For the purpose of this article, off-street parking and loading facilities shall mean accessory off-street parking and loading facilities.

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; and

(e)

To provide regulations and standards for the development of accessory off-street parking and loading facilities in accordance with the objectives of the Master Plan of the City of Laurel.

Accessory off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as a condition precedent to:

(a)

The use and/or occupancy of all buildings, property, or parcels of land within the City;

(b)

The alteration of an existing building where there is an increase in the number of dwelling units, seating capacity, the floor area of building;

(c)

The construction of a building or establishment of a new use;

(d)

The change of the use of an existing building to a more intensive use which requires more off-street parking facilities, except certain nonconforming uses may continue as provided in Division 11, Nonconforming Uses, of this article. The off-street parking or loading shall be in conformance with the provisions of this section.

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

(a)

Off-street parking space. An open or enclosed area accessible from a public street for parking of vehicles of owners, occupants, employees, customers or tenants of the main use. Each space shall be directly accessible from a drive or aisle, and not less than nine (9) feet wide by nineteen (19) feet long, exclusive of all drives, aisles, ramps and turning space. General office parking spaces may be reduced to eighteen and one-half (18½) feet long, where the intended use is for general office, industrial and residential uses. The required length of such space may be reduced by one-foot by the Planning Commission where such space abuts a landscaped strip not less than six (6) feet in width, so as to permit an overhang, when used in ninety-degree parking configurations. A parallel parking space shall be not less than eight (8) feet wide and twenty-two (22) feet long.

(b)

Floor area, used in determining parking requirements. The total area of all the floors of the building used by the use activity as specified in the schedule in Section 20-16.5, measured from the exterior faces of the building and as further defined in Section 20-1.7.

(c)

Seating capacity. The number of seating units installed or indicated on plans for places of assembly. Where not indicated on plans it shall be assumed that a seating unit will occupy six (6) square feet of floor area exclusive of all aisles.

(d)

Employees. Wherever the parking requirement is based on employees, it means the maximum number of employees on the premises at one (1) time or on any two (2) successive shifts, whichever is the greater.

(e)

Off-street loading space. An open space or enclosed area as part of a building, accessible to a public street and available whenever needed for the loading or unloading of goods and products to the main use.

(f)

Compact parking space. An off-street parking space intended for compact cars in most zones. Each space shall be directly accessible from a driveway or aisle and shall not be less than eight (8) feet wide by fifteen (15) feet long. The use of such spaces is confined to Office and Industrial Zones, Commercial/Retail Zones, as well as in Multifamily and Townhouse Residential Zones where there are common parking areas, and may not exceed forty (40) percent of the total parking required.

(a)

Application for providing facilities. Any application for a permit to construct a building or parking area or for a certificate of use or occupancy shall include a site plan drawn to scale and fully dimensioned showing the proposed design of the parking area and loading facilities to be provided in compliance with the provisions of this article.

(b)

Determination of required parking facilities. The minimum number of spaces required for accessory off-street parking shall be determined by applying the measurement units in Section 20-16.3, the Parking Area Design Standards in the following Subsection (c) hereof, the Schedule of Parking Requirements for the various uses in Section 20-16.5 and any other applicable provisions of this article. Where the computation results in a fractional space, it shall be counted as one (1) additional space required.

(c)

Parking area design standards.

(1)

The plan for parking spaces of a parking area included with an application to construct a building or parking area or change in use shall be designed and dimensioned in accordance with the parking area design standards as established by the Planning Commission.

(2)

The Planning Commission may require installation of work or precast barriers to define parking bays where it is necessary to control vehicular flows within the parking areas.

(d)

Required landscaping for parking lots. Landscaping shall be required in parking lots consisting of twenty (20) or more spaces and this landscaping shall be in accordance with regulations set forth in Division 15, Landscaping, Buffering, and Screening of this article.

All landscaping plans for parking lots must meet current and future health and safety considerations (including sight distance review), must be properly maintained, and must be approved by the Planning Commission.

