Pismo Beach City Zoning Code

   The purpose of this chapter is to alleviate or prevent congestion and to maintain the availability of public streets for the safe movement of vehicles. At the time any main building or structure is erected, enlarged or increased in capacity, there shall be provided either on the same site or some reasonably and conveniently located site, adequate parking, loading, turning and maneuvering space to accommodate substantially such needs as are generated by the use. It is also the purpose of this chapter to ensure that adequate off-street parking is provided so that the public use of on-street parking is not impaired by excessive parking demands of new developments.

   Minimum off-street parking requirements shall be as follows:

   A.   Single Family and Duplex Structures. Two parking spaces per dwelling, both of which must be within a garage, except that no more than one space shall be required to be within a garage if the parcel area is less than two thousand seven hundred square feet.

   B.   Triplex, Apartment Structures, Planned Residential Developments and Condominiums. Two parking spaces per dwelling which may be permitted in parking courts, carports, or garages. Parking for multiple unit developments with one bedroom and studio units of less than six hundred sq. ft. in living area shall be required to provide one and one-half parking spaces per living unit. When provided in parking courts, the parking courts shall be subject to architectural review. For residential projects of eight to fifty units, one guest parking space shall be provided for every four units. For residential developments in excess of fifty units, one guest parking space shall be provided for every two units.

   C.   Boarding and Lodging Homes. One off-street parking space is required for each sleeping room; or one parking space per one hundred square feet of actual sleeping area, whichever is greater.

   D.   Lodges and Clubs and Convention Facilities. One off-street parking space for each four seats in an assembly hall plus one parking space for every thirty square feet of area in main auditorium not occupied by permanent seats.

   E.   Mobile Home Parks. Two parking spaces for each site, one of which must be covered when mobile home is in place. One parking space for every four units shall be provided for visitor and RV parking.

   F.   Hotels, Motels. One parking space per sleeping room; plus one management/employee/guest space for every twenty rooms with a minimum of an additional two spaces.

   1.   Dining, meeting and convention combined with hotel/motel: One parking space for each one hundred fifty sq. ft. of dining room area.

   2.   Special parking provisions: such as tandem valet parking, for major hotels and motels may be considered by the planning commission with conditional use permit, provided sufficient guarantees for enforcement are made to ensure that (i) the valet system will continue to operate with the use; (ii) the valet activity is in a controlled area and (iii) the total number of spaces required with the development will be accommodated at all times.

   3.   RV parking spaces: RV parking spaces should be considered in the parking layout.

   G.   Dining and Cocktail Lounges.

   1.   One space for every seventy-five sq. ft. of dining, waiting, and outdoor dining area.

   2.   For dining places with a take-out window, two additional parking spaces are required.

   H.   Children's Homes, Homes for the Aged, Hospitals And Other Similar Care Facilities. One parking space per every three beds, plus one parking space for each employee on the largest shift.

   I.   New Elderly Housing (Residential development exclusively for use by the elderly): One parking space per unit. Guaranteed transportation service provided by the development for residents could further reduce parking requirements.

   J.   Churches, Mortuaries. One parking space for every four fixed seats, plus one space for every thirty square feet of area in the main sanctuary of worship not occupied by permanent seats.

   K.   Elementary Schools. One parking space for each classroom, plus one space for every thirty-five square feet of seating area where there are no fixed seats in the auditorium and one parking space per each five fixed seats.

   L.   High Schools. Five spaces per classroom plus one space per five fixed seats or one space per thirty-five square feet of seating area where there are no fixed seats in an auditorium and one parking space per each five fixed seats.

   M.   Commercial, Retail General, And Offices Other Than Medical. One space for every three hundred sq. ft. of gross floor area shall be required.

   N.   Furniture Stores. One space per eight hundred square feet of gross floor area plus one space per every two employees on the largest shift.

   O.   Public, or Quasi Public Facilities. One space per employee; plus one space per four hundred square feet of gross floor area.

   P.   Industrial and Warehouses. One space per one thousand sq. ft. gross floor area or one space for each company vehicle.

   Q.   Medical and Dental Offices. One space per three hundred sq. ft. gross floor area; plus one space for every two employees on the largest shift.

   R.   Automobile Service Stations. One parking space for each wash rack; and one parking space for each employee on the largest shift.

   S.   Pinball Arcade and Similar Use. One space per two hundred fifty sq. ft. gross floor area; plus one space for every two employees on the largest shift.

