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Mendocino County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 20

180 - OFF-STREET PARKING44


Footnotes:
--- (44) ---

Editor's note— Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), adopted September 10, 2024, repealed Ch. 20.180 and enacted a new Ch. 20.180 as set out herein and as may later be amended. Former Ch. 20.180 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 3639, adopted 1987; Ord. No. 4017, adopted 1988; Ord. No. 4213, adopted December 9, 2008.


Sec. 20.180.005 - Declaration.

The purpose of this Chapter is to require off-street parking spaces for all land uses in the unincorporated areas of Mendocino County in sufficient numbers to accommodate vehicles which will be congregated at a given location by drivers using or occupying the facility. On street parking will be minimized and traffic and pedestrian safety increased. It is also the purpose of this Chapter to facilitate livable, walkable communities, by allowing shared parking between compatible uses that have different peak usage times (for example Multi-family Residential above Commercial).

(Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), 9-10-2024)

Sec. 20.180.010 - General.

(A)

Accessible off-street parking areas shall be provided and maintained as set forth in this Division to provide minimum parking and maneuvering room for motor vehicles and for pedestrian safety based on the anticipated occupancy of a given building, structure or area of land or water.

(B)

At the time of initial occupancy of a site or of construction of a structure or of a major alteration or enlargement of a site or structure, there shall be provided off-street parking facilities for automobiles in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this Chapter. For the purposes of this section the term "major alteration or enlargement" shall mean a change of use or an addition which would increase the number of parking spaces required by not less than ten (10) percent of the total number required.

(C)

The required parking spaces shall be on-site except that an exception may be granted from the parking requirements of this Division in order that some or all of the required parking spaces be located off-site, including locations in other local jurisdictions, if the following conditions are met:

(1)

The exception will be an incentive to, and a benefit for, the non-residential development.

(2)

The exception will facilitate access to the non-residential development by patrons of public transit facilities, particularly guideway facilities.

(3)

The exception shall not impact existing or proposed traffic patterns or parking conditions on residential or other adjacent property use types.

(D)

Shared parking facilities for more than one (1) use may be developed under the following requirements. If a shared parking facility is developed, the total number of required parking spaces may be reduced by twenty-five (25) percent with the Director's approval if the following findings can be made:

(1)

The peak hours of use will not overlap or coincide to the degree that peak demand for parking spaces from all uses will be greater than the total supply of spaces;

(2)

The proposed shared parking provided will be adequate to serve each use;

(3)

A shared parking agreement shall be submitted for review and approval by the County. Once approved for recording, the applicant shall record the agreement and provide a conformed copy to the Department.

(E)

Where strict application of certain provisions of this Chapter results in an unnecessary hardship or where said application will reduce the affordability of a residential project, a waiver may be granted by the Director.

(F)

If an applicant can demonstrate that an apartment complex for seniors or residents with special needs will not generate a need for as much parking as regular multi-family residential, the Director may reduce the number of required spaces.

(G)

All parking spaces shall meet required yard setbacks for the zoning district in which they are located; however, one (1) of the required parking spaces for any parcel may be located in the front or side yard setback area.

(H)

Pursuant to California Government Code section 65863.2, if a residential, commercial, or other development project is located within one-half mile of public transit, no off-street parking is required.

(Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), 9-10-2024)

Sec. 20.180.015 - Calculation of Required Spaces.

For any use not specified in the following paragraphs, the same number of parking spaces shall be provided as required for the most similar specified use, as determined by the Director. Off-street parking for all uses shall be consistent with Table 20.180-A, below.

(A)

Where there is a question of primary use of any given site the use requiring the most parking spaces shall be used.

(B)

Where there is a combination of principal uses in any one (1) facility, the sum of the parking requirements of these uses shall be provided unless the uses are known to have separate peak use times.

(C)

Uses with differing peak use times may be eligible for shared parking arrangements. If the calculation of parking needs results in the requirement for a fraction of a parking space, such a parking space need not be provided unless the fraction exceeds fifty (50) percent.

(D)

This Division shall not be construed to prohibit the installation and maintenance of more parking spaces than the minimums required.

(E)

The number of Accessible parking spaces shall be as required by the California Building Code.

