Plumstead Township City Zoning Code
PART 25
OFF-STREET PARKING
§ 27-2501 General Requirements.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2500]
1.
The parking requirements for uses not specifically listed shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed.
2.
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, except to the extent that this is modified by the terms of this chapter.
3.
Where the computation of required parking spaces results in a fractional number, the fraction of 1/2 or more shall be counted as one.
4.
Existing Parking. Structures and uses in existence at the effective date of this chapter shall not be subject to the requirements of this Part, provided that the kind of use is not changed and that any parking facility now serving such structures or uses shall not in the future be reduced to an amount less than that required by this chapter.
A.
When a use is changed so that more parking is required, additional parking shall be provided for the increase.
B.
Off-street parking facilities shall not be reduced, except when such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this Part in conjunction with a change in the nature of the use.
5.
Conflict With Other Uses. No parking area shall be used for any other use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve. This includes storage or display of materials or vehicles.
6.
Location of Parking Spaces. Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or premises with the principal use serves, except as permitted by this chapter.
7.
Shared Parking Lots.
A.
Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a common parking lot, provided that the total number of spaces in such lot shall not be less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually, and provided such parking lot is within 300 feet walking distance of all of the principal uses served by such lot. The walking route from an establishment to its parking area must be a safe pedestrian route with sidewalks or walkways provided.
B.
If two adjoining uses on separate adjoining lots develop a shared driveway and an integrated shared parking lot, the number of required parking spaces for each use shall be reduced by 20%. Where the development of a shared parking lot is permitted and all the requirements of this chapter are met, other requirements for driveway setbacks from lot lines found in Chapter 22, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Township Code, may be waived.
§ 27-2502 Reservation of Area for Nonresidential Parking Spaces.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2501]
In order to prevent the establishment of a greater number of parking spaces than is actually required to serve the needs of nonresidential uses, the Board of Supervisors may permit a reduction of parking spaces to be built if the following conditions are satisfied:
A.
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 shall also illustrate the layout for the total number of parking spaces.
B.
The reduction shall provide for the establishment of not less than 60% of the required number of parking spaces, as specified in this chapter. This initial phase of the parking provision shall be clearly indicated on the plan.
C.
The balance of the parking area reserved shall not include areas for required bufferyards, setbacks, or areas that would otherwise be unsuitable for parking spaces due to the physical characteristics of the land or other requirements of this chapter. The parking area that is reserved shall be located and have characteristics so as to provide amenable open space should it be determined the additional parking spaces are not required. The developer shall provide a landscaping plan for the reserved area with the land development plan. The area reserved shall be graded as if parking were to be built, and seeded.
D.
The developer shall enter into a written agreement with the Board of Supervisors that the additional parking spaces shall be provided at the developer's or owner's expense should it be determined that the required number of parking spaces are necessary to satisfy the need of the particular use or establishment. The developer shall post financial security in a form acceptable to the Township and such security shall remain in place for five years following the certificate of occupancy issuance.
E.
Land which has been determined and designated by the Board of Supervisors to remain as open space rather than as required parking shall not be used to provide parking spaces for any addition or expansion but shall remain as open space and shall be shown on the record plan as land reserved for parking.
§ 27-2503 Design Standards for Off-Street Parking.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2502; as amended by Ord. 2005-05, 6/21/2005]
1.
No parking area shall be designed to require or encourage parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space. Parking areas must have sufficient space to allow vehicles to safely turn around without backing out onto a public street.
2.
All parking areas for nonresidential uses shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other vehicle.
3.
No parking area shall be located in a required bufferyard or within a future street right-of-way.
4.
Defined Traffic Ways. All parking areas shall include clearly defined and marked traffic patterns. In any lot with more than 30 off-street parking spaces, raised curbs and landscaped areas shall be used to direct traffic within the lot. Vehicular routes shall be separated from major pedestrian routes within the lot.
5.
Attached garages in residential areas may not count as required parking spaces.
6.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS). An EVCS is a public or private parking space served by a stationary battery charging terminal for the purpose of supplying electric energy for electric vehicles.
[Added by Ord. No. 2023-02, 2/14/2023]
A.
An EVCS installed for private residential use may be permitted to be installed indoors within a garage without a zoning permit, provided that any required building permits are obtained. An EVCS installed for private residential use may be permitted to be installed outdoors, provided it is not located within the required minimum front yard (setback), is installed in an area to provide service to an existing paved area utilized for parking of vehicles and the stationary battery charging terminal shall be no closer than 10 feet to any property boundary. Approval from the Zoning Officer shall be required for an EVCS proposed to be installed outdoors.
B.
An EVCS installed for public use, including planned unit communities and condominiums, shall be approved by the Zoning Officer and shall meet the following requirements, in addition to all other parking requirements in this chapter:
(1)
EVCS parking spaces may be included in the number of minimum required spaces for the required parking associated with the use.
(2)
If EVCS parking spaces are proposed, a minimum of one EVCS handicapped accessible parking space shall be provided and shall meet the handicapped accessible parking space requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(3)
EVCS parking spaces shall not be permitted within a required buffer yard.
(4)
EVCS shall not contain any signs, including electronic graphic signs, as defined under Part 26 of this chapter. Only incidental signs may be permitted on the EVCS for purposes of providing instructions and/or information for usage and/or payment options to users of the EVCS.
