Medfield City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 8
Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations
§ 300-8.1 Table of Off-Street Parking Standards.
In any district, if a structure is constructed or enlarged, or an existing use is enlarged or changed, or the dimensions of a lot are changed, off-street parking and loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following Table of Off-Street Parking Standards:
Table of Off-Street Parking Standards | |
|---|---|
Use | Number of Parking Spaces Per Unit |
Dwelling | 2 per unit |
Accessory dwelling unit in an R District | 1 per bedroom |
Dwelling in a B District | 1.5 per unit |
Lodging house, motel or hotel | 1.5 per rental unit, plus 1 for each 20 square feet of floor area available for meetings or functions, plus 1 for each 2 employees |
Retail, service, finance, insurance, or real estate establishment | 1 per each 120 square feet of floor space open to the public, plus 1 for each 2 employees |
Medical offices and clinics | 5 for each doctor having office space therein |
Other professional offices | 2 for each person working in the office Minimum 3 spaces per office |
Wholesale establishment | 1 per each 500 square feet of floor space |
Manufacturing or industrial establishment | 1 per each 1,000 square feet of floor space |
Auditorium, gymnasium, stadium, theater, church or other place of assemblage | 1 for each 4 seats or each 8 feet of bench therein, to be based on the maximum seating capacity |
Public housing for elderly | 1/4 per unit |
School or college | 2 per classroom in an elementary and junior high school and 4 per classroom in a senior high school, plus spaces as required above for auditorium or gymnasium, whichever has the larger capacity |
Community facility (Town building, recreation, etc.) or public utility establishment | 1 per 300 square feet or fraction thereof of space, plus space for spectators as required in auditorium, gymnasium, etc., above |
Restaurants, night clubs or eating places | 1 for each 3 seats or stools, plus 1 for each 2 employees, plus 4 for each two linear feet of "takeout service" counter |
Bowling alley | 7 for each bowling lane |
Barber shop, beauty parlor | 2 for each chair installed, and 1 for each 2 operators |
Self-service dry cleaners and self-service laundries | 1 for each 2 machines installed, including dryers |
Gasoline and service stations | 3 for each service bay |
Hospitals, extended-care facilities or homes | 2 per bed at design capacity |
Day-care facility for children | 1 for each full-time employee and each full-time position shared by part-time employees, plus 1 for each 300 square feet of classroom space |
Bed-and-breakfast | 1 for each guest bedroom, plus 2 for owner-occupant |
§ 300-8.2 General parking and loading regulations.
A.
Accessory parking or loading spaces that are maintained in any district in connection with an existing use on the effective date of this Bylaw shall hereafter be maintained so long as the use continues, unless an equivalent number of parking or loading spaces is constructed elsewhere conforming to the requirements of these regulations.
B.
When units or measurements that determine the number of required parking or loading spaces result in a requirement of a fractional space, a fraction over 1/2 shall require one parking or loading space.
C.
The required parking spaces shall be provided either on the same premises with the parking generator, or on any premises associated therewith. The walking distance between the farthest point of the parking area and the main pedestrian entrance to the building or use in question shall not exceed 500 feet, except that in the case of parking space for employees only, the distance may be increased to 800 feet. Such walking distance shall be only over land owned or controlled by the parking generator or over a public way. When the required parking spaces are not immediately adjacent to the parking generator, directional signs to the parking spaces must be posted. Such signs shall conform with Article 13. Accessory uses must be in the same district by special permit or in a district in which the principal use would be permitted by right.
D.
Where required parking spaces are provided away from the lot on which the use or structure they are intended to serve is located, such spaces shall be in the same possession, either by deed or lease, as the property occupied by the use or structure to which the parking spaces are accessory. If both the structure and the parking area are leased, the period of time of the parking area lease shall be the same as the structure lease.
E.
The loading spaces required for the uses listed in the above table shall in all cases be on the same lot as the use they are intended to serve. In no case shall the required loading spaces be part of the area used to satisfy the parking requirements of this Bylaw.
F.
No accessory off-street parking shall be permitted within the required front yard or side yard in any R District; however, access driveways may be located within the required front yard area.