   T.   Health Spas. Figure Salons. One space per two hundred sq. ft. gross floor area; plus one space for every two employees on the largest shift.

   U.   Laundromats. One space per every three washers.

   V.   Plant Nursery. One space per six hundred sq. ft. of sales area; plus one space per every two employees on the largest shift.

   W.   Automobile Sales Lots. One space per two thousand sq. ft. of both exterior and interior gross sales area. Parking spaces for repair shop are same for service station, plus one space per two employees on the largest shift.

   X.   Commercial Recreation Activities:

   1.   Tennis, Racquetball and Similar Activities. One and one-half spaces per court, plus one space per each two employees on the largest shift.

   2.   Golf. Two spaces per hole; plus two space per each employee on the largest shift. This does not include parking required for dining, commercial and other uses. (See appropriate categories).

   3.   Pools and other related facilities to be based upon use and the determination of the planning commission.

   4.   Bowling. Two spaces per lane plus one space per lane plus one space for each two employees. This does not include other uses within the establishment, which must be considered in addition to these requirements.

   Y.   Dance Halls, Skating Rinks and Exhibition Halls. One space per one hundred sq. ft. of gross building area.

   Z.   Theaters. One space per every four seats.

   AA.   Common or Joint Use Parking: Total parking requirements for common or joint use facilities shall be the sum of the parking requirements for all uses, excluding residential uses. Developments may utilize joint parking upon a finding by the planning commission that parking demands vary for uses during a typical day. Partial reductions in parking requirements may be deemed appropriate in such cases (i.e., evening theaters and professional offices). In no case shall the reduction exceed fifteen percent of the sum of all parking requirements computed separately.

   BB.   Other. All uses not specifically provided for herein shall prepare a site plan of parking space numbers, size and location and submit it to the Planning Commission to determine appropriate and current needs required by that specific use. In public assembly uses parking must be considered at a ratio of one to three with the legal seating capacity of the building. (Ord. 2005-10 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2005: Ord. 94-04 § 6, 1994: Ord. 92-06 § 1, 2006)

   Commercial uses involving the sale, retail or wholesale, exchange or storage of manufacturers merchandise or non-useable personal property are required to provide permanently maintained off-street loading and unloading space which are as follows:

 

Timesaver Standards: "Truck Terminals--Docking Facilities" by American Trucking Associations, Copyright 1966. Used with the permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company.

   A.   Residential.

   1.   Driveway and access to parking spaces for residential zones shall not be less than ten feet in width for up to three units, and all spaces shall be located on the same lot as the dwelling that they are to serve. For four or more units, two-way driveway access must be provided and must be at least twenty-four feet in width.

   2.   Parking spaces may not be located in yard setback areas for conforming lots.

   3.   A residential use may not generate more vehicles than can be accommodated on the site per the requirements of this section.

   4.   All residential parking spaces shall be the minimum dimensions established by Table 108-A.

   5.   All residential driveways shall not exceed a twenty percent slope.

   6.   Residential garage entrances fronting on the lot line in all zones shall be located a distance of not less than twenty percent of the depth of the lot, not to exceed twenty feet.

   7.   Tandem parking spaces are allowed in the following circumstances:

   a.   On single-family residential lots when the planning commission or director finds that:

   (i)   Existing conditions or terrain on the property present unusual circumstances, justifying the approval of tandem parking;

   (ii)   The tandem space(s) is (are) appropriately located on the site;

   (iii)   The use of tandem spaces will not jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of persons in the neighborhood;

   (iv)   The use of tandem spaces will result in a better project than would otherwise be feasible; and

   (v)   Any two spaces in tandem are under the control of one person or group living together.

   B.   Commercial.

   1.   Size.

   a.   Standard. Each interior standard commercial off-street parking space shall be at least nine feet by twenty feet, exclusive of drives and aisles, and end spaces shall be ten feet in width (see Table 108-A for Standard Parking Lot Dimensions).

   b.   Compact Cars. Commercial compact car spaces at a size of nine feet by sixteen feet exclusive of drives and aisles shall be acceptable as a required parking space, but must be marked as a compact car space. The ratio of compact car spaces to standard car spaces shall not exceed one in three (see Table 108-B for Compact Car Parking Lot Dimensions).

   c.   All spaces must have direct access to a driveway to the street.

   d.   Table 108-A and 108-B Alternative Criteria. The city engineer may approve alternate criteria to those in Table 108-A and 108-B, provided the alternative proposed will provide adequate driveway width and parking space consistent with industry standards.

