Prospect Park City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Off-Street Parking and Loading Facilities
§ 70-47 Required off-street parking spaces.
A.
Unless specified otherwise in another article of this chapter, all off-street parking spaces shall be provided and satisfactorily maintained in accordance with the following provisions for each building or use which, after the effective day of this chapter, is established, erected, enlarged or altered for any of the following purposes or uses in any district. For uses not specifically listed, the requirements for the most similar use listed shall be as follows:
(2)
Public or private recreational use.
(a)
Private club or lodge: one for every 100 feet of floor area available for patrons.
(b)
Bowling alley: five for each lane.
(c)
Public swimming pool or swimming club: one for every 12 square feet of water surface or one for every five persons for whom dwelling facilities are provided, whichever is greater.
(d)
Outdoor commercial recreation: one for every 1,500 square feet of area.
(e)
Indoor commercial recreation: one for 150 square feet of gross floor area devoted to such use.
(3)
Governmental, institutional and educational use.
(a)
Places of public or private assembly, including churches, auditoriums, theaters and assembly halls: one for every four permanent or temporary seats, plus one for every 100 square feet of meeting room available.
(b)
Community center, library and museum: one for every 250 square feet of floor area in public use.
(c)
Hospital and sanitarium: one for each bed, plus one for each employee on the shift of greatest employment.
(d)
Convalescent home and nursing home: 1/2 for each adult attendant, plus one for every 500 square feet of gross floor area.
(e)
Private kindergarten or child institutional home: one for each adult attendant, plus one for every 500 square feet of gross floor area.
(f)
Schools: one for each faculty member and other full-time employees, plus one for every 12 students aged 16 years or older.
(g)
Dormitory: one for each three residents.
(4)
Retail, commercial and business use.
(a)
Retail store or shop: one for each 300 square feet of gross sales floor area and/or area serving customers.
(b)
Department store or supermarket: one for every 75 square feet of sales floor area and/or other area serving customers.
(c)
Personal service businesses, such as barbershops, photo shops, beautician, shoe repair and the like: one for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.
(d)
Restaurant, cafeteria, tavern or cafe: two for every 100 square feet of gross floor area, plus one for each employee.
(e)
Medical or dental offices: four for each practitioner.
(f)
Self-service laundromat: one for every 50 feet of gross floor area.
(g)
Automobile service and repair: four for each bay or one for every 200 square feet of floor and ground area allotted to service and repair, whichever is greater, plus one for each employee.
(h)
New and used automobile sales and service agency: one for every 200 square feet of floor and ground area devoted to sales and service and repair, plus one for each employee.
(i)
Banks, credit unions and the like: one for every 300 square feet of floor area for serving customers.
(j)
Medical and dental: six for each practitioner.
(k)
Funeral home: one for every four seats for patrons use or one for every 50 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.
(l)
Professional offices and businesses: one for every 200 square feet of gross floor area.
(m)
Other office building: one for every 100 square feet of floor space in office use, but in no case less than two for each tenant.
(n)
Shopping center:
[1]
Having gross leasable area from 25,000 to 400,000 square feet: four for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area.
[2]
Having a gross leasable area from 400,000 to 600,000 square feet: 4 1/2 for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area.
[3]
Having gross leasable area greater than 600,000 square feet: five for every 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area.
(o)
Movie theater: one for every four seats, plus one for every employee on the shift of greatest employment.
(p)
Hotel, motel or inn: 1.2 for each rental room or suite, plus one for every three seats in restaurants or meeting rooms.
(q)
Temporary places where Christmas trees, flowers, produce or other goods are sold: 10 minimum places, plus additional spaces as determined by the Borough Council after observing traffic conditions at such locations.
(5)
Industrial and other related uses: one for each employee on the shift of greatest employment or one for every 500 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater, plus one for every company vehicle.
B.
For buildings or uses other than those specified above, determination of the appropriate parking space requirements shall be made by the Borough Council consistent with the standards set forth herein for comparable buildings or uses.
§ 70-48 General regulations for off-street parking.
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 structures or uses shall not in the future be reduced below such requirements.
