These requirements are intended to establish orderly, safe, and efficient vehicular parking, circulation and access on adjoining thoroughfares within developments. (Ord. 603, 11-1-2018)

   A.   Generally:

      1.   The off-street parking and loading standards of this section shall apply to all parking lots and parking structures accessory to any building constructed and to any use established in every district.

      2.   The requirements of this section shall apply to all temporary parking lots and parking lots that are the principal use on a site.

      3.   The Director may approve the use of alternative parking space requirements based on Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, Institute of Transportation Engineers or other similar professional analytical studies approved by the Director, that take into account monthly, hourly and weekly variation; peaking characteristics, ride-share programs, proximity to transit stops and shared uses. The applicant shall provide justification of the use of and appropriateness of alternative parking number calculations instead of the current Lyon County Code parking requirements.

   B.   Expansions And Enlargements And Changes In Use: The off-street parking and loading standards of this chapter shall apply when an existing structure or use is expanded or enlarged, or when there is a change in use. Additional off-street parking and loading spaces shall be required to serve the enlarged or expanded area or the new use, provided that in all cases the number of off- street parking and loading spaces provided for the entire use (pre-existing plus expansion) equal one hundred percent (100%) of the minimum ratio established in this chapter. (Ord. 603, 11-1-2018)

   A.   Schedule A: Unless otherwise expressly stated in this title, off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with table 15.401-1, "Off-Street Parking Schedule A", of this section.

      TABLE 15.401-1

      OFF-STREET PARKING SCHEDULE A

(du = dwelling unit; sf = square feet; gfa = gross floor area)

 

   B.   Schedule B: Uses subject to table 15.401-2, "Off-Street Parking Schedule B", of this subsection, as indicated in subsection A, table 15.401-1 of this section shall provide the minimum number of off-street parking spaces listed in table 15.401-2 of this subsection. Unless otherwise approved, lots containing more than one activity shall provide parking and loading in an amount equal to the total of the requirements for all activities.

      TABLE 15.401-2

      OFF-STREET PARKING SCHEDULE B

 

   C.   Schedule C: Uses that reference "schedule C" in subsection A, table 15.401-1 of this section have widely varying parking and loading demand characteristics, making it impossible to specify a single off-street parking or loading standard. Upon receiving a development application for a use subject to schedule C standards, the building official and the Director shall apply the off-street parking and loading standard specified for the listed use that is deemed most similar to the proposed use or establish minimum off-street parking requirements on the basis of a parking and loading study prepared by the applicant. Such a study shall include estimates of parking demand based on recommendations of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association or other acceptable professional analytical estimates as approved by the Director, and should include other reliable data collected from uses or combinations of uses that are the same as or comparable with the proposed use. Comparability will be determined by density, scale, bulk, area, type of activity, and location. The study shall document the source of data used to develop the recommendations.

   D.   Maximum Number Of Spaces Permitted:

      1.   General Maximum Requirement: For any use categorized as a "commercial" or "industrial" use in chapter 320, "Land Use Tables", of this title, off-street vehicle parking spaces shall not be provided in an amount that is more than one hundred twenty five percent (125%) of the minimum requirements established in subsection A, table 15.401-1, "Off-Street Parking Schedule A", of this section.

      2.   Exceptions:

         a.   If application of the maximum parking standard would result in less than six (6) parking spaces, the development shall be allowed six (6) parking spaces.

         b.   For the purpose of calculating parking requirements, the following types of parking spaces shall not count against the maximum parking requirement, but shall count toward the minimum requirement:

            (1)   Accessible parking;

            (2)   Vanpool and carpool parking;

            (3)   Structured parking, underground parking, and parking within, above, or beneath the building(s) it serves.

For the purpose of calculating parking requirements, fleet vehicle parking spaces shall not count against either the minimum or maximum requirements.

         c.   Exceptions to the maximum parking requirement may be allowed in situations that meet all of the following criteria as determined by the Director:

            (1)   The proposed development has unique or unusual characteristics such as high sales volume per floor area or low parking turnover, which create a parking demand that exceeds the maximum ratio and which typically does not apply to comparable uses; and,

            (2)   The parking demand cannot be accommodated by on-street parking, shared parking with nearby uses, or by increasing the supply of spaces that are exempt from the maximum ratio; and,

            (3)   The request is the minimum necessary variation from the standards; and,

            (4)   If located in a Mixed-Use District, the uses in the proposed development and the site design are highly supportive of the mixed-use concept and support high levels of existing or planned transit and pedestrian activity.