   2.   Bumper Guards and Wheel Stops. Permanent bumper guards or wheel stops shall be provided for parking spaces located adjacent to walls, fences, buildings, landscaping, etc., to prevent damage to any such objects or landscaped areas. However, if a landscaping curb is used in lieu of a wheel stop, it must be of sufficient width so as not to damage landscaping for a minimum of twelve inches, and must not encroach into the required space area more than twenty-four inches at front of parking space.

   3.   Location, Commercial. Parking spaces will be located on the same lot or parcel as the building or use that they are to serve or within three hundred accessible feet from the building or use; except when parking is leased from the city or as otherwise provided in Section 17.108.040.

   4.   Improvements.

   a.   Paving. All parking areas, maneuvering areas, turnaround areas, and any other driveway used for access thereto shall be paved with concrete in accordance with ASTMC-143; or asphalt type surfacing compacted to a minimum thickness of two inches, laid over a base of crushed rock, gravel, or similar material compacted to a minimum thickness of four inches, unless the city engineer deems that higher standards are necessary due to special soil or slope conditions or larger traffic loads; or the planning commission may approve alternate materials and specifications in lieu of the foregoing requirements and/or greater standards. The planning commission may also require substantiating evidence provided by a soils engineer.

   b.   Drainage. Parking and circulation areas shall be provided with adequate drainage as approved by the Public Works Director.

   c.   Peripheral Wall. A parking lot which abuts another parcel or portions of the same parcel that is zoned residential shall be separated from said parcel by a decorative wall. The wall shall be forty-two inches in height in the area from the front property line to the depth of the required front yard setback. The one wall shall be six feet in height between the front yard setback line and the rear line of the parking area on the lot.

   d.   Lighting. Any lights used to illuminate such parking area or vehicle sales area shall be designed and placed in a manner that the area of illumination shall not be cast beyond the property lines. The minimum light cast upon the paved area shall be 0.3 foot candles and the maximum shall not exceed 1.0 foot candles. Lighting systems and lights that conserve energy must be considered in the design.

   5.   Driveway Access

   a.   Each entrance and exit to a parking lot shall be constructed and maintained so that any vehicle entering or leaving the parking lots shall be clearly visible at a distance of not less than ten feet to a person approaching such entrance or exit on any pedestrian walk or footpath or from an approaching vehicle based on the following criteria:

   b.   Driveways to and from parking lots and parking structures shall be a maximum slope of fifteen percent. A five percent deviation to the fifteen percent slope maybe allowed to provide for adequate sight distance if approved by the city engineer. A driveway profile shall be required for the city engineer to evaluate and determine adequate exit, entrance, and landing area adjacent to the sidewalk prior to project approval.

   c.   Exits from parking lots and garages shall be clearly posted with stop signs on the pavement.

   d.   Appropriate additional signs shall be maintained where needed and as required by the city planner.

   6.   Amount of Landscaping for Parking Lots. Seven percent of any open parking or driveway areas containing parking spaces for not more than twenty-one vehicles shall be landscaped. Ten percent of any open parking and driveway areas containing more than twenty-one parking spaces shall be landscaped and landscaping shall be distributed through the entire parking area as evenly as possible and as required by the planning commission.

   7.   Landscaping Along Property Lines for Parking Lots. A three foot wide landscape strip, with planting maintained at either a height of two and one-half feet or a height determined acceptable by Architectural Review will be provided along the property lines adjacent to any public or private street or alley (except within the approved exit and entrance ways) whenever the parking or circulation abuts these streets.

   8.   Plantings Around Driveways for Parking Lots. Any of the following driveways or open parking areas shall be separated by a planting strip three feet wide:

   a.   Where there are two or more parking lots or vehicles adjacent to one another which do not use a common driveway;

   b.   Where a parking lot for vehicles abuts a driveway which does not provide access to that parking lot;

   c.   All landscaped areas shall be enclosed within a brick or masonry planter box or concrete curb not less than six inches high and shall be provided with a permanent sprinkler system or as determined by architectural review.

   d.   Eight copies of separate landscape and irrigation plans meeting the city's standards and requirements shall be submitted for architectural review and approval before the issuance of a building permit.

   C.   Layout. Parking lots with four or more spaces must be designed so that automobiles will not back up onto public streets and will have at least one entrance and exit.

