Lower Burrell City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XI
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 300-91 Off-street parking requirements.
No application for a zoning certificate, in conjunction with an application for a building permit for the construction or substantial reconstruction of any principal building, shall be approved unless there is included with the plan for such building a site plan showing the number of off-street parking spaces (community garage or parking area as in § 300-100 or private lots as noted herein) to be provided in connection with such construction or reconstruction in accordance with the regulations set forth herein.
A.
Off-street parking lots are permitted in all zoning districts, provided that a permanent screen wall, fence or planting be installed adjacent to properties in R Districts not served by subject lots. (See Subsection G hereof.) All off-street parking lots may be enclosed by an open fabric fence approved by the Planning Commission. Such lots shall be provided with bumper guards where appropriate, surfaced with asphalt or concrete, served by concrete driveways between street property lines and curblines, graded to drain to a catch basin attached to a municipal storm sewer when sites are over 10,000 square feet and have lights properly shielded to prevent glare upon adjacent properties in R Districts (see other provisions of this section).
(1)
The required site plans shall show the location of all of the buildings and/or structures upon the lot, the location of driveways, the location of screen walls, fences, or planting and all appropriate dimensions. Driveways shall be no wider than 25 feet and measured perpendicular to the center lines of streets or roadways. No driveway shall be within 15 feet of another driveway at the street line or of the curbline of an intersecting street, nor within five feet of another driveway at the street line or the curbline of an intersecting street, nor within five feet of a fire hydrant, a catch basin or the open end of a cul-de-sac.
(2)
All parking spaces must be located within 300 feet of the structures served. However, for places of assembly, 500 feet will be acceptable.
(3)
Any deviation from the approved plans shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
B.
The minimum number of off-street parking spaces to be provided for every new or substantially reconstructed building shall be as follows:[1]
Residential Uses | Spaces |
|---|---|
One-family dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
Two-family dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
Townhouses and garden apartments | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
High-rise apartments | 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit |
(1)
On a lot occupied by only a one-family dwelling, a minor garage or minor parking area may be established in the rear yard, provided that the garage or parking area shall be no closer than 50 feet to any front street.
(2)
Public, semipublic, institutional and related uses.
[Amended 11-6-2023 by Ord. No. 7-2023]
Public, Semipublic, Institutional and Related Uses | Spaces |
|---|---|
Church, temple or other place of worship | 1 space for every 5 seats provided in the principal place of worship, but no less than 1 space for each family of the congregation |
Hospital or rest home | 1 space for every 2 beds and each 2 employees on the maximum working shift |
Nursery, junior high school or elementary school | 1 space for every 2 maximum employees on the premises at any 1 time plus provisions for off-street loading of vehicles transporting students |
High school | 1 space for every 2 maximum employees on the premises at any 1 time |
All schools | 1 space for every 5 seats in the auditorium or principal place of assembly, plus provisions for off-street loading of vehicles transporting students; additional spaces for students as required by the Zoning Hearing Board |
Major Commercial and Uses Related Uses Other than Those Listed | |
In C-1, C-2 and C-3 Districts | 1 space for every 200 square feet of gross floor area |
In M District | 1 space for every 1.5 hourly employees on the maximum working shift, plus 1 space per salaried employee |
Independent Major Commercial Uses | |
Automobile sales, flower and plant nurseries, lumber and building supplies | 1 space for every 600 square feet of floor area and outdoor display area |
Automobile (car) wash | 1 space for each 2 employees plus 5 spaces for each vehicle which can be accommodated in washing lines at the same time |
Drive-in business | 1 space per 2 patrons capable of being accommodated at peak business hours; this will be determined on 5 square feet of sales area per customer |
Home occupations and personal services | 1 space for each patron that could possibly be served at one time |
Mortician or funeral home | 5 spaces for each chapel or parlor room plus 1 space for each vehicle maintained on the premises, but no fewer than 12 spaces |
