(a)   The purpose of these off-street parking and loading facility regulations is to promote the public health, safety, and welfare by regulating those facilities in all zoning districts.

   (b)   The intent is to provide for convenient and sufficient access to activities which require parking or loading, to limit on-street parking and loading to facilitate traffic flow and safety, to encourage a more attractive economic, business, and residential climate, and to enhance and protect the physical appearance of the community.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   No building or structure shall be erected, substantially altered, or its use changed unless permanently maintained off-street parking and loading spaces have been provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The review process to determine adequacy of parking or loading spaces shall be congruent with the review of development plan applications and other applicable plan reviews required by this Zoning Code.

   (b)   The provisions of this chapter, except where there is a change of use, shall not apply to any existing building or structure. Where the new use involves no additions or enlargements, there shall be provided as many additional spaces as may be required by this chapter.

      (1)   Whenever a building or structure constructed after the effective date of this chapter is changed or enlarged in floor area, number of employees, number of dwelling units, seating capacity, or otherwise to create a need for an increase in the number of existing parking spaces, additional parking spaces shall be provided on the basis of the enlargement or change such that the site or use is in full compliance with the required number of parking spaces required under this Code.

      (2)   Whenever a building, structure or existing parking area existing prior to the effective date of this chapter is enlarged in an amount that requires a development plan application as provided for in Chapter 1147 or the number of employees, number of housing units or seating capacity is increased, then the building, structure or parking area shall then and thereafter comply with the full parking requirements set forth herein.

   (d)   Any vehicle customarily (or seasonally) parked on any lot shall be so parked only in parking areas specially constructed for such purpose, and shall not be parked on tree lawns, sidewalks, lawns or other areas required by this Zoning Code to be landscaped.

   (e)   No vehicle shall be customarily (or seasonally) parked or garaged on a lot occupied by a dwelling except a private passenger automobile, or other vehicle or equipment as defined in this Zoning Code, which automobile vehicle or equipment shall be owned or primarily used by the residents of the dwelling or dwellings located on such lot.

   (f)   If a parking lot or garage is operated as a paid parking facility, the rates for parking shall be legibly shown upon a sign installed expressly for that purpose, in accordance with applicable sign regulations as set forth in this Zoning Code.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   The following regulations shall govern the location of off-street parking spaces and areas.

   (a)   Parking spaces for all detached residential uses shall be located on the same lot as the use which they are intended to service and shall only be located in the front yard area.

   (b)   Parking areas for attached residential uses shall be located not more than 300 feet from the principal dwelling use.

   (c)   Parking areas and driveways for all non-residential and institutional principal and conditional uses shall conform to the following requirements:

      (1)   Unless completely enclosed and below-ground, off-street parking areas shall be located at least ten feet from any wall of a building if such wall contains ground floor openings (other than a garage door) providing access, light or ventilation to the building.

      (2)   Unless completely enclosed and below-ground, off-street parking areas shall be set back at least ten feet from the right-of-way line, and such parking setback area shall be landscaped in accordance with Section 1149.10 and in such manner as effectively to screen the parking area. There shall be no minimum parking area setbacks from the side or rear property lines so long as the required bufferyard and screening requirements are satisfied.

   (d)   Parking areas and driveways for all permitted and conditionally permitted uses in the General Industrial (GI) zoning district shall conform to the following requirements:

      (1)   Unless completely enclosed and below-ground, off-street parking areas shall be set back at least twenty feet from the right-of-way line.

      (2)   Unless completely enclosed and below-ground, off-street parking areas shall be set back at least ten feet from a side or rear lot line.

   (e)   Parking areas constructed to serve residential structures converted to non-residential use shall be located in the rear yards of the properties.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

      (4)   Whenever a parking area extends to a property line, parking blocks or other suitable devices shall be installed to prevent any part of a parked vehicle from extending beyond the property line.

        (5)   The location, width and number of entrance and exit driveways serving accessory parking facilities, drive-in businesses, fee parking lots and public parking lots shall be planned in such a manner as to interfere as little as possible with the use of adjacent property and the flow of traffic on the streets to which they connect.

