Richmond Heights City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Off-Street Parking and Loading - Development Standards
Section 405.300 Applicability.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.1), 10-3-1988]
For every use, activity or structure permitted by this Chapter and for all buildings or structures erected in accordance herewith, there shall be provided sufficient space for access and off-street standing, parking, circulation, unloading and loading of motor vehicles that may be expected to transport their occupants, whether as patrons, residents, customers, employees, guests or otherwise, to an establishment, activity or place of residence at any time under normal conditions for any purpose. When a use is expanded, accessory off-street parking and loading shall be provided in accordance with the regulations herein for the area or capacity of such expansion in combination with the previously existing use, structure or activity.
Section 405.310 Administrative Requirements.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.2), 10-3-1988]
A.
Determination Of Required Number Of Spaces.
1.
Fractional spaces. When determination of the number of off-street parking spaces required by this regulation results in a requirement of a fractional space, the fraction of one-half (½) less may be disregarded, and a fraction in excess of one-half (½) shall be counted as one (1) parking space.
2.
Floor area. "Floor area", when used as a measurement for determining the number of parking spaces for office, merchandising or service uses, shall mean the gross floor area used, or intended to be used, for service to the public as patrons or patients, including areas occupied by fixtures and equipment used for display or sale of merchandise. It shall not include areas used principally for non-public purposes such as storage, processing or packaging of merchandise, show windows, or rest rooms or utilities, dressing, fitting or alteration rooms.
B.
Parking For Multiple Use Buildings. The number of parking spaces required for land or buildings used for two (2) or more purposes shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses, computed in accordance with this Chapter. Parking facilities for one (1) use shall not be considered as providing the required parking facilities for any other use, except where shared parking provisions may be demonstrated in accordance with Section 405.330(H).
C.
Use Of Required Parking Spaces. Required accessory off-street parking facilities provided for the uses hereinafter listed shall be solely for the parking of motor vehicles in operating condition of patrons, occupants or employees of such uses and shall not be used for the storage of other vehicles, boats, motor homes, campers, mobile homes or materials. All off-street vehicles shall be parked only on required accessory off-street parking facilities.
D.
Accessory Parking Lots. All required off-street parking or loading spaces shall be provided on the same parcel of land occupied by the use or building to which it is appurtenant; provided however, that where there are, in the judgment of the Planning and Zoning Commission, practical difficulties in satisfying the requirement for parking space and/or if the public safety or convenience would be better served by another location, the Planning and Zoning Commission may recommend authorization of an alternate location for any portion of the required parking for a non-residential use which will adequately serve the public interest, subject to the following conditions:
1.
Required accessory off-street parking facilities may be provided elsewhere than on the lot on which the principal use served is located, provided that the property occupied as parking is in the same possession, either by deed, by easement, or by long-term lease which has a term equal to or exceeding the projected life of the facility occupied by the principal use, and further provided that the owner shall be bound by covenants filed on record in the office of the County Recorder requiring the owners, heirs or assigns to maintain the required number of off-street parking spaces during the existence of such principal use.
2.
Pedestrian access shall be available within a walking distance of not more than three hundred (300) feet measured from the nearest point of public access to the building to the nearest part of the accessory parking area.
3.
Such separate parking space shall be usable without causing unreasonable traffic congestion, detriment to any residential neighborhood or hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
4.
All accessory parking lots shall be located on property zoned within the same or similar zoning district.
E.
Changes In Use. No off-street parking space required under this Chapter shall be used for any other purpose. Where a change in use creates greater parking requirements than the amount being provided, an occupancy permit shall not be issued until provision is made for the increased amount of required off-street parking.
F.
Additions To Structures, Buildings Or Uses. Where an addition is made to an existing structure, building or use which does not comply with the parking requirements cited for such structure, building or use, the parking requirements supplied for the addition shall include those spaces necessary to bring the structure, building or use as a whole into conformance with the requirements of this Chapter.
G.
Existing Parking. No parking area or parking space which exists at the time this Chapter becomes effective (October 3, 1988) or which subsequent thereto is provided for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this Chapter shall thereafter be relinquished or reduced in any manner below the requirements established by this Chapter.
Section 405.320 Design and Maintenance Standards.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.3), 10-3-1988; Ord. No. 4274 §6, 6-5-1989; Ord. No. 4313 §2, 3-5-1990]
A.
The following general and specific standards shall apply to all accessory parking facilities and to all commercial or public parking facilities built as a primary land use:
1.
General on-site circulation design standards.
a.
