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Norton Shores City Zoning Code

ARTICLE X

- OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS

Sec. 48-1265.- General regulations.

There shall be provided in all districts at the time of erection or enlargement of any main building or structure, or the enlargement of existing parking lots, automobile off-street parking space with adequate access to all spaces. The number of off-street parking spaces in conjunction with all land or building uses shall be provided prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, as hereinafter prescribed:

(1)

Off-street parking spaces may be located within a front, side or rear yard with the exception that parking spaces are not allowed within any required landscaped buffer yards as defined in article IX.

(2)

Off-street parking for other than residential use shall be either on the same lot or within 300 feet of the building it is intended to serve, measured from the nearest point of the building to the nearest point of the off-street parking lot, except that no off-street parking for use in a nonresidential district shall be permitted in a residential district. Ownership shall be shown of all lots or parcels intended for use as parking by the applicant.

(3)

Required residential off-street parking spaces shall consist of a parking strip, parking bay, driveway, garage or combination thereof and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve.

(4)

Minimum required off-street parking spaces shall not be replaced by any other use unless and/or until equal parking facilities are provided elsewhere.

(5)

Off-street parking existing at the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived, in connection with the operation of an existing building or use, shall not be reduced to an amount less than hereinafter required for a similar new building or new use.

(6)

Two or more buildings or uses may collectively provide the required off-street parking in which case the required number of parking spaces shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the several individual uses computed separately.

(7)

In the instance of dual function of off-street parking spaces where operating hours of buildings do not overlap, the zoning board of appeals may grant an exception.

(8)

The storage of merchandise, motor vehicles for sale, trucks, or the repair of vehicles is prohibited in required off-street parking areas.

(9)

For those uses not specifically mentioned, the requirements for off-street parking facilities shall be in accord with a use which the planning commission considers is similar in type.

(10)

When units or measurements determining the number of required parking spaces result in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including one-half shall be disregarded and fractions over one-half shall require one parking space.

(11)

For the purpose of computing the number of parking spaces required, the definition of the term "usable floor area" as defined in this chapter shall govern.

(Ord. No. 369, § 15.900(13.100), 6-26-1981)

Sec. 48-1266. - Schedule of off-street parking spaces.

The minimum number of off-street parking spaces by type of use shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule, unless specified in any other section of this chapter:

Use Minimum number of parking spaces per unit of measure
1. Residential Uses
(1) Assisted Living 1 space per 3 dwelling units
(2) Dwelling, One- and Two-Family 2 spaces per unit
(3) Dwelling, Multiple Family 2 spaces per unit
(4) Manufactured Housing 2 spaces per dwelling, plus 1 off-community street space per 10 dwelling units
(5) Nursing Home 1.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
(6) Residential Above Retail or Office 1.2 spaces for each dwelling unit, plus parking for the nonresidential uses as determined in this section 48-1266
2. Institutional and Related Uses
(1) Airport 1 space per each 5 aircraft parking spaces
(2) Cemetery 1 space per employee of largest working shift, plus 1 space for each 3 seats of seating capacity in any facility for internment services
(3) Church 1 space per 4 seats in primary gathering area
(4) Educational Facility 1 space per employee of largest shift, plus 1 space for each classroom and 1 space for each 4 seats of seating capacity in any auditorium or gymnasium
(5) Golf Course 6 spaces per hole
(6) Hospitals, Clinics, Urgent Care 1 space per employee in the largest shift plus 1 space for each 3 beds dedicated to in-patient care and 1 space for each 1,000 square feet of area dedicated to out-patient services
(7) Library Applicant shall demonstrate parking demand, but not less than 1 space per 500 square feet of gross floor area
(8) Nursing Care Facility 1 space per employee in the largest shift plus 1 space for each 4 beds
(9) Park 3 spaces per 1 acre of park land
(10) Place of Public Assembly 1 space per 4 seats of legal capacity
(11) Recreational Community Center 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
(12) Trade or Industrial School Applicant shall demonstrate parking demand, but not less than 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
3. Commercial Uses
(1) Automobile Gas Station 1 space per 150 square feet dedicated to retail activity, plus 1 space at each fuel pump, plus 1 stacking space per fuel nozzle
(2) Automobile Repair, all types 1 space per employee of largest shift, plus 1 space per service bay
(3) Automobile Auto Wash 3 stacking spaces per bay, plus 1 space per 350 square feet of retail/office space, not including car wash bays
(4) Bank 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
(5) Bed and Breakfast 2 spaces for the principal dwelling use, plus 1 off-street space per rental room
(6) Day Care, Group and Commercial 2 spaces for the principal dwelling use, if applicable, plus 1 space per employee of largest shift, plus 1 space per 4 clients
(7) Drive-through Business 5 stacking spaces per drive-through lane with window service or 3 stacking spaces for drive-through ATM, in addition to any spaces required for the non-drive-through use
(8) Dry-Cleaning and Laundry Establishment, all types 1 space per 350 square feet of retail space, plus 1 space per each 3 coin-operated machines, if applicable, and 1 space per each employee of the largest shift
(9) Eating and Drinking Establishment 1 space per 3 seats of legal capacity
(10) Health Club 4 spaces for each 800 square feet of gross floor area
(11) Home Occupation 2 spaces for the principal dwelling use, plus up to 2 additional off-street spaces
(12) Hotel and Motel 1 space per rental room
(13) Laundromats 1 space for each 3 washing and dry cleaning machines
(14) Marina 1 space per 1.5 slips or racks
(15) Mixed Use Development 1.2 spaces for any dwelling unit, plus parking for any nonresidential uses as provided herein
(16) Mortuary 1 space per employee of largest shift, plus 1 space per 4 seats of legal capacity
(17) Motor Vehicle Sales and Service Establishment 1 space for each 400 square feet of gross floor area of sales room, plus 1 space for each auto service stall in the service room
(18) Multi-tenant Commercial Establishment Applicant shall demonstrate parking demand, but not less than 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
(19) Open-Air Business 1 space per 350 square feet of indoor space devoted to retail activity, plus 1 space for each 2,000 square feet of outdoor display area
(20) Personal Service Business 1 space per 350 square feet of gross floor area
(21) Recreation Facility, Commercial Applicant shall demonstrate parking demand
(22) Recreation Facility, Outdoor Applicant shall demonstrate parking demand
(23) Retail Business or Retail Sales dealing primarily in consumable and convenience goods 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area up to 50,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus 1 space for each 400 feet of gross floor area in excess of 50,000 square feet
(24) Retail Business or Retail Sales dealing primarily in durable goods 1 space per 250 square feet of gross floor area up to 10,000 square feet, plus 1 space for each 350 square feet of gross floor area in excess of 10,000 square feet
(25) Showroom 1 space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
4. Office and Service Uses
(1) Medical Office 1 space for each employee of the largest working shift, plus 1 space per 200 square feet of gross floor area
(2) Office Building 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
(3) Government Building 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area, unless the Planning Commission determines a less parking allotment will effectively serve the use
(4) Professional Service Establishment 1 space per 450 square feet of gross floor area
(5) Veterinary Hospital 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area
5. Industrial, Storage and Related Uses
(1) Broadcasting or Recording Studio 1 space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
(2) Contractor's Establishment 1 space per employee of the largest shift, plus 1 space for each 500 square feet of any retail or showroom space
(3) Manufacturing, Compounding, Processing 1 space per employee of the largest shift, plus 1 space per 2,000 square feet of gross floor area
(4) Motion Picture Studio 1 space for each 800 square feet of gross floor area
(5) Power Generating Facility 1 space per employee of largest shift, plus 5 visitor spaces
(6) Research and Development 1 space per employee of the largest shift, plus 5 visitor spaces
(7) Self-Service Storage Facility 1.5 spaces per 100 storage units
(8) Warehouse 5 spaces, plus 1 per employee on the largest shift
(9) Wholesale Facility 1 space per 350 square feet of sales space, plus 1 space per employee of largest shift

 

(Ord. No. 369, § 15.905(13.101), 6-26-1981; Ord. No. 740, § 5, 11-1-2011; Ord. No. 741, § 3, 1-3-2012)

Sec. 48-1267. - Off-street parking space layout, standards, construction and maintenance.

Whenever the off-street parking requires the building of an off-street parking facility, such off-street parking lots shall be laid out, constructed and maintained in accordance with the following standards and regulations:

(1)

No new parking lots, including all entrances and exits, shall be constructed unless and until a permit therefor is issued by the building and zoning administrator. A site plan for the construction and development of the parking lot shall be submitted to the planning commission and the city engineer for review and recommendation. No permit shall be issued until the planning commission and the city engineer are satisfied that the site plan, as submitted, shows that the provisions of this section will be fully complied with.

