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Northport City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 8.

PARKING AND LOADING

Sec. 8.01.- Off-Street Parking Requirements.

8.01.01.

Off-street parking must be provided as specified in Table 8-1.

A.

When the requirement is not readily determinable, the Director determines parking requirements using the table as a guide.

B.

When calculating the number of required spaces, any fraction is rounded up to the next higher whole number.

8.01.02.

Except as provided in Section 8.03, Shared Parking, no off-street parking required for one use or structure may, during its life, be occupied by or counted as off-street parking for another use or structure.

8.01.03.

Except as provided in Section 8.03, Shared Parking, all required parking spaces must be provided on the same development site for which they are required. Locating required spaces on adjoining property or across a public right-of-way may only be permitted in accordance with Section 14.04, Special Exceptions, and the following:

A.

All spaces within the freestanding parking lot must be no more than 300 feet from a public entrance from the building for which the parking is provided.

B.

The street frontages of the freestanding parking lot and the building for which the parking is provided must be improved with sidewalks if not present. The public entrance to the building must be connected to the sidewalk by an accessible pedestrian path at least four feet wide.

C.

The freestanding parking must be secured by a deed restriction or other enduring shared parking agreement approved by the City Attorney.

8.01.04.

With the exception of lodging uses, off-street parking is not required for nonresidential uses in the HDC district.

(Ord. No. 2249, 1(Exh. A), 12-16-24)

Sec. 8.02. - Design Standards.

8.02.01.

For all required off-street parking, parking spaces and aisles must comply with the dimensional standards set out in the Engineering Design and Construction Manual.

A.

Stacking spaces must be at least nine feet wide by 24 feet long.

B.

Alternate sizes of parking spaces (e.g., compact spaces) may be considered by the staff on a case-by-case basis. Under no circumstances may such parking comprise more than 15% of the overall required parking.

C.

Tandem parking spaces, though they may accommodate two vehicles, count only as one space toward off-street parking requirements.

8.02.02.

All off-street parking spaces, driveways, and maneuvering areas must be improved with a suitable, hard surface, permanent type of pavement. Gravel may be used for maneuvering areas only in M-1 and M-2 Districts provided such maneuvering areas are not visible from public view. If a gravel maneuvering area is visible from an adjoining non-industrial use, it must be screened from such view.

8.02.03.

All parking spaces must be delineated by appropriate fixed curbing, painted lines (a minimum of four inches wide), or other fixed markers except as follows:

A.

Fixed curbing and striping are not required for off-street parking for detached single-family, duplex, townhouse, twin house, nor zero lot line dwellings unless provided in common or clustered parking areas with more than three parking spaces.

B.

The City Engineer may waive or modify these requirements for development projects using low-impact development design techniques for stormwater management.

