19) feet with a maneuvering area of twenty-four (24) feet in width of ninety-degree parking.

City council may, by resolution, exempt specific parking lots that are owned or operated by either the City of Lafayette or the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority from complying with any of the specific design requirements of this section, except for the required minimum number and size of accessible parking spaces. In considering a resolution under this subsection, city council shall review the proposed site plan for the parking lot and consider the following factors:

(1)

The necessity and demand for public parking spaces in the area that will be served by the lot;

(2)

The ability to supply public parking spaces in the area to be served that would meet the design requirements of this section at a reasonable cost to the public;

(3)

The impact that the modified or exempted design requirements will have on properties that are adjacent to, or in close proximity of, the parking lot;

(4)

The impact that the modified or exempted design requirements will have on the health and safety of the general public, including impacts on pedestrians, motor vehicle traffic and users of the parking lot;

(5)

The cost to the public that would be incurred to provide the design elements for which exemption or modification is requested.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 1991-31, §§ 8—11, 11-19-91; Ord. No. 2002-31, § 8, 11-5-02; Ord. No. 2006-24, § 3, 6-6-06; Ord. No. 2016-28, § 1, 9-20-16)

Required parking spaces shall be improved as required and made available for use prior to the final inspection being completed by the building official. An extension of time may be granted by the building official, provided a performance bond, or its equivalent, is posted with the city for one and one-quarter (1¼) times the cost of the parking improvements as estimated by the building official and provided that the parking space is not required for immediate use. In the event that the parking improvements are not completed and made available for use within one (1) year of the date of the extension, the bond or its equivalent shall be forfeited to the city.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 1991-31, § 2, 11-19-91; Ord. No. 1998-29, § 27, 8-18-98)

The planning director may prescribe reasonable rules and regulations for the interpretation of this section including the preparation of maps and standards showing the size and arrangement of typical off-street parking locations.

(Ord. No. 1986-01, § 2, 2-4-86; Ord. No. 2011-33, § 14, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 2019-06, § 3, 2-19-19)