A.

Intent. The intent of this chapter is to:

1.

Emphasize the importance of site access for multiple modes of transportation.

2.

Preserve streetscape design and street functions by coordinating access along and internal to blocks.

3.

Provide the optimal amount of vehicle parking for individual sites, recognizing that too much and too little parking each have negative impacts.

4.

Create access and parking standards appropriate to the context of the site, considering street designs and surrounding development patterns.

5.

Ensure appropriate site design features that mitigate the physical and aesthetic impact of parking on streetscapes and surrounding sites.

6.

Maximize opportunities for on-street parking, shared parking or reduced parking rates where appropriate, and reduce the inefficiency from underutilized and redundant surface parking on adjacent sites.

7.

Promote parking designs that minimize runoff and infiltrate storm water into the ground.

B.

Applicability. Access and parking shall be shown on all site plans, according to the application requirements in Section 17.08.020. Specifically the standards in this chapter apply to:

1.

All new development, buildings or uses on a site.

2.

A change of use for an existing site or building, but only where the new use would require twenty (20) percent more parking than exists.

3.

An expansion of an existing building or utilization of a site by more than twenty (20) percent.

4.

Where additional parking is required for an existing site or building, the landscape and design standards shall only apply to the newly constructed parking, except where otherwise required to comply by the non-conforming site conditions provision in 17.04.050.C.

5.

The access standards shall not limit the location of any existing access, unless in conjunction with a public streetscape project or the entire site is redeveloped. The design standards may apply to existing access when more than fifty (50) percent of a parking area is added to, resurfaced or otherwise impacted by development.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019)

A.

Driveways. Driveway location, spacing and width shall be designed according to the access requirements and criteria of the public works department, except where modified by the planning and urban design standards as this code in the following specific cases:

1.

Residential access limits shall be further limited by specific frontage types required by the residential design standards in Section 17.16.030.C.

2.

Commercial access limits shall be further limited by the specific frontage design standards for each particular building or lot according to Section 17.20.030 or 17.20.020.C.

3.

Streets with high level of pedestrian traffic may warrant different location, spacing and width standards based on the context, the supporting street network, and the specific streetscape design.

B.

Sidewalks.

1.

Generally. Development sites shall include direct sidewalk connections and circulation at the same or greater frequency as provided for vehicles. Sidewalks shall connect public entrances for buildings and sites, in the most direct manner possible, to the following:

a.

Sidewalks in the public streetscape or along internal access streets.

b.

Parking areas, and any walkways or crosswalks associated with the parking areas.

c.

Any civic or open space designed for active use.

d.

Adjacent sites, where pedestrian connections through public streetscapes or internal access streets is not practical or is too remote.

2.

Sidewalk Width. Internal sidewalks shall meet the requirements of Table 28-1.

Table 28-1: Internal Sidewalk Widths

3.

Pedestrian Amenities. Sidewalks and internal pedestrian circulation shall be separated from moving vehicles to the extent feasible with curbs, landscape buffers, curbside parking, except for crosswalks in limited locations.

C.

Traffic Impacts. Wherever the public works director determines that the requirements in this section will adversely impact the function of the transportation network in the vicinity of the site, alternative access standards may be required to better meet the intent of this section. In addition, any specific access management study or plan for a portion of the city may alter the application of these standards and guidelines.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019)

A.

Vehicle Parking Rates. Table 28-2 provides minimum parking requirements and applies to all similar uses not specifically listed. Where the classification of the use is not similar to any general use in the table, the director shall determine the appropriate classification based on industry guides and the most similar use in terms of scale, function and operation. The following criteria shall be used in interpreting the table:

1.

Employee rates shall consider maximum number of employees likely to be on-site at one time.

2.

Square footage rates shall consider leasable floor area or active area dedicated to the particular use. Where this number is not easily or readily determined, eighty-five (85) percent of gross floor area may be used.

3.

A seating or capacity rate shall consider total number of seats based on industry standards for typical layouts of buildings or building codes.

4.

Where uses or sites have components of different uses (i.e. hotel with a restaurant), each component shall be calculated under most applicable rate.

Table 28-2: Required Parking

B.

Maximum Parking. No non-residential use shall provide more than one hundred fifty (150) percent of the minimum required parking without documented evidence of actual parking demand based on studies of similar uses in similar contexts. In addition, any parking permitted over one hundred fifteen (115) percent of the minimum shall require mitigating potential impacts of more parking through one or more of the following strategies:

1.

Provide shared parking for other uses on the block or adjacent blocks according to this chapter.

2.

Use alternative surfaces designed to infiltrate stormwater.

3.

Provide additional buffers and site open spaces to screen parking with at least a ten (10) percent increase in the open space or buffers required for the parking, and at least a twenty (20) percent increase in the landscape material amount required for the parking.

4.

Design all parking areas over the one hundred fifteen (115) percent maximum as dual-purpose space, such as plazas or courtyards, playgrounds, event areas for regular use of the space during non-peak times.

5.

Increase the lot open space required for the building and site in Chapter 17.24 by an amount equal to the area of parking over the one hundred (100) percent minimum, and locate this open space to limit the impact and visibility of parking.

C.

Accessible Parking. Accessible spaces shall be provided in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for quantity, design and location, including the following:

Table 28-3: Accessible Parking

1.

Accessible parking shall be located on the shortest accessible route to the primary entrance or main accessible entrance.

2.

Van accessible space shall be required at a rate of one per every six required accessible spaces, with a minimum of one.

3.

Accessible spaces shall be at least nine feet wide with a minimum five feet accessible aisle. Van accessible spaces shall be at least eleven (11) feet wide with a minimum five feet accessible aisle. Two adjacent spaces may share the same accessible aisle.

4.

Signs shall be posted designating the space with the symbol of accessibility.

D.

Parking Reductions. The parking required by Table 28-2 may be reduced depending on context, and according to the following strategies:

1.

C-2 Exempt. No on-site parking is required in the C-2 zoning district, except that any residential uses shall meet the parking requirements for that building type, and the required spaces shall be located with three hundred (300) feet of the residential building. Where parking is provided in the C-2 zoning district, it shall meet the standards of 17.28.040.

2.

On-street Parking Credit. All on-street parking within six hundred (600) feet of any lot frontage shall count towards the parking requirement at a rate of 0.33 space for every one on-street spaces. Areas where on-street parking is permitted, but not marked, spaces shall use Table 28-7 in calculating eligible spaces. In situations where on-street parking does not extend more than one hundred (100) feet beyond the subject property, on street parking abutting the lot may count towards the parking requirement at a rate of 0.67 spaces for every one space.

3.

Bicycle Parking Credit. All bicycle parking designed and located according to subsection E. may reduce the required vehicle parking at a rate of one space for every four bicycle parking spaces up to a maximum of fifteen (15) percent of the required vehicle parking. To be eligible for this credit, the applicant must demonstrate that it is practical to expect significant bicycle access to the site based on the location, site design, and nature of the use and anticipated patrons.

4.

Public Parking Credit. Any site within six hundred (600) feet of a public parking area may reduce the required vehicle parking at a rate of one space for every two parking spaces, except that if the public parking is part of a managed district the district may establish a different allocation of spaces.

5.

Shared Parking. Required parking may be reduced for any site containing multiple uses, or for adjacent sites with different uses according to Table 28-4. Any shared parking arrangement shall require an agreement among all landowners participating in the agreement to ensure access, joint use, maintenance, and other operational issues. The agreement shall be recorded with each participating property. A shared agreement that differs from this table may also be approved based on a joint parking study for the sites and uses demonstrating adequate parking during peak hours for all parties to the agreement.

Table 28-4: Shared Parking

E.

Bicycle Parking. All uses, except industrial uses, on property within six hundred (600) feet of an existing or future bicycle route or trail identified in the master plan or other similar plan shall provide bicycle parking spaces according to Table 28-5.

Table 28-5: Bicycle Parking

Bicycle parking shall be designed according to the following standards:

1.