There shall be an adequate, safe and convenient arrangement of pedestrian circulation facilities, roadways, driveways, off-street parking, and loading space.
b.
Roads, pedestrian walks and open space shall be designed as integral parts of an overall site design. They shall be properly related to existing and proposed buildings and appropriately landscaped.
c.
Buildings, vehicular circulation and open spaces shall be arranged so that pedestrians moving between buildings are not unnecessarily exposed to vehicular traffic.
d.
Landscaped, paved and comfortably graded pedestrian walks shall be provided along the lines of the most intense use, particularly from building entrances to streets, parking areas and adjacent buildings.
e.
The materials used and the design of paving, lighting, fixtures, retaining walls, fences, curbs and benches shall be of good appearance, easily maintained and indicative of their function.
f.
Ramps shall be provided giving access from parking areas to the building served for disabled persons utilizing wheelchairs.
2.
General on-site parking and loading design standards.
a.
In accordance with the requirements of this Chapter, all parking garages shall be subject to site plan review in accordance with the procedures established in Section 405.390. Where parking garages are adjacent to residential districts, the Planning and Zoning Commission may make recommendations to the City Council with respect to the design of such structures to ensure that potential impacts of light, noise and fumes generated by such structures are minimized or mitigated. The Council may incorporate these recommendations and/or additional recommendations into this Chapter for site plan approval.
b.
Parking facilities shall be landscaped and screened from public view to the extent necessary to eliminate unsightliness and monotony of parked cars.
c.
Parking facilities shall be designed with careful regard to orderly arrangement, topography, landscaping, ease of access and shall be developed as an integral part of the overall site design.
d.
Any above grade loading facility shall be screened from public view to the extent necessary to eliminate unsightliness.
e.
Adequate parking spaces shall be specially designated for the parking of vehicles of disabled persons. Such spaces shall be twelve (12) feet wide and located close to the building entry.
4.
Parking surface, drainage and maintenance. All open off-street parking areas shall be constructed to City of Richmond Heights standards. All parking and loading facilities, and access thereto, shall be provided with a permanent, all-weather, paved surface; and shall be provided with adequate stormwater drainage facilities to prevent damage or inconvenience to abutting property and/or public streets and alleys. Parking and loading areas shall be maintained in a clean, orderly and dust-free condition at the expense of the owner or lessee. The detention of stormwater runoff shall be subject to further regulation in accordance with Section 405.360.
5.
Markings and wheel bumpers. Except as otherwise noted herein, all parking spaces shall be marked by durable painted lines at least four (4) inches wide and extending the length of the space or by curbs or other means to indicate individual spaces. Signs or markers located on the surface within a parking lot shall be used as necessary to ensure sufficient and safe traffic operation of the lot. Wheel bumpers or setback curbs shall be provided on all spaces when necessary to protect pedestrian traffic or structures.
6.
Lighting. Lighting shall be provided to illuminate any off-street parking or loading spaces to be used at night. If provided, an average lighting level of at least one and one-half (1½) foot-candles on pavement shall be maintained, and the lighting shall be arranged and installed to deflect, shade and focus lights away from adjacent properties. The height, type, spacing and degree of cut off of a light standard may be further regulated by the Planning and Zoning Commission in relation to specific site conditions or types of development.
7.
Screening and landscaping. All parking and loading areas shall be properly screened and landscaped with natural plant material. It is the purpose and intention of this Article to adequately protect contiguous property against undesirable effects from the creation and operation of parking or loading areas and to protect, preserve and enhance the appearance and character of the surrounding neighborhoods and of the City through the screening and landscaping of parking facilities.
a.
The landscaping shall include, to the extent necessary to further the intent of this Article, shrubs, bushes, hedges, trees, decorative walls or fencing as set forth below.
b.
The frontage along the entire parking or loading area adjacent to any public or private street shall be landscaped and protected so as to separate and screen any parking area from the adjacent streets, including the provision of deciduous, hardwood street trees at not more than thirty-five (35) feet on center located either within the right-of-way, if approved by the appropriate public agency, or parallel to the right-of-way on the subject property.
c.
When off-street parking or loading areas and other areas zoned for any use except one-family and two-family residential districts are located adjacent to a residential district or to any lot upon which there is a dwelling as a permitted use, there shall be provided along the lot line a continuous, solid fence or masonry wall to a height adequate to prevent the direct light from automobile headlights being cast on adjacent residential units but with a minimum height of six (6) feet and not more than eight (8) feet, except that the height of such fence or wall shall not exceed three and one-half (3½) feet within fifteen (15) feet of the public right-of-way, and this Section shall not require a fence in a front yard in the case of a corner lot with double frontage.
d.
