General standards. Parking or loading spaces existing and being maintained in any district in connection with any existing use on the effective date of this section shall hereafter remain so long as said use remains, unless an equivalent number of parking or loading spaces are constructed elsewhere conforming to the requirements of the following tables, provided that this regulation shall not require the maintenance of more parking and loading spaces than is required under the following provisions; provided further that § 173-27C through 173-27F shall not apply to retail and service uses in buildings constructed prior to November 7, 1967, and authorized additions thereto, if such buildings are located in a zoning district in which retail and service uses are permitted by right or by special permit.

Definitions. As used herein, the following words and phrases shall have and include the following respective meanings:

Off-street and/or loading requirements. In any district, if any structure is constructed, enlarged and/or extended and any use of land established or any existing use changed after the effective date of this section, parking and loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following tables. An existing structure which is enlarged or an existing structure which is extended after the effective date of these regulations shall be required to provide parking and loading spaces, and landscaping in accordance with the following tables for the entire structure or use unless the increase in units or measurements amounts to less than 25% of the existing structure, whether such increase occurs at one time or in successive stages.

General parking and loading requirements.

[1] Residential driveway requirements. For the purpose of promoting the safety of the residents of the town, an application for a building permit for a residential structure shall include a plan, at a scale of one inch equals 20 feet, showing the driveway serving the premises, and showing existing and proposed topography at ten-foot or three-meter contour intervals. All driveways shall be constructed in a manner ensuring reasonable and safe access from the street serving the premises to the building site of the residential structure on the premises, for all vehicles, including, but not limited to, emergency, fire and police vehicles. The Building Inspector shall not issue a building permit for the principal structure on the premises unless all of the following conditions have been met:

Landscaping requirements. All nonresidential parking lots shall be effectively landscaped to reduce the visual impact of glare, headlights and parking lot lights from the public right-of-way and from adjoining properties. In addition, parking lots shall be adequately shaded to reduce the amount of reflected heat.

Exceptions. For the purposes of this section, the Planning Board may grant relief via a special permit from the requirements of this section either upon appeal or upon written request of the applicant, where, after a public hearing thereon, one or more of the following situations occur: it shall find that literal enforcement would cause a substantial hardship; or that literal compliance is impractical because of the size, width or grade of the lot or the use to which it is to be put or because a lesser area would, except in unusual circumstances, accommodate the motor vehicles of all persons using the building at any time; or less stringent requirements would carry out the other purposes of this section; or because of factors peculiar to the lot or building involved not generally affecting the zoning district in which it is located.

The area shall be effectively screened on each side which adjoins or faces the side or rear lot line of a lot situated in any R District. The screening shall consist of a solid fence or wall not less than three feet nor more than six feet in height or shrubbery planted not less than three feet apart on center, at least two feet from the lot line, and all maintained in good condition. The screening required by this subsection shall be set back from each street the same as if it were a main building wall.

The area and access driveways thereto shall be surfaced with a durable and dustless material and shall be graded and drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulation.

A substantial bumper of masonry, steel or heavy timber or concrete or macadam curb stop shall be placed at the edge of surfaced areas, except driveways, in order to protect abutting structures, properties and sidewalks.

Any fixture used to illuminate any area shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from the street and away from the adjoining premises used for residential purposes.