The purpose of this article is to regulate the design, location and maintenance of parking areas, to meet the expanding needs of a growing City and to furnish adequate facilities to satisfy those who live, shop and work within the City.

It is the intent of this article to have adequate parking designed and constructed during the erection of all new structures and the modifications to existing structures.

These parking areas are to be designed for the convenience of all who use them and shall be located so as to improve traffic flow, promote traffic safety and add to the beautification of the City.

Off-street parking required by this chapter shall only occur on an all-weather driving surface.

There shall be provided, at the time of the erection of any principal building or structure or at the time any principal building or structure is altered, enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, floor areas or seats, not less than the amounts of parking space given in § 420-12.8. Such space shall be maintained and shall not be encroached upon so long as such principal building or structure remains, unless an equivalent number of such spaces is provided elsewhere in conformance with the article.

Loading space, as required in § 420-12.9, shall not be construed as supplying off-street parking space.

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this chapter, buildings in the Historic Downtown Preservation District shall be exempt from the requirements of this article.

Churches. Parking spaces already provided to meet off-street parking requirements for theaters, stadiums, auditoriums and other places of public assembly, stores, office buildings and industrial establishments, lying within 500 feet of a church, as measured along lines of public access, that are not normally used between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays and that are made available for other parking may be used to meet not more than 75% of the off-street parking requirements of a church.

Other places of public assembly. Parking spaces already provided to meet off-street parking requirements for stores, office buildings and industrial establishments, lying within 500 feet of a place of public assembly, as measured along lines of public access, that are not normally in use between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight and that are made available for other parking may be used to meet not more than 50% of the total requirements of parking space.

Surfacing. Depending on the site's topography and conditions, the Zoning Administrator may require that off-street parking areas for three or more vehicles be surfaced with an erosion-proof asphaltic, bituminous, cement or other properly bound pavement. Off-street parking shall not be located in a required yard or near the front entrance of a structure unless an all-weather driving surface is provided as approved by the City.

Drainage and maintenance. Off-street parking facilities shall be drained to eliminate standing water and prevent damage to abutting property and/or public streets and alleys. Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in a clean, orderly and, to the extent possible, dust-free condition at the expense of the owner or lessee and not used for the sale, repair, or dismantling or servicing of any vehicles, equipment, materials or supplies.

Separation from walkways and streets. Off-street parking spaces shall be separated from walkways, sidewalks, streets or alleys by a wall, fence or curbing or other approved protective device, or by distance, so that vehicles cannot protrude over publicly owned areas.

Entrances and exits. The location and design of entrances and exits shall meet regular traffic safety and design standards. In general, there shall not be more than one entrance and one exit or one combined entrance and exit along any one street.

Interior drives. Interior drives shall be of adequate width to serve a particular design arrangement of parking spaces, except that no driveway shall be less than eight feet in width.

Marking. Parking spaces in lots of more than 10 spaces shall be marked by painted lines or curbs or other means to indicate individual spaces. Signs or markers shall be used to ensure efficient traffic operation on the lot.

Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided if off-street parking spaces are to be used at night. The lighting shall be arranged and installed to minimize glare on property in a residential district.

Screening. Where off-street parking areas for five or more automobiles are located closer than 50 feet to a dwelling in a residential district and where such parking areas are not entirely screened visually from the dwelling by an intervening building or structure, a continuous visual screen, with a minimum height of six feet, shall be provided between the parking area and the dwelling. Such screen shall be a solid masonry wall, a uniformly painted solid board fence or evergreen hedge six feet in height, except in areas requiring natural air circulation, unobstructed view or other technical considerations necessary for proper operation.

Shared access. Access to required parking spaces for single-and two-family residences may be provided by a shared driveway when each abutting side yard has a minimum width of 10 feet.

Electric vehicle charging stations. Any off-street parking space that meets the minimum requirements of this article may also include a charging station for electric vehicles. Such stations may be reserved for electric vehicles and may also count toward minimum off-street parking requirements.

The requirements for off-street parking space and off-street loading space shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of the real estate on which any structure or use is located as long as such structure or use is in existence and its use, requiring vehicle parking or vehicle loading facilities, continues. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any structure or use affected by this article to discontinue, change or dispense with or to cause the discontinuance or change of the required vehicle parking or loading space, apart from the alternate vehicle parking or loading space which meets with the requirements of and is in compliance with this article. It shall be unlawful for any firm or corporation to use such structure without acquiring such land or other suitable land for vehicle parking or loading space which meets the requirements of and is in compliance with this chapter.

Whenever off-street parking is required and cannot be provided within the principal structure or on the same lot as the principal structure and is located on another parcel of property, as permitted by this article, such parcel of property provided and utilized for off-street parking shall be owned by the owner of the principal structure or, in the alternative, shall be restricted by a recorded agreement to off-street parking purposes during the lifetime of the principal structure or as long as off-street parking is required for such principal structure in accordance with the terms of this article.

No recreational vehicles shall be parked or stored on any lot in a residential zoning district on that portion of the lot lying between the center line of the street and the front of the structure; provided, however, that such equipment may be parked on that portion of the lot lying between the center line of the street and the front of the structure on residential premises for a period not to exceed 48 hours during loading and unloading. No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot or in any location not approved for such use.

Vehicles that are inoperable, unregistered, or abandoned must not be stored outdoors. For purposes of this section, an auto repair service facility with a valid business license issued by the City is exempt from the prohibition of storing inoperable, unregistered, or abandoned vehicles outdoors.

On the same premises with every building or structure or part thereof erected and occupied for manufacturing, storage, warehousing, goods display or as a department store, wholesale store, market, hotel, hospital, mortuary, laundry, dry-cleaning establishment or other use similarly involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles, materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the lot adequate space for standing, turning, loading and unloading services, in order to avoid interference with public use of the streets and alleys.

Such loading and unloading space, unless otherwise adequately provided for, shall be an area 10 feet by 50 feet, with fifteen-foot height clearance, and shall be provided according to the following schedule: