Perkasie City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 186-59 Trailer storage, parking and placement.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, store, park or permit to be placed, stored or parked any recreational vehicle or trailer upon any public or private land or property within the limits or boundaries of the Borough of Perkasie, except as follows:
A.
A maximum of one trailer or recreational vehicle specifically designed for and used as a vacation travel vehicle or trailer by the owner or occupant of a lot may be placed, stored or parked on the owner's or occupant's lot, subject to the following conditions:
(1)
The recreational vehicle or trailer shall be stored in a principal or accessory building constructed or maintained in accordance with this chapter or shall be stored in the open on that portion of the lot which may be occupied by an accessory structure as provided in § 186-27.
(2)
The recreational vehicle or trailer shall not be used more than 15 days per calendar year during such storage for sleeping or living quarters.
B.
Trailers used for offices and/or storage at the site of construction projects may be parked and used as temporary accessory structures in accordance with the provisions of § 186-16 hereof.
C.
All types of recreational vehicles and trailers may be temporarily parked within the Borough for a period not exceeding 15 days per calendar year.
D.
All trailers and recreational vehicles authorized to be stored or parked under the provisions of this article shall continuously bear a current license issued under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code and shall so be maintained as to be readily capable of being moved along and across pubic highways in compliance with such code.
§ 186-61 Required parking spaces by use.
A.
Where a proposed use contains or includes more than one type of use, the number of parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking requirements for each separate use.
B.
When a use is changed from one category of use to another, the applicant for a certificate of occupancy shall produce documentation on the location and number of parking spaces available and shall provide this documentation to the Borough prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy.
C.
Off-street parking spaces shall be provided and satisfactorily maintained in accordance with the following provisions for each building which, after the effective date of this chapter, is erected, enlarged or altered for use for any of the following purposes in any district.
[Amended 4-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1028; 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 1036; 6-20-2022 by Ord. No. 1045; 11-7-2022 by Ord. No. 1051]
Land Use | Required Off-Street Parking |
|---|---|
Farming | Minimum: 2 per farm dwelling unit |
Forestry/timber harvesting | None |
Single-family detached | 2 per dwelling unit |
Two-family (twin/duplex) | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Townhouse | 2 per dwelling unit |
Multiplex | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Multifamily | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Residential conversion | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Single-family cluster | 2 per dwelling unit |
Performance standard subdivision | |
Single-family detached | 2 per dwelling unit |
Two-family (twin/duplex) | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Multiplex | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Townhouse | 2 per dwelling unit |
Garden apartments | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Mobile home park | Efficiency and one-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.0 per dwelling unit |
Two-bedroom unit Minimum: 1.5 per dwelling unit | |
Three+ bedroom unit Minimum: 2 per dwelling unit | |
Housing for elderly | Minimum: 0.75 per dwelling unit |
Rooming house | Minimum: 1 per three beds |
Rowhome | 2 per dwelling unit |
Cemetery | None |
Community center | Minimum: 1 per 200 square feet of GFA |
Day-care center | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Golf course | Minimum: 3 per hole |
Hospital | Minimum: 1 per four beds |
Library or museum | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Nursing home | Minimum: 1 per 3 beds |
Private club or lodge | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Recreational facility | Minimum: 0.33 per person per design capacity |
Place of worship | Minimum: 1 per 75 square feet in the main assembly room |
School | Elementary or junior high Minimum: 1 per classroom |
Senior high Minimum: 0.25 per student (based on the maximum number of students that the facility is designed to handle at any one time) plus 1 per classroom | |
College Minimum: 5 per classroom and 3 per administrative office, plus 1 space per 75 square feet of assembly area | |
Commercial school | Minimum: 1 per 200 square feet of GFA |
Professional office | Minimum: 1 per 350 square feet of GFA |
Medical office | Minimum: 1 per 250 square feet of GFA |
Veterinary office | Minimum: 1 per 350 square feet of GFA |
Financial institution | Minimum: 1 per 250 square feet of GFA |
Bed and breakfast | Minimum: 1 per lodging unit, plus 2 for the permanent residence |
Eating place | Minimum: 1 per 300 square feet of GFA |
