Paxton City Zoning Code
OFF-STREET PARKING
AND LOADING
§ 151.105 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this section is to alleviate or prevent congestion of the public streets, and so promote the safety and welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for the off-street parking and loading and unloading of motor vehicles in accordance with the use to which the property is put.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88)
§ 151.106 GENERAL PROVISIONS; PARKING AND LOADING.
(A) Scope of regulations. The off-street parking and loading provisions shall apply as follows:
(1) For all buildings and structures erected and all uses of land established after the effective date of this chapter, accessory parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by the regulations of the district in which such buildings or uses are located. However, where a building permit has been issued prior to the effective date of this chapter, and provided that construction is begun within one year of such effective date and diligently prosecuted to completion, parking and loading facilities as required herein need not be provided.
(2) When the intensity of use of any building, structure or premises shall be increased through addition of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity, or other unit of measurement specified herein for required parking or loading facilities, parking and loading facilities as required herein shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use.
(3) However, no building or structure lawfully erected or use lawfully established prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be required to provide such additional parking or loading facilities unless and until the aggregate increase in units of measurement shall equal to not less than 15% of the units of measurement existing upon the effective date of this chapter, in which event parking or loading facilities as required, shall be provided for the total increase.
(4) Whenever the existing use of a building or structure shall hereafter be changed to a new use, parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required for such new use. However, if the said building or structure was erected prior to the effective date of this chapter, additional parking or loading facilities are mandatory only in the amount by which the requirements for the new use would exceed those for the existing use if the latter were subject to the parking and loading provisions of this chapter.
(B) Existing parking and loading facilities. Accessory off-street parking or loading facilities which are located on the same lot as the building or use served and which were in existence on the effective date of this chapter or were provided voluntarily after such effective date shall not hereafter be reduced below, or if already less than, shall not further be reduced below, the requirements of this chapter for a similar new building or use.
(C) Permissive parking and loading facilities. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the voluntary establishment of off-street parking or loading facilities to serve any existing use of land or buildings provided that all regulations herein governing the location, design, improvement, and operation of such facilities are adhered to.
(D) Damage or destruction. For any conforming or legally nonconforming building or use which is in existence on the effective date of this chapter, which subsequent thereto is damaged or destroyed by fire, collapse, explosion, or other cause, and which is reconstructed, reestablished or repaired, off-street parking or loading facilities need not be provided, except that parking or loading facilities equivalent to any maintained at the time of such damage or destruction shall be restored or continued in operation. However, in no case shall it be necessary to restore or maintain parking or loading facilities in excess of those required by this chapter for equivalent new uses or construction.
(E) Control of off-site parking facilities. When required parking facilities are provided on land other than the zoning lot on which the building or use served by such facilities is located, they shall be and remain in the same possession or ownership as the zoning lot occupied by the building or use to which the parking facilities are accessory. No such off-site parking facilities shall be authorized and no occupancy permit shall be issued where the plans call for parking facilities other than on the same zoning lot until and unless the Plan Commission has reviewed the plans and heard the applicant and made findings that the common ownership or possession of the zoning lot and the site of the parking facilities are reasonably certain to continue and that the off-site parking facilities will be maintained at all times during the life of the proposed use or building.
(F) Submission of plot plans. Any application for a building permit or for a certificate of occupancy where no building permit is required, shall include therewith a plot plan - drawn to scale and fully dimensioned - showing any parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance herewith.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88)
§ 151.107 ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS; PARKING.
Exceptions to parking regulations. Within the area determined by the Plan Commission to be the Central Business District the parking regulations set forth herein shall not apply. However, existing off-street parking in the Central Business District which is located on the same lot as the building or use served and which was in existence on the effective date of this chapter or was provided voluntarily after the date of this chapter, shall not hereafter be reduced below the requirements of this chapter for a similar new building or use.
(A) Use of parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential uses and developed in any residential district in accordance with the requirements herein shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles owned by occupants of the dwelling structures to which such facilities are accessory or by guests of said occupants. Under no circumstances shall required parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage of commercial vehicles or for the parking of automobiles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants, visitors, or customers of business or manufacturing establishments.
(B) Joint parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities for different buildings, structures or uses or for mixed uses may be provided collectively in any zoning district in which separate parking facilities for each constituent use would be permitted, provided that the total number of spaces so located together shall not be less than the sum of the separate requirements for each use.
(C) Computation. When determination of the number of off-street parking spaces required herein results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction of one-half or less may be disregarded while a fraction in excess of one-half shall be counted as one parking space.
(D) Size. A required off-street parking space shall be at least ten feet in width and at least 20 feet in length, exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns or office or work areas. Such space shall have a vertical clearance of at least seven feet.
(E) Access. Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway of such width and design as to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to such parking space. All off-street parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements. No driveway across public property nor curb cut shall exceed a width of 30 feet.
