Northville Charter Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 26
Off-Street Parking and Loading/Unloading
§ 170-26.1 General requirements.
The following general standards shall apply to all off-street parking and loading areas:
A.
Off-street parking shall be on the same lot as the building or use it serves, unless otherwise authorized by the Township. The use of off-site parking must be documented through a cross-access parking agreement and recorded.
B.
Off-street parking shall consist of a defined parking space, driveway, garage, carport or combination thereof.
C.
Barrier-free parking requirements shall comply with ADA standards and the currently adopted building code.
D.
All vehicles, unless otherwise permitted by this chapter, shall be parked on a paved or permitted gravel surface.
E.
Required off-street parking spaces shall not be changed to another use unless an equal number of off-street parking spaces is provided in accordance with the provisions of this article.
F.
Off-street parking in connection with the operation of an existing building or use shall not be reduced below the requirement for the use it is intended to serve.
G.
If use of any building, structure or use changes and additional parking is required, additional off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of this article.
H.
Designated parking areas shall not be used for: advertising/display of vehicles or other items for sale or rent; storage or repair of wrecked, junked or unlicensed vehicles; parking of semitrailers; repair or maintenance of vehicles; storage of merchandise or materials; and placement of waste receptacles.
I.
In locations that can be served by bicycles, accommodations for bicycles, such as bike racks, shall be provided.
§ 170-26.2 Method of measuring off-street parking.
A.
The dimensional requirements for parking spaces shall be exclusive of loading areas and driveway or aisle width.
B.
When the number of required parking spaces results in a fraction, any fraction up to and including 1/4 shall be disregarded, and fractions over 1/4 shall require one parking space.
C.
Parking spaces required for employees shall be based on the maximum number of employees on the premises at one time.
D.
For the purpose of computing required parking spaces, "usable floor area" shall be used as defined in Article 44, Definitions. A floor plan is required to support the floor area calculation.
E.
Where usable floor area is not defined, 85% of the gross floor area shall be used to determine parking requirements.
F.
If floor area is later converted to usable floor area, additional parking may be required.
§ 170-26.3 Modifications of parking requirements.
A.
The Planning Commission may increase or decrease off-street parking requirements when a parking study, or other applicable data, is submitted to demonstrate that another standard would be more appropriate based on the actual number of employees, expected level of customer traffic or actual counts at a similar establishment.
B.
Approval of fewer parking spaces by the Planning Commission shall be subject to providing banked parking as follows:
(1)
Banked parking shall be shown on the site plan, comply with the requirements of this chapter and be set aside as landscaped open space.
(2)
Banked parking shall be located in a reasonable/convenient location to serve the intended use.
(3)
Stormwater facilities shall be designed to accommodate runoff from the banked parking.
(4)
Any required landscaping placed within the banked parking area shall be replaced by the owner/applicant if the banked parking is activated.
(5)
Upon a finding by the owner or the Township that it is necessary to convert banked parking to off-street parking, it shall be constructed pursuant to the permitting requirements of the Township.
C.
The Planning Commission may, at its discretion, allow shared parking with a use on an adjacent lot. In considering a request for shared parking, the Planning Commission shall determine that all of the following conditions exist:
D.
For shared off-site parking arrangements, an agreement must be signed by all property owners and recorded. The agreement must clearly indicate the provisions of the agreement as well as a length of applicability.
E.
The number of spaces provided shall not exceed the minimum number required by this chapter, unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission. In granting additional parking spaces, the Planning Commission shall determine such parking will be required to accommodate the use on a typical day, based on documented evidence provided by the applicant.
§ 170-26.4 Off-street parking requirements by use.
The number of off-street parking spaces shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule. For uses not specifically addressed, the off-street parking requirements shall be in accordance with a similar use, as determined by the Planning Commission.
