Pawtucket City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
Parking and Loading
§ 410-73 Intent.
[Amended 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928; 10-6-2011 by Ch. No. 2981]
A.
In order to minimize traffic congestion, air pollution and the risk of accidents and to promote other elements of sound community planning, off-street parking spaces shall be provided and satisfactorily maintained for all permitted uses of buildings, structures or lots as specified in this section. The requirements of this section apply under the following circumstances:
(1)
All new buildings and structures erected for a use that requires off-street parking or loading;
(2)
Any new building and/or structure that is altered or enlarged; and
(3)
All new, additional or expanded uses of a property or any change in an existing use which generated additional off-street parking or loading.
§ 410-74 Accessory parking.
Accessory parking required by this chapter shall be located on the same or contiguous lot as the principal structure or use the parking is intended to serve, unless the Board shall allow off-site parking as a special use permit under Article XIII.
§ 410-75 Parking as a permitted use.
Parking as a principal use may be located only in zones where permitted by right.
§ 410-76 Parking space requirements.
[Amended 8-25-2004 by Ch. No. 2739; 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928; 10-6-2011 by Ch. No. 2981]
A.
The following table specifies the minimum and maximum number of off-street parking spaces required for single uses as designated in Article II, Use Regulations.
B.
Commercial Downtown (CD) District. The provision of off-street parking is not required for residential or nonresidential uses within the CD District. However, applicants choosing to have on-site parking must abide by the provisions of this section. No provisions within the Zoning Ordinance shall be construed as providing exemptions from requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
C.
All parking facilities shall comply with the Rhode Island State Building Code with respect to number of spaces designated for handicapped persons.
D.
If a use is not specifically listed in the table of off-street parking requirements, the requirements shall be the same as for the most similar use listed as determined by referencing the Institute of Traffic Engineers Parking Generation Report.
E.
When the schedule requires the on-site number of spaces to be calculated per employee, and employees are on the site in shifts, the off-street parking requirement shall be based on the number of employees present during the largest shift (most employees).
F.
A garage or carport may be used to meet the requirements of this section. A driveway may only be used to meet the requirements of this section where it serves a one-family or two-family dwelling.
G.
Up to 50% of off-street parking requirements may be provided off site, provided that parking is located within 400 feet of the property boundary in a walkable route from one property boundary to another and safe, well-lighted pedestrian access can be demonstrated by the applicant.
H.
Delineated on-street parking located directly in front of a lot on which a business use operates may be counted towards fulfilling the off-street parking space requirements of that use.
I.
Downtown commercial district. No off-street parking shall be located between the street line and the building face containing the principal entrance.
J.
Personal service establishments, museums, libraries and art galleries, which are operated in storefronts or as home occupations, and which do not exceed 1,000 square feet of floor space, are exempt from off-street parking space requirements.
K.
Parking in the Mill Building Reuse District (MBRD). The requirements set forth below shall be reduced by 50% for structures in a MBR District, and 100% of parking may be located at a distance of not more than 400 feet from the structure or uses that the parking is intended to serve.
