Off-street parking must be provided on-site or reserved within three hundred feet of the site for all new buildings or structures. Existing buildings or structures need supply such parking only to the extent ground space is available. The minimum number of parking spaces to be provided shall be as follows:

(Ord. 280, 2002; Ord. 276 (part), 2001; Ord. No. 453, 10-8-2020)

A. Each parking space shall contain a rectangular area at least twenty feet long and nine feet wide.

B.

Whenever parking areas consist of spaces set aside for parallel parking, the dimensions of such parking spaces shall be not less than twenty-two feet by nine feet.

C.

On any nonresidential premises, two percent of the spaces, but not less than one space, shall be set aside for the handicapped or physically disabled.

1.

Spaces for the handicapped shall consist of an area of not less than twelve feet in width by twenty feet in length exclusive of driveway area.

2.

Parking spaces for the handicapped shall be appropriately and prominently marked for use by the international symbol of accessibility.

(Ord. 276 (part), 2001)

A. Parking area aisle widths shall conform to the following table, which varies the width requirement according to the angle of parking.

B.

Driveways shall be not less than ten feet in width for one-way traffic and eighteen feet in width for two-way traffic.

(Ord. 276 (part), 2001)

A. Unless no other practicable alternative is available, vehicle accommodation areas shall be so designed so that, without resorting to extraordinary movements, vehicles may exit such areas without backing onto a public street. This requirement does not apply to parking areas consisting of driveways that serve a single-family dwelling unit.

B.

Vehicle accommodation areas of all developments shall be designed so that sanitation, emergency, and other public service vehicles can serve such developments without the necessity of backing unreasonable distances or making other dangerous or hazardous turning movements.

C.

Every vehicle accommodation area shall be designed so that vehicles cannot extend beyond the perimeter of such area onto adjacent properties or public rights-of-way. Such areas shall also be designed so that vehicles do not extend over sidewalks or tend to bump against or damage any wall, vegetation, or other obstruction.

D.

Circulation areas shall be designed so that vehicles can proceed safely without posing a danger to pedestrians or other vehicles and without interfering with parking areas.

(Ord. 276 (part), 2001)

Vehicle accommodation areas that include lanes for drive-in windows or contain parking areas shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other material that will provide equivalent protection against potholes, erosion, and dust. Parking spaces shall be appropriately demarcated with painted lines and properly maintained. Vehicle accommodation area surfaces shall be kept in good condition (free from potholes, etc.) and parking space lines shall be kept clearly visible and distinct.

(Ord. 276 (part), 2001)

A. Whenever the normal operation of any development requires that goods, merchandise, or equipment be routinely delivered to or shipped from that development, a sufficient off-street loading and unloading area must be provided in accordance with this section to accommodate the delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.

B.

The loading and unloading area must be of sufficient size to accommodate the numbers and types of vehicles that are likely to use this area. The following table indicates the number and size of spaces that satisfy the standard set forth in this subsection.

Plus one space for each additional 72,000 square feet or fraction thereof

Minimum dimensions of 12 feet by 55 feet and overhead clearance of 14 feet from street grade required

C.

Loading and unloading areas shall be so located and designed that the vehicles intended to use them can maneuver safely and conveniently to and from a public right-of-way, and complete the loading and unloading operations without obstructing or interfering with any public right-of-way or any parking space or parking lot aisle.

D.

No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities may be used to satisfy the area requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off-street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading and unloading facilities.

E.

Whenever there exists a lot with one or more structures on it constructed before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title, and a change in use that does not involve any enlargement of a structure is proposed for such lot, and the loading area requirements of this section cannot be satisfied because there is not sufficient area available on the lot that can practicably be used for loading and unloading, then the developer need only comply with this section to the extent reasonably possible.

(Ord. 276 (part), 2001)

When exterior lighting is proposed a plan prepared by an engineer/architect certified by the state of New Mexico shall be submitted addressing the following requirements prior to a certificate of occupancy being issued. The engineer/architect will certify that the exterior lighting has been installed as designed.

A.

Parking lot lighting and area lighting using light fixtures mounted on the exterior of buildings shall incorporate cut-off reflectors, light shields and other similar devices, and shall be placed such that light shining or reflected into any adjoining residential property shall not increase the light level by more than 0.5 foot candles at any point five feet or more onto the residential property.

B.

Parking lot lighting shall not exceed an average of five foot candles or a maximum spot lighting of ten foot candles. Light measurements shall be made at not more than six inches above ground.

C.