Adult use | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Indoor entertainment and recreation facility | Health club, gym, bowling alley, arcade, or similar use Minimum: 3 for each 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Theater, auditorium, stadium or similar use Minimum: 1 per 75 square feet of assembly area | |
Outdoor entertainment and recreation facility | Minimum: 1 per four persons present when such facilities are filled to capacity |
Funeral home | Minimum: 1 per 100 square feet of floor area in parlors or assembly areas |
Kennel | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Mixed use | Minimum: 3 per 1,000 square feet of GFA for nonresidential uses plus residential parking as required for multifamily residential *If located within the TC District parking shall comply with § 186-20J(5) |
Motel or hotel | Minimum: 1 per lodging unit |
Motor vehicle accessories sales | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Gas station | Minimum: 0.5 per four pumps |
Repair garage | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Vehicle sales or rental | Minimum: 3.5 per 1,000 square feet office sales area and waiting area |
Planned commercial development | Minimum: 3 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Retail shop | Minimum: 1 per 300 square feet of GFA |
Service business | Minimum: 1 per 500 square feet of GFA |
Tavern | Minimum: 1 per 150 square feet of GFA |
Brewery | Minimum: 1 per 150 square feet of GFA |
Microbrewery, microwinery, microdistillerv | Minimum: 1 per 150 square feet of GFA |
Brewpub | Minimum: 1 per 150 square feet of GFA |
Taproom | Minimum: 1 per 150 square feet of GFA |
Emergency services | Minimum: 3 spaces per emergency service vehicle. If there is a community room, an additional 1 space per 75 square feet of meeting space shall be provided |
Utility | Minimum: 1 space |
Telecommunications | None |
Contractor | Minimum: 0.9 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Crafts | Minimum: 0.9 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Lumber yard | Minimum: 1 per 1,000 square feet of GFA plus 1 per 1,000 square feet outdoor sales area |
Manufacturing | Minimum: 1 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Printing, publishing and binding | Minimum: 0.9 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Recycling facility | Minimum: 3 per 1,000 square feet of office floor area |
Resource recovery facility | Minimum: 3 per 1,000 square feet of office floor area |
Research | Minimum: 0.9 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Warehouse and distribution | Minimum: 0.5 per 1,000 square feet of GFA |
Accessory dormitory | Minimum: 0.5 space per sleeping room at maximum capacity |
Home occupation | Minimum: 1 space per 250 square feet of floor area of accessory use |
No-impact home-based business | None |
Roadside stand | Minimum: 1 space for each 400 square feet of sales area |
§ 186-62 General parking regulations.
A.
Existing parking. Structures and uses in existence at the date of adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the requirements of this article so long as the kind or extent of use is not changed, provided that any parking facility now serving such structures or uses shall not in the future be reduced below such requirements.
B.
Change in requirements. Whenever there is an alteration of a structure or a change or extension of a use which increases the parking requirements according to the standards of § 186-61, the total additional parking required for the alteration, change or extension shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of that section.
C.
Conflict with other uses. No parking area shall be used for any use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve.
D.
Residential garages excluded. For residential uses, parking spaces provided within garages shall not be counted toward the off-street parking requirement.
E.
Continuing obligation.
(1)
All required parking facilities shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve.
(2)
Off-street parking facilities shall not be reduced in total extent after their provision, except upon the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board and then only after proof that, by reason of diminution of floor area, seating area, the number of employees or change in other factors controlling the regulation of the number of parking spaces, such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this article.
(3)
Reasonable precautions shall be taken by the owner or sponsor of particular uses to assure the availability of required facilities to the employees or other persons for whom the facilities are designed to serve. Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner as to at no time constitute a nuisance or a hazard or unreasonable impediment to traffic.
F.
Common parking facility. Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a common parking lot if the total space provided is not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually. However, the number of spaces required in a common parking facility may be reduced below this total by special exception under Article XI if it can be demonstrated to the Zoning Hearing Board that the hours or days of peak parking needed for the uses are so different that a lower total will provide adequately for all uses served by the facility.
G.