(e)

Handicapped parking spaces. The total number of handicap parking spaces shall be in accordance with the table below. One (1) of every eight (8) handicapped parking spaces shall be served by an access aisle that is a minimum of ninety-six (96) inches wide and shall be marked as a "Van Accessible" handicapped parking space. All such spaces may be grouped on one (1) level of a parking structure. The number of handicap parking spaces shall be in addition to the total number of parking spaces required by this division. Notwithstanding the requirements of this Subsection 20-16.4(e), all or a portion of the required handicap parking spaces may be included in the total number of required parking spaces pursuant to this division provided that the Citizens Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities so recommends.

In all zones (except M-X-T Zone), the minimum number of required off-street parking spaces for each type of use shall be as listed in the following schedule. In the schedule, each "employee" means each employee on the largest shift.

Note:

Gross Floor Area (GFA): defined in Section 20-1.7, Definitions.

Gross Leasable Area (GLA): defined in Section 20-1.7, Definitions.

(a)

When the number of spaces calculated in accordance with this section results in a number containing a fraction, the required number of spaces shall be the next higher whole number.

(b)

Except in the M-X-T or Revitalization Overlay where two (2) or more uses are located in the same building or on the same lot, the total number of spaces required by each use shall be provided.

(c)

For uses not specifically listed, the requirement of the most nearly similar use shall be applied.

(d)

An applicant for a site and development plan for a use not included in the categories listed above, or for a use for which the applicant proposes a parking standard different from the requirements listed above, shall submit a parking needs study as part of the site development plan application.

The parking needs study shall include:

(1)

An estimate of the parking needs for the use;

(2)

A thorough explanation of the basis of the estimate; and

(3)

Any data used in calculating the estimate, including parking generation studies such as those from the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) or based on data collated from uses or combination of uses which are the same or comparable to the proposed use. Comparability shall be determined by density, scale, bulk, are, type of activity, and location. Any parking study proposing different parking requirements shall document the source data used to develop the recommendation.

(Ord. No. 1744, 7-23-2012; Ord. No. 1844, 4-27-2015; Ord. No. 1999, 9-26-2022; Ord. No. 2016, 9-25-2023)

(a)

Public facilities available. The required spaces as determined by the above schedule and standards may be modified by the Planning Commission where:

(1)

Free parking areas or publicly owned parking areas as located within five hundred (500) feet of the nearest boundary of the lot on which the use is located; and

(2)

Land is not available for development of accessory off-street parking as required herein; and

(3)

Public transportation issued extensively, or in the case of a building or use located or proposed in an area of a specified established business district;

(4)

After a public hearing the Mayor and City Council finds that practical difficulties or undue hardship prevent the strict application of these requirements in that established area as shown in Appendix D. "Parking Modification Zone".

(b)

Parking for single and mixed uses. A building occupied by one (1) use shall provide the off-street parking space as required for the specific use. Except in the M-X-T Zone or Revitalization Overlay Areas, a building or group of buildings, occupied by two (2) or more uses, operating normally during the same hours, shall provide spaces for not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use. For a large development of business uses, such as a community or regional shopping center, spaces shall be provided for the total area of the building or buildings as set forth in such schedule instead of the requirements based on each separate use.

(c)

Joint use of parking facilities. Houses of worship, civic clubs, community centers, auditoriums, lodge halls, gymnasiums and stadiums may make arrangements with business establishments which normally have different hours of operation for sharing up to, but not more than fifty (50) percent of their requirements in adjacent parking areas which are accessory to such commercial uses. However, where there is a sharing of facilities by different owners or tenants, there shall be an agreement covering a specific period of time as may be required by the Planning Commission. Should any of the uses be changed or the facilities discontinued then the required spaces for the use or uses remaining shall be provided elsewhere as a condition precedent to the continued use of said building or buildings. In addition, the following may be allowed:

(1)

The off-street parking requirements for two (2) or more noncommercial institutional or house of worship uses may be satisfied by providing a joint parking lot. The normal space requirement for each use participating in a joint lot may be reduced to the greater of the total number of spaces required for any one (1) use provided only one (1) use utilizes the parking lot at any given time.