(F) In yards. Off-street parking spaces may be allowed in any yards except required front yards. Driveways into and/or thru front yards may be used as off-street parking spaces.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88) Penalty, see § 151.999
§ 151.108 DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE.
(A) Open and enclosed parking spaces. Accessory parking spaces located on the same lot as occupied by the use served may be open to the sky or enclosed in a building. Accessory parking spaces located in a residential district elsewhere than on the same lot occupied by the use served shall be open to the sky except when otherwise allowed.
(B) Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas, except a single parking space accessory to a one-family dwelling, shall be improved with some comparable all-weather dustless material.
(C) Screening and landscaping. In a business or M-1 or M-2 Manufacturing District, all open automobile parking areas containing more than four parking spaces shall be effectively screened on each side adjoining or fronting on any property in a residential district or any institutional premises, by a wall, fence or densely planted compact hedge not less than five feet nor more than seven feet in height. Such required screening shall conform with the front and side yard setback requirements of the district in which the parking is located.
(D) Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be directed away from the residential properties in such a way as not to create a nuisance.
(E) Repair and service.
(1) No motor vehicle repair work of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities provided in a residential district.
(2) The sale of gasoline and motor oil in conjunction with accessory off-street parking facilities is not permitted in any residential district.
(F) Maximum number of spaces. The total number of accessory parking spaces provided for one-, two-, or multiple-family dwellings or hotels shall not exceed that required herein for such use or for any equivalent new use by more than 50%, or four spaces, whichever number is greater.
(G) Floor area exemptions. When two or more uses are located on the same zoning lot, only one exception in terms of floor area - as set forth in § 151.110, shall be taken.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88) Penalty, see § 151.999
§ 151.109 LOCATION OF ACCESSORY OFF-STREET PARKING FACILITIES.
The location of off-street parking spaces in relation to the use served shall be as prescribed hereinafter. All distances specified shall be walking distances between such parking spaces and a main entrance to the use served.
(A) For uses in a residential district. Parking spaces accessory to dwellings shall be located on the same zoning lot as the use served. Spaces accessory to uses other than dwellings may be located on a lot adjacent to, or directly across a street or alley from, the lot occupied by the use served, but in no case at a distance in excess of 300 feet from such use.
(B) For uses in business and manufacturing districts. All required parking spaces shall be within 1,000 feet of the use served, except for spaces accessory to dwelling units (except those located in a transient hotel) which shall be within 300 feet of the use served. However, no parking spaces accessory to a use in a business or manufacturing district shall be located in a residential district.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88) Penalty, see § 151.999
§ 151.110 SCHEDULE OF PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
For the following uses, accessory off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required hereinafter. Parking spaces required on an employee basis shall be based on the maximum number of employees on duty or residing, or both, on the premises at any one time.
(A) Residential uses, as follows:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH |
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
One-family dwellings and two-family dwellings | 2 | dwelling unit |
Multiple-family dwellings (including apartment hotels) | 3 | 2 dwelling units |
For lodging rooms located in an apartment hotel. | 1 | 2 lodging rooms |
Tourist courts, tourist homes, motels and motor hotels | 1 | dwelling unit or lodging room |
Hotels, transient | 1 1 | dwelling unit 2 lodging rooms |
Lodging houses | 1 1 | 2 lodging rooms owner or manager |
Private clubs and lodges (with sleeping facilities for guests) | 1 | 2 lodging rooms |
Plus parking space equal in number to 10% of the capacity in persons (exclusive of lodging room capacity) of such club or lodge. | ||
(B) Retail and service uses, as follows:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH |
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
Retail stores and banks. | 1 | 200 sq. ft. of floor area in excess of 2,000 sq. ft. |
Drive-in banks or other similar drive-in establishments shall provide 3 stacking spaces per teller or customer service window. | ||
Automobile service station. | 1 | 2 employees |
Automobile laundry. 2 stacking spaces per each wash rack, plus: | 1 | 4 employees |
Bowling alleys. | 3 | Alley |
Plus such additional spaces as may be required herein for affiliated uses - bars, restaurants and the like. | ||
Establishments dispensing food or beverages for consumption on the premises. | 1 | 300 sq. ft. of floor area |
Furniture and appliance stores, household equipment or furniture repair shops. | 1 | 600 sq. ft. of floor area in excess of 2,00 sq. ft. |
Motor vehicle sales and machinery sales. | 1 | 300 sq. ft. of floor area |
Theaters (indoor). | 1 | 5 seats |
Undertaking establishments, funeral parlors: | 6 1 | Chapel or parlor Funeral vehicle kept on the premises |
(C) Offices - business, professional and governmental. One parking space provided for each 200 square feet of floor area.
(D) Wholesale establishments (but not including warehouses and storage buildings other than accessory). One parking space provided for each 600 square feet of floor area in excess of 4,000 square feet.
(E) Establishments engaged in production, processing, cleaning, servicing, testing or repair of materials, goods or products.