Fractional parking calculation. Where the computation of required parking spaces shall be in a fractional number, any fraction of the next highest number shall be counted as one.
H.
Location of parking areas. Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or premises with the principal use served or, where this requirement cannot be met, within 500 feet of the principal use served. The applicant or developer shall provide proof of the availability of parking spaces which are not needed to meet the requirements of another use within 500 feet of the premises and which can be used for parking purposes by the applicant. If spaces are leased, the Borough shall require proof of the leasing arrangement to be kept on file. Proof of ongoing leases will be required.
[Amended 6-20-2022 by Ord. No. 1046]
I.
Maintenance of parking areas. For parking areas of three or more vehicles, the area not landscaped and so maintained, including driveways, shall be graded, surfaced with asphalt or other suitable material and drained to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer to the extent necessary to prevent dust, erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining property.
J.
Reduction of nonresidential parking requirements. In order to prevent the establishment of a greater number of parking spaces than is actually required to serve the needs of nonresidential uses, Borough Council, after consulting with the Planning Commission and Borough Engineer, may permit a conditional reduction of parking space through either joint use or reservation of land for future parking.
(1)
Joint use: The number of spaces required in a common parking facility may be reduced below this total if it can be demonstrated that the hours or days of peak parking needed for the uses are different and that a lower total will provide adequately for uses served by the parking area. The total number of spaces shall not be less than 75% of what would be required under strict ordinance interpretation.
(2)
Reservation of land for future parking: The design of the parking lot, as indicated on the land development plan, must designate sufficient space to meet the parking requirements of this chapter. The plan also shall illustrate the layout for the total number of parking spaces which must be in compliance with the impervious surface and yard requirements of this chapter.
(a)
The balance of the parking area reserved shall not include areas for required buffer yards, setbacks, or area which otherwise would be unsuitable for parking spaces due to the physical characteristics of the land or other requirements of this chapter. This parking area which is reserved shall be landscaped and shall be located so that it can be used for additional parking spaces if required.
(b)
The developer shall enter into a written agreement with Borough Council that, after one year following the issuing of the last occupancy permit, the additional parking spaces shall be provided at the developer's or owner's expense should it be determined at the sole discretion of Borough Council that the required number of parking spaces are necessary to satisfy the need of the land development. The applicant shall establish a performance bond with adequate security to cover the cost of paving the additional spaces and shall enter into an agreement with the Borough to ensure that the paving will be provided by the current or any future owners when it is determined the paving is needed.
§ 186-70 Design standards for parking.
The design standards specified below shall be required for all off-street parking facilities with a capacity of three or more vehicles, built after the effective date of this chapter.
A.
Parking lot dimensions shall be no less than those listed in the following table:
Aisle Width | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angle of Parking | Parking Width (feet) | Stall Depth (feet) | One-Way (feet) | Two-Way (feet) | |
90° | 10 | 20 | 20 | 24 | |
60° | 10 | 21 | 18 | 21 | |
45° | 10 | 20 | 15 | 18 | |
30° | 10 | 18 | 12 | 15 | |
Parallel | 8 | 22 | 12 | 18 | |
Handicapped-accessible parking stall dimensions: 13 feet wide eight-foot parking space plus five-foot access aisle) by 20 feet deep, or per current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, as amended. |
B.
All off-street parking spaces shall be marked so as to indicate their location.
C.
Parking areas shall be designed to permit each motor vehicle to proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other motor vehicles.
D.
All dead-end parking aisles shall be designed to provide sufficient backup area for the end stalls of the parking lot.
E.
In no case shall parking areas for three or more vehicles be designed to require or encourage cars to back into a public street in order to leave the lot.
F.
Accessible parking spaces for disabled persons shall be located in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Accessible spaces shall be provided in locations that are convenient for disabled patrons, clients, and employees.
H.
For the purpose of servicing any property held under single and separate ownership, entrance and exit drives crossing the street lot line shall be limited to two along the frontage of any single street, and their center lines shall be placed at least 80 feet apart. On all corner properties, there shall be spaced a minimum of 60 feet, measured at the curbline, between the center line of any entrance or exit drive and the street line of the street parallel to said access drive.