Parking Spaces Required | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum | Maximum | |||
Use | Residential | |||
One- and two-family dwelling units | 2 per dwelling unit | |||
Multifamily dwellings with 3 or more dwelling units | 2 per dwelling unit | |||
Community residence | 1 per staff employee | |||
Nursing or convalescent home, orphanage | 1 per 4 beds | |||
Convent or rectory | 1 per 4 beds | |||
Family day-care home | 1 per dwelling unit | |||
Manufactured home park | 1 per manufactured home | |||
Boardinghouse | 1 per rooming unit | |||
Rooming house | ||||
Up to 6 rooming units | 1 per rooming unit | |||
Over 6 rooming units | 1 per dwelling unit and 1 per rooming unit | |||
Bed-and-breakfast, motor inn and hotel | 1 per guest room | |||
Public, Semipublic Education and Recreation | ||||
Place of worship | 1 per 5 seats in assembly rooms | |||
Hospital | 1 per 1 bed | |||
Day-care center | 1 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area | |||
Public elementary school | 1 per classroom | |||
Trade or professional school | 1 per 5 seats in classroom | |||
Not otherwise specified herein | 1 per 5 seats in assembly rooms or 1 per 400 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater | |||
Commercial | ||||
Retail store, personal services establishment, office, and other commercial uses | 1 per 1,000 square feet of leasable floor space | 1 per 300 square feet of leasable floor space | ||
Eating and drinking establishments | 1 per 4 seats or 1 per 90 square feet of floor area | 1 per 2 seats or 1 per 50 square feet of floor area | ||
Amusement and recreation | 1 per 5 seats in assembly rooms or 200 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater | |||
Wholesale commercial | 1 per 2,000 square feet of floor area devoted to covered storage space | |||
Storage | 1 per 10,000 square feet of covered floor area | |||
Industrial | 1 per 1,000 square feet of floor area or 2 employees on the maximum working shift, whichever is greater | |||
§ 410-76.1 Parking requirements for multiple uses; shared parking.
[Added 10-6-2011 by Ch. No. 2981]
A.
When any lot contains two or more nonresidential uses, the sum of the individual parking demand values shall serve as the baseline parking demand. Fractions shall be rounded down where any component of this calculation uses more than the minimum parking requirements listed in the parking table. An applicant may petition for fewer parking spaces than the aggregate baseline demand through development plan review with the Planning Commission or major land develop review as applicable by submitting a peak demand analysis consistent with the guidance provided in the Institute of Traffic Engineers' (ITE's) Shared Parking, 2nd Edition, as may be amended.
B.
Up to 50% of on-site off-street shared parking requirements may be provided off site, provided that parking is located within 400 feet of the property boundary in a walkable route from one property boundary to another and safe; well-lighted pedestrian access can be demonstrated by the applicant.
§ 410-77 Development standards for accessory parking in residence zones.
[Amended 10-23-1997 by Ch. No. 2470; 6-23-1999 by Ch. No. 2531; 3-22-2001 by Ch. No. 2592; 5-28-2003 by Ch. No. 2685; 9-21-2006 by Ch. No. 2825; 11-21-2007 by Ch. No. 2881; 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928; 10-6-2011 by Ch. No. 2981]
A.
All accessory parking facilities for residence zones shall be developed in accordance with the following provisions:
(1)
Paving. Driveways and parking areas shall be paved with bituminous materials, concrete, brick or inlaid stone. No crushed stone is permitted. Permeable pavers may be permitted for use through the development plan review process.
(2)
Paving limitations. Paving on lots in residence zones shall be limited to the following provisions:
(a)
The front yard may be used for a driveway to access a garage or for a parking area. A driveway used to access a single-car garage, side yard parking area or rear yard parking area of four cars or less may be no more than 18 feet wide. A driveway used to access a two-car garage or larger or a parking area for more than four cars located in a side or rear yard may be no more than 25 feet wide. Nothing hereto shall prohibit a parking area in the front yard, provided that there is no other driveway located in the front yard and the paved area occupies no more than 36% of the front yard.
(b)
Only one side yard shall be permitted to be paved for parking, except in the case of a multiunit structure with two or more dwelling units on the ground floor.
(c)
Only 50% of the rear yard area shall be permitted to be paved.
(3)
Parking on nonpaved areas. Parking shall not be permitted on a nonpaved portion of the lot.
B.
Every parcel of land which, after the effective date of this chapter or any amendment thereto, is developed as an accessory or principal use parking facility for more than four vehicles; including automobile or trailer sales area, automotive service station or garage, shall be developed as provided herein.
§ 410-78 Parking standards for more than six vehicles.
[Amended 9-21-2006 by Ch. No. 2825; 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928; 10-6-2011 by Ch. No. 2981]
A.
Minimum size of parking spaces.
