The primary purpose of these provisions is to reduce traffic congestion on public streets of the City of Pelham by requiring certain minimum off-street parking and loading areas be provided. Further, these provisions promote safe and convenient access to and from each site, as well as safe and efficient on-site traffic circulation and encourage the design of attractive, efficient and harmonious facilities.

At the time of the erection of any building or at the time any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding floor area, seats, dwelling units, guest rooms, or before conversion from one type of use or occupancy to another, permanent off-street parking in the amount specified by this article must be provided. Such parking space may be provided in a parking garage or parking lot or in driveways serving single[-family] and two-family residences. Parking facilities provided in accordance with the terms of this ordinance shall not subsequently be reduced to below the requirements of this ordinance.

1.

All residential and agricultural zoning districts in the City of Pelham require a minimum of two off-street parking spaces. However, provisions shall be made by the owner or occupant of each residential or agricultural unit to park all vehicles belonging to residents of the household within the confines their property and not upon the public right-of-way. Recreational vehicles and commercial vehicles shall not be parked forward of the front of a residence. In the case of corner lots or double fronted lots, recreational and commercial vehicles must be screened or shielded from public view as set out in Article XXIV, section 13, screening.

2.

All commercial, industrial, and institutional zoning districts in the City of Pelham have parking requirements determined by the use, occupancy, size and/or seating capacity of the site. All required parking shall be contained within the confines of the site or may be supplemented by a written, fully executed document authorizing shared parking between the business owner and the owner of nearby property having surplus parking places above those required for the use on the site, or when the hours of operation of the two uses allow peak use of the parking spaces at separate times of day.

(Ord. No. 135-182, 7-16-07)

2.1.

Residential districts/uses.

2.2.

Nonresidential districts/uses.

(Ord. No. 135-182, 7-16-07)

In applying the standards of section 1.0 of this article, the following rules shall apply:

1.

Parking lots, including adequate driveways and maneuvering areas, shall be improved and maintained with a suitable paved bituminous or concrete surface.

2.

A parking space shall be a minimum of:

a.

Standard parking spaces: Nine feet wide and 20 feet long.

b.

Parallel parking spaces: Nine feet in width and 22 feet in length.

c.

Stacking parking spaces: Ten feet in width and 20 feet in length, and shall be separated from parking aisles and spaces.

d.

Handicapped parking spaces: Shall be provided and designed in accordance with the applicable provisions of federal, state or local law

e.

Except for single-family and two-family residences in residential districts, turning space should be provided so that no vehicle will be required to back into a public street.

f.

No off-street parking shall be permitted in the required front yard of any residential district except upon a driveway providing access to a garage, carport, or parking area for a dwelling.

3.

The parking space requirement for a use which is not specifically mentioned in this ordinance shall be the same as required for a use of similar nature.

4.

Where fractional spaces result in using the formulas contained in this section, the parking spaces required shall be construed to be the next highest whole number.

5.

In the case of mixed or joint uses, the parking spaces required shall equal the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately.

6.

These standards shall apply fully to all uses and buildings established after the effective date of this ordinance.

7.

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 in its entirety shall conform to the off-street parking and loading standards of this ordinance. This also applies if the existing structure does not have the minimum parking required under the current ordinance at the time that the alteration or expansion is proposed.

8.

Certification of minimum parking requirements. Each application for a certificate of occupancy shall include information as to the location and dimensions of off-street parking spaces, if required, and the means of ingress and egress between such space and a street or alley. This information shall be in sufficient detail to enable the building official to determine whether or not the requirements are met. The certificate of occupancy for the use of any building, structure, or land where off-street parking space is required shall be withheld at the discretion of the building official until the provisions are fully met.

3.1.

Location and design of off-street parking areas.

1.

In all residential districts required off-street parking shall be provided on the same lot as the use to which the parking pertains. In other districts, such parking may be provided either on the same lot or an adjacent lot, not in a residential district, when an increase in the number of spaces is required by a change of use or enlargement of the building served, or where such spaces are provided collectively or used jointly by two or more buildings or establishments.

2.

Up to 50 percent of the parking spaces required for (a) theaters, restaurants, public auditoriums, and bowling alleys, and up to one hundred percent of the parking spaces required for a church auditorium may be provided and used jointly by (b) establishments not normally open, used or operated during the same hours as those listed in (a); provided, however, that written agreement thereto is properly executed and filed as specified below.

3.

In any case where the required parking spaces are not located on the same lot with the building or use served, or where such spaces are collectively or jointly provided and used, a written, notarized agreement thereby assuring their retention for such purposes shall be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned, and shall be filed with the application for a building permit or business license.

4.