(5)
Directional signs may be permitted on the site where EVCS are located and must be approved the Zoning Officer. Directional signs shall not exceed four square feet in size. No more than three directional signs for the EVCS parking spaces shall be permitted on any site. Directional signs for EVCS are exempt from the provisions of Part 26 of this chapter.
(6)
An operations and maintenance agreement, prepared by the Township Solicitor, shall be required to be submitted to the Township to guarantee the EVCS will be maintained, kept in working condition, and regularly serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
7.
All other requirements of Chapter 22, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Township Code, shall apply.
§ 27-2504 Parking Requirements.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2503; as amended by Ord. 2005-05, 6/21/2005; by Ord. 2012-06, 10/23/2012; and by Ord. 2017-05, 11/28/2017]
Use | Parking Requirement | ||
|---|---|---|---|
1. | All residential uses | 2 spaces Attached garages shall not count as required off-street parking. Required Overflow Parking: an additional 1/2 space per dwelling unit is required for any residential use other than single-family detached residential uses (Use B1 and B8) | |
2. | Retail, Service, and Office Uses | 1 space per 200 square feet of gross floor area | |
Retail Store Garden or Horticultural Center Adult Commercial Village Oriented Shop Service Business Financial Establishment Lumber Yard Veterinary Office Office Repair Shop Laundry Commercial or Trade School Accessory Retail Sales for Agricultural Use Dwelling in Combination with a Business Commercial Kennel | |||
3. | Medical Office | 1 space per 150 square feet of gross floor area | |
4. | Large Retail Store and Shopping Center | 5.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area | |
5. | Special Business Uses | ||
Convenience Store | 1 space per 100 square feet of gross floor area | ||
Motor Vehicle Sales | 4 spaces per service bay (clearly marked for service patrons), plus 1 space per 100 square feet of building space not used for display of cars, for patron parking, which shall not be used for display of merchandise | ||
6. | Lodging Facilities | 1 space per each guest room | |
Private Camp Bed-and-Breakfast Hotel or Inn | |||
7. | Other Health Care Facilities | 1 space for every 2 beds | |
Nursing Home or Personal Care Boarding Facility Life-Care or Full-Care Facility | |||
8. | Places of Assembly | 1 space per 3 seats or per 4 persons of capacity | |
Place of Worship Library or Museum Municipal Building Private Club Community Center Funeral Home or Mortuary | |||
9. | Industrial Uses | ||
Manufacturing Warehousing Contracting Crafts Junkyard | 1 space per 300 square feet of gross floor area | ||
Medical Marijuana Grower/Processor | 1 space per 500 square feet of gross floor area | ||
10. | Schools | Dependent on school type | |
Nursery School or Kindergarten | 1 off-street parking space for each faculty member and employee, plus 2 additional spaces per classroom | ||
Elementary School | 1 off-street parking space for each faculty member and employee, plus 1 space per 2 classrooms and offices | ||
Junior High School | 1 off-street parking space for each faculty member and employee, plus 1 space per 2 classrooms and offices | ||
Senior High School | 1 off-street parking space per each faculty member and employee, plus 1 space per 2 students of projected building capacity | ||
11. | Day-Care Center | 1 off-street parking space for each facility person, plus 1 off-street parking space for every 4 persons for whom care is to be given | |
12. | Automotive Services | 1 space per employee, plus 3 spaces per service bay | |
Motor Vehicle and Equipment Repair Automotive Service Center or Repair Shop Automotive Gasoline Station | Plus 1 space per 100 square feet of convenience commercial | ||
13. | Food Services | 1 space per employee, plus 1 space per 2 seats | |
Eating Place Eating Place with Drive-Through Service Tavern | |||
14. | Entertainment and Recreation | 1 space per 2 persons of capacity or seats | |
Theater Indoor Athletic Club Amusement Halls and Arcade Commercial Recreational Facility | |||
15. | Special Industrial and Transportation Uses | Parking requirements to be determined on the basis of parking needs. | |
Detention Facility Golf Course Airport School Bus Depot Extractive Operations Asphalt Plant Ready-Mix Concrete Plant Resource Recovery Facility Solid Waste Landfill Truck Terminal Miniwarehouse Public Transportation Passenger Terminal Emergency Services Commercial Communications Tower | A parking study shall be submitted indicating the employees to be parking on site, other vehicles to be parked on site, projections of vehicles to be visiting the site, and hours of operation. The parking study shall make reference to other published and accepted standards on parking demand or shall be based upon actual on-site surveys of other facilities and uses similar to the use proposed. | ||
16. | Uses Not Requiring Off-Street Parking Spaces | ||
Cemetery Farming and Agricultural Uses Riding Stable and Horse Boarding | Off-street parking required for horse shows (can be on grass) | ||
§ 27-2505 Off-Street Loading.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2504]
Off-street loading facilities shall be designed to conform to the following specifications:
A.
Each space and the needed maneuvering room shall be located entirely on the lot being served and be located outside of required buffer areas, off-street parking setbacks, and street rights-of-way. An appropriate means of access to a street or alley shall be provided.
B.
No loading facilities shall be designed or used in any manner so as to constitute a significant nuisance, public safety hazard, or an unreasonable impediment to traffic. When located adjacent to residential uses or residential or village zoning districts, all loading areas shall be screened with an evergreen tree buffer.
§ 27-2506 Fire Lanes.
[Ord. 01-09-18-1, 9/18/2001, § 2506]
Fire lanes shall be provided where required by state or federal regulations or other local ordinances. The specific locations of these lanes are subject to review by the Township Fire Marshal.