   E.   Computation Of Parking And Loading Requirements:

      1.   Fractions: When measurements of the number of required spaces result in a fractional number, any fraction shall be rounded up to the next higher whole number.

      2.   Multiple Uses: Lots containing more than one use shall provide parking and loading in an amount equal to the total of the requirements for all uses.

      3.   Area Measurements: Unless otherwise specified, all square footage-based parking and loading standards shall be computed on the basis of floor area of the use in question. Bathrooms, utility rooms, hallways/corridors and other similar areas that are accessory and do not generate a demand for parking are not included in the computations of the floor area to determine parking requirements. Structured parking within a building shall not be counted in such measurement.

      4.   Computation Of Off-Street Parking: Required off-street loading space shall not be included as off-street parking space in computation of required off-street parking space.

      5.   Parking For Unlisted Uses: Parking requirements for uses not specifically listed in subsection A, table 15.401-1 of this section shall be determined by the Director based on the requirements for the closest comparable use, as well as on the particular parking demand and trip generation characteristics of the proposed use. The Director may alternately require the submittal of a parking demand study that justifies estimates of parking demand based on the recommendations of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, or other acceptable similar professional analytical body, and includes relevant data collected from uses or combinations of uses that are the same or comparable to the proposed use in terms of density, scale, bulk, area, type of activity, and location. (Ord. 603, 11-1-2018)

   A.   Stall Dimensions:

      1.   Parking stall and aisle dimensions shall be measured from the middle of the stall stripe of a parking stall to the middle of the adjacent stall stripe. Aisles for two-way flows shall be a minimum of twenty four feet (24'), except when no spaces are backing onto the aisle, in which case width shall be twenty feet (20').

      2.   One universally accessible, ADA-compatible, space shall be provided in each parking lot in compliance with the adopted Building Code, and as set forth in the following table:

      TABLE 15.401-3

      ACCESSIBLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS

 

      3.   In parking lots of twenty (20) spaces or more, special considerations will be made for compact car spatial dimensions.

      4.   The following standards may be used as guidelines for the design of indoor and outdoor parking stalls:

      TABLE 15.401-4

      DESIGN OF PARKING STALLS

 

 

   B.   Parking Area Layout:

      1.   Surface: All parking and driveway areas and primary access to parking facilities shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other similar materials, unless otherwise approved by the County Engineer. Accent paving is recommended to indicate pedestrian linkages.

      2.   Integrate Parking Lots With Surroundings: Parking lots shall not dominate the frontage of pedestrian-oriented streets, interfere with designated pedestrian routes, or negatively impact surrounding neighborhoods. The pedestrian character of streets and building shall be maximized through continuity of building and landscape frontage.

      3.   Design Standards: All parking lot placement and design shall comply with the applicable standards in chapters 360, "Commercial And Mixed-Use Design Standards", and 348, "Multi-Family Residential Design Standards", of this title.

      4.   Lot Size: Required parking shall be broken into component parking lots, avoiding large, unrelieved expanses of paving.

   C.   Landscaping: A landscaped buffer zone of five feet (5') to ten feet (10') may be required between the actual parking area, major arterial, or major pedestrian route. Additionally, in areas that provide parking for more than ten (10) vehicles, at least ten percent (10%) of the total area of the parking lot shall be used for landscaping and/or aesthetic treatment. The following landscaping standards shall be met:

      1.   A minimum of one tree planted in landscaped tree islands for every eight (8) parking spaces shall be located within the parking area/lot.

      2.   Tree islands shall be installed intermittently and have a length equal to the adjacent parking stalls, contain sufficient area to protect plantings from vehicles and foot traffic and accommodate a tree root system with a clear area of earth not less than three feet (3') in width.

      3.   Tree islands and other landscaping features on a site should be utilized where practical as low impact development (LID) features to assist in managing storm drainage.

      4.   All unimproved earth areas shall be planted, restored, or otherwise protected from erosion.

      5.   Ongoing maintenance, including the replacement of dead or unhealthy plants, shall be provided by the parking area owner/leaseholder.