Use | Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
Residential | |
Single- and 2-family dwelling units | 2 spaces per dwelling unit (located outside of an enclosed garage) |
Multiple-family dwelling units and senior independent units | 2 spaces per unit (1 may be within a garage) + 0.5 space per unit for visitor parking + any spaces required for office, clubhouse or recreation amenities *Visitor parking shall be distributed throughout the site and shall not include driveways or resident assigned parking. |
Nursing home, hospice and similar senior uses | 1 space per 3 beds |
Senior assisted living | 1 space per 2 beds + 1 space per employee/contract employee |
Mobile home park | 2 spaces for each mobile home + 1 additional off-street visitor parking space for every 3 mobile homes *Visitor parking shall be distributed throughout the site and shall not include driveways or resident assigned parking. |
Institutional and Assembly | |
Assembly uses (auditoriums, billiard halls, fraternity/sorority, meeting halls, religious institutions, roller or ice skating rinks, stadiums, theaters and other similar uses) | 1 space per 3 seats of capacity authorized by the Building Code for all areas that can be used for assembly, or 6 feet of bleachers/pews, whichever is greater *The number of parking spaces required for the collective uses shall be determined by the Planning Commission after consideration of the expected activities, number of participants and accessory uses. An operations plan shall be provided to support the amount of parking provided. |
Clubs and membership organizations, fraternal orders, civic clubs and other similar uses | 1 space per 2 persons of capacity authorized by the Building Code or 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area, whichever is greater |
Elementary and middle schools | 1 space per employee/administrator + spaces required for assembly, auditorium and/or outdoor recreation areas + a minimum of 10 pick-up/drop-off spaces and waiting or loading for school buses |
High schools, vocational schools or colleges | 1 space per employee/administrator + 1 space per 4 students + spaces required for assembly, auditorium and/or outdoor recreation areas + a minimum of 10 pick-up/drop-off spaces and waiting or loading for school buses |
State-licensed residential facilities | Spaces to accommodate residents and staff, as determined by the capacity of the facility |
Business and Commercial | |
Athletic clubs (freestanding building) | 1 space per 200 square feet of usable floor area |
Banquet facilities, conference centers, exhibit halls and similar uses | 1 space per 2 persons of capacity authorized by the Building Code or 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area, whichever is greater |
Bars, nightclubs, breweries, distilleries, wineries and other similar establishments | 20 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area |
Beauty salon/spa or barbershop | 2 spaces per chair or 1 space per 300 square feet of usable area, whichever is greater |
Convenience retail, comparison retail, retail services and shopping centers | 4.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area + 4 stacking spaces for each drive-through *When more than 5% of the in-line floor area is devoted to restaurant or food service uses, additional parking must be provided using the applicable food service standard. *Parking for out-lot restaurants shall be calculated separately. |
Day care and preschool | 1 space per 325 square feet of usable floor area + 1 space per employee |
Funeral homes | 1 space per 50 square feet of service parlors, chapels and reception areas + 1 space per funeral vehicle |
Mini/self-storage warehouse | 3 spaces + 1 space per each employee |
Motel/hotel, bed-and-breakfast | 1 space per guest room + 1 space per employee + spaces required for restaurant, conference, banquet or exhibit space as required by this article *If the restaurant has a separate exterior entrance and sign, the required parking spaces for restaurants shall be provided. |
Oil change facility | 1 space per each employee + 2 stacking spaces per service bay |
Restaurant with a bar area and/or entertainment facilities | 20 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area + spaces required for outdoor seating, banquet or meeting rooms |
Restaurant without a bar | 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area + any spaces required for outdoor seating |
Restaurant with drive-through | 10 stacking spaces from the location where orders are placed + requirements for indoor and outdoor seating |
Restaurant with fewer than 6 tables and/or booths | 6 spaces + 1 space for each employee + any spaces required for outdoor seating |
Vehicle dealerships, display, sales and rental | 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of interior sales area + 1.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of exterior display |
Vehicle filling stations | 1 space per 250 square feet of usable floor area for sales or convenience retail + any spaces required for accessory uses |
Vehicle service facilities | 2 spaces per service bay + 1 space per employee + 1 space per tow truck + any spaces required for accessory uses |
Vehicle wash (automatic) | 1 space per employee + 12 stacking spaces for freestanding vehicle washes and 6 stacking spaces when accessory to a fueling station + designated spaces for vacuums |
Vehicle wash (self-serve/coin-operated) | 2 stacking spaces per wash bay + designated spaces for drying or vacuums |
Offices | |
Financial institutions | 1 space per 200 square feet of usable floor area + 4 stacking spaces for each drive-up teller |
Hospitals | 1.75 spaces per bed + 1 space per 200 square feet of usable floor area for office, research or other outpatient uses |
Medical office (doctors, dentists or other similar professions) | 1 space per 200 square feet of usable floor area |
Outpatient medical care, emergency care or other similar uses | 2 spaces per exam or outpatient procedure/operating room + 1 space for laboratory or recovery room + 1 space for each 2 rooms for employee parking or 1 space per 200 square feet of usable floor area, whichever is greater |
Professional office | 1 space per 300 square feet of usable floor area |
Industrial | |
Light industrial, assembly, manufacturing, testing labs and research development centers | 5 spaces + 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet of usable floor area + 1 space for each corporate vehicle or 1.2 spaces per employee during peak shift, whichever is greater |
Wholesale/warehousing (nonretail) | 1 space per employee or 1 space per 1,500 square feet of usable floor area |
Recreation | |
Driving range | 1 space per 2 tees + parking required for other uses |
Golf course | 6 spaces for each hole and 1 space for each employee + spaces required for banquet rooms, restaurants and other uses |
Indoor recreation (gymnasiums, swimming pools, court sports, ice skating, bowling alleys or other similar uses) and outdoor recreation facilities | 1 space per 3 persons of capacity authorized by the Building Code |
Miniature golf course | 2 spaces for each hole + 1 space for each employee + spaces required for other uses |
Public park facilities | As determined by the Planning Commission in consideration of the type of facilities and programming |
Swimming pool/clubs | 1 space per 3 persons of capacity authorized by the Building Code |
Swimming pool clubs, tennis clubs or similar uses operated by resident/homeowners' organizations | As determined by the Planning Commission in consideration of the size, intensity of uses and proximity of the facility to residences |
§ 170-26.5 Off-street parking design standards.