        (6)   Parking areas of less than twenty spaces shall have at least one 2-lane driveway located at least 100 feet from the right-of-way line of the nearest intersecting street.

        (7)   Parking areas of twenty spaces or more should, if physically possible, provide for two 2-lane driveways, the nearest of which shall be located at least 100 feet from the right-of-way line of the nearest intersecting street.

        (8)   Entrance or exit driveways shall not exceed three lanes in width and shall be designed so that all cars can be driven forward into the street. The width of such driveways, measured at the street right-of-way line, shall conform with the following:

 

 

      (9)   The angle of intersection between the driveway and the street shall be between seventy degrees (70°) and ninety (90°) degrees. The radii of the edge of the driveway apron shall be at least twenty-five feet (25').

       (10)   Driveways shall be spaced at not less than 120 foot intervals measured from the centerline of the driveways.

      (11)   All off-street parking and loading areas including spaces, driveways, aisles and circulation drives shall be graded and maintained so that water does not unreasonably accumulate on such areas nor flow or drain onto adjacent public or private property. All such surfaced areas shall be maintained free of chuck holes, litter, glass, nails or other dangerous materials.

      (12)   Stormwater retention requirements shall be reviewed by the City Engineer and designed according to the applicable standards set forth in the stormwater regulations.

      (13)   Appropriate curbs shall be provided to define off-street parking spaces from access and circulation driveways, and to prevent the extension of vehicles beyond parking spaces.

      (14)   An apron with a radius of six feet at the curb line shall be provided to join the driveway to the street.

   Parking Blocks Illustration

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   A parking stall shall have minimum dimensions as provided in the following Table. All dimensions shall be exclusive of driveways, aisles, and other circulation areas.

 

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22; Ord. 2023-6. Passed 6-27-22; Ord. 2024-88. Passed 2-25-25.)

   (a)   Any parking area shall be designed in a manner that any vehicle leaving or entering the parking area from or into a public or private street shall be traveling in a forward motion.

   (b)   Access driveways for parking areas or loading spaces shall be located in such a way that any vehicle entering or leaving the area shall be clearly visible for a reasonable distance to any pedestrian or motorist approaching the access or driveway from a public or private street.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   Interior vehicular circulation by way of internal access driveways shall maintain the following minimum standards:

         A.   Each parking lot or parking area shall be provided access driveways at least ten feet in width for each direction but with a maximum width of thirty-six feet for any access drive. The exception to this requirement applies to a single driveway serving only one or two dwelling units.

         B.   Only one two-way access drive, or pair of one-way drives, shall be permitted for each 150 feet of public (or private) street frontage, the street on which such drive or drives are located, provided that each lot is entitled to have one access drive regardless of lot frontage, and provided further that the Planning Commission, when determined necessary to reduce the potential for traffic hazards, may require consolidation of the access drives of any two contiguous lots.

         A.   Each parking lot or parking area shall be provided access driveways at least ten feet in width for each direction but with a maximum width of thirty-six feet for any access drive.

         B.   Only one 2-way access drive, or pair of one-way drives, shall be permitted for each 100 feet of public street frontage on the street on which such drive or drives are located, provided that each lot is entitled to have one access drive regardless of lot frontage.

   (b)   The entrances and exits to the parking lot or parking area shall be clearly marked.

   (c)   Parking areas and parking lots having more than one access driveway shall have directional signs or markings in each driveway.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

      (1)   All off-street loading areas shall have minimum dimensions of not less than twelve feet in width, forty feet in length, exclusive of driveways, aisles, and other circulation areas, and a height of clearance of not less than fifteen feet.

      (2)   One off-street loading space shall be provided and maintained on the same lot for every separate occupancy requiring delivery of goods and having a gross floor area of up to 5,000 square feet.

      (3)   One loading space shall be provided for each additional 20,000 square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area unless otherwise provided in this section.