B.
Changes in use. Whenever a structure is altered or a use is changed or extended which increases the parking requirements, then the total additional parking required for the alteration, change or extension shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of § 70-47.
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.
Continuing character of obligation. All required parking facilities shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve. Off-street parking facilities shall not be reduced in total extent except when such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this Article.
E.
Location of parking spaces. Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or premises with the principal use served. However, in all cases where it is sought to utilize adjacent premises for parking facilities, the applicant or owner shall be required to enter into an appropriate agreement, duly acknowledged, for recording, reciting that the property upon which the aforesaid establishment is erected and the said adjacent premises are both owned by the applicant, that they are to be used with relation to each other, as above provided, and that neither property shall be separately sold or encumbered, unless other provisions for compliance with this chapter have first been entered into writing and fully approved by the Borough.
F.
Fractional spaces. Where the computation of required parking spaces results in a fractional number, the fraction of 1/2 or more shall be counted as one.
G.
Maintenance of parking areas. All parking areas, loading areas and driveways shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt or other suitable materials to prevent dust and erosion. Such areas shall also be drained in conformance with municipal standards to prevent excessive water flow onto street or adjoining property. All parking spaces and parking areas shall be clearly lined, striped and maintained.
H.
Lighting. All artificial lighting used to illuminate any parking area shall be arranged to prevent glare on adjoining properties.
I.
Handicapped persons parking. All uses shall designate reserved parking spaces for handicapped persons as close as possible to the main entrance of the building, with the exception of single-family or duplex dwellings, service stations, garages, cemeteries or any other use for which 10 or fewer parking spaces are required under this chapter. Said spaces shall be considered as part of the required spaces and shall be appropriately marked with signs to designate handicapped use as approved by the Borough.
§ 70-49 Parking area design standards.
Parking design standard shall be as follows:
B.
All parking spaces shall have an area of at least 9 feet by 20 feet to which there is adequate access from a street, except those spaces designated for handicapped use, which shall have an area of at least 12 feet by 20 feet.
C.
All parking areas in nonresidential zoning districts shall be designed so that vehicles cannot back directly into a public street.
D.
All parking shall be accessible from a street and an individual driveway.
E.
A private detached garage may be erected in the side yard at a depth of 100 feet from the street line or where a lot has a total length or depth of not more than 100 feet, a detached garage may be erected in the side yard at a depth of at least 75% of the depth of the lot.
F.
Front yard parking.
[Amended 5-12-1998 by Ord. No. 1194, approved 5-12-1998]
(1)
Parking in the front yard of lots in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 Residential Districts shall be limited to the driveway area.
(2)
Driveways for such lots shall be located as close as possible to the side property line.
(3)
No other parking in front yards is permitted.
(4)
Parking shall be prohibited in the area directly between the principal structure and the roadway, with the exception of areas in front of an attached garage.
§ 70-50 Shared driveways.
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 total number of spaces required in a common parking facility may be reduced if:
A.
It is demonstrated to the Borough Council that the hours or days of peak parking demand for the uses are so different that a lower overall total of parking spaces will provide adequately for the uses to be served.
B.
Such demonstration and proof shall be provided by a registered transportation engineer, the fees for whom shall be paid by the landowner(s).
§ 70-51 Design and layout of off-street loading facilities.
A.
In addition to the off-street parking space required in this Article, any building erected, converted and/or enlarged for any nonresidential use shall provide off-street areas for loading and unloading and commercial vehicle parking space adequate for their needs.
B.
The minimum size loading space shall be 50 feet in depth and 12 feet in width, with an overhead clearance of 15 feet, exclusive of drives and maneuvering space, and located entirely on the lot being served. Any overhead canopy should extend a minimum of four feet beyond a loading dock.
C.
All loading space shall have adequate access from a street or way which does not block or interfere with the required parking as specified in Subsection A. This required space will be provided in addition to established requirements for patron and employee parking.
D.
In no case shall the public rights-of-way be used for loading or unloading of materials. Furthermore, no loading dock or space shall be located or arranged in such a way as it is necessary to back any vehicle into or off any public right-of-way, nor require the use of any public right-of-way for maneuvering space.