   D.   Parking For Single-Family Residential Dwelling Units: For single family residential units on streets designated local streets, an on-street parking lane at each lot's street frontage may fulfill the requirement for one parking space, with driveway and garage meeting the additional requirement. Driveways and garage entrances from interior block alleys are preferred.

   E.   Shared Access: Wherever feasible, parking lots shall share access lanes.

   F.   Circulation Area Design: Circulation for parking areas intended to accommodate twenty (20) vehicles or more shall be designed to facilitate the safe movement of vehicles without posing a danger to pedestrians or impeding the function of the parking area. Parking lots that accommodate twenty (20) or more vehicles must maintain continuous circulation patterns, with no dead-ends, and safe access to public streets.

   G.   Lighting And Maintenance: All parking area lighting shall comply with the lighting requirements of this title and the Lyon County Design Criteria and Improvement Standards, and provide adequate lighting for safety if night use is intended. Parking lots should provide adequate security and should limit visual clutter, parking lot signs, and equipment.

   H.   Drainage: All parking areas shall have adequate drainage as determined by a drainage report, and utilize low impact development techniques where practical.

   I.   Loading/Unloading Areas: All new and substantially remodeled commercial and industrial developments shall provide adequate loading and unloading zones. The loading/unloading zones must be illustrated on the parking plan submitted for approval. Loading and unloading areas shall not impede major roads, highways, intersections, or other paths of travel. Also, these zones must be located away from areas where there is heavy pedestrian travel unless such areas cannot be avoided, as in the Commercial Mixed- Use (CMU) District. Loading/unloading areas will include block walls, opaque fences, earthen mounds and/or vegetative screening to reduce noise and visual impacts. (Ord. 603, 11-1-2018)

The Director may approve alternatives to providing the number of off-street parking spaces required by subsection 15.401.03A, table 15.401-1 of this chapter in accordance with the following standards.

   A.   Shared Parking: The Director may approve shared parking facilities for developments or uses with different operating hours or different peak business periods (i.e., non-concurrent joint use parking) if the shared parking complies with all of the following standards:

      1.   Location: Every shared parking space shall be located no farther than six hundred feet (600') from the entrance to each building for which the shared parking is provided (measured along the shortest legal pedestrian route).

      2.   Shared Parking Study: Those proposing to use shared parking as a means of satisfying off-street parking requirements shall submit a shared parking analysis to the County that clearly demonstrates the feasibility of shared parking. The study shall be provided in a form established by the Director. It shall address, at a minimum, the size and type of the proposed development, location of required parking, the composition of tenants, the anticipated rate of parking turnover, and the anticipated peak parking and traffic loads for all uses that will be sharing off-street parking spaces. The applicant shall also demonstrate that any parking reduction requested as part of the shared parking study will not result in the spillover of parking onto other properties. The study shall utilize the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, or other acceptable similar professional analytical body shared parking methodology to calculate temporal and locational parking reductions.

      3.   Agreement For Shared Parking: The parties involved in the joint use of off-street parking facilities shall submit a written agreement in a form to be recorded for such joint use, approved by the Director as to form and content. The agreement shall provide for the maintenance of jointly used facilities. The Director may impose such conditions of approval as may be necessary to ensure the adequacy of parking in areas affected by such an agreement. Recordation of the agreement shall take place before issuance of a building permit for any use to be served by the shared parking area. A shared parking agreement may be revoked only if all required off-street parking spaces will be provided in accordance with the requirements of this title.

   B.   Off-Site Parking: The Director may approve the location of required off-site parking spaces on a separate lot from the lot on which the principal use is located if the off-site parking complies with all of the following standards:

      1.   Location: No off-site parking space may be located more than six hundred feet (600') from an entrance to the use being served (measured along the shortest legal pedestrian route). Off-site parking spaces shall be connected to the use by acceptable pedestrian facilities. Off-site parking spaces may not be separated from the use served by a street right-of-way with a width of more than eighty feet (80'), unless a grade-separated pedestrian walkway, a traffic signal, a shuttle bus, or other traffic control device or remote parking shuttle bus service is provided.

      2.   Control Of Site: Required parking spaces for residential uses must be located on the site of the use or within a tract owned in common by all the owners of the properties that will use the tract.

