Mount Pleasant City Zoning Code
10.22 Off
Street Parking
10.22.010 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
These general provisions shall apply to off street parking requirements in this chapter:
A. Separate Lots: If a building, structure or improvement requiring parking is located upon a separately recorded lot from that upon which the required parking is provided, whether in the same or separate ownership, there shall be a recording in the office of the county recorder of a covenant by such owner or owners for the benefit for the city, in the form first approved by the city, that such owner or owners will continue to maintain such parking space as long as the building, structure or improvement is maintained within the city. The covenant herein required must stipulate that the title to the right to use the lot or lots upon which the parking facilities are to be provided will be subservient to the title to the premises upon which the building is to be erected, and that the lot or lots are not and will not be made subject to any other covenant or contract for use without prior written consent of the city.
B. Location: Off street parking facilities shall be located as hereinafter specified. Where distance is specified, such distance shall be walking distance, measured from the nearest point of the building that such facility is required to serve:
1. For any type of dwelling, parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or building site as the buildings which they are required to serve.
2. For hospitals, sanitariums, rest homes, asylums, orphanages and clubrooms, parking facilities shall be located on the same lot or building site as the buildings they are required to serve.
3. For uses other than those specified above, not over two hundred feet (200') from the building they are required to serve. All parking areas to be located in the same block, and connected to the buildings they are to serve with a direct accessway that does not cross a public street.
4. No required off street parking shall be permitted in any residential front yard or street side yard area.
C. Illumination: Any lights provided to illuminate any parking area permitted by this chapter shall be arranged so as to reflect the light away from adjacent premises.
D. Mixed Occupancies In Building: In the case of mixed uses in the building or on a lot, the total requirements for off street parking facilities shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses computed separately. Off street parking facilities for one use shall not be considered as providing required parking facilities for any other use, except as hereinafter specified for joint use.
E. Joint Use: The planning commission may, upon application by the owner or lessee of any property, authorize the joint use of parking facilities by the following uses or activities under conditions specified herein:
Up to fifty percent (50%) of the parking facilities required by this chapter for a use considered to be primarily a daytime use may be provided by the parking facilities of a use considered to be primarily a nighttime use; up to fifty percent (50%) of the parking facilities required by this chapter for a use considered to be a nighttime use may be provided by the parking facilities of a use considered to be primarily a daytime use, provided such reciprocal parking area shall be contiguous, and the joint use of such facilities is assured by recording in the office of the county recorder of a covenant by such owner or owners of properties jointly used as prescribed by subsection A of this section.
F. Common Facilities: Common parking facilities may be provided in lieu of the individual requirements contained herein, provided the total of such off street parking spaces, when used together, shall not be less than the sum of the various uses computed separately. If the common facilities are located on more than one lot, a covenant for the preservation of the parking facilities must be filed in accordance with the provisions of subsection A of this section.
G. Submission Of Plans: The plans for any proposed working area shall be submitted to the building inspection division at the time of the application for a building permit for the building to which the parking area is accessory. The plan shall clearly indicate the proposed development, including location, size, shape, design, curb cuts, lighting, landscaping and other features and appurtenances of the proposed parking lot. Where required by the provisions of the respective zone, the plans shall also be submitted to and be approved by the planning commission.
10.22.020 MINIMUM NUMBER OF SPACES.
The number of off street parking spaces required in connection with any particular land use shall not be less than that set forth in this chapter.
10.22.030 PERMANENT SPACES TO BE PROVIDED.
Every building, structure, improvement or use hereafter constructed, reconstructed or enlarged shall be provided with permanently maintained parking spaces as specified in this chapter for the area of the construction, reconstruction or enlargement.
10.22.040 SPACES PROVIDED FOR CERTAIN USES.
Except as otherwise provided in this title, the minimum of off street parking spaces for various uses will be as follows:
Automobile courts (motels) | 1 space for each sleeping unit or dwelling unit. |
Banks, business or professional office | 1 space per employee on maximum shift and 400 square feet of gross floor area. |
Bowling alleys | 4 spaces for each alley. |
Churches and accessory uses | 1 space for each 6 seats in the chapel or assembly area, or if there are no fixed seats, then 1 space for each 100 square feet of floor space used for assembly purposes. |
Dwellings, single-family and two-family | 2 parking spaces for each dwelling unit, plus 1 off street parking space for each roomer, boarder or bachelor tenant on the premises owning and/or possessing a motor vehicle which is being parked on the premises or operated within the city. |
Dwelling, three- and four-family (families only) | 1 1/2 spaces for each dwelling unit, plus 1 off street parking space for each roomer or boarder on the premises owning and/or possessing a motor vehicle which is being parked on the premises or operated within the city. |
Dwelling, three- and four-family (bachelor tenants) | 1/2 parking space for each occupant of a dwelling unit, or 1 parking space for each occupant of a dwelling unit owning and/or possessing a motor vehicle which is parked on the premises or is operated within the city, whichever is greater. |
Food establishments for the sale and consumption on the premises of food and beverages | 1 parking space for each 4 seats, including stools, benches and booths, or 1 for each 100 square feet of floor area when number of seats is unknown. |