E.
Two-way driveways shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width and a maximum of 36 feet wide. One-way driveways shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width.
F.
All accessory driveways and entranceways shall be graded, paved and drained to Borough standards to the extent necessary to prevent the nuisance of dust, erosion or excessive water flow across streets and adjoining properties.
G.
All off-street loading berths shall be provided on either the side or rear of the lot. In no case shall off-street loading berths be provided between the building setback line and the right-of-way line.
H.
Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner as to at no time constitute a nuisance, a hazard or an impediment to traffic.
I.
All lighting fixtures used to illuminate parking areas shall be arranged to prevent glare into public streets and adjoining properties.
J.
No loading facility shall be located more than 300 feet from the appropriate building entrance.
§ 70-52 Access for off-street parking and loading facilities.
Access to and from all off-street parking, loading and vehicle service areas along public rights-of-way shall consist of well-defined separate or common entrances and exits and shall comply with this article and the following provisions:
A.
Access drives shall not open upon any public right-of-way within 75 feet of the center point of the right-of-way line of any nearest intersection, public street or highway.
[Amended 12-11-2007 by Ord. No. 1287, approved 12-11-2007]
B.
The required sight distance for access drives which open upon any street or highway shall be in accordance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
§ 70-53 Screen and landscaping requirements.
All screening and landscaping shall conform to the provisions of § 70-68, Buffer area standards, and the following:
A.
Screening between any parking area and the street line shall be effective at the time of occupancy, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
All off-street parking areas which provide more than five parking spaces shall be screened from any abutting property of a more restrictive zoning district.
(2)
Effective screens may be accomplished through the use of the following: plant materials, fencing or walls and/or mounding through the use of earthen berms forming a continuous visual buffer.
(3)
The area for planting, fencing, walls or earthen berms shall not extend beyond the street line. No off-street parking or loading and unloading facilities shall be located within 20 feet of the street line, unless otherwise provided in other sections of this chapter.
(4)
When planting screens are employed, the following shall apply:
(a)
A buffer planting strip shall be provided. It shall be a minimum of 15 feet in width, unless required otherwise in this chapter.
(b)
Planting screens shall be of sufficient height and sufficient density to constitute a continuous visual buffer five feet in height at the time of planting, except as provided below. The type and spacing of plant materials shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Council.
(c)
At all intersections of accessways, the required screen shall not be greater than 18 inches in height for a distance of 10 feet from the street.
(5)
Whenever fencing or walls are employed, the effective height of the continuous visual buffer shall be no less than five nor more than six feet, subject to other regulations of the code.
(6)
Whenever earthen berms are employed, the effective height of the continuous visual buffer shall be no less than five feet in height.
B.
Landscaping within any parking area which provides more than five parking spaces shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Off-street parking areas and parking lots shall be landscaped to reduce wind and air turbulence, heat and noise and the glare of automobile lights, to reduce the level of carbon dioxide, to provide shade, to ameliorate stormwater drainage problems, to replenish the groundwater table and to provide for a more attractive setting.
(2)
Each parking lot shall have one three-to-three-and-one-half-inch caliper shade tree for every five parking spaces if there are no existing shade trees. Shrubs, ground covers and other plant materials are encouraged to be used to complement the trees, but shall not be the sole contribution to the landscaping.
(3)
The type of plant materials to be used shall be subject to review and approval by the Borough Council.
(4)
The landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed through the parking lot, except where there are 20 or more parking spaces, in which case the following shall apply:
(a)
Landscaped islands shall be provided at the end of each parking bay. Such islands shall be a minimum of eight feet in width and 18 feet in length. Such islands shall be provided to enhance the appearance of the parking area and to control access and movement within the parking area.
(5)
All planting islands and planting beds within a parking lot shall be surfaced with ground covers and/or dwarf shrubs and shall not be grassed. Stone mulch may be used in conjunction with shrubs and ground covers, and shredded hardwood mulch shall be used to form the plant saucers.