It is the purpose of this section [article] to state the guidelines for providing off-street parking space consistent with the proposed land use in order to:

(1)

Eliminate occurrence of nonresident on-street parking in adjoining neighborhoods;

(2)

Avoid the traffic congestion and public safety hazards caused by a failure to provide such parking space; and

(3)

Expedite the movement of traffic on public thoroughfares by prohibiting curb parking.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

In all districts, excluding business district (C-2), for every use, there shall be provided at the time any building or structure is erected or enlarged or increased in capacity, or at the time any other use is established, off-street parking spaces for automobiles in accordance with the requirements specified herein.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

The number of off-street parking spaces required shall be determined by the requirements of the individual district, and as follows. The classification of uses referred to shall be deemed to include and apply to all uses. If for any reason the classification of any use, for the purpose of determining the amount of off-street parking space to be provided by such use, is not readily determinable hereunder, the classification and requirements for such use shall be determined by the board of adjustments.

A.

Residential parking required:

1.

Two paved parking spaces per dwelling unit shall be provided for the following, with the parking area located on the same lot as the main building or buildings, except as otherwise provided above:

a.

Single-family dwellings, including townhouses, garden homes, and HUD Code Manufactured homes.

2.

Minimum number of paved, striped off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit required for multifamily dwelling units or condominiums:

a.

Each residential dwelling unit: two spaces.

3.

One and one-half parking spaces for each person shall be provided for the following establishments:

a.

Dormitory.

b.

Lodging house.

c.

Boarding house.

d.

Other similar group quarters.

B.

Nonresidential parking space requirements:

1.

[Commercial uses, office and professional buildings outside central business district:] Commercial uses, office and professional buildings outside of the central business district, unless otherwise mentioned in this section, shall be required to have three spaces for up to 300 square feet of floor area, plus one space for each additional 300 square feet of floor area or in accordance with b. [21.], whichever is greater.

2.

Restaurant, nightclub, cafe or similar recreation or amusement establishment: One parking space for each 100 gross square feet (G.S.F.), of floor area, or one space for each four seats, whichever is greater.

3.

Theaters, auditoriums, churches, temples, sports arenas, stadiums: One space for each four seats in the main auditorium or seating area or one space for each 50 square feet G.S.F.

4.

Dance, assembly and exhibition halls without fixed seats: One space for each two seats in assembly or dancing area or one for each 100 square feet used for assembly or dancing.

5.

Hotel or motel: One parking space for each sleeping room or suite plus one space for each 400 square feet of commercial floor area contained therein.

6.

Hospital: One parking space for each bed or one for every 400 square feet G.S.F.

7.

Sanitorium, convalescent home, home for the aged or assisted living for the elderly: 0.3 per room to one space for each two beds.

8.

Medical or dental clinics: Five spaces for each doctor or dentist, or one space per 300 square feet G.S.F. or in accordance with b. [21.], whichever is greater.

9.

Bowling alley: Five parking spaces for each alley.

10.

Mortuary or funeral home: Minimum of one space for each four seats to a maximum of one space for each two seats in slumber room parlors and individual funeral service rooms.

11.

Day nurseries, day care centers, and kindergartens with over six children: Minimum of one space per each 375 square feet of G.S.F.. to a maximum of 1.5 spaces per each 375 square feet of G.S.F.

12.

Schools (except high school or college): Minimum of one and one-half spaces for each classroom to a maximum of three spaces for each classroom.

13.

High schools: One space for each eight seats in the main auditorium or four spaces for each classroom, whichever is greater.

14.

Colleges:Minimum of one space for each four students to a maximum of one space for each two students.

15.

Manufacturing plants, research laboratories: Minimum of one space per each 1,500 square feet G.S.F. to a maximum of one space per each 1,000 square feet of G.S.F.

16.

Warehouses: Minimum of one space per 2,000 G.S.F. to a maximum of one space per each 200 G.S.F.

17.

Terminal facilities, truck terminals, and other similar personal and/or material facilities: One for each 200 square feet of floor area when no warehousing facilities are provided; one for each 1,000 square feet when warehousing facilities are provided.

18.

Bus depots: One space for each 100 feet of G.S.F. or one space per employee, whichever is greater.

19.

Lumberyards and wholesale establishments: One space each 150 square feet of sales floor area, plus one for each 1,500 square feet of G.F.A. of warehouse.

20.

Unclassified use: Where the proposed land use cannot be classified within the uses herein specified, the city council [commission] shall determine the specified use most closely related to the proposed use and the minimum off-street parking requirements for the specified use so determined shall apply to the proposed use.

21.

Exceptions: Groups of uses requiring vehicle parking space may join in establishing group parking areas with capacity aggregating that required for each particular use. Where it can be established before the building inspector that parking for two specific uses occurs at alternating periods, the parking space requirements of the use requiring the greater number of spaces may be applied to both uses in a combined parking area. Such parking shall be within 300 feet of all uses to be served by such parking. Example: church and professional office building.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

A.