Table 20.180-A—Required Parking
Residential UsesOff-Street Parking Spaces Required
Single- and two-family dwellings
(See Chapter 20.166 for parking standards for Accessory Dwelling Units) 		Two (2) spaces for each unit.
Multi-family dwellings (A) one (1) space per unit for one (1) bedroom.
(B) one and one-half (1½) spaces per unit for two (2) bedrooms.
(C) two (2) spaces per unit for three (3) or more bedrooms.
(B) If residences are in conjunction with a commercial enterprise, residential parking requirements may be waived or modified by the Director.
(C) Multifamily development in the R-3 zone shall require one parking space per unit, with visitor parking provided at the Director's discretion.
Caretaker Units 1 space per unit
Group Residential 1 space per employee, plus 1 per bedroom or 1 per every two beds, whichever is greater
Mobile Home Parks 2 spaces for each mobile home space
Residential Care Facilities, Small 1 space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area.
Residential Care Facilities, Large 1 space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area.
Residential Facility, Assisted Living 1 space per every 3 beds.
Supportive Housing None beyond the parking required for the residential use type.
Transitional Housing None beyond the parking required for the residential use type.
Recreational UsesOff-Street Parking Spaces Required
Places of public assembly with fixed seats. This category includes: auditoriums, exhibit halls, dance halls, places of worship, and other buildings used for public assembly. 1 space for every four seats, or 1 space for each seven lineal feet of bench seating
Places of public assembly without fixed seats. This category includes: auditoriums, exhibit halls, dance halls, places of worship, and other buildings used for public assembly. 1 space per 100 square feet of assembly area
Bowling centers 4 spaces for each lane plus one space for each shift employee
Billiard and card rooms 2 spaces for each table
Golf, driving and shooting ranges 4 spaces per tee, 1 ½ spaces per range stall
Commercial swimming pools 1 space per 100 square feet of pool area (total of water and adjacent deck area)
Skating rinks and commercial recreational areas (e.g., water slides) 1 space for each 100 square feet gross floor area of skating or recreational area
Tennis, handball and racket courts 2 spaces per court, plus one space for each shift employee
Institutional UsesOff-Street Parking Required
Hospitals 2 spaces per each permanent bed plus 1 space for each 500 square gross floor area.
Convalescent homes and nursing homes See "Residential Facility, Assisted Living"
Day care and nursery schools 1 space per 500 square feet of floor area
Mortuaries with chapels 1 space for every four seats or one space for each seven lineal feet of bench or pew.
Public, parochial and private elementary schools 1 space for each employee, plus one space for each five students of planned capacity
Public, parochial, and private high schools 6 per classroom plus 1 per 350 square feet of office/administrative area
Colleges, art, craft, music and dancing schools, business, professional and trade schools 1 space for each employee, plus one space for every two students of planned capacity
Professional Office UsesOff-Street Parking Requirements
Medical, dental, optometry or chiropractic offices and clinics 1 space per 300 gross square feet of floor area, plus 3 spaces per doctor or dentist or similar health professional
Research facilities 1 space per employee, plus one space per 500 gross square feet.
Banks, lending agencies, financial institutions, governmental institutions, and public utility offices (including those with drive-up facilities) 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
Drive-up facilities shall have a stacking area for 5 vehicles
When part of a mixed-use project, shared parking arrangements are allowed
All other professional offices 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
Retail and Commercial UsesOff-Street Parking Requirements
General retail sales, repair and services 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area, including office, storage, restrooms, etc.
Retail sales of large appliances, automobiles, furniture or other similar bulky merchandise 1 space per 500 square feet of gross floor area
Restaurants, bars, taverns, lunchrooms, nightclubs and cocktail lounges 1 space for every 3 three seats or one stall per 100 square feet of floor area devoted to dining, whichever is greater
Barber and beauty shops 1 space for each barber chair or beautician station, plus one space for each employee working on the largest shift
Uncovered retail sales area for landscaping nurseries, vehicles and construction materials 1 space for each 1,000 square feet of gross display area, plus one space per employee
Automotive repair garages 3 spaces for each service bay, plus one space for every employee
Fueling Stations 1 space for each employee
Convenience Stores 1 space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, minimum of 3 spaces
Hotels and motels 1 space for each guestroom, plus two spaces for employees
Bus stations, train depots and other transportation depots 1 space for each employee, plus user parking as determined by the Director
Undefined commercial uses 1 space per 250 square feet of gross floor area, subject to additional spaces depending on the eventual uses
Type of Industrial UseOff-Street Parking Required
Manufacturing and General Industrial Uses 1 space per 500 square feet of gross floor area for projects up to 10,000 square feet
1 space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for projects over 10,000 square feet
Office area within a manufacturing or industrial building Park per the standard for "All professional offices"
Recycling Collection facility 1 space for each 3,000 square feet of site area, plus 1 additional parking space for each commercial vehicle operated by the facility
Self-storage facility 1 space per 50 units or spaces, plus two spaces for the manager's unit
Warehousing/Distribution and Fulfillment Centers 1 space per 2,500 square feet of warehouse space, plus parking for office per the standard for "All professional offices"
Mixed UseOff-Street Parking Required
A single unified development or district that incorporates two or more different uses within walking distance of one another. 1 space for each 500 square feet of nonresidential gross floor area and one space for each dwelling unit.