(1)
Parking areas for more than six cars shall have the following minimum dimensional requirements affecting the width and length of individual parking stalls and the width of aisles exclusive of necessary drives and other accessways:
(2)
All parking facilities shall conform with the Rhode Island State Building Code with respect to the size of spaces for handicapped persons.
B.
Striping. For parking areas of more than four cars, each parking space shall be marked by pavement lines.
C.
Entrance and exit. Each parking space shall be designed with adequate off-street area for approach, turning and exit with minimal use of any part of a public right-of-way.
D.
Paving. Parking areas, where subject to wheeled traffic, shall be treated with bituminous, concrete or equivalent surfacing and shall have appropriate bumper or wheel guards where needed.
E.
Lighting. Any light used to illuminate said parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from the adjoining premises in a residence zone and from adjoining streets.
F.
Landscaping. The following landscape standards for parking lots represent the minimum requirements for any parking area designed to accommodate more than six vehicles. Where a proposal requires development plan review with the Planning Commission or review as a land development project, these applications shall be subject to the standards listed in Section XV, Article A, of the Land Development and Subdivision Regulations of the City of Pawtucket.[1]
(1)
Outdoor parking areas shall be effectively landscaped with trees and shrubs to reduce the visual impact of glare, headlights and parking lot lights from the public right-of-way and from adjoining properties and to enhance the aesthetic quality of the area and to minimize/reduce stormwater and drainage impacts. All such parking areas shall be landscaped as follows:
(c)
Residence zones:
[1]
Along the street frontage, a three-foot planted strip with one shade tree for every 40 feet of frontage.
[2]
Along interior lot lines, a three-foot planted strip with one shade tree for every 50 feet of interior lot lines. A hedge of compact evergreens or other suitable plantings may be substituted for the planted strip.
[3]
Planted areas totaling 2% of the parking area must be provided. One interior shade tree may be substituted for every 200 square feet of required planted area.
(2)
Landscape plan requirements.
(a)
Proposed landscaping must be reviewed and approved by the Department of Planning and Redevelopment or the Planning Commission as applicable.
(b)
For parking areas proposed for more than six vehicles, the landscaping plan submitted to comply with § 410-78 must be stamped and signed by a registered landscape architect registered in Rhode Island.
(c)
Proposed shade trees must be from the list of Approved Pawtucket Street Trees, on file with the Department of Planning and Redevelopment. Shade trees must be a minimum of two inches to 2 1/2 inches in caliper.
(3)
All landscaped areas shall be maintained. This shall include replacement of dead or damaged plant material, weeding, mowing of grass, cleaning of litter or any other action deemed necessary by the City of Pawtucket to ensure that the requirements of this section are met. Failure to maintain a landscaped area shall be deemed a violation of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said regulations are on file in the City offices.
G.
Screening in all zones. Where parking areas adjoin a lot in a residential district, they shall be screened by a solid wall, a uniformly painted tight board fence or a hedge of compact evergreens or other suitable plantings. Such screen shall be at least four feet in height and shall be erected and maintained between such parking area and the property in residential districts.
§ 410-79 Supplementary parking and temporary storage regulations. [1]
A.
Continuation of facilities. The schedule of requirements for off-street parking space shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of the real estate on which any such structure is located as long as the structure is in existence and its use requiring vehicle parking facilities continues. It shall be a violation of this chapter for an owner of any building affected by this section to discontinue, change or dispense with or cause the discontinuance or change of required vehicle parking space, apart from the discontinuance, sale or transfer of such structure, without establishing alternative vehicle parking space which meets with the requirements of and is in compliance with this article.
B.
[2]Parking not required. Where a lot abuts upon a street or place which, due to topographic conditions or excessive grades, is not accessible by vehicle and such lot is to be occupied by not more than a one-family dwelling, no parking space shall be required.
C.