Off-premises location: For any new use, building or structure where the required off-street parking cannot be provided on the premises because of the size or the locations of the lot, such parking may be provided on other property under the same ownership not more than 200 feet distant from closest point of property line to property line and provided the proposed parking area is located in a district where parking lots are permitted. Where individual land parcels are not large enough to permit on-site parking, the owners of several such adjacent parcels may be required to make a financial contribution sufficient to permit the joint development of required parking space nearby to serve traffic generated by the several land uses.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

A.

No parking space located on a public street or alley may be included in the calculation of off-street parking requirements.

B.

Parking spaces used for the parking of trucks or buses shall not be counted towards meeting the requirements of this section [article].

C.

In the event that the owner of a piece of property has insufficient street frontage to comply with the above parking requirements, the board of adjustment may grant a variance to lessen the parking requirements.

D.

When the computation for the number of parking spaces required under this article results in the requirement of a fractional space, the fractional space requirement shall be satisfied by adding one additional space to the whole-space total.

E.

When a lot is used for a combination of uses, the off-street parking requirements are the sum of the requirements for each use, and no off-street parking space for one use is included in the calculation of off-street parking requirements for any other use.

F.

Except for single-family, duplex, townhouse and mobile home uses, head-in parking adjacent to a public street where the maneuvering of the vehicle in parking or leaving the parking space is done on a public street is prohibited, and on all existing uses is excluded in computing off-street parking requirements.

G.

In all districts except a business district (C-2), required off-street parking must be available as free parking or contract parking on other than an hourly or daily fee basis. This requirement does not apply to institutional uses.

H.

The parking space required for a use not specifically mentioned herein shall be the same as required for a use of a similar nature.

I.

Whenever a property is changed or enlarged in floor area, number of employees, number of dwelling units, seating capacity, or otherwise, it shall constitute a need for an increase in parking spaces to comply with the parking requirements set forth herein.

J.

Automotive vehicles or trailers hearing [bearing] license plates or state motor vehicle inspection stickers that are more than three months out of date shall only be parked or stored on any residentially zoned property in a completely enclosed building and with paved parking. No motor vehicle of any kind whether motor driven, steam driven, electric driven or human power driven shall be parked in the front yard of any residentially zoned district unless such parking is paved and has received the city's approval via a building permit. Parking and storage of vehicles shall be in accordance with the city's junk vehicle ordinance (chapter 126 [of this Code]).

K.

For purposes of these regulations, major recreational equipment is defined as, but not limited to, boats and boat trailers, travel trailers, pickup campers or coaches (designed to be mounted on automotive vehicles), motorized dwellings, tent trailers, and the like, and cases or boxes used for transporting recreational equipment, whether occupied by such equipment or not. No major recreational equipment shall be parked or stored on any lot in a residential district except in a carport or enclosed building or behind the portion of a building nearest to a street, provided, however, that such equipment may be parked anywhere on residential premises for not to exceed 24 hours during loading or unloading. No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use, except as specified in the city's mobile home regulations [chapter 78 of this Code] or this article.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

A.

In all zoning districts there shall be provided in connection with appropriate allowable uses, off-street loading facilities in accordance with the following requirements:

Any department store, industrial plant, manufacturing establishment, retail establishment, storage warehouse, or wholesale establishment, which has an aggregate gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more, arranged, intended or designed for such use shall be provided with off-street truck loading or unloading berths at least 12 feet wide, 14 feet high, and 50 feet long in accordance with the following table. There shall be sufficient space to ensure that all maneuvering required to utilize such loading space will not include street right-of-way.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

A.

All parking areas and spaces shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

1.

All parking areas and spaces shall be designed and constructed so as to have free ingress and egress at all times.

2.

No parking space or parking area shall be designed so as to require a vehicle to back into a public street or across a public sidewalk, except in the case of one-family and two-family dwelling units.

3.

Minimum dimensions for off-street parking:

a.

Ninety-degree angle parking: Each parking space shall not be less than nine feet in width and 18 feet in length. Maneuvering shall be not less than 24 feet.

b.

Sixty-degree angle parking: Each parking space shall be not less than nine feet wide perpendicular to the parking angle nor less than 20 feet in length when measured at right angles to the building or parking line. Maneuvering space shall be not less than 16 feet perpendicular to the building or parking line.

c.

Forty-five-degree angle parking: Each parking space shall be not less than nine feet wide perpendicular to the parking angle nor less than 18½ feet in length when measured at right angles to the building or parking line. Maneuvering space shall be not less than 12 feet perpendicular to the building or parking line.

d.

When off-street parking facilities are located adjacent to a public alley, the width of said alley may be utilized as a portion of the maneuvering space requirement, provided the alley is paved.

e.

When off-street parking facilities are provided in excess of minimum amounts herein specified, or when off-street parking facilities are provided, but not required by this chapter [article], said off-street parking facilities shall comply with the minimum requirements for parking and maneuvering space herein specified.

4.