A structure shall be securely anchored to the ground and usable for both U-locks and cable locks, support a bike at two points of contact to prevent damage to wheels or frames, and have two feet x six feet clearance for each bicycle.

2.

Structures that serve another primary function, but are designed to meet these standards may count to this requirement.

3.

Bicycle parking shall be located in a well-lit area, with convenient and safe pedestrian circulation, and be on pavement or all-weather, dust-free stabilized surface.

4.

Fifty (50) percent of required bicycle parking for residential uses shall be located within the building or other all-weather enclosure.

5.

Bicycle parking for non-residential uses shall be located within one hundred (100) feet of the primary entrance.

6.

Short-term bicycle parking structures may be located in the right-of-way subject to streetscape designs and the public works director approval. Structures shall be designed for some other primary purpose meeting the streetscape standards, or be designed with artistic or ornamentation enhancements compatible with the streetscape character at the specific location.

7.

Alternative standards and specifications based on recognized industry guidance or best practices for bicycle parking may justify alternative compliance from these standards.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019)

A.

Location, Size and Landscape Area. On-site parking shall be designed and located in a manner that mitigates negative impacts on streetscapes and adjacent property. The design standards in Table 28-6 are based on the number of parking spaces per area and the location on the lot relative to the principal building (front, side or rear).

Table 28-6: Parking Design

[1] Where individual sites require or provide parking areas larger than the maximum size in this table, parking lots shall be broken into "parking blocks" meeting the size, location, and landscape requirements of this table. These "parking blocks" shall be arranged around internal access streets meeting that mimic public streetscapes.

B.

Landscape Design. Landscape areas required by Table 28-6 shall be arranged to achieve the following results:

1.

All buffers and islands shall have the proper allocation of landscape materials required by Section 17.24.030, and be arranged to provide shade, infiltrate runoff, soften large expanses of pavement and screen parking from adjacent streets and property. In general, no parking or circulation area expanse shall be more than two hundred (200) feet in any direction without perimeter buffer, internal island or parking block edge, unless a different arrangement better serves these purposes.

2.

Except for industrial uses, parking pods shall be no more than forty (40) contiguous spaces without landscape islands either through end caps or center strips.

3.

No landscape island shall be less than eight feet in any dimension and no smaller than one hundred fifty (150) square feet.

4.

Any parking lot within twenty (20) feet of a street in commercial or residential zoning districts shall be screened with a hedge, berm, low ornamental wall compatible with the site and building design, or a combination of all three of these elements, with a screen of three to four-foot in height. A low wall matching the building shall be required for any parking area permitted along "Walkable A, B, or C" streets per Chapter 17.20.

C.

Specifications. Parking areas shall be designed to meet the dimension specifications in Table 28-7.

Table 28-7: Parking Dimensions

¹ The director may approve the use of facilities for compact cars provided sufficient evidence is presented showing the need for such facilities. Such compact cars spaces shall not exceed twenty (20) percent of the total number of spaces provided and shall be identified by painted pavement or signage. The application shall be in association with a site plan process in Section 17.08.020.

² Bumper overhang is measure by the length of a vehicle which extend beyond the bumper over landscape area or expanded sidewalk area or other wheel stop block.

D.

General Design Standards.

1.

All required parking shall be on-site except as specifically provided in this article for credits.

2.

No parking space shall be located where it backs into a street or parking drive aisle within twenty (20) feet of the entrance to a street.

3.

All parking and access areas shall be designed to adequately address drainage and runoff, including curb, gutters and inlets, or any other drainage strategy approved by the public works director to support best management practices to minimize runoff and encourage infiltration of storm water.

4.

Off-street parking areas for more than four vehicles shall include white painted lines, wheel stops, curbing or other methods of identifying individual parking spaces and loading areas, while distinguishing such spaces from drive aisles, walkways and other circulation features.

5.

All off-street parking areas and driveways shall be surfaced with permanent asphalt or concrete. The use of pervious or semi-pervious surfacing materials for the purpose of on-site stormwater management may be approved by the public works director, provided it demonstrates an acceptable performance level as an all-weather, dust-free and stabilized surface, and proper maintenance is ensured.

