Mill Valley City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 20
61 PARKING REQUIREMENTS
§ 20.61.010 Purpose.
This chapter establishes regulations to ensure that sufficient parking is provided for all land use types and that automobile parking areas are properly designed, attractive, and located to meet the City's needs without devoting excessive amounts of land to vehicle parking. This chapter supports the City's strategic goals, including fostering economic development, preserving and enhancing community vitality, and promoting climate action. The provisions herein aim to balance access, equity, and sustainability in the use of public and private parking spaces.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.020 Off-street automobile parking space requirements.
The minimum number of required off-street parking spaces shall be provided, as summarized in Table 20.61-1 below and in conformance with the provisions of this chapter. If the required parking spaces cannot be reasonably accommodated on-site or through a City-approved shared parking agreement, the applicant may request a variance pursuant to Section 20.64.070.
Table 20.61-1 Number of Automobile Parking Spaces Required | |
|---|---|
Use Type | Number of Parking Spaces Required |
Non-Residential | |
The following parking standards apply to all projects that result in the construction of new building(s). Exceptions for changes and expansions of use are listed in § 20.61.070. | |
Commercial Uses (i.e., retail, office, medical, personal services, food service) other than use types listed below. | 3 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. |
Warehouses, wholesale, self-storage, and mini-storage | 1 space for each 3 employees on maximum shift |
Furniture, art galleries, and appliance stores | 2 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. |
Motor vehicles and trailers, sales, service and leasing | 2 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. |
Lodging: motels, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts | 1 space for each separate guest room having its own access door, either to the outside or to an interior public corridor |
Schools and daycares | 1 space for each classroom plus 10 spaces for every 1,000 sq. ft. of auditorium space |
Residential | |
Dwellings, single-family | 2 spaces per dwelling plus 1 space for guest parking when on-street parking is not available along the immediate frontage of the property. One of these may be compact-car size. |
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) | Refer to Chapter 20.90, Accessory Dwelling Units, and California Government Code Sections 66314 and 66322 for parking requirements specific to ADUs. |
Dwellings, multiple family | a. Dwelling units with 1,000 square feet or less require 1 off-street parking space per unit. b. Dwelling units over 1,000 square feet require 1.5 off-street parking spaces per unit. c. For multiple family units that are part of a mixed-use development, shared parking is allowed in accordance with the provisions herein. In no instance shall the total number of spaces provided on-site be less than the greatest number of spaces required for any single land use in the proposed project. A reduction in parking of up to 40% of the total required parking spaces for all land uses proposed in the project shall be granted based on a shared parking study that demonstrates that either of the following criteria are met: (1) the uses will occur entirely at separate times of day or on different days of the week; or (2) the peak weekday and peak weekend hours occur at different times of day. The parking study shall utilize either the "Parking Generation Manual" (ITE) or "Shared Parking" (ULI) to demonstrate compliance with the required criteria for shared parking. A parking plan shall be submitted as part of the project application, identifying parking spaces by assigned land use(s) as well as shared parking spaces. The parking plan shall also include the proposed signage that will be posted on the site. d. Tandem and stacked parking is allowed to satisfy residential parking requirements for parking spaces for occupants of the same dwelling unit; however, tandem and stacked parking are prohibited for parking spaces for occupants of different dwelling units. e. Any multi-family or mixed-use project containing 10 or more dwelling units shall provide 1 visitor parking space for every 10 dwelling units. f. Applicants may also request deviations from the City's parking ratio requirements as allowed by the State Density Bonus Law (California Government Code Section 65915(p)) as amended. |
Note: All parking ratios are based on gross floor area as stated in Section 20.61.050I. |
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.030 Parking design standards.
Required parking areas shall be designed, constructed, and properly maintained in compliance with the requirements in Table 20.61-2.