 

(Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), 9-10-2024)

Sec. 20.180.020 - Parking Design Standards.

(A)

At least fifty (50) percent of parking areas shall be surfaced with gravel, permeable pavers, or other permeable surfacing materials to encourage on-site infiltration of stormwater runoff. The remaining fifty (50) percent may be impermeable surfaces.

(B)

At least fifty (50) percent of required parking spaces shall be regular spaces. A maximum of fifty (50) percent may be compact car spaces.

(C)

All lighting within the parking area shall be downcast and shielded.

(D)

Parking space dimensions shall be consistent with Table 20.180-B and Figures 20.180-A.

(E)

Maneuvering aisles shall be consistent with Tables 20.180-C and -D.

(F)

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.

(1)

Electric vehicle charging stations may be provided in any area designed for the parking of vehicles.

(2)

Electric vehicle ready charging infrastructure shall be provided in multi-family housing developments and non-residential developments according to the standards outlined by CALGreen (Title 24 California Code of Regulations, Part 11).

(3)

Parking spaces with electric vehicle charging shall be counted as a two (2) standard parking space for the purpose of providing required parking per this Chapter.

(4)

If an electric vehicle charging station and any associated equipment interfere with, reduce, eliminate or in any way impact the required parking spaces for existing uses, the Director may reduce the number of required parking spaces for the existing uses by the amount necessary to accommodate the electric vehicle charging station and associated equipment.

(G)

Bicycle Parking. Parking lots with twenty (20) or more spaces shall provide one (1) bicycle parking space for each ten (10) parking spaces, either as a bicycle rack designed to enable bicycles to be locked to the rack or in a secured enclosed location.

(H)

Striping and Marking.

(1)

Space Outline. All parking spaces shall be clearly outlined with double striping three (3) inches in width, in durable white paint designed for that purpose.

(2)

Maneuvering Areas. All aisles, approach lanes, and turning areas shall be clearly marked with directional arrows and lines as necessary to provide for safe movement.

(3)

Compact Spaces. All compact spaces shall be clearly marked as such.

(4)

Striping and Marking for Accessible spaces and electric vehicle charging spaces shall be as required by the California Building Code.

Table 20.180-B—Parking Space Minimum Dimensions For 90-Degree Spaces
Type of Parking Space Width (feet) Length (feet)
Standard 9 20
Compact 8 16
Parallel 9 22
Accessible Compliant with the California Building Code

 

Figure 20.180-A—Parking Space Dimensions

Measuring parking space dimensions in a 90-degree configuration.

(Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), 9-10-2024)

Sec. 20.180.025 - Drive-Through Facilities.

Any use which proposes drive-through or drive-up facilities shall require an Administrative Permit pursuant to Chapter 20.192 and comply with the following requirements:

(A)

A pedestrian and vehicular circulation plan shall be submitted along with any building permit application. Such plan shall indicate how pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be accommodated to provide pedestrian safety. The plan shall also indicate how vehicles will circulate to and through the drive-through or drive-up facilities in a manner that will not impede traffic flow on any public right-of-way. Such plan will be reviewed against the following standards:

(1)

Drive-through aisles shall be inwardly focused within the site and located away from adjoining streets to the extent feasible.

(2)

Pedestrian walkways shall not intersect the drive-through access aisles unless they have clear visibility and are emphasized by enhanced paving or markings.

(3)

Parking for drive-through and drive-in uses shall be provided as required by this Chapter.

(4)

Drive-through access aisles shall be located entirely within the property and shall account for the stacking of a minimum of five (5) vehicles. The Director may determine that more stacking is required depending on the need of the specific business. In such instances, the Applicant shall have a stacking study prepared by a qualified expert.

Figure 20.180-B—Drive-through Aisle

Drive aisle length is measured from the start of the drive aisle (A) to the pickup window (B).

(Ord. No. 4538, § 47(Exh. A), 9-10-2024)