6.

Parking areas shall be designed so that sanitation, emergency and other public service vehicles can serve the development. Special accommodations for service vehicles and emergency access shall be balanced with the broader transportation patterns and public safety concerns of the general vicinity, so that site design for larger vehicles does not compromise urban design goals and pedestrian safety in the area.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019; Ord. No. 9392, § 4, 4-20-2021; Ord. No. 9489, § 1, 7-19-2022)

A.

Loading Requirements. In commercial or industrial districts, off-street loading shall be required for any building over three thousand (3,000) square feet.

1.

The number and size of spaces shall be based on the operating characteristics of the particular use, and determined through site plan review. Unless determined otherwise a loading area shall be twelve (12) feet wide, forty-five (45) feet long and include fourteen (14) feet clearance.

2.

Loading area shall be located on a remote portion of the building and site, or internal to the block and buffered by other commercial buildings wherever possible.

3.

Loading areas and activities shall not interfere with the use of walkways or public streets.

4.

Loading shall be screened from public streets or adjacent residential areas according to the buffer types and design standards in Section 17.24.030.

B.

Mixed Use Buildings or Districts. In any area, project or zoning district designed to promote pedestrian activity, or for buildings and sites where more compact building and site design is required, alternate loading standards shall be permitted, which may include sharing of loading spaces among multiple smaller tenants, using side streets or alleys, particularly during off hours for loading or deliveries, or other similar strategies that avoid designing sites simply for large vehicle access.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019)

A.

Administrative Adjustment. The director may approve an alternative access and parking plan that varies from the parking or design standards required by this chapter by ten (10) percent or less, or with minor deviations from access strategies, or providing shared parking for abutting parcels where there are no pedestrian barriers or other access constraints and a shared parking agreement demonstrating rights and control of the off-site parking is provided and recorded against each parcel. The application shall be in association with a site plan process in Section 17.08.020, and the director shall consider the following:

1.

Consideration of the proposed use as well as potential future uses;

2.

Evidence of precedents of similar uses in similar contexts or other industry standard indicates a lesser number will be sufficient due to the need due to the nature of the use, the likelihood that patrons or tenants have reduced car ownership or drive less, and the availability and practicality of walking, bicycling or transit access; and

3.

The character of the surrounding area and adjacent land uses, and the availability and overall demand on alternative parking within six hundred (600) feet, including on-street parking.

4.

The reduction will better meet the intent of this chapter.

B.

Site Plan Adjustment. The planning commission may approve an alternative access and parking plan that varies from the parking or design standards required by this chapter by more than ten (10) percent and up to twenty-five (25) percent based on the same criteria in subsection A. The reduction must be based on a specific study or industry standard. Reductions of twenty-five (25) percent or more may be approved if the property is within six hundred (600) feet of a fixed rail transit, three hundred (300) feet of a bus rapid transit stop, or one hundred (100) feet of a standard bus stop. The planning commission may also approve an alternative parking plan providing for shared parking based on the criteria in subsection A and subject to the following specific considerations:

1.

The parcel providing the shared parking is within six hundred (600) feet of the subject site;

2.

The parcels are in the same or comparable zoning district(s);

3.

The presence of the off-site parking does not negatively impact potential development on that lot or in the vicinity;

4.

There are no pedestrian barriers or other access constraints; and

5.

An agreement demonstrating rights and control of the off-site property is provided.

C.

Deferral of Required Spaces. In either of the above cases, a portion of the required parking may be deferred through the site plan review if the initial occupancy of the premises will be adequately served by the lesser number of spaces and an approved final development plan clearly indicates the location, pattern and circulation of deferred parking. The deferred parking area shall be brought to finished grade, be landscaped, and shall not be used for building, storage, loading or other purposes. The approval of the site plan shall specify a time, criteria or occurrences where the director may require construction of necessary parking.

(Ord. No. 9212, § 3(Exh. A), 7-2-2019; Ord. No. 9392, §§ 5, 6, 4-20-2021)