(2)

The normal parking space requirement for each use participating in a joint lot, when the uses operate at the same time, may be reduced by up to twenty (20) percent provided:

a.

The normal requirement for each use is not more than twenty (20) spaces.

b.

The total of these reductions does not exceed forty (40) spaces.

c.

The above will apply regardless of whether the uses are located in one (1) or more buildings.

(d)

Shared parking.

(1)

Except in the M-X-T Zone or Revitalization Overlay Areas, the off-street parking for two (2) or more uses may be satisfied by providing a joint parking lot. The normal parking space requirement for each use participating in a joint lot may be reduced by up to twenty (20) percent, provided:

a.

The normal requirement for each use is not more than twenty (20) spaces; and

b.

The total of these reductions does not exceed forty (40) spaces.

c.

Where the uses have different hours or demand for parking.

(2)

The uses participating may be located in one (1) or more buildings.

(3)

This section does not apply to integrated shopping centers having a gross leasable area of twenty-five thousand (25,000) or more square feet, office buildings, office-building complexes, or medical or dental offices.

(e)

Hardship; practical difficulties. These regulations regarding area, yard, parking and setback requirements may be modified by the Planning Commission, when a specific lot or lots (parcels of land), structure, or use is located in a specifically established commercial area where the Mayor and City Council has resolved after a public hearing that practical difficulties and possible undue hardship prevents the strict application of these requirements within that established area.

(f)

Parking modification zones. Parking reductions described below shall only apply to parking modification zones that have been approved by the Mayor and City Council.

(g)

Departure from the number of parking spaces required. A departure from the minimum number of spaces may be permitted by the Planning Commission.

(1)

Application.

a.

All request for a departure shall be in the form of an application filed with the Planning Commission.

b.

The application form shall be accompanied by the following:

i.

A site plan and other graphic illustrations which are considered necessary to clearly indicate what is being proposed;

ii.

A written statement by the applicant addressing the requirements of paragraph (6) below.

(2)

Hearing. Prior to making a decision on the departure, the Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing.

(3)

Technical Staff Report. The Technical Staff shall analyze the request, and shall forward its comments and recommendation to the Planning Commission.

(4)

Record.

a.

The record shall consist of:

i.

The application form and accompanying data;

ii.

Comments and recommendations of the Technical Staff;

iii.

All correspondence relative to the application;

iv.

All testimony at the public hearing; and

v.

Other items which the Planning Commission deems necessary.

(5)

Planning Commission decision. After the close of the record, the Planning Commission shall take action on the request. The decision of the Planning Board shall be based on the record, and shall be embodied in a resolution adopted at the public meeting.

(6)

Required findings.

a.

In order for the Planning Commission to grant the departure, it shall make the following findings:

i.

The intent of this article (Section 20-16.1., Intent) will be served by the applicant's request;

ii.

The departure is the minimum necessary, given the specific circumstances of the request;

iii.

The departure is necessary in order to alleviate circumstances which are special to the subject use, given its location, or alleviate circumstance which are prevalent in older areas of the City which were predominantly developed prior to January 1, 1990;

iv.

All methods for calculating the number of spaces required have either been used and found to be impractical; and

v.

Parking for adjacent residential areas will not be infringed upon if the departure is granted.

b.

In making its findings, the Planning Commission may give consideration to the following:

i.

Public Transportation available in the area;

ii.

Any alternative design solutions to off-street facilities which might yield additional spaces;

iii.

The specific nature of the use (including hours of operations if it is a business) and nature and hours of operation of other (business) uses within five hundred (500) feet of the subject property.

(h)

The Mayor and City Council may modify the number and type of parking spaces required to be provided herein as part of any application for a Revitalization Overlay Area or request for the M-X-T Zone, upon receipt of a professionally prepared parking analysis.