      3.   Ineligible Activities: Required parking spaces for persons with disabilities may not be located offsite.

      4.   Agreement For Off-Site Parking: In the event that an off-site parking area is not under the same ownership as the principal use served, a written agreement between the record owners shall be required, approved by the Director as to form and content. The agreement shall guarantee the use of the off-site parking area for a minimum period of at least twenty (20) years. The Director may impose such conditions of approval as may be necessary to ensure the adequacy of parking in areas affected by such an agreement, including a requirement that the Director be notified if the off-site parking agreement is being revoked. An attested copy of the agreement between the owners of record shall be submitted to the County prior to recordation in a form acceptable by the District Attorney. Recordation of the agreement shall take place before issuance of a building permit for any use to be served by the off-site parking area. An off-site parking agreement may be revoked only if all required off-street parking spaces will be provided in accordance with the requirements of this title.

   C.   On-Street Parking: On-street parking spaces in the right-of- way along the property line, between the two (2) side lot lines of the site, may be counted to satisfy the minimum off-street parking requirements, if approved by the Director.

   D.   District Parking: Minimum required off-street parking spaces may be waived or reduced for properties within the boundaries of a public parking, Local Improvement District or Historic District that provides district-wide parking facilities, based on the projected parking demand to be addressed by the district-wide facility. All off-street parking waivers by the Director shall be documented in writing and included in the business license and/or building permit applications for the uses located within the district.

   E.   Stacked, Tandem, And Valet Parking: Stacked, tandem, or valet parking for nonresidential uses is allowed if an attendant is present to move vehicles. In addition, a guarantee acceptable to the County shall be filed with the County ensuring that a valet parking attendant shall always be on duty when the parking lot is in operation. For residential uses, tandem or stacked vehicle parking is not allowed to comply with the minimum residential parking requirement, but may be allowed for additional parking exceeding the minimum residential parking requirement.

   F.   Structured Parking:

      1.   Maximum Parking Waiver: Where seventy five percent (75%) or more of the parking accessory to a use is in structured parking, there shall be no maximum cap on the number of parking spaces.

      2.   Credit For Nearby Public Structured Parking: Spaces available in public parking structures located within one thousand feet (1,000') of the subject use may be counted toward the total amount of required off-street parking.

      3.   Density Bonus For Underground Parking In The Commercial And Mixed-Use Districts: A density bonus shall be granted for underground parking structures in the Commercial and Mixed-Use Districts. The bonus shall be granted at a ratio of 0.01 du/gross acre of additional bonus density for each one hundred (100) square feet of structured parking that is underground.

   G.   Sites In Mixed-Use Districts: In the Mixed-Use Districts, the total requirement for off-street parking facilities shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately, subject to the modifications set forth below.

      1.   All uses within MU Districts shall be eligible for a twenty percent (20%) parking reduction to reflect the reduced automobile use associated with mixed-use developments.

      2.   A ten percent (10%) parking reduction for multifamily residential dwellings may be allowed if the proposed use is located within three hundred feet (300') of a transit stop with midday service headways of thirty (30) minutes or less in each direction.

      3.   For non-residential uses, the minimum parking requirement may be reduced ten percent (10%) if the use incorporates a transit stop that meets minimum design standards established by the County to ensure ready access to users and is compatible with the design and materials of the non-residential use of which it is associated.

      4.   A ten percent (10%) parking reduction for developments that include bicycle parking at a minimum ratio of five (5) bicycle rack spaces to one parking space. (Up to a maximum of 2 parking spaces.)

      5.   The total number of parking spaces required of a use or uses in an MU District may be further reduced by the Director if the applicant prepares a parking evaluation that demonstrates a reduction is appropriate based on the expected parking needs of the development, availability of mass transit, and similar factors and the County Engineer accepts such study as an accurate reflection of parking demand. The parking evaluation shall be prepared in a form and manner prescribed by the Director.

   H.   Other Eligible Alternatives: Modification of requirements of this chapter may be approved in conformance with the provisions of section 15.330.04 of this title when substantiated by a report based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Manual, American Planning Association (APA), Urban Land Institute (ULI) or other nationally accepted authority, and where it is demonstrated that the modification will protect surrounding neighborhoods, maintain traffic circulation patterns, and promote quality urban design to at least the same extent as would strict compliance with the standards set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 603, 11-1-2018)