   D.   Hammerheads or other such turnarounds may be required by the planning commission for dead-end driveways. The dimensions of the hammerhead shall be adequate to meet the requirements of the public works and fire departments.

   E.   Use Change Within Existing Buildings. Within any building existing at the date of adoption of this ordinance located in a commercial, resort commercial or resort residential zone, new permitted commercial uses will be allowed by the city without the requirement for additional parking spaces. Major reconstruction (of over fifty percent) and/or expansions of buildings existing at the date of adoption of this Title shall be required to provide additional parking for the area of expansion and/or reconstruction based on the current parking requirements. (Ord. O-2016-004 § 17, 2016: Ord. 2005-10 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2005: Ord. 2004-03 § 1 (Exh. A (part)), 2004)

   The purpose of this provision is to encourage the rehabilitation and expansion of existing and new commercial uses in the vicinity of the downtown area. Payments of in-lieu parking district fees for otherwise required parking permits provides for better utilization of properties by freeing up land for commercial use. Off-street parking requirements for commercial areas may be waived by the planning commission under the following conditions:

   A.   That the city council adopts a resolution of policy setting out the value of the off-street parking space based on land value, plus not less than one and one half times the construction costs of a top grade parking lot at the time of the adoption of this Title unless otherwise designated by the city council;

   B.   That the city council authorizes the issuance of "in-lieu certificate." Each such certificate shall represent the cost of one off-street parking space;

   C.   That the city council set up a special fund for the revenues from issuance of such certificates. Such revenues shall be used only to establish, maintain, and landscape city-owned off-street parking;

   D.   That the applicant, for relief from the established parking requirements, purchase one certificate for each space of off-street parking requested to be waived from the requirements of this article;

   E.   The payment in full of any off-street parking fees shall be made prior to issuance of any building permit or business license;

   F.   The waiver for off-street parking requirements shall be limited to the downtown commercial area only. The in-lieu parking fees shall be limited to a maximum of thirty percent of the required off-street parking spaces for new development unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the planning commission that a hardship would occur due to the size, shape, location or topography of the property involved, in which case a higher percentage waiver could be granted;

   G.   Waivers within the parking and business improvement area: Off-street parking requirements for commercial uses within a designated parking district and business improvement area will be met through the equivalent parking participation in the district.

   Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of parking structures within the following zones: P-R, R-4, R-R, C-1, C-2, and C-M. (Ord. 2004-03 § 1 (Exh. A (part)), 2004)

   The number of garages or carports facing directly onto the street from any multi-family dwelling structure shall be no greater than that which may be accommodated on thirty percent of the lot frontage but need not be less than two.

   A.   Number of Spaces. A minimum of one parking space should be provided for the physically handicapped in parking lots and in parking structures containing forty or fewer spaces; however, parking areas with less than five parking spaces shall include one handicapped sized space that need not be exclusively reserved or identified. Consideration should be given to providing enough spaces to serve the maximum probable number of disabled drivers who might use the parking facility at any one time. Space requirements shall be per the following chart:

 

   B.   Specifications. When parking spaces are made available to handicapped persons in off-street facilities they shall comply with the following specifications:

   1.   Open on one side or a minimum of fourteen feet wide;

   2.   Located where slope in the immediate area does not exceed two percent;

   3.   Placed to minimize necessary travel on sloped surfaces;

   4.   Located near level or ramped entrance;

   5.   Located close to elevators;

   6.   Located to minimize necessary travel behind parked vehicles.

   Public parking as required by the general plan/local coastal program land use plan shall be designed to the standards for commercial parking areas.

   TABLE 108-A
PARKING LOT DIMENSIONS FOR STANDARD SIZE CRS

 

   Reference: Timesaving Standards: "Automobiles--Parking Lots" by Frank Harrison Randolph. Copyright 1966. Used with permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company. Note: Curb length will be calculated using the 9'0" x 20'0" stall size (Numbers rounded off to the nearest inch.

   TABLE 108-B
PARKING LOT DIMENSIONS FOR COMPACT CARS

 

   FOR OTHER DIMENSIONS THE FOLLOWING FORMULAE MAY BE USED:

   Timesaver Standards: Adopted from "How to Design Practical Curved Driveways", by Ernest Irving Freese; by McGraw-Hill Book for Timesavers Standards, copyright 1966. Used with the permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company.