(Ord. No. 1877, 9-26-2016)

(a)

Off-street parking and loading facilities accessory to an existing use on January 1, 1990, and those required as accessory to a use created or a building constructed or altered thereafter, shall be continued and maintained in operation, and shall not be used for automobile sales, service or repair of motor vehicles, and shall not be reduced below the requirements of these regulations during the period that the main use is maintained, unless an equivalent number of spaces shall be provided for such use in another approved location.

(b)

Wherever parking facilities are permitted on land other than the zoned lot on which the building or use served is located, and such facilities shall be in the same ownership as the zoning lot occupied by the building or use to which the parking facilities are accessory. Such ownership shall be by deed or a long term lease agreement, whereby the owner of the land on which the parking facilities are to be located shall be bound by a covenant filed and recorded in the office of the county recorder, requiring each such owner, his heirs or assigns to maintain the required number of parking facilities for the duration of the use served as a precedent to the continuation of such use.

Accessory parking facilities shall be provided at locations as set forth herein except as modified by Sections 20-16.6 and 20-16.7 of this division.

(a)

Residential zones and uses:

(1)

Accessory, enclosed or open parking facilities as required shall be provided on the same lot as the dwelling unit served.

(2)

Any multifamily garage serving a multifamily building over three (3) stories in height, and apartment garages in the R-H and R-10 zones, shall form part of the main multifamily building and the yard regulations of Section 20-6, Residential Zones shall apply to such multifamily building and garage as one (1) building, provided that if such garage does not exceed a height of over five (5) feet above the finished grade and the entire roof is landscaped it may occupy any side or rear yard but shall be located not closer than five (5) feet to a side or rear lot line and twelve (12) feet to any main or end wall of a building.

(3)

In the R-30 and R-18 zones, the enclosed garage space may be detached from the main building and each enclosed garage shall contain no more than twelve (12) parking spaces.

(b)

Civic uses and places of assembly.

(1)

Where houses of worship, civic clubs, community centers, auditoriums, lodge halls, gymnasiums and stadiums share parking facilities with adjacent business establishments, such parking facilities shall be located within a walking distance of not more than two hundred fifty (250) feet from the entrance of the main building of such use.

(c)

Commercial and office uses.

(1)

Accessory parking facilities shall be provided on the same lot as the main use served in a commercial zone, except where modified by the Planning Commission in accordance with the provisions of Section 20-16.6. In such cases, the nearest point of the parking lot shall be located within walking distance of not more than two hundred fifty (250) feet from the main entrance of the building served.

(2)

A parking area serving the uses covered in this subsection shall be further regulated in relation to any adjoining residential zone lines as set forth in Section 20-7.10, Commercial Zones—Yard Regulations.

Unenclosed parking of motor vehicles at automotive service stations shall be limited to two (2) vehicles for each service bay, with not more than a maximum of four (4) vehicles remaining so parked for any period exceeding forty-eight (48) hours.

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

(a)

Grading and pavement. Parking areas and access driveways shall be graded and drained so that surface water shall not be allowed to flow onto adjacent properties. Parking areas and driveways shall be improved with an impervious surface or another pervious surface which the Department of Economic and Community Development determines is acceptable and in conformance with the intent of this chapter, in accordance with the standards established in Subdivision Regulations, Building Code, or any other City regulation or standard. The use of gravel on parking areas and access driveways installed after January 1, 2020, is prohibited.

The Planning Commission may consider or require alternate paving methods, such as pervious or semi-pervious materials that are meant to:

(1)

Increase the infiltration of runoff, which is the rate that runoff penetrates the surface before reaching the soil.

(2)

Facilitate the absorption of runoff into the underlying sub base, which is the material lying directly beneath the paving surface.

(3)

Each proposal shall be considered separately, given the intended use of the road, parking area or driveway, and shall not conflict with approved stormwater management plans, as well as any relating to soil erosion and sedimentation control plans. Specific types of materials, such as porous surfaces, inter-locking pavers, and all others, shall be considered for the frequency of use, ability to safely allow pedestrian use, or other factors deemed necessary by the Planning Commission.