In addition to any landscaped front, back or side yard areas required by this or any other Section, a minimum of ten (10) square feet of landscaping shall be provided for each parking space within the parking area. The landscaping shall be in one (1) or more areas so as to minimize and reduce the apparent size of the parking areas. The landscaping shall include, in each separate landscaping area, at least one (1) hardwood shade tree specie to be approved by site plan review.
e.
All planting areas, except those on the periphery of a parking lot or areas, shall be raised and curbed and shall have a minimum area of fifty (50) square feet and a minimum width of five (5) feet.
f.
Within all surface parking lots there shall be a minimum of two (2) trees within and up to every one hundred (100) linear feet of parking for each parking row. Such trees shall be spaced evenly wherever possible, and the ends of parking rows abutting a circulation aisle shall be landscaped.
g.
Shade trees of a leaf or flowering variety shall be provided in accordance with the preceding landscape standards and shall have a minimum caliper of three (3) inches in the trunk, a clear trunk of at least five (5) feet, and shall be properly planted and braced. The number of such trees shall be determined by the application of the above-mentioned landscape standards, provided however, that in no instance shall there be less than two (2) such trees in conjunction with the development of any facility or lot.
h.
No landscaped hedge shall be less than two (2) feet in height and three (3) feet in width; however, no hedge, wall or berm shall exceed three (3) feet in height within ten (10) feet of any driveway opening. The individual plants used in the development of such a hedge shall be placed so as to be not more than twenty-four (24) inches on center.
i.
The use of earth berms shall be encouraged, provided these are designed in any area of enough size so as to cause no erosion, drainage or maintenance problem.
j.
Interior planting bed areas which are used for the planting of trees or which are used for landscaping treatment generally may be treated with either grass and/or other types of ground cover beneath and surrounding trees and shrubs, provided water absorption is not impaired.
k.
All landscaping shall be perpetually maintained in good condition with at least the same quality and quantity of landscaping as initially approved. In order to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, landscaped areas should be provided with adequate irrigation for the maintenance of grass, shrubs, ground covering and other landscaping by utilization of a sprinkler system, hose bibs and/or such other method of providing water.
l.
All landscaped areas in parking areas or adjacent to parking or loading areas, or which can be encroached upon by a motor vehicle, shall be provided with an adequate, permanent concrete curb or wheel bumpers, as approved by the City Engineer or his/her representative, to restrict the destruction of the landscaped areas by vehicles. Adequate scuppers and/or weep holes shall be provided through the curbing to permit drainage.
8.
Attendant shelter. A shelter for the use of a parking lot attendant may be maintained on the lot providing the location, construction and design of same shall be first approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
9.
Maintenance. Any person operating or owning a parking lot shall keep the same free as may be practical of dust and loose particles and shall promptly remove snow and ice from the surface of the parking lot. He/she shall also keep all adjacent sidewalks free from dirt, ice, sleet and snow and shall keep the sidewalks in a safe condition for use by pedestrians. All signs, markers, or any other methods used to indicate direction of traffic movement and location of parking spaces shall be maintained in a neat and legible condition. Likewise, any walls, landscaping, including trees and shrubbery, as well as surfacing and curbing of the parking lot, shall be maintained in good condition throughout its use for parking purposes, and the City Council shall have the authority to prohibit use of the area for parking purposes unless and until proper maintenance, repair or rehabilitation is completed, including the replacement of any landscaping material which may die from time to time, or the failure of irrigation or surface drainage system within the parking area.
Section 405.330 Schedule of Required Parking Spaces.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.4), 10-3-1988; Ord. No. 4274 §7, 6-5-1989; Ord. No. 4307 §1, 1-2-1990; Ord. No. 4313 §3, 3-5-1990; Ord. No. 4376 §3, 12-3-1990; Ord. No. 4818 §1, 6-3-2002; Ord. No. 5532, 2-20-2024; Ord. No. 5541, 8-19-2024]
A.
The following shall be the minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for each land use, activity, building or structure permitted by this Chapter.
B.
Residential And Lodging Uses.
1.
Detached single-family dwellings: At least one (1) parking space shall be provided for each detached single-family dwelling unit on a paved drive area (notwithstanding the definition of parking space in this Chapter).
2.