Pavement standards: All parking lots shall be paved according to city standards and specifications. The parking lanes must be clearly marked by white paint, buttons or other approved material.

5.

No parking area shall be designed or constructed which ends in a dead end, if more than three parking spaces in depth, unless adequate turnaround space is provided.

6.

All entrances or exits in a parking area shall be a minimum of 30 feet from the beginning point of any corner radius.

7.

All entrances or exits in a parking area shall be a minimum of 24 feet and a maximum of 30 feet in width, unless one-way, in which case they shall be a minimum of 12 feet for entrances and a minimum of nine feet for exits.

8.

The driveway approach angle to any parking area shall be a maximum of 16 degrees, the departure angle a maximum of ten degrees, and the ramp angle a maximum of 11 degrees.

9.

No parking areas or parking spaces shall be allowed to pave over or utilize public right-of-way, with the exception of approved entrances and exits, unless an exception is granted by the board of adjustment to pave within four feet of an existing or future curbline, due to a hardship.

10.

Any lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking area shall be so designated [designed] and constructed as to reflect the light away from any adjoining property or street.

11.

No occupancy permit shall be issued by the chief building inspector of the city until the terms and conditions of this article have been met, as certified by the director of planning.

12.

All parking areas and parking spaces shall be designed and constructed to protect adjacent residences from the direct glare of headlights of vehicles using the parking area. In accordance, all off-street parking areas shall be effectively screened on each side by a buffer as herein defined, from any adjoining property zoned single-family, townhouse, or duplex.

(Ord. No. O-2007-35, 6-19-07)

A.

Purpose and intent. The purpose of this section is to ensure that commercial businesses that include but is not limited to: drive-in/drive-through facilities that do not result in adverse impacts on surrounding neighborhoods by reason of customer and employee parking demand, traffic generation, noise, light, litter, or cumulative impact of such demands in one area. Stacking spaces (queue spaces) shall be provided to lessen congestion in the streets and to allow the safe conduct of drive-through transactions without interference by or to other on-site activities. Drive-through facilities/establishments shall not affect, obstruct, and/or impede the flow of traffic on any public right-of-way (ROW).

B.

Applicability. Any new site with new development, redevelopment, or change in use that uses drive-through facilities that includes but is not limited to: drive-in/drive-through facilities, fast food or take-out restaurants, snack stores, and/or snow-cone establishments, which may be permitted subject to the standards of the underlying district and special conditions listed in this section.

C.

Definitions. Words and phrases used in this article shall have the meanings set forth in this section, unless the context of their usage clearly requires otherwise. Words and phrases which are not defined in this article but are defined in other ordinances of the City of Pharr shall be given the meanings set forth in those ordinances. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense shall include the singular number (and vice versa); words in the plural number shall include the singular number (and vice versa); and words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender (and vice versa). Headings and captions are for reference purposes only. Other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

Drive-through(s) means a business that is designed so that customers can be served while remaining in their motor vehicles.

Drive-through convenience store means a type of business that allows customers to purchase a limited range of pre-packaged household goods and groceries without leaving their motor vehicles.

Pre-packaged foods/beverages shall include foods or beverages for off-premise consumption that are not prepared on site at the location.

Service area means where the service occurs.

Stacking spaces (queuing space) means space occupied by motor vehicles queuing for the service to be provided.

Storage means stacking of motor vehicles usually in a queue.

Queue means a sequence of motor vehicles having occupants who are awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed.

Queuing time means the time that is taken while being in a queue.

D.

Drive-through queuing.

1.

Purpose. A drive-through shall provide adequate space for on-site activities of motor vehicles to maneuver, circulate, and queue, without impeding vehicular and pedestrian traffic on public right-of-way.

2.

Application. This section applies to a new drive-through development, an addition of a drive-through to an existing development without a drive-through, and a relocation of an existing drive-through.

3.

Design and layout.

a.

A queuing lane must not interfere with:

(1)

Creating traffic, congestion and/or obstruct an intersection;

(2)

On-site circulation;

(3)

The site's driveway access, and/or;

(4)

Create a safety hazard.

b.

The required minimum dimensions of a queuing space are 12 feet wide and 20 feet long.

c.

A queuing lane must be identified through means such as signs, pavement markings, pavement design and landscaping.

d.

The drive-through layout shall install the ordering station in a location to increase the stacking length upstream of the ordering stations to reduce the time a vehicle will wait in the queue.

e.

Establishments shall be required to designate a waiting area for high demand goods and/or services that require additional wait time.

4.

Minimum number of queuing spaces. The following minimum numbers of queuing spaces are required:

NOTE: If drive-through establishments do not meet the number of queuing spaces in the table and/or requirements listed above, a professional (to include but not limited to: professional engineer/architect) queuing design analysis must be provided and approved by the director of department of development services or designee.

(Ord. No. O-2018-17, 1, 5-29-18)

Editor's note— The numbering of Ord. No. O-2018-17 did not match the style of the Code or appendix and was altered by the editor during codification.