(4)

Any alternate proposal may not conflict with any federal, state, county, or City standards or regulations concerning roadways, parking areas, driveway, aprons from public rights-of-way, or any other applicable standard. All proposals shall be reviewed for such compliance by the City Department of Public Works.

(b)

Design of areas. Parking areas shall be so arranged and marked to provide for orderly and safe parking and storage of vehicles in accordance with the aforesaid parking area design standards. All parking bays shall be properly marked and well defined. The Planning Commission may also require screening between such parking areas and a side or rear lot line of a residential zone in accordance with standards established in other sections of this chapter. Interior landscaping must equal four (4) percent of the area of the total parking lot.

(c)

Maintenance. The owner of property used for parking and/or loading shall maintain such area in good repair and shall at all times keep said area clearly marked for parking lanes and parking spaces, such that the off-street parking facility is harmonious with the intent of this article.

(d)

Signs. Signs located on or related to parking areas shall be limited to those indicating the operator, purpose or business served, or instructions for parking. If a sign is located on the paved surface of a parking area, that space or spaces upon which the sign is located shall not be included in the number of spaces required for a use by this section.

(e)

Required trash areas. All commercial, industrial, and multifamily residential uses that provide trash and/or garbage collection areas shall be screened from residential units if such area is not within an enclosed building or structure. Provisions for adequate vehicular access to and from such area or areas for collection of trash and/or garbage as determined by the Commission shall be required.

(f)

Disabled vehicles. In any zone, the storage of any motor vehicle for a period in excess of fourteen (14) days is prohibited when such vehicle is wrecked, partially dismantled, or inoperable, that is incapable of being moved under its own automotive power. This section shall not apply to one (1) wrecked, partially dismantled, or inoperable vehicle, which is kept in a wholly enclosed garage, repair facility, towing station, or the like, as otherwise provided by this article.

The chief of police or his designee shall be authorized to issue the municipal infraction citation for a violation of this section, in addition to the Director of the Department of Economic and Community Development or his designee who is otherwise authorized to issue such citations as to infractions of the article generally.

(g)

Surface parking lots that are pervious or permeable, to reduce run-off, are encouraged but not mandated.

(Ord. No. 1945, 7-8-2018; Ord. No. 1991, 1-10-2022)

Parking areas shall be illuminated wherever the Planning Commission determines that such illumination is necessary to insure the public safety. Lighting fixtures shall be designed and located so as not to cast direct rays of excessive brightness upon adjoining residential zones or cause a glare hazardous to pedestrians or auto drivers on adjacent public streets. Parking lot illumination shall conform to the lighting design standards established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

(a)

The location, width, and number of entrance and exit driveways serving accessory parking facilities, drive-in businesses, fee parking lots and public parking lots, 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 streets to which they connect.

(b)

Parking areas, of up to twenty (20) spaces shall have no more than one (1) two-lane driveway located at least fifty (50) feet from the right-of-way line of the nearest uncontrolled (i.e., no stop sign or signal) intersection street. On stop-controlled or signalized intersection the minimum driveway distance shall be two hundred (200) feet or the furthest egress location on the property from the intersection. Driveways should be oriented to egress on the lower volume street if the property abuts more than one (1) street.

(c)

Parking areas of more than twenty (20) spaces shall have two (2) two-lane driveways located not less than two hundred (200) feet from the right-of-way line of the nearest intersecting street.

(d)

Entrance or exit driveways shall not exceed three (3) lanes in width and be designed so that all cars can be driven forward into the street. The width of such driveways, measured at the street right-of-way line, shall conform to the following schedule:

Width of Driveway

(e)

The angle of intersection between the driveway and the street shall be between seventy (70) degrees and ninety (90) degrees for a distance of at least twenty-five (25) feet. The radii of the edge of the driveway apron shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet.

(f)

In all residential developments, interior subdivision roads and parking aisles within such developments shall be no less than thirty (30) feet wide.