Motel, hotel, fraternity or sorority boarding house or rooming house, dormitory | 1 space for each sleeping room, employee and manager or 1 space for every 100 square feet of ground floor area, which ever results in the greater requirement |
Gasoline service station | 5 spaces per station at minimum |
Other independent major commercial uses | 1 space for every 200 square feet of floor area. |
Cultural and Entertainment Uses | |
Establishments handling sale and consumption of food on the premises, retail business and personal service establishments (restaurants, barbers and beauty shops) | 1 space for every 50 square feet of floor area devoted to patron use, plus 1 space per maximum number of employees |
Bowling alleys | 5 spaces for each lane plus 1 space for every 2 employees |
Theater or stadium | 1 space for every 4 seats |
Other recreation and entertainment | A sufficient number of spaces as determined by the Board to accommodate the vehicles of the average maximum number of employees and users of the facility at any 1 time but no less than 1 space per 75 square feet of floor space |
Business and Professional Offices | |
Medical and dental | 5 spaces for every doctor or dentist engaged on the premises, plus 1 space per each person employed at any time on the premises |
Other business and professional offices | 1 space for every 200 square feet of floor area |
Light Industrial | |
Medical marijuana dispensary | 1 space for every 200 square feet of floor space |
Medical marijuana grower/processor | 1 space for every 2 employees on the maximum working shift |
Research and development and other uses permitted in the Industrial and Business District | 1 space for every 1.5 maximum employees on the premises at any 1 time |
Minimum in all zoning districts for each and all uses | 1 space per each 4 residents, 3 employees or 2 patrons |
C.
When determination of off-street parking results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction shall be counted as one parking space.
D.
For the purpose of this section, one automobile parking space shall be assumed to be 180 square feet of area, exclusive of adequate interior driveways or entrance and exit driveways to connect the parking space with a public street or alley. Units shall be a minimum of nine feet by 20 feet with a twenty-foot lane for ninety-degree parking.
E.
No open space established as off-street parking shall be encroached upon by building storage or any other use, nor shall the parking space be reduced in any way except upon the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board and then only after proof that the off-street spaces provided are no longer needed by reason of the reduction in floor area, seating capacity or other factors controlling the regulation of such parking areas as established in this section.
F.
All off-street parking shall be located on the site or conveniently close to the principal building which is being served by the parking. At any time that such parking becomes continually unavailable as a general parking area, the permit for the building or buildings built in connection with such parking areas shall be cancelled and become void.
G.
All open parking areas containing more than four parking spaces shall be effectively screened on each side abutting a residential district by a five-foot-high wall, solid fence or a densely planted compact hedge of deciduous shrubs or evergreens which shall be at least four feet high at time of planting. (See § 300-93.) Planting screens shall be suitably protected from damage by automobiles. Such required screenings shall conform with the yard setback requirements of the zoning district or, in zoning districts where parking is permitted in a portion of a yard, the required screening wall, fence or planting shall immediately abut the portion of a yard which is devoted to parking. Any yard area between a wall, fence or screen shielding an off-street parking area and a residential district property line shall be planted and maintained in good condition.
H.
Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or drive of such design as to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to a street in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements. No driveway across public property or curb shall exceed a width of 25 feet.
I.
All open off-street parking spaces, except for a one or two-family dwelling, shall be improved with a bituminous or other dust-free surface.
J.
All parking areas in commercial districts shall be suitably illuminated when night use is proposed. Any lighting used to illuminate parking areas shall be directed away from property in a residential district.
K.
All garage or other space within buildings or in basements or open space on the roofs of buildings, allocated for the parking of vehicles, shall be considered as part of the off-street parking facilities and may be included in computing the area requirements as outlined in this section.
L.
Community parking spaces or garages may be used for required parking spaces.
M.
