Niagara City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Off-Street Parking
§ 245-37 Provisions and standards.
A.
Off-street parking space shall be provided and shall be furnished with necessary passageways and driveways. All such space shall be deemed to be required space on the lot on which it is situated and shall not be encroached upon or reduced in any manner and shall be adequately drained, all subject to the approval of the Town Engineer or Building Inspector.
B.
Exceptions. Off-street facilities that are required in this article shall not be required for any existing building or use, unless said building or use shall be enlarged, in which case the provisions of this chapter shall apply only to the enlarged portion of the building or use.
C.
Location. Except as noted elsewhere in this code, parking areas shall be located in any yard space for nonresidential uses but shall not be located closer than 20 feet to any street line. Parking areas may abut side and rear yard lines, except where the intended commercial uses abut residential zones or uses. In such instances, no parking shall be permitted within 20 feet of any property line.
D.
Multiple uses. The collective provision of off-street parking area by two or more buildings or uses located on adjacent lots is permitted, provided that the total of such facilities shall not be less than the sum required of the various buildings or uses computed separately, and further provided that the land upon which the collective facilities are located is owned or leased by one or more of the collective users.
E.
Driveways. No more than two driveways not less than 20 feet nor more than 30 feet in width shall be used as a means of ingress and egress for each nonresidential use. No driveway shall be located closer than 25 feet to the intersection of any two streets or within 10 feet of any side lot line, provided that sufficient distance will always remain for all required radii for said driveway. There shall be a minimum distance of 20 feet between two driveways located on one frontage.
F.
Lighting. All parking areas and appurtenant passageways and driveways serving commercial uses shall be illuminated adequately during the hours between sunset and sunrise when the use is in operation. Adequate shielding shall be provided by commercial users to protect adjacent residential zones from the glare of such illumination and from that of automobile headlights.
G.
Parking space size. Parking spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet by 20 feet.
H.
Vehicle impact protection. Where nonresidential use parking spaces and or driveways are located adjacent to buildings, guard posts complying with the design requirements of the Building Code of New York State shall be provided, all subject to approval of the Town Engineers or Building Inspector.
[Added 10-13-2013]
§ 245-38 Required parking.
The following parking shall be required for the following uses:
B.
Commercial uses.
(1)
Retail and service stores in any commercial zone: one parking space for every 140 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.
(2)
Barber and beauty shops: two spaces per chair, plus one additional space for each employee.
(3)
Banks, financial and business offices and professional offices: one parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.
(4)
Stores for the retail sale of furniture, appliances, hardware: one parking space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.
(5)
Supermarkets, self-service food stores: one parking space for every 150 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.
(6)
Laundromats: one parking space for every two washing machines.
(7)
Motor vehicle sales: one parking space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area or major fraction thereof.
(8)
Restaurants and diners (in-door service only): one parking space for every four seats for customers, plus one space for every two employees.
(9)
Bowling alleys: two parking spaces for each bowling lane.
(10)
Mortuaries and funeral homes: two parking spaces for every 50 square feet of floor area and funeral service rooms, plus one space per employee for each service vehicle.
(11)
Hospitals, nursing homes: one parking space for each four residents or patients; one parking space for every two employees and staff members on the largest working shift.
C.
Public and quasi-public uses.
(1)
Auditoriums, churches, theaters, stadiums, assembly halls and similar places of public and quasi-public assembly having fixed seating facilities: one parking space for every 10 seats in the main assembly room.
(2)
Auditoriums, exhibition halls, assembly halls, community centers and similar places of public and quasi-public assembly not having fixed seating facilities: one parking space for every 10 persons who may legally be admitted therein at one time under the State fire prevention laws. For convalescent, nursing, housing for elderly persons, retirement homes, parking shall be no further than 150 feet from the main entrance.
D.
Industrial uses. Industrial manufacturing establishments: one parking space for each employee, plus one space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area in the buildings for use by visitors to the building or buildings. The employee ratio shall be applied to that shift of work activity that has the greatest number of employees. Such parking area may be located in the required yard area, but shall not be located within 50 feet of a public street or within a buffer area.
§ 245-39 Loading and unloading provisions.
B.
Location. Each space shall be located to the side or rear of the structure.
C.
Surfacing. Off-street loading and unloading areas shall be surfaced with a dustless, all-weather pavement, which shall be adequately drained, all subject to the approval of the Town Department of Highways.
D.
Screening. Whenever an off-street loading and unloading area shall be located next to a residential zone, said loading and unloading area shall be screened and buffered.