A.
Off street parking shall be designed in accordance with the following.
Parking Pattern | Aisle Lane Width (c) | Parking Space Width (c) | Parking Space Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Parallel parking | 12' | 8' | 23'(b) | |
30° to 53° | 12' | 9'(a) | 20'(b) | |
54° to 74° | 17' | 9'(a) | 20'(b) | |
75° to 90° | 24' | 9' | 18'(b) |
NOTES: | ||
|---|---|---|
a. | Nine and 1/2 feet may be required for uses which involve significant loading and unloading or use of shopping carts, as determined by the Planning Commission. | |
b. | The length of spaces on the outer edge of a curbed area may be reduced 1 1/2 feet to account for vehicle overhang. | |
c. | Width is exclusive of curb and gutter. | |
B.
Ninety-degree and parallel parking patterns shall provide two-way movement; all other configurations shall provide one-way traffic movement.
C.
Stacking spaces shall be nine feet wide and 20 feet long. Stacking spaces shall not interfere with drive/parking aisles, circulation, access to waste receptacles and loading areas.
D.
All parking spaces shall provide adequate access by means of drive aisle lanes. Backing directly onto a street or primary circulation aisle, where it could create interference with traffic flow, is not permitted.
E.
Ingress and egress to a parking lot shall be from a public street or a recorded easement for ingress and egress. Access shall not be across land zoned for single-family residential uses.
F.
Layout shall provide access for fire apparatus.
G.
When located adjacent to a residential district, entrances to and from an off-street parking lot shall comply with the required setback as required in § 170-18.2S.
H.
Where the parking space fronts a sidewalk, a minimum eight-foot-wide sidewalk is required.
I.
The parking lot layout shall accommodate pedestrian circulation. Pedestrian crosswalks shall be clearly defined and shall be distinguished by textured paving, pavement striping or other decorative treatment.
J.
When a use involves shopping carts, decorative cart corrals shall be provided and evenly distributed throughout the parking lot.
K.
Cross-access connections between adjacent parking lots, or a future connection when adjacent parking lots do not exist but can reasonably be expected to be constructed, are required. Cross-access easements shall be recorded for connected lots under separate ownership or management.
L.
All lighting shall be designed, located and/or shielded to prevent spillover onto adjacent properties and shall be arranged to prohibit adverse effects on adjacent public roadways. Lighting shall be further subject to the standards in Article 21, Lighting Standards.
M.
Barrier-free parking requirements: spaces shall be provided in accordance with Michigan Barrier-Free Design and the Michigan Building Code.
N.
Carports shall be identified on the site plan. Carports shall be designed to screen headlight glare, and the carport design shall be compatible with the overall site and adjacent uses.
O.
The height of a parking structure shall not exceed four levels above grade. An enclosed rooftop level is considered a level.
§ 170-26.6 Off-street parking construction and maintenance.
A.
The entire parking area, including parking spaces and aisle lanes, shall be constructed with asphalt or concrete surfacing and curbs and gutters in accordance with Chapter 72, Design and Construction Standards, of the Code of the Charter Township of Northville.
B.
The parking area shall be surfaced within six months from the date the permit is issued. The Building Department may grant a single extension for an additional six months in the event of adverse weather conditions or unusual delays beyond the control of the property owner.
C.
Off-street parking areas shall be designed to dispose of all surface water in such a way as to preclude drainage of water onto adjacent property or toward buildings.
D.
Construction or expansion of a parking lot shall be subject to approval under the site plan provisions of Article 33.
E.
Repaving or reconstruction of an existing parking lot that does not require site plan approval shall require approval by the Engineering Department. Plans for repaving or reconstruction of an existing parking lot shall convey the following:
F.
Pavement markings, signs and other similar items must be properly maintained to ensure visibility and clarity.
§ 170-26.7 Off-street loading and unloading.
A.
Area for loading/unloading shall be provided and maintained for every use involving the receipt or distribution of goods.
B.
Loading/unloading activities shall be separate from required parking and shall not interfere with a public R.O.W., ingress/egress easements, drive aisles, traffic flow or internal circulation patterns.
C.
Loading/unloading areas shall be located in the rear yard. For existing sites where location in the rear yard is not possible, loading and unloading may be provided within an interior side yard, provided it is minimized from public view, or within an exterior side yard, provided a minimum fifty-foot setback is provided.
D.
The minimum size for loading/unloading areas shall be 10 feet by 50 feet, unless a smaller area is authorized by the Township for uses with lesser delivery requirements, and shall maintain 14 feet of overhead clearance.
E.
When facing a residential district, loading/unloading areas shall be screened by a decorative wall or berm and/landscaping.
F.
The turning radius of the largest anticipated service vehicles shall be identified on the site plan to demonstrate there are no conflicts with the internal circulation, parking and accessory structures.
G.
Delivery truck loading/unloading shall be limited to the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The use of parked semi-trailers or shipping containers for storage of merchandise is prohibited.