Furniture and appliance store, hardware stores, household equipment service shops, clothing or shoe repair or similar personal service shops | 1 parking space per 600 square feet of retail floor area. |
Hospitals | 1 parking space per bed capacity. |
Libraries | At least 20 parking spaces or as determined by the planning commission. |
Manufacturing uses, research and testing laboratories, creameries, bottling establishments, bakeries, canneries, printing and engraving shops, etc. | 1 parking space per each employee on maximum shift. |
Medical and dental clinics or offices | 4 parking spaces per each professional staff, plus 1 for each employee on maximum shift. |
Mortuaries | At least 20 parking spaces, or as determined by the planning commission. |
Motels | See Automobile courts. |
Motor vehicle and machinery repair, sales and wholesaling | 1 parking space for each employee on maximum shift, plus 4 client spaces. |
Museums and similar nonassembly cultural facilities | Same as for libraries. |
Nonresidential schools, private, vocational, etc. | 1 parking space for each employee and 1 space for each 3 students of driving age. |
Offices not providing customer services or sales on the premises | 1 parking space for each employee on maximum shift. |
Professional offices for attorneys, CPAs, architects, engineers, etc. | 1 parking space for each employee on maximum shift, plus 3 client spaces. |
Restaurants | See Food establishments. |
Retail stores, except as otherwise specified herein | 1 parking space for each 200 square feet of retail floor area on the ground floor. |
Rooming and boarding houses | 1 parking space for each 2 sleeping rooms. |
Sanitariums, children’s homes, homes for the aged, asylums, nursing homes, etc. | Same as for rooming and boarding houses. |
Stadiums, sports arenas, auditoriums (including school auditoriums) and other places of public assembly, and clubs and lodges having no sleeping quarters | 1 parking space for each 6 seats and/or 1 parking space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area used for assembly and not containing fixed seats. |
Swimming pools, commercial and public | 1 parking space for each 10 persons, based on capacity load. |
Theaters | 1 parking space for each 6 seats. |
Transportation terminals and facilities | Adequate number as determined by the planning commission. |
Warehouse and wholesale storage building (dead storage or high volume distribution) | 1 parking space for each employee on the maximum shift. |
10.22.050 PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR NONSPECIFIED USES.
The parking requirements for land uses which are not specified in this chapter shall be determined by the planning commission. The determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable use specified herein.
10.22.060 DESIGN STANDARDS.
All off street parking facilities shall be built in conformance with the following standards of design:
A. Minimum Dimensions: All parking spaces shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet by twenty feet (9' x 20').
B. Garage Or Carport: A garage or carport must have inside dimensions of not less than ten feet by twenty feet (10' x 20') per space.
C. Backing Area: Backing space of a minimum of twenty four feet (24') shall be provided for parking areas which are composed of four (4) or more spaces so that cars need not back into a public street or alley. Public sidewalks shall not be permitted to be used as part of the required backing area.
D. Acute Angle Parking: Acute angle parking, one degree (1°) to eighty nine degrees (89°) shall be designed for one-way traffic only.
E. Separate Exits: Separate exits shall be provided for acute angle and one-way parallel parking of four (4) or more spaces so that cars need not exit by backing into a street or alley.
F. Driveway Width:
1. When providing access to a garage, carport or parking area having less than five (5) parking spaces, a driveway shall be a minimum of twelve feet (12') in width. The driveway shall provide paved access to a public street; except in residential zones;
2. When used for access to a garage, carport or any other residential parking area having six (6) or more parking spaces, a driveway shall be a minimum of twelve feet (12') in width for one-way traffic or sixteen feet (16') in width for two-way traffic.
G. Tandem Parking: Tandem parking (front to rear) shall not be permitted except for single-family and duplex dwellings when the front and back spaces are both designated to serve the same dwelling unit.
10.22.070 EXEMPTIONS TO PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
None of the requirements of this chapter for off street parking spaces shall apply to a building in existence at the time of the effective date hereof. No building, as it exists at the time of the effective date hereof, shall be deemed to be nonconforming solely by reason of the lack of off street parking spaces; provided, that any portion of the premises being used for off street parking in connection with any such building shall not be reduced below existing parking levels or the requirements of this chapter.
10.22.080 PARKING AREA MAINTENANCE.
Every lot or parcel used as a public parking area shall be paved with gravel and maintained so as to eliminate dust or mud, and shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water. The surface water drainage shall not cross a public sidewalk.
10.22.090 CONTINUING OBLIGATION OF OWNER TO PROVIDE PARKING.
The required off street parking facilities shall be a continuing obligation of the property owner so long as the use requiring vehicle parking or vehicle loading facilities continues. It is unlawful for any owner of any building or use to discontinue or dispense with the required vehicle parking facilities without providing some other vehicle parking area which meets the requirements of this chapter.
10.22.100 EXISTING FACILITIES.
Any use of property which on the effective date hereof, or of any subsequent amendment thereto, is nonconforming only as to the regulations relating to off street parking facilities, may continue in the same manner as if the parking facilities were conforming. Such existing parking facilities shall not be further reduced, however.
10.22.110 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
A. Parking Requirements: All off street parking facilities shall be built in conformance with the Americans with disabilities act. "Accessible parking for persons with disabilities" means a parking space that is clearly identified as reserved for use by a person with a disability and includes:
1. Vertical signage, including the international symbol of accessibility, that is visible from a passing vehicle; and
2. A clearly marked access aisle is provided that is adjacent to and considered part of the parking space;
B. Businesses: Accessible parking spaces are required for all businesses.