(g)

In order to reduce the number of driveways, driveways that are located too close together, or too close to an intersection, driveways shall be consolidated during new or reconstruction projects in order to decrease the number of conflict points.

(a)

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

(b)

Allocation of use. Space required and allocated for any off-street loading facility shall not, while so allocated be used to satisfy the space requirements for off-street parking. An off-street loading space shall not be used for repairing or servicing motor vehicles.

(c)

Location of facility.

(1)

All required accessory loading facilities shall be related to the building and use to be served to provide for loading of delivery trucks and other service vehicles and shall be so arranged that they may be used without blocking or otherwise interfering with the use of access ways, parking facilities, public streets or sidewalks.

(2)

A required loading space in an industrial zone shall not face, or be visible from the frontage street, and shall not be located in a required front yard, or a required side or rear yard if adjoining a residential zone.

(3)

If a loading space is entirely enclosed, it may be located in such side or rear yard if approved by the Planning Commission.

(d)

Access driveways. Each required off-street loading space shall be designed for direct vehicular access by means of a driveway, or driveways, to a public street in a manner which will least interfere with adjacent traffic movements and interior circulation. The access drive of an off-street loading facility shall be located so that the driveway centerline shall be not less than fifty (50) feet from the nearest intersecting street right-of-way line.

(e)

Improvements. All accessory off-street loading spaces shall be improved as required for parking areas as set forth in Section 20-16.10.

(f)

Minimum size criteria. For buildings larger than five thousand (5,000) square feet of floor area, a required off-street loading space shall be at least twelve (12) feet wide by at least forty (40) feet in length. The above area shall be exclusive of the maneuvering space, and each loading facility shall have a vertical clearance of at least fourteen (14) feet. Buildings of less than five thousand (5,000) square feet of floor area shall only have to provide a receiving platform or other commensurate facilities.

(g)

Schedule of required loading facilities. Accessory off-street loading spaces shall be provided as required herein for the following uses:

(a)

Detailed drawings of accessory off-street parking and loading facilities shall be submitted in accordance with all the provisions of this chapter for review by the Planning Commission.

(b)

The Planning Commission may require structural or landscape features such as bumper guards, curbs, walls, fences, shrubs, ground cover, or hedges to further carry out the objectives of the Master Plan and of this article, before an application is approved and a Building Permit or Use and Occupancy Permit may be issued.

(c)

The Planning Commission may waive, reduce, or modify the provisions of Division 6, when improved circulation, efficiency, or additional landscaping is proposed as to warrant a modification from the provisions of this article. Provided the proposed modifications will be the minimum deviation from the specific requirements to alleviate the said conditions.

(a)

Scope.

(1)

This section applies to new construction of:

a.

Single-family detached and townhouse dwellings with a separate garage, carport, or driveway per unit.

b.

Single-family detached and townhouse communities with a shared parking area.

c.

Multi-family dwellings comprised of two (2) or more units.

d.

Nonresidential buildings, including commercial, office, and industrial units.

(2)

This section does not apply to dwelling units and nonresidential buildings with building permits approved prior to October 1, 2023.

(3)

Electric vehicle charging spaces shall be included in the total number of required parking spaces as set forth in the schedule in Section 20-16.5.

(b)

Provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

(1)

New single-family detached and townhouse residential dwellings with a separate garage, carport, or driveway shall be equipped with one (1) Level 2 EV ready charging outlet per dwelling unit.

(2)

New multi-family residential dwellings, single-family and townhouse communities with a shared parking area shall be equipped with one (1) electric vehicle charging station for every twenty-five (25) dwelling units.

(3)

For new nonresidential buildings, ten (10) percent of the total required parking spaces shall be equipped with electric vehicle charging stations.

(c)

Fee waiver for existing buildings.

(1)

Any existing residential or nonresidential building seeking to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure based on the requirements of this provision maybe eligible for a reduction of seventy-five (75) percent in total permit fees pertaining to the installation of electric vehicle infrastructure by submitting a request to the City Administrator's Office.

(Ord. No. 2016, 9-25-2023)