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
1 1 | 2 employees vehicle used in the conduct of the enterprise |
(F) Warehouses and storage buildings:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
1 1 | 2 employees vehicle used in the conduct of the enterprise |
(G) Community service uses, as follows:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH |
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
Church, school, college and other institutional auditoriums. Plus adequate space shall be provided for buses used in connection with the activities of the institution, and all loading and unloading of passengers shall take place upon the premises. | 1 | 3 auditorium seats |
Colleges, universities and business, professional and trade schools. | 1 1 | 3 employees 4 students based on the maximum number of students attending classes on the premises at any one time during any 24-hour period |
Health centers, government-operated | 3 | staff and visiting doctors |
Hospitals | 1 1 1 | 2 hospital beds 2 employees (other than staff doctors) doctor assigned to the staff |
Libraries, art galleries and museums - public | 1 | 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Municipal or privately-owned recreation buildings or community centers. Plus 15 spaces to serve the visiting public. | 1 | 2 employees |
Public utility and public service uses. Plus 5 spaces to serve the public. | 1 | 3 employees |
Schools - nursery, elementary and high | 1 | employee |
(H) Places of assembly, as follows:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
Stadiums, arenas, auditoriums, (other than church, college, or institutional school), convention halls, dance halls, exhibition halls, skating rinks and other similar places of assembly. | Parking spaces equal in number to 25% of the capacity in persons shall be provided | |
(I) Miscellaneous uses, as follows:
PARKING SPACES | PROVIDED FOR EACH | |
Fraternities, sororities and dormitories | 1 1 | 5 active members manager thereof |
Institutions for the care of the insane or feeble- minded. Plus spaces equal in number to 25% of the capacity in persons shall be provided to serve the visiting public. | 1 | staff doctor |
Private clubs and lodges (without sleeping facilities for guests). | 1 | 10% of the capacity in persons |
Rest homes or nursing homes | 1 1 1 | 4 beds 2 employees (other than staff doctors) doctor assigned to the staff |
Sanitariums, convalescent homes or institutions for the aged or for children | 1 1 1 | 4 beds 2 employees (other than staff doctors) doctor assigned to the staff |
Theaters - automobile drive-in. Reservoir parking space equal to 10% of the vehicle capacity of such theaters shall be provided. |
(J) For the following uses, parking spaces shall be provided in adequate number to serve persons employed or residing on the premises. Parking spaces equal in number to 25% of the capacity of the building(s) will be provided to serve the visiting public.
(1) Airports or aircraft landing fields; heliports.
(2) Convents and monasteries.
(3) Crematories and mausoleums.
(4) Fraternal or religious institutions.
(5) Outdoor amusement establishments: fairgrounds, permanent carnivals, kiddie parks and other similar amusement centers.
(6) Penal and correctional institutions.
(7) Rectories and parish houses.
(8) Swimming pools.
(9) Mixed uses. When two or more uses are located on the same zoning lot or within the same building, parking spaces equal in number to the sum of the separate requirements for each such use shall be provided. No parking space or portion thereof shall serve as a required space for more than one use unless otherwise authorized by the City Council.
(10) Other uses. For uses not listed heretofore in this schedule of parking requirements, parking spaces shall be provided on the same basis as required for the most similar listed use.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88) Penalty, see § 151.999
§ 151.111 ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS; OFF-STREET LOADING.
(A) Location. All required loading berths shall be located on the same zoning lot as the use served. No loading berth for vehicles over two tons capacity shall be closer than 50 feet to any property in a residential district unless completely enclosed by building walls, or a uniformly painted solid fence or wall, or any combination thereof, not less than six feet in height. No permitted or required loading berth shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two streets.
(B) Size. Unless otherwise specified, a required loading berth shall be at least ten feet in width by at least 25 feet in length, exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet.
(C) Access. Each required off-street loading berth shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements.
(D) Surfacing. All open off-street loading berths shall be improved with a compacted macadam base, not less than seven inches thick, surfaced with not less than two inches of asphaltic concrete, concrete, or some comparable all-weather, dustless material.
(E) Repair and service.
(1) No motor vehicle repair work of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with loading facilities provided in any residential or business district.
(2) Space allocated to any off-street loading berth shall not while so allocated be used to satisfy the space requirements for any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof.
(3) For special uses other than prescribed for hereinafter, loading berths adequate in number and size to serve such uses, shall be provided.
(4) Uses for which off-street loading facilities are required herein but which are located in buildings of less floor area than the minimum prescribed for such required facilities shall be provided with adequate receiving facilities off any adjacent alley, service drive, or open space on the same lot which is accessible by motor vehicle.
(Ord. 88-30, passed 8-8-88) Penalty, see § 151.999
§ 151.112 SCHEDULE OF LOADING REQUIREMENTS.
For the uses listed in the following table, off-street loading berths shall be provided on the basis of gross floor area of buildings or portions thereof devoted to such uses in the amounts shown herein.