[Amended 4-28-2014 ATM by Art. 33]
G.
For any use not enumerated in this Section, off-street parking spaces shall be one space for each employee plus one space for each 50 square feet of floor area. The Board of Appeals may make exceptions to this Section by means of a special permit which will be granted only after an affirmative finding that the proposed parking will be adequate, and such a special permit must be applied for in conformance with Article 14.
H.
Where differing uses occur on a single parcel of land, the number of off-street parking spaces to be provided shall be the sum of the requirements for each use.
I.
All parking and loading spaces required under this Bylaw and drainage for same shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board and inspected by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. No certificate of occupancy shall be granted until said parking and loading facilities have been approved by the Planning Board.
[Amended 4-28-2014 ATM by Art. 33]
§ 300-8.3 Parking and loading space standards.
A.
All parking or loading areas (see definition in § 300-2.1) are subject to the following:
[Amended 4-28-2014 ATM by Art. 33]
(1)
There shall be no vehicle parking or loading spaces within five feet of any front, side or rear lot line.
(2)
There shall be no vehicle repair facilities within parking areas.
(3)
There shall be no storage of material or equipment within parking areas.
(4)
Parking and loading spaces shall be so arranged as not to permit backing of automobiles onto any street.
(5)
The area and access driveways in any B, BI and IE Zoning Districts and RU lots containing three or more units shall be surfaced with bituminous asphalt, concrete, brick, cobblestones or pavers and shall be constructed so that there shall be no puddling of surface water.
B.
All parking or loading areas containing over five spaces, including automobile service and drive-in establishments, shall be subject to the following additional requirements:
(1)
The area shall be effectively screened on each side which adjoins or faces the side or rear lot line of a lot situated in any R District. The screening shall consist of that required for buffers as specified in Article 6, § 300-6.2I and J. The screening shall be set back from each street no more than the main building wall minimum setback.
(2)
A substantial bumper of masonry, steel, heavy timber or concrete curb stop shall be placed at the edge of surfaced areas except driveways in order to protect abutting structures, properties and sidewalks.
(3)
Any fixture used to illuminate a parking or loading area shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from the street and away from adjoining premises used for residential purposes.
(4)
Any repair or service facility for use by vehicles such as gas, oil or water shall be at least 25 feet from any lot line.
(5)
No portion of any entrance or exit driveway shall be within 150 feet of the point of intersection of the center lines of two or more intersecting streets. (No more than two driveways shall serve any one area.)
(6)
For any site having one means of access or egress, the width of the driveway shall not be less than 24 feet. For any site having a separate entrance or exit, the driveway shall not exceed 20 feet in width, except for a suitable curvature at the entrance.
(7)
Each parking space shall be marked with a three-inch-wide (minimum) solid painted line on each side and along the full depth. Paint shall be white or yellow traffic paint as specified for pavement markings in Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
[Amended 4-28-2014 ATM by Art. 33]
§ 300-8.4 Downtown Parking District.
A.
There is hereby created a Downtown Parking District consisting of Main Street from South Street to Route 27 (Spring Street and North Meadow Road), North Street from Main Street to Green Street and Janes Avenue.
B.
Uses established and existing within said district on January 1, 1998, shall maintain whatever off-street parking they had as of that date, but shall otherwise be exempt from the parking requirements of Article 8.
C.
Changes of use, as long as they are permitted in the underlying district, shall be permitted without regard to said parking requirements upon issuance of a special permit by the Board of Appeals. In determining whether to issue the special permit, the Board of Appeals shall consider the impact of the proposed use, as contrasted with prior uses, and if it determines that the proposed use will not significantly increase the demand for parking from that of prior uses, the Board of Appeals may issue the special permit.
D.
Expansion of existing uses or changes which increase parking demand and which cannot meet said parking requirements may be permitted by the Board of Appeals if the Board of Appeals issues a special permit therefor. In determining whether to issue a special permit, the Board of Appeals shall consider the impact of the proposed new use and the increased parking on the area. If it determines that, despite the impact of the increased parking on the area, the new use is in the public interest, it may issue the special permit. The Board of Appeals may impose such conditions as it deems necessary to protect public safety and convenience.