Certain terms, when used in this Article, have the following meanings:

1.

Employee. The maximum number of persons employed at the facility regardless of the time period during which this occurs or whether the persons are full-time employees. The major shift may be a particular day of the week or a lunch or dinner period in the case of a restaurant.

2.

Gross Leasable Area (GLA). The total floor area of a building designed for both tenant occupancy and exclusive use. GLA includes both owned and leased areas but does not include shared or common areas among tenants. Where the total floor area of a building is occupied or where a building has no shared or common area, GLA is the gross floor area measured by taking the outside dimensions of the building at each floor level intended for occupancy or storage.

3.

Loading Area. That area used to satisfy the requirements of this Ordinance for truck loading and unloading.

4.

Loading Space. An off-street space or berth used for the unloading or loading of commercial vehicles.

5.

Occupancy Load. The maximum number of persons, which may be accommodated by the use as determined by its design or by fire code standards.

6.

Parking Aisle. That portion of the parking area consisting of lanes providing access to parking spaces.

7.

Parking Area. An improved area on a lot exclusively used or designed for use as a temporary storage area for motor vehicles, containing access driveways, parking aisles and parking spaces.

8.

Parking Space. That portion of the parking area set aside for the parking of one vehicle.

9.

Stacking Space. An off-street space for the temporary stacking of vehicles with an aisle intended to serve a drive-in teller window, take-out food window, dry cleaning/laundry pick-up or similar type activity station.

Unless otherwise provided for, all uses must conform to the minimum parking space requirements outlined in Table 8-1. In situations where the required number of parking spaces is not readily determinable by Table 8-1, the Zoning Official is authorized to determine the parking space requirements using the table as a guide.

1.

Shared and joint parking.

a)

Subject to approval by the Commission, minimum parking requirements for a mixed-use development may be reduced by calculation of shared parking requirements for the development using the shared parking demand information in Table 8-2.

b)

A joint parking area may contain required parking spaces for more than one use, provided the combined number of spaces complies with the parking for all uses. If, however, the combined uses wish to make use of the same spaces at different times, the same spaces may be credited to each separate use. The applicant for a, combined use facility must present documentation of a combined parking agreement; and, if sharing the same spaces, a time schedule for allocation of such spaces.

2.

Location of Required Parking. All required parking spaces must be located on the same lot as the use served by the parking, except as provided below:

a)

Required parking within planned residential developments may be provided in common parking areas.

b)

If the number of required parking spaces cannot reasonably be provided on the same lot or premises as the served use, remote parking may be permitted by a Special Exception if within 400 feet of the concerned lot(s). Such Special Exception requires written legal documentation that the user of such remote spaces has the right to such spaces.

3.

Parking Restrictions

a)

The use of off-street parking in any residential district for nonresidential purposes may only be permitted upon approval of a Special Exception by the Board of Adjustment.

b)

The use of any required parking space for the storage of any motor vehicle for sale or for any purpose other than parking is prohibited.

4.

Design Requirements

a)

The minimum parking space dimensions are as shown in Table 8-3.

b)

In parking areas of 20 or more parking spaces, up to 20% of the spaces may be reserved for compact cars. Such spaces must contain a minimum rectangular area of eight ft width and 16 ft length. These spaces must be conspicuously marked for compact cars only.

c)

Stacking space must contain a minimum rectangular area of 10 ft in width and 20 ft in length and be separate from parking aisles and spaces.

d)

Handicapped parking spaces must be provided and designed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

e)

Parking areas must be designed so that vehicles may exit such areas without backing onto a public street. This requirement does not apply to parking areas that serve single-family or duplex lots; although, backing into arterials is prohibited in all cases.

f)

The location and design of off-street parking areas may not cause the destruction of any public right-of-way or easement, sidewalks, or trees located on any public right-of-way except as approved by the City for installation of driveways.

g)

Parking areas for all developments must be so designed that sanitation, emergency and other public service vehicles can adequately and safely serve such developments without the necessity of backing unreasonable distances or making other dangerous maneuvers. Fire lanes may be required by the Fire Code.

h)

All parking areas must be surfaced with dust-free materials resistant to erosion and maintained in good condition, i.e. free of pot holes, weeds, trash, refuse, etc.

i)

Parking spaces, except those serving single-family or duplex dwelling units, must be demarcated with painted lines or other markings.

j)

Driveways serving more than two parking spaces must provide adequate turn-around space on the lot.

k)

Drainage in parking areas must direct storm water back into the site toward adequate drainage channels. Parking areas of 20 or more spaces may be required to provide on-site storm water detention to mitigate the sudden discharge of high volumes of storm water into the public drainage system. Drainage plans are subject to approval by the City Engineer.

1.

Proposed driveways or access points to public streets require approval by the City Engineer. The proposed location, width, drainage structure, traffic conditions, sight distances and resurfacing must be provided with request for approval.

2.

The maximum number of and minimum spacing between driveways and between driveways and intersections with streets and alleys must comply with city access management standards. Driveways must be located as far from street intersections as practicable and the number of driveways serving any one premises must be kept to a minimum.

3.

Driveway cuts along a public street may not exceed 25 ft in width except where specifically approved by the City Engineer.

4.

Driveways must be a minimum of five ft from the nearest edge of a street drainage inlet.

1.

Required Off-Street Loading Spaces. All nonresidential structures and uses must provide and maintain adequate off-street space for the loading and unloading of materials or goods, and for delivery and shipping, so that such operations can be accomplished without encroaching upon or otherwise interfering with the use of adjoining properties, public streets, alleys and sidewalks by pedestrians and vehicles. See Table 8-4 for minimum required loading spaces.

2.

Off-street Loading Design Standards

a)

Each loading space must have a minimum rectangular area of 12 ft in width and 55 ft in length, exclusive of driver and maneuvering space. Each space must allow vertical clearance of 14 ft.

b)

Joint or combined off-street loading space for two or more buildings on the same lot can be provided as long as the amount of such combined off-street space is equal in size and capacity to the combined requirements of the several buildings to be served.

c)

Loading spaces may not be located within the required front yard or within five ft of any property line.

d)

Loading spaces may not be used to meet parking requirements.

e)

Loading spaces may not be located or designed in a manner that interferes with the on-site circulation of traffic, nor allow or require a vehicle to extend into any right-of-way or over any property line during loading or unloading.

Whenever there is an alteration of a structure, an expansion of a use or a change in use, which increases the parking and loading requirements, the use must conform with the off-street parking and loading standards of this Ordinance to the furthest practicable extent.