All parking spaces shall have immovable concrete curbs or bumpers placed at the front of the space; the portion of a parked vehicle extending beyond such bumper or curb shall be considered as part of the parking space area. No vehicle or part thereof shall be parked in a public right-of-way so as to obscure vision of passing traffic or impede pedestrian movement; parked vehicles or parts thereof are prohibited on required sidewalks. (See illustration No. 10 of Appendix A.[2]) Parallel parking spaces shall be exempt from the front bumper or curb requirement. Parking spaces accessible from the front and rear shall not be exempt from the bumper requirement when front access is not directly from a major street or access is through an area required for landscaping or fencing. (See Illustration No. 11 of Appendix A.) Residential parking spaces may be located in required yards, and, if possible and advisable, should be more than five feet from any adjacent property line or right-of-way line for the purpose of providing an area for snow removal and to prevent direct drainage onto property of others, and in no case shall parking be permitted in or on required sidewalks. Nonresidential parking spaces may be located in required yards, but shall be more than 7 1/2 feet from any adjacent property line or minor street right-of-way line and 15 feet from any major street right-of-way line.
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is on file in the City offices.
N.
Nonparallel parking spaces requiring the backing of a vehicle immediately onto a public street shall be prohibited.
O.
(1)
Clear sight triangle areas. To provide clear sight triangle areas of unobstructed vision at street and driveway intersections nothing shall be erected, placed, planted or allowed in such a manner as to impede vision of pedestrian or vehicular traffic as provided in PennDOT Publication 201, Engineering and Traffic Studies.
(2)
The clear sight triangle areas are defined as follows:
(a)
Driveway. The two triangular areas on either side of a driveway formed by the intersection of the street right-of-way line with the center line of the driveway and a line joining points along such lines 20 feet from the point of intersection of these lines.
(b)
Corners. The triangular area formed by the intersection of the two street right-of-way lines extended and a line joining points along such lines 25 feet from the point of intersection of the right-of-way lines.
(3)
In addition to the driveway opening requirements, driveway consolidation or adjacent uses along major streets and left-hand turn lanes shall be encouraged by the Zoning Officer in conjunction with the appropriate roadway authority.
§ 300-92 Off-street loading requirements.
A.
No application for a zoning certificate or building permit for the construction or substantial reconstruction of any principal building shall be approved unless there is included with the plan for such building a plot plan showing the amount of off-street loading space to be provided in connection with such construction or reconstruction in accordance with the regulations set forth in this section.
B.
The following number of off-street loading berths shall be required for the building types and sizes listed. Unless otherwise specified, a loading berth shall be at least 50 feet in length and 12 feet in width, exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space; with all uses receiving goods, there shall be no less than one space for every 20,000 square feet of total floor area.
Building Type | Floor Area (square feet) | Number of Loading Berths Required |
|---|---|---|
Apartment building | Less than 50,000 50,000 to 200,000 More than 200,000 | 0 1 1 for each 200,000 or fraction thereof |
Hospitals, public buildings, recreation buildings and similar uses | Less than 10,000 10,000 to 100,000 More than 100,000 | 0 1 1 for each 100,000 or fraction thereof |
Light industrial research and related uses | Less than 2,000 2,000 to 40,000 40,000 to 100,000; More than 100,000 | 0 1 2 (includes 1 berth 14 feet x 50 feet) plus 1 for each additional 100,000 or fraction thereof (includes at least 1 berth 14 feet x 50 feet) |
Retail establishments | Less than 2,000 2,000 to 5,000 5,000 to 25,000 25,000 to 40,000 40,000 to 100,000 100,000 to 250,000 | 0 1 2 3 (includes 1 berth 14 feet x 50 feet) 4 (includes 1 berth 14 feet x 50 feet) 5 (includes 1 berth 14 feet x 50 feet) |
C.
All required loading berths shall be located on the same zoning lot as the use served. No permitted or required loading space shall be located within 30 feet of a point of intersection of any two streets. No loading berth shall be located in a required yard abutting a street or property in another zoning district. Such loading areas shall be oriented to the rear of the building where possible and screened by fence, wall or planting from any adjacent R Districts and as approved by Planning Commission.
D.
Each required off-street loading space shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements.
E.
All drives and loading berths shall be surfaced with a bituminous or other dust-free surface.
F.
No motor vehicle repair work or service shall be permitted in conjunction with loading space.
G.
Space allocated to off-street loading shall not be used to satisfy the space requirements for off-street parking.
H.
For uses which generate truck traffic other than those listed in these section, off-street loading space shall be provided as determined to be necessary by the Zoning Hearing Board.