(2)

Plans for the layout of off-street parking facilities shall be in accord with the design standards as set forth in the transportation and traffic engineering handbook by the Institute of Traffic Engineers.

(3)

All spaces shall be provided adequate access by means of maneuvering lanes. Backing directly onto a street shall be prohibited.

(4)

Adequate ingress and egress to the parking lot by means of clearly limited and defined drives shall be provided for all vehicles. Ingress and egress to a parking lot lying in an area zoned for other than single-family residential use shall not be across land zoned for single-family residential use.

(5)

Each entrance and exit to and from any off-street parking lot located in an area zoned for other than single-family residential use shall be at least 20 feet distant from adjacent property located in any single-family residential district, and a sufficient distance from any street corner to allow the full development of the required radius curbing. The location and number of driveways allowed will be subject to a determination of the traffic impact on the street system. The number of driveways will be held to a minimum with the location of the driveways subject to the impact of traffic operations of left turn and through traffic movements.

(6)

The off-street parking area shall be provided with landscaped buffer areas and screening as required by the provisions of article IX.

(7)

The entire parking area, including parking spaces and maneuvering lanes, required under this section shall be provided with asphaltic or concrete surfacing in accordance with specifications approved by the city engineer. The parking area shall be surfaced within eight months of the date the occupancy permit is used. Off-street parking areas shall be drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulated in the parking area in such a way as to preclude drainage of water onto adjacent property, street right-of-way, or toward buildings. All plans for surface water drainage shall be reviewed and approved by the city engineer.

(8)

Off-street parking areas shall have all parking spaces adequately marked to designate stall depth and width and traffic circulation.

(9)

All lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall be so installed as to be confined within and directed onto the parking area only.

(10)

In all cases where a wall or screening extends to an alley which is a means of ingress and egress to an off-street parking area, it shall be permissible to end the wall not more than ten feet from such alley line in order to permit a wider means of access to the parking area.

(11)

A parking lot with ten or more parking spaces shall provide the following landscaping within the parking lot:

a.

One tree shall be required per ten parking spaces, or fraction thereof.

b.

No parking space shall be more than 100 feet from a tree.

c.

At least 75 percent of the required trees shall be deciduous trees.

(12)

The parking lot site plan shall include bioretention swales or other low impact design (LID) solutions to utilize rainwater for on-site irrigation. The minimum size of such swales shall be 36 square feet per tree.

(13)

All parking lot lighting must be clearly illustrated on the site plan, including poles, wall packs, decorative lighting, etc. Only lighting approved on a site plan shall be permitted. All lighting, including freestanding, pole, canopy and building mounted, shall be night-sky friendly, fully shielded and directed downward to prevent off-site glare and illumination.

(Ord. No. 369, § 15.910(13.102), 6-26-1981; Ord. No. 741, § 4, 1-3-2012)

Sec. 48-1268. - Off-street loading and unloading.

On the same premises with every building, structure, or part thereof, involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles or materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the lot, adequate space for standing, loading and unloading in order to avoid undue interference with public use of dedicated rights-of-way. Such space shall be provided as follows:

(1)

In commercial districts, loading space shall be provided in the rear yard, or in a side yard if approved by the planning commission, in the ratio of at least ten square feet per front foot of building and shall be computed separately from the off-street parking requirements. Where an alley exists or is provided at the rear of buildings, the rear buildings setback and loading requirements may be computed from the center of said alley.

(2)

Within a GI district all spaces shall be laid out in the dimension of at least ten by fifty feet, or 500 square feet in area, with a clearance of at least 14 feet in height. Loading dock approaches shall be provided with a pavement having an asphaltic or Portland cement binder so as to provide a permanent, durable and dustless surface. All spaces in a GI district shall be provided in the following ratio of spaces to floor area.

Gross Floor Area (square feet) Loading and Unloading
Space Required
0—1,400 None
1,401—20,000 One space
20,001—100,000 One space for each twenty thousand (20,000) square feet in excess of twenty thousand and one (20,001) square feet
100,001 and over Five spaces

 

(3)

All loading and unloading in a GI district shall be provided off-street in the rear yard or interior side yard, and shall in no instance be permitted in a front yard. In those instances where exterior side yards have a common relationship with an industrial district across a public thoroughfare, loading and unloading may take place in said exterior side yard when the setback is equal to at least 50 feet.

(Ord. No. 369, § 15.915(13.103), 6-26-1981)