Table 8-1 Parking Requirements

Agricultural and Agricultural Support Uses 1
Agricultural support uses 1 per 750 sf of GFA OR 1 per 1.5 employees plus 1 per company vehicle, whichever is greater
Farms and similar agricultural uses 1 per 1.5 employees
Kennels and Stables 3 plus 1 per employee
Commercial and Entertainment Uses
Amusement center 1 per 100 sf of GFA
Auction house 1 per four seats at design capacity, whether indoors or outdoors
Auto parts store 1 per 300 sf of GFA
Auto rental 1 per 400 sf of GFA
Automobile repair service, Major 1 per employee plus 1 stacking space per service bay plus 1 parking space per bay
Automobile repair, Minor 1 per 400 sf of office and indoor display area plus 2 stacking spaces per service bay
Banks 1 per 300 sf of GFA plus four stacking spaces per drive-in lane
Bank, drive-through only 1 per 2 employees plus 3 stacking spaces per teller
Bars, dance halls, nightclubs 1 per 75 sf of GFA
Beauty, barber, and tattoo shops and nail and tanning salons 2 per chair OR 1 per 150 sf of GFA, whichever is larger
Bed and Breakfast 1 per guest room plus parking required for the dwelling
Bicycle sales and repair shop 1 per 300 sf of GFA
Bowling alley 4 per lane
Broadcast studio (e.g., radio or television) 1 per 1,000 sf of GFA
Business and professional offices 1 per 250 sf of GFA
Business support service 1 per 500 sf of GFA
Call Center, Telemarketing Office 1 per 150 sf of GFA OR 1 per employee, whichever is greater
Car wash (full service) 5 per employee plus 4 stacking spaces per stall
Car wash (self-serve) 1 stacking space per stall plus 1 drying space per stall
Carpet store 1 per 750 sf of GFA
Construction service 1 per 250 sf of office area plus 1 per 1,500 sf of indoor storage area plus 1 per 4,000 sf of outdoor storage area
Day care center 1 per 250 sf of GFA; plus 1 stacking space per 10 children. Maximum enrollment and number of employees must be noted on the site plan. Pick-up and drop-off spaces must be located such that there is direct pedestrian access into the facility without crossing streets or driveways.
Drive-in theater 1 per automobile station plus 1 per employee
Dry cleaning facility 1 per 1,000 sf of GFA, but in no case less than three
Extended care facility 1 per 4 beds plus 1 per employee
Flea market 1 per 50 sf of sales area, as designated on an approved site plan
Funeral home 1 per 4 seats in each chapel or viewing area plus 1 per employee plus 1 per company vehicle
Furniture store 1 per 750 sf of GFA
Garden center or nursery 1 per 300 sf of GFA plus 1 per 2,000 sf of outdoor display area
Gas Station 1 per 150 sf of GFA of indoor retail sales area plus required parking for any accessory restaurant or dining. Service areas at pumps may be counted toward required parking spaces. Required parking spaces may not obstruct access to vehicle fueling areas and required stacking spaces.
Gas station with automobile repair services 1 per 150 sf of GFA of indoor retail sales area plus 1 per service bay plus 1 per 250 sf of office space. Required parking spaces may not obstruct access to vehicle fueling areas and required stacking spaces. Service areas at pumps are counted toward required parking spaces.
Grocery or supermarket 1 per 250 sf of GFA
Health club, spa, gymnasium 1 per 275 sf of GFA
Heavy Vehicle and Equipment Sales, Rental and Service 1 per 400 sf of GFA plus 2 per service bay plus 1 per 2,500 sf of outdoor display and storage areas
Home Improvement Center or Appliance Store 1 per 500 sf of GFA plus 1 per 1,500 sf of outdoor storage and display areas
Hotel or motel 1 per sleeping room plus 1 per employee plus 50% of parking normally required for restaurant, bar, or meeting rooms
Laundromat 1 per 250 sf of GFA
Lumberyard 1 per 500 sf of GFA plus 1 per 1,500 sf of outdoor storage and display areas
Maintenance Service (e.g., exterminator) 1 per 800 sf of GFA plus 1 per company vehicle
Medical and dental offices 1 per 250 sf of GFA OR 5 per practitioner
Mini-warehouse 3 adjacent to the office and a minimum 27-foot drive aisle serving all storage units accessed from the exterior
Office-warehouse 1 per 250 sf of office area plus 1 per 1,500 sf of warehouse GFA
Parcel delivery service 1 per 750 sf of GFA
Plumbing and heating supply 1 per 750 sf of GFA
Pool hall or billiards 2 per 3 tables
Restaurant, fast food 1 per 100 sf of GFA. 4 stacking spaces must be provided in advance of the order board, 2 stacking spaces from the order board to the service window; and 1.5 stacking spaces from the service window to the exit to a public right-of-way. In no instance may stacked vehicles block access to the site.