      (1)   For any building or lot used for administrative and professional offices and services, one off-street loading space shall be provided when the gross floor is between 30,000 square feet and 100,000 square feet.

      (2)   One additional loading space shall be provided for each l00,000 square feet or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet of gross floor area.

      (1)   In the case of mixed uses buildings or developments, the requirements for off-street loading facilities shall be the sum of the requirements of various uses computed separately.

      (2)   The off-street loading facilities for a single use shall not be considered as providing the requirements for any other use except that when two or more contiguous buildings or uses share the same loading facilities the total of such off-street loading facilities may be reduced to not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately.

      (1)   In the case of a lot which abuts two or more streets, all ingress and egress to loading spaces shall be from the street from which such loading will have less impact upon residential areas.

      (2)   Streets, sidewalks, alleys, or other public rights-of-way, or other public property, shall not be used for loading purposes nor shall vehicles being loaded or unloaded be parked on such areas during loading or unloading.

      (3)   No part of any required yard, off-street parking area, or access or circulation drives thereto, shall be utilized for loading purposes.

      (4)   Any off-street loading areas serving an industrial, manufacturing wholesaling or related land use shall be completely enclosed (excluding roof) and shall not be located within seventy-five feet (75') of any residential zoning district or residential land use boundary.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   Any parking area which is intended to be used during non-daylight hours shall be properly illuminated to avoid accidents and provide for a safe pedestrian environment.

   (b)   Any lights used to illuminate a parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from the adjoining property. The illumination standards set forth in Section 1147.07 shall apply.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

         A.   Perimeter buffering and landscaping shall be provided between the vehicle use area and the public right-of-way; between vehicular use areas and private street easements; in side and rear yards between non-residential and residential uses; and, in side and rear yards between multi-family uses and single family uses.

         B.   Interior landscaping for vehicular use areas shall be provided in all parking areas.

      (3)   Unless specifically approved by the Planning Commission, no structure shall be permitted in a required landscape area other than a wall, fence, or earth berm.

   (d)   Landscaping and Buffering Plan Required. When required by the development plan review requirements set forth in Chapter 1147 , a landscaping and buffering plan shall be prepared and included in drawings submitted for Planning Commission approval as part of the regular development plan review process. The landscaping and buffering plan shall be prepared by a landscape architect registered in the State of Ohio and shall include those applicable contents required in Chapter 1151 in addition to the following information:

      (1)   Name of the applicant/owner;

      (2)   Name, address and phone number of the person or firm responsible for the preparation of the landscaping and buffering plan;

      (3)   Material to be removed or retained; and

      (4)   Tabular listings of existing plant material to be retained and proposed plant material within the buffer yard or landscape area with typical planting details for trees, shrubs and ground cover within the landscaped area.

      (1)   Landscaping and perimeter buffering material shall be fully installed on the site by completion of construction.

      (2)   If not feasible due to seasonal conditions, within one planting season after completion of construction. The Planning Commission may grant an extension of the time to install required landscaping features.

      (1)   These perimeter landscape and buffer areas shall consist of earth mounds, decorative fences or masonry walls, vegetative screens or combinations of these sufficient to screen views of vehicular use areas.

      (2)   The minimum width of any perimeter landscape or buffer area shall be six feet.

      (3)   Perimeter landscaping shall be designed to provide a minimum of fifty percent (50%) opacity upon installation and minimum of seventy percent (70%) opacity at maturity.

      (4)   Perimeter landscape buffering shall contain evergreen and deciduous plant materials as approved by the Planning Commission in consideration of desired opacity and need for year-round screening.

      (5)   Material shall be kept neat and trimmed throughout the entire year.

      (6)   Curbs or parking stops shall be provided to prohibit bumpers and bodies of parked vehicles from over-hanging a perimeter buffer landscape area by more than two and one-half feet.

      (7)   In order to retain visibility along public rights-of-ways, trees shall have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground. Shrubs and other landscape material shall not exceed three feet unless approved by the Planning Commission.