Two-family, multiple-family, or attached townhouse dwellings: One and one-half (1.5) parking spaces shall be provided for each dwelling unit. Parking within a Transit-Oriented Development District, which is a planned land use district located no more than one-half (0.5) miles from a transit station, may be reduced to one (1) parking space per dwelling unit.
3.
Motels and hotels: One and fifteen hundredths (1.15) parking spaces for each sleeping room. Additional spaces are required for restaurants or places of assembly within such development.
4.
Assisted or nursing home: One (1) parking space for every three (3) beds occupied at maximum capacity, plus one (1) for every business vehicle.
C.
Retail And Service Uses.
1.
Retail businesses: Parking or storage space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of such business, plus one (1) parking space for each three hundred (300) square feet of gross floor area.
2.
Regional Shopping Center: An area with a zoning district classification of "PD-C" (Planned Development District with a subclassification of Commercial) with a primary use as a regional shopping center [defined as shopping center having in excess of one million (1,000,000) square feet of gross floor area], the parking requirement shall be three and one-half (3.5) parking spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross leasable floor area.
3.
Theaters: One (1) parking space for every four (4) seats or [one (1) seat equals two (2) feet of bench length], or one (1) space for every fifty (50) square feet of gross floor area when there is no fixed seating.
4.
Recreation centers, swimming pools, skating rinks and other public/private recreation and amusement facilities: One (1) parking space for every two hundred (200) square feet of gross floor area.
5.
Bowling alley: Two (2) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
6.
Restaurants: Eighteen (18) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
7.
Private clubs, lodges or other organization of a fraternal, civic, union related, religious or similar nature: Nineteen (19) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
8.
Auto service and gasoline filling stations: Parking or storage parking space for all vehicles used directly in the conduct of the business, plus four (4) parking spaces for each service bay or similar auto service work space.
9.
Personal services, salons, laundry facilities: Four (4) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
10.
Financial institutions: Four and six tenths (4.6) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
11.
Pet care facilities: Two and one-half (2.5) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
12.
Automobile, truck, recreational vehicle, or other large equipment sales: One (1) parking space per three thousand (3,000) square feet of gross sales area.
13.
Food markets: Four and one-half (4.5) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
14.
Funeral homes, mortuaries: Fifteen (15) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
15.
General contracting services: Three (3) spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area, plus one (1) space for every vehicle used in operation of business or stored upon the property.
D.
Offices.
1.
General offices: Three (3) parking spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area for business, professional, governmental or institutional offices, excluding medical or dental offices.
2.
Medical or dental offices or clinics: One (1) parking space per two hundred fifty (250) square feet of gross floor area.
E.
Community Service Uses And Places Of Assembly.
1.
General, places of assembly: Auditoriums, convention halls, banquet facilities, dance halls, exhibition halls, and other similar places of assembly, including churches, shall provide at least one (1) parking space per four (4) seats [one (1) seat equals two (2) feet of bench length] of the assembly or meeting space, or one (1) space for every fifty (50) square feet of gross floor area when there is no fixed seating.
2.
Universities, colleges, academies and similar institutions of higher learning: One (1) parking space for every four (4) seats [one (1) seat equals two (2) feet of bench length] occupied at maximum capacity in combination of any classroom, assembly hall, auditorium, stadium and/or gymnasium on the campus, or one (1) space for every fifty (50) square feet of gross floor area where there is no fixed seating.
4.
Vocational or business schools: Two parking spaces for every classroom and teaching station.
F.
Miscellaneous Uses.
1.
Libraries, museums, galleries: Five (5) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area.
2.
Storage warehouses: Two (2) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area. Does not include office requirements.
3.
Hospitals: One (1) parking space for every two hundred (200) square feet of gross floor area.
G.
Other Uses. The Zoning Administrator shall determine to which of the preceding categories of parking regulations any unlisted use belongs.
H.
Shared Parking.
1.
Notwithstanding the parking requirements set out in Article VI of this Chapter, the number of required parking spaces may be reduced if a developer demonstrates that the proposed use is designed and located so that shared parking within the proposed development or within adjacent development meets the minimum standards of this Section.
2.
Calculation Of Shared Parking. The number of required parking spaces for a proposed development to be used on a shared basis shall be calculated in accordance with the methodologies as established in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) study entitled "Shared Parking." The calculation basis is generally set forth as follows (but should not be considered all-inclusive or as a substitute for the ULI methodologies):
a.
The square footage of each land use in the proposed shared parking development shall be identified, together with a description of anticipated hours of operation of each use.
b.