Walkway lighting shall not exceed the levels specified for parking lot lighting unless the lighting is from fixtures mounted not more than forty-two inches above the walkway level and that project light downward only.

D.

Except for "neon" type lighting, all lamps used in exterior lighting shall be designed o produce a broad spectrum of light with good color rendering.

F.

Building façade lighting is permitted on commercial or industrially zoned property west of I-25 with the following guidelines:

1.

Any building façade flood lighting shall be designed to incorporate fixtures with cut-off reflectors, light shields and other similar devices, and the fixtures shall be placed such that light level at any point ten feet or more to the side of the lighted facade shall not be increased by more than five foot candles by the facade lighting. Building facade lighting shall be placed such that light shining or reflected into any adjoining residential property shall not increase the light level by more than 0.5 foot candles at any point five feet or more onto the residential property.

2.

All lamps used for flood lighting of building facades shall be designed to produce a broad spectrum of light with good color rendering.

3.

If less than ten percent of a building facade is to be flood lighted, the average illumination of the flood lighted area shall not exceed fifty foot candles.

4.

If ten percent or more of a building facade is to be flood lighted, the average illumination shall not exceed twenty foot candles and the ratio of brightest to dimmest lighting in the lighted area shall not exceed four to one.

G.

In addition to the above sections, all exterior lighting plans shall comply with the "Night Sky Protection Act", Section 74-12-1 through 74-12-10 NMSA 1978.

(Ord. 280, 2002)

In order to encourage transit ridership, walking, and bicycling, the following parking requirements shall apply within the TOD-MU zone, and supersede parking requirements as listed in Section 17.60.010.

A.

Nonresidential Uses.

1.

The maximum number of parking spaces provided shall not exceed the minimum requirements listed in Section 17.60.010.

2.

In cases where uses located within one thousand three hundred twenty feet of a parking facility can reasonably share parking spaces, such as when businesses have staggered needs according to peak times, such sharing is permitted and encouraged. The Urban Land Institute's shared parking methodology, or another method acceptable to the planning director, shall be used to calculate the percentage of spaces occupied at different times of day for each use.

3.

One hundred percent of on-street parking along the perimeter of the parcel shall be counted toward the off-street parking requirement of adjacent buildings on the street side abutting the uses.

4.

Off-street surface parking shall be located at the rear and sides of a building relative to its primary street frontage. Parking is not permitted between a building and the street, with the exception of retail uses of over fifty thousand square feet, which may have parking between the building and the street provided that a minimum of fifty percent of the street frontage of the parcel is occupied by building frontage within the maximum front setback.

5.

Parking areas at the side of a building shall have a street frontage of not more than one hundred twenty lineal feet, and such frontage shall be screened from view from the public right-of-way in accordance with this chapter.

6.

No single parking area shall exceed one hundred fifty spaces unless divided into smaller sub-areas by a building, internal landscaped street or shaded landscaped pedestrian way with trees planted a maximum of thirty feet on center.

7.

Loading and unloading areas as defined in Section 17.60.060 shall be separated from automobile parking. Loading areas shall be screened from view from the public right-of-way.

8.

Where practical, water harvesting areas for surface runoff shall be provided in parking lots.

B.

Residential Uses.

1.

The minimum requirement shall be two spaces for units with three or more bedrooms, one and one-half spaces for units with two bedrooms, one space for units with one bedroom or studio units.

2.

One hundred percent of on-street parking along the perimeter of the parcel may be counted toward the off-street parking requirement of adjacent buildings on the street side abutting the uses.

3.

For townhomes, garages shall be accessed from the rear.

4.

For apartments, garages shall not make up more than thirty-three percent of any street-facing facade, and rear-accessed garages or interior parking lots are encouraged.

5.

If parking is provided within the building footprint, the first floor of the residential units shall not occur more than four feet above the finished grade level. Parking may need to be lowered partially or completely below grade. Finished grades of front entrances may be raised by up to four feet to accommodate this arrangement. These parking areas shall not be visible from the street.

C.

Bicycle Parking.

1.

Bicycle parking must be provided in easily-accessible locations from the street.

2.

One bicycle space shall be provided for every ten thousand square feet of building net floor area.

3.

Bicycle parking must be visible from storefronts or office building front doors in order to improve security for parked bicycles.

(Ord. 356 (part), 2008)

Where residential lots are narrower than fifty feet wide, garages must be located at the rear of the building relative to the primary street frontage, and be accessed by a rear alley or shared driveway.

(Ord. 356 (part), 2008)