Restaurant, standard 1 per 4 seats at design capacity OR one space per 150 sf of GFA, whichever is greater, both including outdoor seating
Restaurant, Take-out or delivery only 1 per employee plus 1 per 350 sf of GFA
School, commercial 1 per 3 students at design capacity plus 2 spaces per 3 employees
Shopping Center, Major 1 per 300 sf of GFA, including food courts but excluding other common areas
Shopping Center, Minor 1 per 250 sf of GFA
Unenclosed Retail (not otherwise listed) 1 per 600 sf of display area plus 1 per employee
Vehicle and equipment sales, rental and service 1 per 2,000 sf of interior or exterior sales, display, or storage area up to a total of 20 spaces
Vending facility, freestanding 1 per facility plus one stacking space
Veterinary office or pet grooming 1 per 500 sf of GFA
Wholesale business 1 per 1,000 sf of GFA plus 1 per employee
Other commercial and entertainment uses 1 per 250 sf of GFA; for uses exceeding 100,000 sf, 1 per 300 sf of GFA
Industrial Uses
Airport 1 per four aircraft that can be parked or stored at the facility, whether indoors or outdoors, plus 1 per four seats in waiting areas and restaurants plus 1 per 250 sf of office and other administrative or support uses
Distribution facility or truck terminal 1 per truck normally parked on the premises plus 1 per 500 sf of office floor area
Extraction uses 1 per employee
Junkyards 2 per acre of land area
Printing and publishing plant 1 per 1,000 sf of GFA
Warehouse 1 per 2,000 sf of GFA plus 1 per company vehicle normally stored on the premises
Other Industrial uses not listed 1 per 1000 sf of GFA plus 1 per company vehicle normally stored on premises
Institutional Uses and Utilities
Assisted living facility 1 per 4 residents plus 1 per employee
Community or Civic Center 1 per 4 persons at maximum occupancy
Hospital 1 per patient bed plus 1 per emergency room examination table or bed plus 1 per employee
Place of assembly, not otherwise listed 1 per four seats at maximum occupancy
Private club 1 per 4 persons at maximum capacity
School, elementary and middle 5 spaces, plus one space per classroom or one space per six seats of largest assembly room, whichever is greater.
School, senior high 10 spaces plus 1 per classroom plus 1 per 5 students OR 1 per 5 seats of largest assembly room, whichever is greater
School, College or University 1 per 5 students at design capacity plus 2 per 3 employees
Substance abuse treatment facility, in-patient 1 per 2 beds and 1 per staff member, based on state licensing requirements and design capacity
Telecommunications tower, with unoccupied structure 1 space to accommodate a maintenance vehicle
Telecommunications tower, with occupied structure 1 per employee plus 1 per vehicle owned by the institution or business normally stored on the premises
Other Institutional uses not listed 1 per employee plus 1 per vehicle owned by the institution or business normally stored on the premises
Recreational and Outdoor Entertainment Uses
Athletic field 20 per field OR 1 per 4 seats at design capacity, whichever is greater
Campgrounds 1.5 per rental site plus 1 per employee
Golf courses (nine and eighteen hole) 35 per 9 holes plus 50% of parking normally required for other uses (e.g., restaurants, pro shops, driving ranges)
Golf driving range 1.5 per tee
Golf, par three 25 per 9 holes
Miniature golf 1.5 spaces per hole
Outdoor theater 1 per four patrons at design capacity including indoor and outdoor occupancy areas
Recreation center 1 per 250 sf of GFA
Recreational vehicle park 1 per recreational vehicle site plus 1 per 2 employees
Skating rink, ice or roller 1 per 4 patrons at design capacity
Swimming facility 1 per 200 sf of gross water area
Tennis, racquetball, and handball courts 2 per court
Other uses not listed 1 per four patrons at design capacity
Residential Uses
Boarding house 1 per guest room plus 1 space for the resident manager
Duplex 2 per DU
Group Home 1 per 4 beds plus 1 per employee
Independent Living Facility .5 per DU plus 1 per employee
Manufactured home park 1 per DU plus 1 per 200 sf GFA of permanent habitable structures
Multifamily 1 per efficiency or 1-BR unit plus 1.5 per 2-BR unit plus 2 per 3-BR unit plus 3 per four or more bedroom unit plus 2 visitor spaces per 10 DU
Senior-only housing 1 per DU
Single-family dwelling, detached 2 per DU
Townhouse 2 per DU plus 2 visitor spaces per 10 DU 2
Twin House 2 per DU plus 2 visitor spaces per 10 DU 2
Zero Lot Line dwelling 2 per DU plus 2 visitor spaces per 10 DU 2