Table 20.61-2: Standards for the Design of Parking Spaces | |
|---|---|
Parking Geometrics[1] | Requirements |
Standard Stall Width (SW) | 9'-0" |
8'-0" for parallel parking space | |
Standard Stall Length[2] (SL) | 18'-0" |
22'-0" for parallel parking space | |
Drive Aisle Width (DA) | Parking Angle |
90-degree — 26'-0" | |
75-degree — 21'-0" | |
60-degree — 18'-0" | |
45-degree — 15'-0" | |
30-degree — 12'-0" | |
Parallel Parking — 12'-0" | |
Parking Module — Single-loaded Drive Aisle (SLM) | Parking Angle |
90-degree — 44'-0" | |
75-degree — 40'-9" | |
60-degree — 38'-2" | |
45-degree — 4'-2" | |
30-degree — 28'-10" | |
Parallel Parking — 20'-0" | |
Parking Module — Double-loaded Drive Aisle (DLM) | Parking Angle |
90-degree — 62'-0" | |
75-degree — 60'-6" | |
60-degree — 58'-4" | |
45-degree — 53'-4" | |
30-degree — 45'-8" | |
Parallel Parking — 28'-0" | |
Compact Parking Stall Width | 8'-0" |
Compact Parking Stall Length | 17'-0" |
Notes: | |
|---|---|
[1] | See Figure 20.61-A explaining the parking geometrics. |
[2] | The required stall length can incorporate an overhang at low planters or sidewalks. The overhang mimics the use of wheel stops within parking stalls. When an overhang occurs at pedestrian walkways or accessible routes, it shall not reduce the minimum required width of the pedestrian route. |
Figure 20.61-A Parking Geometrics  |
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.040 Loading space requirements.
Loading space off the street right-of-way, in addition to any required parking area, shall be required as follows:
A.
Retail stores, supply houses, warehouses, wholesale establishments, manufacturing or industrial establishments, and similar uses: One space for each establishment with over 10,000 square feet of gross floor area.
B.
Hotels, hospitals, and public or semi-public buildings where large amounts of goods are received or shipped: One space for each establishment.
C.
Multifamily residential developments of 20 or more dwelling units: One loading space shall be provided for the first 40 units, plus one additional loading space for every 40 units or fraction thereof thereafter.
D.
Mixed-use buildings with residential and commercial uses: Loading spaces shall be provided based on the sum of the requirements for the residential and non-residential components of the project, except that a shared loading space may be permitted by the Director of Planning and Building where it can reasonably serve both uses.
E.
In any case where the use involves the standing of vehicles, such as a service station or drive-in operation, no structure shall be located closer to a street than will permit space for the standing of vehicles off the street and adequate space for traffic movements.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.050 General parking requirements.
A.
Uses Not Listed in Table 20.61-1. Other uses not specifically listed in Table 20.61-1 shall provide parking spaces as required by the review authority (Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission). In determining the off-street parking space requirements for said uses, the review authority shall use the above requirements as a general guide and shall determine the minimum number of parking spaces required to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets and alleys.
B.
Additional Parking Requirements. More parking spaces may be required as a condition of any discretionary permit, including a conditional use permit or master plan approval, when the Director or Planning Commission finds that characteristics of a specific use require more parking, to relieve a critical shortage of curb space, to facilitate the free flow of traffic, or to reduce a hazard to public safety.
C.
Conversion to Accessible Parking. For existing commercial uses that cannot reasonably provide additional parking on site, the Director of Planning and Building may permit existing commercial parking spaces to be converted to required accessible parking spaces or access aisles, even if the conversion results in fewer parking spaces than required under this chapter.
D.
Conversion to Electric Vehicle Parking. Existing parking spaces may be converted to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging spaces, provided that such conversion does not reduce the number of required accessible parking spaces or access aisles.
E.
Uncovered Parking. Parking spaces may be uncovered in all zoning districts.
F.
Installation of Parking Spaces. Off-street parking spaces conforming to the requirements of this chapter and acceptable to the City Engineer as usable under all weather conditions shall be installed on the premises prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the use or building involved. All parking spaces shall be provided with adequate stall widths, stall lengths, drive aisles, parking modules, turning radius, and compact stall dimensions as depicted on Table 20.61-2 entitled "Standards for the Design of Parking Spaces," attached hereto and incorporated herein, or if substandard, as determined acceptable to the City Engineer. For uses other than single residential, adequate turning radii shall be provided on the property to permit safe ingress and egress. Backing onto a public street shall not be permitted except in RS districts.
G.