All parking areas shall be provided with safe entrance to and exit from the public thoroughfare. The location of such entrances and exits, and design and construction thereof, shall be reviewed in the interest of safety, adequate drainage and other public concerns.

5.

All parking areas (except in single-family residential) utilized between dusk and dawn shall be properly illuminated. All lighting fixtures used to illuminate parking areas shall not direct lights on adjoining rights-of-way or properties.

6.

Parking areas for all developments shall 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 chief or fire marshal.

7.

Parking lots, including adequate driveways and maneuvering areas, shall be improved and maintained with a suitable paved bituminous or concrete surface.

8.

Parking spaces, except those serving one-[family] or two-family dwelling units, shall be demarcated with painted lines or other markings.

9.

All parking areas shall be maintained in good condition, free of pot holes, weeds, trash, refuse, etc.

10.

Drainage in parking areas shall direct stormwater back into the site from adjacent properties toward adequate drainage channels. Large parking areas of 20 or more spaces shall provide on-site stormwater detention to retard the sudden discharge of high volumes of stormwater into the public drainage system. The quantity and rate of runoff after development shall not exceed the quantity and rate of runoff before development, based on a 25-year storm frequency. Drainage plans shall be subject to approval by the city engineer.

11.

All parking areas, when adjoining a street right-of-way shall be physically separated from the right-of-way.

12.

Parking areas shall 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 one or two dwelling units; although, backing into arterial streets shall be prohibited.

13.

Calculations used in determining the minimum and actual number of parking spaces for a proposed site shall be included on the site plan provided by a civil engineer, licensed by the State of Alabama.

3.2.

Parking prohibitions.

1.

No off-street parking spaces, except for residential uses shall be entered or exited directly from a public street or alley.

2.

Commercial operations shall not be conducted from parking lots.

3.

The use of any required parking space for the storage of any motor vehicle for sale, repair, or any other purpose other than the temporary parking of motor vehicles while patronizing the use to which the parking is authorized, is prohibited. Overnight parking of vehicles not related to the use on the property, shall not be allowed.

4.

The keeping of an inoperative motor vehicle shall be within a fully enclosed building or structure or be completely screened or shielded from public view. Moreover, no inoperative motor vehicle shall be parked on any public street.

5.

Commercial vehicles exceeding two and one-half tons rated capacity, or truck tractors, or semitrailers, or any combination thereof, shall not be parked or stored on residentially zoned property, except temporarily while loading or unloading. For purposes of this section, truck tractors and semitrailers shall be defined as shown in Code of Ala. 1975, § 32-1-1.1.

6.

Boats, trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, and similar items cannot be parked in the front yard of a residence or in the portion of the driveway to the front of the residence. In no instance shall a camper or recreational vehicle be connected to power, water, or sanitary facilities or used as a residence in a residential district.

3.3

Access controls.

1.

Property which has frontage on two or more streets may be allowed entrances on each street, subject to review and approval by the building official or city engineer.

2.

Installation of turn lanes, pavement widening, or other appropriate modifications may be required if deemed necessary by the building official or city engineer.

3.

Each parking area on a lot shall be physically separated from an adjoining street right-of-way by a curb or equivalent barrier to control vehicular access to and from the lot. Such barrier shall be located at or along the front line, unless suitable barriers are located within the street right-of-way. Except for permitted accessways, such barriers shall be continuous.

(Ord. No. 135-182, 7-16-07)

4.1.

Required loading space.

1.

On the same premises with every building or structure involving the receipt or dispatch of vehicles as a necessity for, or as incidental to, the operation or use of the building, an area shall be set out for loading and unloading services, in order to avoid undue interference with public use of streets or alleys.

2.

Each such space shall be a minimum of 14 feet wide and 40 feet long where vans are to be received, or a minimum of 14 feet wide and 60 feet long, where tractors and semi-trailers are to be received.

3.

No loading space shall be located within the front yard or within five feet of any property line.

4.

No loading space shall be used to meet the parking space requirement, interfere with the on-site circulation of traffic, or allow a delivery vehicle to extend into any right-of-way or over any property line.

5.

All lighting fixtures used to illuminate loading areas shall not direct light on adjacent streets or properties and shall not exceed a height of 25 feet above ground level.

6.

All required loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the principal use served by the spaces, unless a satellite or joint use loading facility is secured in an equivalent manner as satellite or joint parking facilities, as provided by Article XXIV, subsection 3.1, location and design of off-street parking areas, items 2 and 3.

4.2.

Loading area site arrangement. All loading areas shall be provided with safe entrance to and exit from the public thoroughfare. The city engineer or the building official shall approve the design and construction of loading areas in the interests of safety, adequate drainage and other public requirements.

(Ord. No. 135-182, 7-16-07)