      (1)   For every ten parking spaces or fraction thereof, the applicant shall provide not less than 200 square feet of interior landscaped parking lot area containing at least one tree with a minimum caliper of three inches and two shrubs within each individual landscape area. For example, a parking area containing thirty parking spaces would be required to install a minimum of 600 square feet of landscape area containing a minimum of three trees and six shrubs.

      (2)   In order to assure that landscape areas are properly dispersed and to break up large expanses of parking pavement, no individual landscape area shall be larger than 500 square feet in size in vehicle use areas less than 30,000 square feet and no individual area shall be larger than 2,000 square feet in vehicular use areas larger than 30,000 square feet.

      (3)   In order to retain visibility, trees shall have a clear trunk of at least five feet above the ground. Shrubs and other landscape material shall not exceed three feet unless approved by Planning Commission.

      (1)   A request to modify any of the requirements under this section shall be made in writing to the Building Commissioner by the applicant and shall provide a detailed statement and supporting documentation regarding the unique nature and circumstances warranting the requested modifications.

      (2)   Planning Commission shall review the waiver request and approve, deny or approve with conditions or modifications during the preliminary development plan review phase.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   For the purpose of this chapter, the following parking space requirements provided in the Parking Space Use Table below shall apply. In the event a land use is not listed in the Table, the following procedure for determining the appropriate land use designation shall occur:

   (a)   The Building Commissioner shall refer to the land uses listed in Parking Space Use Table to assist in determining a suitable land use category that is substantially similar to the use under consideration based upon size of use or structure, intensity of use and general type of land use.

   (b)   If the Building Commissioner determines that the land use under consideration is not substantially similar to any of the land uses provided for in this Table, the Building Commissioner shall then establish a minimum parking space requirement for the unidentified land use. This minimum parking space requirement shall be documented with supporting data or other Zoning Code samples setting forth a reasonable minimum parking space requirement based upon the land use under consideration and further based on those industry accepted parking plan elements including, but not limited to:

      (1)   Estimated number of vehicle trips per day; and

      (2)   Estimated number of occupants for both all structures or open areas located upon the parcel under consideration based upon maximum building occupancy figures and other industry related data which provides insight into the intensity and timing of vehicle usage of the land use under consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   Two or more non-residential land uses may jointly provide and use parking spaces when their hours of operation do not normally overlap, provided that a written agreement approved by the Building Commissioner shall be filed with the application for a building permit.

   (b)   Two or more non-residential uses which do have overlapping hours of operation may jointly provide and use parking spaces, with a reduction of their combined required number of spaces by twenty-five percent (25%). This is to encourage the sharing of facilities, thus reducing the amount of land devoted to parking areas. A written agreement between the joint non-residential users must be approved by the Building Commissioner and shall be filed with the application for a building permit.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

     (e)   Equipment Standards. Equipment for electric vehicle charging stations shall comply with the following standards:

      (1)   Installation shall meet the applicable electric code requirements.

      (2)   Equipment mounted on pedestals, lighting posts, bollards, or other devices for on-street charging station shall be designed and located as to not impede pedestrian travel or create trip hazards within the right-of-way.

      (3)   Charging station outlets and connector shall be no less than thirty-six inches or no higher than forty-eight inches from the top of the surface where mounted and shall contain a retraction device or a place to hang cords and connectors above the ground surface.

      (4)   Equipment shall be protected by wheel stops or concrete-filled bollards.

      (1)   Voltage and amperage levels;

      (2)   Hour of operations if time limits or tow-away provisions are to be enforced by the property owner;

      (3)   Usage fees;

      (4)   Safety information; and

      (5)   Contact information for reporting when the equipment is not operating or other problems.

    (g)   Calculation for Required Parking. Electric vehicle charging stations located within parking lots or garages shall be included in the calculation of the minimum required parking spaces.