 

1  The Director may, based upon the type and intensity of the use, waive the requirement for parking to be of hard surface pavement.

2  On-street parking, if permitted by the Planning Commission or other approving authority, may be counted toward visitor parking spaces. Otherwise, visitor parking must be provided within an off-street parking area.

(Ord. No. 2249, 1(Exh. A), 12-16-24)

Sec. 8.03. - Shared Parking and Reductions.

8.03.01.

Shared Parking on Adjoining Properties.

A.

To reduce impervious surface and resulting stormwater runoff, establishments on adjoining properties may share up to 20% of required parking spaces. In all such cases, the subject parcels or lots must have adequate cross access.

B.

To share parking facilities, a written agreement between the various property owners, or in the case of a single owner, an overall shared parking plan for the properties or development sites must be presented to the Director prior to site plan approval. Said agreement or plan must be binding upon all subsequent purchasers, inheritors, subjects and assigns. Should there be a change in the use within any individual structure or location which is bound by a shared parking agreement or plan, the transfer of the shared parking agreement is subject to the review and approval of the Director and City Attorney.

8.03.02.

Parking Reductions for Mixed-uses. Parking requirements for uses on the same premises that experience different parking demand periods may be reduced by calculation of shared parking requirements using Table 8-2. That time period with the highest calculated parking demand, using the percentages in Table 8-2, establishes the minimum number of required parking spaces.

Table 8-2: Typical Shared Parking Demand by Use and Time of Day *

Parking Demand by Use Weekday 8am-5pm Weeknight 5pm-8am Weekend 8am-5pm Weekend Night 5pm-8am
Residential 60% 100% 80% 100%
Office 100% 20% 5% 5%
Commercial 90% 80% 100% 70%
Lodging 70% 100% 70% 100%
Restaurant 70% 100% 70% 100%
Entertainment 40% 100% 80% 100%
Movie Theater 40% 80% 80% 100%
Institutional 100% 20% 10% 10%
Place of Worship 10% 5% 100% 50%

 

*  Different parking demands other than those shown may be used if documented in a parking demand study approved by the Director.

8.03.03.

Administrative Reduction of Required Parking. If not eligible for parking reductions in accordance with Section 8.03.02, to prevent the establishment of a greater number of parking spaces than are needed required off-street parking may be reduced subject to the following conditions:

A.

A maximum reduction of one parking space per every 1,000 square feet of GFA or 20% of the total spaces required may be approved by the Director. The site plan must include a detailed calculation or study justifying the number of parking spaces eliminated which otherwise would have been required. Methodology for this study must be approved by the City Engineer.

B.

In approving such reductions, the Director may require that sufficient area be reserved to provide for the total number of required parking spaces to ensure adequate area to meet future parking needs.

1.

Prior to site plan approval, the applicant must sign a written statement agreeing to provide additional spaces up to the full amount normally required upon notification by the Director that such spaces are needed. This statement must be provided to the Director and City Attorney in letter form and reproduced on the site plan.

2.

The reserved parking area must be shown on the site plan and must be grassed, landscaped or otherwise covered in vegetation. It may not include signs or other structures, drainage or percolation fields for sewage disposal, areas exceeding 12% slope, required landscaping or buffers, setbacks, or areas which would otherwise be unsuitable for parking spaces due to the physical characteristics of the land or other requirements of this Ordinance.

8.03.04.

Reductions for Tree Preservation. Refer to Section 9.08, Off-Street Parking and Tree Preservation.

(Ord. No. 2249, 1(Exh. A), 12-16-24)

Sec. 8.04. - Loading.

8.04.01.

Nonresidential uses must provide off-street space for the loading and unloading of materials or goods, as specified in Table 8-3, without encroaching upon or interfering with the use of adjoining properties, streets, alleys, required parking areas and sidewalks. Off-street loading requirements do not apply in the Historic Downtown Core District. When calculating required loading spaces, a fraction is rounded up to the nearest whole number.

8.04.02.

Loading space for two or more uses on the same lot may be shared as long as the amount of space meets the combined requirements of all uses to be served.

8.04.03.

Loading spaces may not be located forward of the front building lines except in the M-1 and M-2 Districts.

8.04.04.

If any structures or uses are enlarged, expanded or changed to a use requiring more loading or parking space, additional loading or parking space must be provided to meet the total requirements of the enlarged, expanded or changed use. If it is not practicable to meet the full requirement for loading spaces, the Director may approve a reduction of 10%. A reduction of more than 10% of the loading requirement may only be approved by the Board as a Special Exception.

8.04.05.

Loading spaces must be at least 12 feet wide and 40 feet long with a minimum vertical clearance of 15 feet.

Table 8-3 Off-Street Loading Standards

Use Space Required
Retail and wholesale businesses; warehousing and distribution; industrial uses; restaurants; funeral homes; laundering and dry-cleaning plants; and similar uses Less than 8,000 sf GFA: no space required unless the Zoning Official determines that the specific use requires such space
8,001—20,000 sf of GFA: 1 space
20,001—60,000 sf GFA: 2 spaces
Over 60,000 sf GFA: 2 spaces plus 1 additional space for every 50,000 sf GFA or fraction thereof over 60,000 sf
Auditoriums and assembly uses; office uses; stadiums; lodging; assisted living and extended care facilities; and similar uses Less than 10,000 sf GFA: no space is required unless the Zoning Official determines that the specific use requires such space
10,001—40,000 sf GFA: 1 space
Over 40,000 sf GFA: 1 space plus 1 additional space for every 50,000 sf or fraction thereof over 40,000 sf

 

(Ord. No. 2249, (Att.), 12-16-24; Ord. No. 2268, § 1(Exh. A), 5-19-25)