Zoneomics Logo
search icon

Meriwether County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 11

- OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING

Sec. 11.1.- Purpose.

(a)

The purpose of this article is to provide regulations to foster safe and efficient circulation of vehicles and pedestrians on private and public streets and to minimize nuisances from on-street parking.

(b)

However, the provisions of this article 11 will not apply to the off-street parking within either a commercial industrial park district or a planned industrial district since the off-street parking issues are specifically addressed within articles 14 and 15 set forth herein.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)

Sec. 11.2. - Off-street parking.

(a)

Off-street automobile parking and storage. Off-street parking and storage space shall be provided on every lot on which any of the uses mentioned in this section are established. Such automobile parking or storage space shall be provided with vehicular access to a street or alley and shall be equal in area to at least the minimum requirements for the specific uses as set forth in table 11.1. Each automobile parking space shall be at least nine feet wide and 20 feet long.

(b)

If the required automobile parking or storage space cannot be provided on the same lot on which the principal use is located, the zoning administrator may permit such space to be provided on other off-street property, provided such space is within 500 feet of such principal use. Such space shall be associated with the permitted use and shall not thereafter be reduced or encroached upon in any manner.

(c)

All off-street automobile parking and storage space except for single-family residential uses shall be so arranged that vehicles will not be required to back onto a public street, road or highway when leaving the premises.

(d)

Gross leasable area (GLA) is the total building floor area in square feet that a developer may lease. Gross floor area is the sum of the areas of floors of a building, including all areas for human occupancy, as measured from the exterior faces of the walls but excluding unenclosed porches, interior parking spaces or any space where the floor-to-ceiling height is less than six feet, six inches.

(e)

Improvement and maintenance. Off-street parking areas shall be graded to ensure proper drainage, surfaced with all-weather gravel, asphalt or concrete materials, and shall be maintained in a clean, orderly and dust-free condition.

(f)

Bumper guards. If the off-street parking area is surfaced with all-weather gravel materials, a bumper guard or wheel-stop shall be installed to mark each space.

(g)

Marking. If the off-street parking area is surfaced with concrete or asphalt, each parking space shall be painted with stripes not less than three inches wide, running the length of each of the longer sides of the space, or by other acceptable methods which clearly delineate the parking space within the parking lot.

(h)

Handicapped parking. Parking for the handicapped within a nonresidential district shall be provided at a size, number and location according to the requirements of the ADA accessibility guidelines (ASAAG) published by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board (ATBCB), as amended.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)

Sec. 11.3. - Residential parking.

All parking areas serving single-family detached or attached dwellings shall conform to the following requirements:

(1)

No inoperable vehicle shall be permitted in any residential district for more than 14 days unless it is in an enclosed garage. All repairs shall be in an enclosed garage in residential districts.

(2)

No commercial vehicle as licensed by the state with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) exceeding 11,000 pounds shall be allowed to park in R-1 or multifamily residential districts unless it can be completely enclosed.

(3)

Commercial vehicles, licensed by the state, busses and recreational vehicles shall not be allowed to park overnight on any street or road in the Meriwether County Road System.

(4)

Recreational vehicles shall not be allowed to park overnight on any street or road in the Meriwether County Road system.

(5)

Recreational vehicles are prohibited from parking in the front yard of any residential district and must be parked in an area of the yard least visible from any public street.