      (1)   One electric vehicle charging station space (stall) shall count as two parking spaces in new or existing parking areas consisting of thirty or more parking spaces. The maximum number of electric vehicle charging stations using this 2:1 bonus parking space reduction option shall not exceed four vehicle charging spaces for every required 100 parking spaces, or fraction thereof. (Example: In a development requiring 240 regular parking spaces and the applicant is proposing nine electric vehicle charging spaces, the required parking space amount may be reduced by nine spaces to equal 231 required total spaces).

      (2)   One electric vehicle charging station space (stall) shall count as one parking space in new or existing parking areas consisting of thirty or more parking spaces.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   In the event that any land is acquired by the City by lease or otherwise, for the purpose of providing municipal off-street parking, any structure or use for which such land at the time of the taking by the City provided required off-street parking may thereafter count, in satisfaction of its required off-street parking, that number of parking spaces which were used or intended for parking for such structure or use at the time of the taking or other acquisition method by the City.

   (b)   The Building Commissioner shall prepare a written report indicating the exact number of off-street parking spaces to be credited to each structure or use as provided herein. Such report, upon review and approval by the Planning Commission, shall become part of the permanent record of such municipal parking improvement.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   (a)   The property owner(s) and/or tenant(s) shall have a continued obligation to maintain the required landscaping and buffering elements, parking lot surfaces, private access drives as provided for in striping, signing, etc. in good condition.

      (1)   Landscaping shall be kept alive and maintained in a healthy and orderly manner.

      (2)   Parking lot surfaces shall be kept free of holes and substantial deterioration.

      (3)   Striping shall be clearly visible.

      (4)   Parking lot directional signs shall be kept in place and clearly legible.

   (b)   Parking areas for five or more spaces shall be marked with paint lines, curbs, or in some similar manner approved by the Planning Commission and shall be maintained in a clearly visible condition.

   (c)   The Building Commissioner shall have the authority to prohibit the use of the area for parking purposes unless and until proper maintenance, repair or rehabilitation is affected.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

      (1)   On-street parking.

      (2)   Off-street parking located on an adjacent lot or lot in close proximity to the subject parcel.

      (1)   The Planning Commission shall review the waiver request and approve, deny or approve with conditions or modifications during the preliminary development plan review phase.

      (2)   The Planning Commission may apply one or more conditions on an approved waiver to ensure the goals and intent of this off-street parking and loading facility chapter are satisfied.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22; Ord. 2023-6. Passed 6-27-23.)

      (1)   The applicant shall provide adequate supporting documentation that justifies the requested reduced parking needs; and

      (2)   The development plan shall provide full site design for the future land banked parking area at the time of the original development plan review process.

      (3)   As part of the development plan review process, the applicant must identify the area to be banked on the development plan and a plan note marked as “Land Banked Future Parking.”

      (4)   The land area proposed for land banking of parking spaces must be an area suitable for the constructability of a parking area at a future time.

      (5)   The land banked parking area shall satisfy all applicable landscape and bufferyard requirements set forth in this Zoning Code including in the initial land banked condition and in the final constructed parking area condition. The minimum landscaping material while in a land banked condition shall consist of turf or live groundcover.

      (6)   The land banked parking area shall not used for any other land use and must be part of the same zoning lot and remain under the same ownership.

      (7)   The Building Commissioner, on the basis of increased parking space requirements for the site resulting from any altered or new land use(s), may require the conversion of all or part of the land banked area to off-street parking spaces in a manner consistent with the approved development plan.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   In the interpretation of this chapter, the following rules shall be in effect:

   (a)   In calculating parking requirements, fractional numbers shall be increased to the next whole number. For example, 13.01 shall mean fourteen.

   (b)   “Floor area” means the outside dimensions of the building, including all projections such as stairways and porches, multiplied by the number of floors. The resulting number is the square footage of the building used for determining the number of off-street parking spaces required.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)

   Whoever violates any provision of these off-street parking and loading facilities standards, and fails to conform to any provision thereof or fails to obey any lawful order of the Building Commissioner or fail to comply with an approved development plan, issued in pursuance thereof, shall be subject to the penalty provisions set forth in Chapter 1121 of this Zoning Code.

(Ord. 2022-24. Passed 5-24-22.)