I.
All parking spaces and access drives shall be at least five feet from any lot line.
J.
Except where entrance and exit drives cross street lines, all parking areas for any purpose other than single-family residences shall be physically separated from any public street by a concrete curb and by a planting strip which shall be not less than 12 feet in depth. This twelve-foot planting strip shall be parallel to the street line and shall be measured from the future right-of-way.
K.
In any parking area of more than three spaces in a residence district or abutting a residence or apartment district, all spaces not within a building shall be buffered with evergreen or other suitable planting which shall be at least four feet in height, designed to screen noise, odors, visibility and headlight glare and located between such parking spaces and any lot in a residence or apartment district that abuts directly or across a street. Parking shall be screened in accordance with § 186-54, Buffering.
L.
All artificial lighting used to illuminate any parking space or spaces shall be so arranged that no direct rays from such lighting shall fall upon any neighboring property.
M.
Shopping cart storage: Any establishment that furnishes carts as an adjunct to shopping shall provide marked areas for the return of carts. No carts shall be stored on sidewalk areas needed for pedestrian circulation and all carts shall be stored under cover and secured.
§ 186-71 Off-street loading requirements.
Off-street loading requirements as specified below shall be provided on any lot on which a building exceeding 6,000 square feet of gross floor area for business or industry is hereafter erected.
A.
Every freight terminal or railroad yard, hospital, retail establishment, storage warehouse or wholesale establishment, industrial plant or manufacturing establishment exceeding 6,000 square feet shall have at least one off-street loading space. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or more arranged, intended or designed for such use, there shall be provided off-street truck loading or unloading berths in accordance with the following table:
Aggregate Gross Floor Area Devoted to Each Use (square feet) | Required Number of Berths | |
|---|---|---|
6,000 to 19,999 | 1 | |
20,000 to 79,999 | 2 | |
80,000 to 127,999 | 3 | |
128,000 to 191,999 | 4 | |
192,000 to 255,999 | 5 | |
256,000 to 319,999 | 6 | |
320,000 to 391,999 | 7 | |
For each additional 72,000 | 1 additional |
B.
Every auditorium, convention hall, exhibition hall, funeral home, multiple-family dwelling of 20 units or more, office building, restaurant, hotel, sports arena or welfare institution exceeding 6,000 square feet shall have at least one off-street loading space. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 30,000 square feet or more arranged, intended or designed for such use, there shall be provided off-street truck loading and unloading berths in accordance with the following table:
Aggregate Gross Floor Area Devoted to Each Use (square feet) | Required Number of Berths | |
|---|---|---|
30,000 to 49,999 | 1 | |
45,000 to 119,999 | 2 | |
120,000 to 197,999 | 3 | |
198,000 to 290,999 | 4 | |
291,000 to 389,999 | 5 | |
390,000 to 488,999 | 6 | |
489,000 to 587,999 | 7 | |
580,000 to 689,999 | 8 | |
For each additional 105,000 | 1 additional |
§ 186-72 Design and layout of loading facilities.
Off-street loading facilities shall be designed to conform to the following specifications:
A.
Each required space shall be no less than 12 feet in width, 30 feet in length and 14 feet in height, exclusive of drives and maneuvering space, and located entirely on the lot being served.
B.
There shall be appropriate means of access to a street or alley as well as adequate maneuvering space.
C.
The maximum width of driveways and sidewalk openings measured at the street lot line shall be 35 feet; the minimum width shall be 20 feet.
D.
Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner as to at no time constitute a nuisance or a hazard or unreasonable impediment to traffic.
F.
Parking areas for three or more cars shall be paved with an all-weather, cohesive, dust-free surface sufficient to carry the imposed load.
§ 186-73 Maintenance of loading facilities.
All required loading facilities shall be provided and maintained in accordance with the following requirements:
A.
They shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve.
B.
They shall not be reduced in total extent after their provision, except when such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this article.
C.
Reasonable precautions shall be taken by the owner or sponsor of particular uses to assure the availability of required facilities to the delivery and pickup vehicles that they are designed to serve.