The peak parking demand for each land use in the proposed shared parking development shall be calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted peak demand with a reduction for:
(1)
Alternative mode factor based on existing or projected community transportation mode use conditions; and
(2)
Captive market adjustment, if data is available on which to estimate the captive market factor.
(3)
Peak parking demand shall be employed to establish hourly accumulation curves for the proposed shared parking development.
(4)
The hourly accumulation curves shall be cumulated to establish the overall required parking spaces for the proposed shared parking development.
Section 405.340 Off-Street Loading Requirements.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.5), 10-3-1988]
A.
General. Adequate space shall be provided to accommodate the loading and unloading of trucks, tractors and trailers servicing any commercial or industrial, or any large scale residential or institutional use. The standards required for the provisions of such spaces are described herein.
B.
Area Of Loading Berths Or Space. A required off-street loading berth or space shall be at least twelve (12) feet in width and at least fifty (50) feet in length, exclusive of aisle and maneuver space, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least fourteen (14) feet.
C.
Access To Loading Areas. Each required off-street loading space or berth shall be afforded appropriate means of vehicular access to a street, highway or alley in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movement.
D.
Surfacing. All open, off-street loading shall be improved to a standard approved by the City Engineer or his/her designee.
E.
Screening. All loading berths or spaces and truck circulation which abut or are adjacent to a residential district shall be set back at least fifty (50) feet therefrom unless it is completely screened therefrom by building walls or a uniformly painted, solid fence, wall or landscaping, or any combination thereof, not less than eight (8) feet in height and set back at least fifteen (15) feet therefrom.
F.
Schedule Of Off-Street Loading Spaces.
1.
Offices and personal or community service establishments: One (1) loading space shall be provided for each such use, including schools, medical or dental clinics, auditoriums or clubs, etc., having greater than six thousand (6,000) square feet of gross floor area.
2.
Residential or housing uses: Any building or project containing more than fifty (50) apartment dwelling units shall provide one (1) loading berth for each two hundred (200) units or fraction thereof.
3.
Business or commercial uses: Every building or use of land consisting of over three thousand (3,000) square feet of gross floor area designed or adaptable for retail business purposes, or warehouse, wholesale or manufacturing use shall be provided with loading space as follows:
Total gross floor area | Number of loading spaces required | |
|---|---|---|
Up to 15,000 square feet | 1 space | |
15,000 to 50,000 square feet | 2 spaces | |
50,000 to 100,000 square feet | 3 spaces | |
Each additional 100,000 square feet | 1 additional space |
4.
Other similar uses: The Zoning Administrator shall determine to which of the above categories of loading regulation any specific use, including designated conditional use permit uses, shall belong.
Section 405.350 Required Site and Landscape Plans and Permits For Parking and Loading Areas.
[Ord. No. 4238 §2(501.6), 10-3-1988]
A.
Site And Landscape Plans. Prior to the issuance of any building permits for the construction or improvement of a parking or loading area subject to this Article, a suitable plan shall be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission indicating the landscaping as well as the parking layout, proposed drainage on the premises, proposed lighting on the premises, and all driveways extending beyond the property line into the public right-of-way. The landscaping plan shall be prepared by an architect or landscape architect and shall meet with the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission which shall review the proposed parking area and its landscaping to ascertain that the plan will promote and facilitate the objectives of this Article. Any deviation from the approved plan shall constitute a violation of this Chapter. Plans shall be drawn to an accurate scale and shall show the layout of the lot entrances and exits, drainage provisions, lighting provisions, surfacing, curb barriers, and location and type of landscaping, including by name and size the types of trees, hedges, shrubs and plants to be used.
B.
Building Permits. Any application for a building permit for the construction of a parking, loading or any other paving facility shall be accompanied by a site and landscape plan approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Such application shall be accompanied also by detailed construction plans and specifications of planned improvements and a statement regarding the proposed methods of maintenance and operations. Persons having existing parking facilities which are not in compliance with this Chapter shall be required to comply with the landscaping provisions in this Article to the extent practicable and provided that existing spaces are not reduced below the requirements of Sections 405.330 and 405.340.
C.
Surety Bond Or Insurance. Any person operating a parking facility shall, as may be required by the City Council, either:
1.
File with the City a bond in such form as may be prescribed by the City Attorney and in an amount as may be required by the City Council, which shall be surety for any judgment for damages rendered against the operator or owner of the parking facility resulting to person or property, when incurred while using the parking facility; or
2.
Carry public liability and property damage insurance in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) to any such person injured in any one (1) accident and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) property damage.