In residential zones, major recreation equipment, which includes travel trailers, pickup campers or coaches, motorized dwellings, tent trailers, boats, boat trailers and similar equipment, but does not include mobile homes or storage trailers, owned and registered to a person residing on the premises shall be either parked or temporarily stored in accordance with the following regulations, or shall be parked or stored in completely enclosed structures:
[Amended 4-23-2008 by Ch. No. 2887]
(1)
No more than one of any of the following shall be parked or stored on a lot in a residential zone: boat and boat trailer, item of mobile camping equipment or other noncommercial trailer.
(2)
No boat or boat trailer or item of mobile camping equipment shall be parked between the primary structure and street frontage.
(3)
No major recreation equipment shall be stored out-of-doors in residential districts unless it is in a condition for safe and effective performance of the function for which it was intended.
D.
No boat, item of mobile camping equipment or other noncommercial trailer shall be used or occupied for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a lot in a residential zone.
E.
Boats and boat trailers, mobile camping equipment and other noncommercial trailers not owned and operated by a person residing on the premises shall not be parked or stored on a lot in a residential zone.
F.
An unoccupied manufactured home shall not be parked or stored on a lot in a residential zone. A single manufactured home shall not be used or occupied for dwelling purposes, except in a manufactured home park.
G.
No commercial or noncommercial manufactured home trailer, occupied or unoccupied, shall be allowed to be stored, parked or used for any purpose in a commercial or manufacturing zone, except any authorized manufactured home dealership.
H.
Commercial-type trailers used as field offices for construction purposes shall be allowed for the duration of the project in all zones.
I.
Mobile storage and refuse containers, any enclosed or partially enclosed unit, including, but not limited to, “POD” units that are intended for delivery to a customer’s site for loading and unloading, may be stored on any property with a residential use for no more than 72 hours. Containers associated with construction activity may be stored for no more than 30 days.
[Added 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928]
J.
Mobile storage and refuse containers, any enclosed or partially enclosed unit, including, but not limited to, truck trailers, may be stored on any property for no longer than 30 consecutive days, provided that they do not interfere with normal traffic and parking operations on any property within a commercial or industrial zone, unless that property has a residential use.
[Added 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928]
[1]
Editor's Note: The title of this section was amended to add "and temporary storage" 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928.
§ 410-80 Off-street loading spaces.
In order to avoid undue interference with public use of the street, no land shall be used or occupied and no structure shall be erected or used unless the off-street loading spaces required are provided. Adequate space for standing, loading and unloading of such vehicles is required. Such space is not required for any structure or use existing prior to the effective date of this chapter or any amendment thereto; provided, however, that off-street loading spaces as required in this chapter shall be provided subject to the requirements of this section for any enlargement or addition to any such existing structure or use. To the extent possible, loading areas shall be to the rear of any building and away from residences.
A.
Location. The off-street loading spaces required by this chapter shall be on the same lot or parcel of land as the use or structure they are intended to serve. In no case shall any required off-street loading space be part of an area used to satisfy the off-street parking requirements of this chapter. The dimensions of off-street loading space shall not include driveways or entrances to or exits from such off-street loading berths.
B.
Number of required loading spaces. For each building or structure or use listed below, the following loading spaces are required: one loading space shall be provided for every 20,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof greater than 4,000 square feet of gross floor area. The gross floor area dedicated to office uses in a building shall not be included in the calculation for required loading spaces. Buildings and uses within the following use categories: 16, wholesale commercial; 19, storage uses; 20, industrial uses; buildings that exceed 20,000 square feet within Use Category 7, general commercial uses.
[Amended 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2928]
D.
Continuation of facilities. The schedule of requirements for off-street loading space shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of the real estate on which any such structure is located as long as the structure is in existence and its use requiring vehicle loading facilities continues. It shall be unlawful for an owner of any building affected by this section to discontinue, change or dispense with or cause the discontinuance or change of required loading space, apart from the discontinuance, sale or transfer of such structure, without establishing alternative loading space which meets with the requirements of and is in compliance with this section.