Conversion or Transfer of Spaces. Parking spaces needed to meet the requirements of a particular building or use shall not be transformed or changed to another type of use, or transferred to meet the parking space requirements of another building or use, until the parking spaces required for the original use or building are provided at another location, or through a shared parking agreement approved by the Director of Planning and Building.
H.
Fractional Spaces. Any building or use requiring one-half or more of a parking space shall be deemed to require the full space.
I.
Gross Floor Area Calculation. The gross floor area for the purpose of determining the number of required parking spaces shall be the total floor area of all buildings devoted to the particular use involved, exclusive of floor area permanently allocated for parking or loading spaces.
J.
Compact Spaces. For any use, 25% of the required parking spaces may be for compact cars.
K.
Bicycle Parking. Bicycle racks and other secure bicycle parking shall be provided in accordance with the California Green Building Code.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.060 Shared parking.
Where more than one use is included within any one building or on any single parcel, or on any series of parcels covered by any application before the City, the parking space requirements shall be the sum total of the requirements of the various uses. However, a reduction due to shared parking is allowed in accordance with the provisions herein. A reduction in parking of up to 40% of the total required parking spaces for all land uses proposed in the project shall be granted based on a shared parking study approved by the Planning Commission that demonstrates that the uses will generate parking demand at different times of day or on different days of the week. The parking study shall utilize either the "Parking Generation Manual" (ITE) or "Shared Parking" (ULI) to demonstrate compliance with the required criteria for shared parking.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.070 Parking requirements for the change or expansion of non-residential use.
The provisions of this section apply only to existing non-residential buildings undergoing a change of use or an expansion of floor area. New development as defined in Section 20.08.134.1 is subject to the parking ratios established in Table 20.61-1.
A.
Changes in Use: If an existing non-residential use changes to a different non-residential use within the same building, no parking is required as long as the new use does not have a higher parking requirement than the current use per Table 20.61-1. If the new non-residential use does have a higher parking requirement than the current use (for example, a furniture store with a required parking ratio of 2 spaces/1,000 square feet changes to a restaurant with a required parking ratio of 3 spaces/1,000 square feet), the following apply:
1.
For parcels with less than 5,000 square feet of non-residential gross floor area: No parking is required.
2.
For parcels with 5,000 square feet of non-residential gross floor area or more: If the new use has a higher parking requirement (per Table 20.61-1) than the existing use, the new use must provide the incremental difference between the two numerical parking standards (for example, if a 6,000 square foot furniture store with a 2/1,000 required parking ratio converts to a 6,000 square foot restaurant with a 3/1,000 required parking ratio, six additional parking spaces would be required). No existing on-site parking spaces can be removed as part of the change of use, unless the parcel has a surplus of parking spaces relative to the parking requirements listed in Table 20.61-1. Additional parking is not required to remedy parking deficiencies existing before the change of use.
B.
Expansion of Use: If a non-residential use expands by less than 1,000 square feet of floor area, no additional parking is required. For expansions of 1,000 square feet or more, parking must be provided to meet the needs of the floor area beyond 1,000 square feet (for example, if a restaurant expanded by 2,000 square feet, an additional three parking spaces would be required). No existing on-site parking spaces can be removed as part of the expansion, unless the parcel has a surplus of parking spaces relative to the parking requirements listed in Table 20.61-1. Additional parking is not required to remedy parking deficiencies existing before the change of use.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.080 Parking facilities-Maintenance.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all off-street parking, pedestrian, and landscaping facilities on his/her property and any abutting sidewalks and landscaping areas. Such maintenance shall include removal and replacement of dead and dying trees, in accordance with Chapter 20.67, grass and shrubs; removal of trash and weeds; and within the off-street parking facilities, repair of traffic control devices, signs, light standards, fences, walls, surfacing material, curbs, and railings.
B.
Cutting and pruning of trees on private property shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 20.67. Cutting and pruning of trees in any public rights-of-way shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 12.04.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
§ 20.61.090 Parking facilities-Compliance with ADA.
All off-street parking facilities hereafter constructed, expanded, or enlarged shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) relating to parking facilities for persons with disabilities.
(Ord. 1362, 11/17/2025)