Table 11.1. Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements by Uses
Uses Parking Spaces
Residential
Dormitory for worker employed on the premises 1 per 3 employees, plus 1 per dormitory manager
Dwelling, multifamily (including one-bedroom units) 2 per dwelling unit
Dwelling, single-family detached 2 per dwelling unit
Senior housing 1 per dwelling unit
Group home 1 per employee, plus 1 per 2 bedrooms
Manufactured home, industrialized home 2 per dwelling unit
Nursing home 1 for 4 beds, plus 1 per 2 employees
Roominghouse and boardinghouse 1 per room that is leased
Commercial—Retail
Automobile, truck sales and service 1 space per 250 sq. ft. of sales floor area, plus 2 spaces per service bay
Auto parts store 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA, plus 1 per employee on max. work shift
Boat sales, service and repair 1 per 300 sq. ft. of GFA, 2 spaces minimum
Convenience store (can include fuel service) 5 per 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA
Furniture, home furnishing and equipment store 1 per 500 sq. ft. of GFA, 2 spaces minimum
Grocery store 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Hardware store 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Manufactured home sales 2 per salesperson and 1 per other employee
Restaurant, cafeteria, fast food (with seating) 1 per 4 seats, 1 additional space for each 2 employees
Retail stores, general merchandise 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Commercial—Service and Entertainment
Amusement park Spaces equal in number to 30% of capacity
Automobile repair and body shop 1 per 150 sq. ft. of GFA
Auto oil change shop 3 per service bay
Bait shop 1 per 250 sq. ft. of GFA
Bank or financial institution, full service 1 per 185 sq. ft. of GFA
Barber shop, beauty shop 3 per workstation on maximum capacity
Bed and breakfast home 1 per guest room, plus 2 for owner
Bowling alley 4 per alley
Dry cleaning 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Funeral home/mortuary 1 per 4 seats in chapel, plus 1 per 2 employees, plus spaces for company vehicles
Gas station full service 1 per employee, plus 3 per service bay
Gas station, self-serve (fuel only) 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Health club and facilities 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Hotel, motel and motor lodge 1 per sleeping room or suite, 1 additional space for each 2 employees
Laundromat 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Machinery sales, service and repair 4 per sales person, plus 1 for other employees
Miniature golf courses 3 per hole, plus 1 per employee on maximum shift
Offices (business, medical, dental and professional) 1 per 225 sq. ft. of GFA for single floor designs; 1 per 275 sq. ft. of GFA for designs with two or more floors
Pet shop, dog grooming shop 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA with a minimum of 4 spaces
Printing, publishing and engraving 1 per 2 employees on premises, plus 1 per 300 sq. ft. of sales space
Repair service, general merchandise 1 per 2 employees on premises, plus 1 per 300 sq. ft. of sales space
RV and camper sales, service and repair 4 spaces for each sales person, plus 1 per other employees
Shooting range, indoor 1 per employee, plus 1 per shooting lane
Studio for art, photograph and similar uses 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA, 3 spaces minimum
Theater, movie or drama 1 per 3 seats
Truck terminal 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA
Veterinary clinic 4 spaces per doctor, plus 1 per additional employee
Video store 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA
Industrial—Storage/Warehousing/Wholesale Trade
Mini-warehouse (self-storage facilities) 1 per 10 storage units, plus 1 per employee
Warehouse and storage buildings 1 per employee on maximum working shift, plus space for storage of trucks or vehicles used
Industrial—Manufacturing Establishment/Processing
Manufacturing and industrial uses 1 per employee, plus 1 per 200 sq. ft. of sales floor area
Contract construction 1 per 250 sq. ft. of gross office space, plus 1 per non-office on-site employee
Public/Institutional
Ambulance services 1 per each emergency vehicle, plus 1 additional space for each employee
Art gallery 1 per 250 sq. ft. of GFA
Auditorium, assembly hall, civic center, community center 1 per 4 seats or bench seating spaces
Cemetery, mausoleum 1 per employee
Childcare facilities 1 per 2 employees, plus 1 per 4 pupils
Church 1 per 4 seats or bench seating spaces
Club and lodges, noncommercial 1 per 100 sq. ft. of GFA
Fire station 1 per employee on the maximum working shift
Hospital, health and medical institution 1 per 2 patient beds, 1 additional for 3 employees
Library 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA, plus 1 per 2 employees
Museum 1 per 250 sq. ft. of GFA
Police station/correctional facility 2 per employee on the maximum working shift, plus 1 per 8 inmates, considering the maximum inmate holding capacity
Post office 1 per 200 sq. ft. of GFA, plus 1 per employee on maximum working shift
Recycling center 1 per employee
School, public or private elementary/middle 2 per classroom, but not less than 1 per employee
School, college 10 per classroom
School, vocational/technical 20 per classroom
Transportation/Communication/Utilities
Bus terminal 4 per each loading and unloading bay
Radio, TV and communication transmission tower 1 per 2 employees on premises, plus 1 per 300 sq. ft. of sales or customer space
Utility facilities 1 per employee, plus 1 per stored vehicle
Water treatment facilities 1 per employee
Parks/Recreation/Conservation
Golf courses and club houses, private 6 per hole, plus additional spaces for each accessory facility
Golf courses and club houses, public 8 per hole, plus additional space for each accessory use
Golf driving range 2 per each driving tee
Park with recreational facilities Spaces equal in number to 30% of capacity
Shooting range, outdoor Skeet range and trap range: 1 per employee, plus 1 for each shooter Target range: 1 per employee, plus 1 per shooting lane
Skating, roller or ice rink 5 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA
Swimming pool, public 30 spaces minimum
Agricultural
Agricultural services 2 per 3 employees, or 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA
Kennel 1 per employee, plus 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA
Lumber yard 1 per 500 sq. ft. of GFA
Nursery/greenhouse 1 per 400 sq. ft. of GFA, plus 1 per 2,000 sq. ft. of exterior nursery area
Saw mill 1 per employee
Stock yard 1 per employee on maximum shift

 

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)

Sec. 11.4. - Off-street loading and unloading space.

Every building or structure used for business, trade or industry shall provide space as indicated herein for the loading and unloading of vehicles off the street or public alley. Such space shall have access to an alley, or if there is no alley, a street. Such space shall be so arranged that no vehicle is required to back into a public street, road or highway in order to leave the premises.

(1)

Retail business and services. A space ten feet by 25 feet for each 20,000 square feet of total floor area or fraction thereof.

(2)

Wholesale and industry. One space ten feet by 50 feet for each 10,000 square feet of floor space, plus one additional space for each 60,000 additional square feet of total floor area or fraction thereof,

(3)

Bus and truck terminal. Sufficient space to accommodate the maximum number of busses or trucks to be stored or to be loading or unloading at the terminal at any one time.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)