Ridgewood City Zoning Code
§ 190-121
Off-street parking, loading and circulation.
[Amended 6-10-1997 by Ord. No. 2606; 7-16-2003 by Ord. No. 2830; 4-7-2010 by Ord. No. 3242; 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 3343; 2-8-2017 by Ord. No. 3579; 12-11-2024 by Ord. No. 4027]
All parking areas required by this section shall be devoted exclusively to parking of motor vehicles so long as the principal building or use which requires such parking areas continues in existence. No commercial repair or sales, including the sale or rental of new or used motor vehicles by a new or used car dealer or motor vehicle rental agency, nor any storage in connection with the same, shall be permitted within a required parking area. The following provisions shall apply:
A.
Number of parking spaces. Off-street parking and loading spaces shall be provided for all uses in accordance with the following standards. Calculations of fractional spaces for residential uses shall be rounded off to the next-highest whole number if the fraction is greater than 0.5 space and to the next-lowest whole number if the fraction is less. Calculations of any fractional spaces for nonresidential uses shall be rounded off to the next-highest whole number. On any properties containing more than one building or use, the calculation of required parking shall be made separately and cumulatively, except as may be provided otherwise by this chapter or other applicable law.
(1)
The minimum number of parking spaces for single-family or two-family dwellings shall be as required by the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1.1 et seq., summarized below (please refer to the standards for the full text):
Bedrooms in Unit | Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Per Unit |
|---|---|
2 | 1.5 |
3 | 2.0 |
4 | 2.5 |
5 | 3.0 |
NOTE: Of the required number of spaces in the above table, there shall be a minimum of one garage space for each dwelling unit. Such garages shall be a minimum of 20 feet in depth. |
(2)
The minimum number of parking spaces for single-family attached dwelling units or multifamily dwelling units shall be as required by the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1.1 et seq., summarized below (please refer to the standards for the full text):
Housing Unit Type – Bedrooms in Unit | Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Per Unit |
|---|---|
Garden apartment or mid-rise apartment | |
1 | 1.8 |
2 | 2.0 |
3 | 2.1 |
Single-family attached (townhouse) | |
1 | 1.8 |
2 | 2.3 |
3 | 2.4 |
NOTE: Of the required number of spaces in the above table, at least one of every three required spaces shall be located within a garage, and at least one of every three required spaces shall be located outside of any building. |
(3)
Nonresidential uses shall provide the minimum number of off-street parking spaces as set forth in the following table:
(a)
Houses of worship in any zone: one off-street parking space for every five seats of capacity available for use at the same time, or one space per 75 square feet of gross floor area available for use at the same time, whichever is greater. In instances where pews, bleachers, benches or similar group seating that does not consist of individual seats is employed, each 24 inches of seating platform length shall be considered a "seat" for purposes of determining the minimum number of parking spaces.
(b)
Schools providing academic instruction for children between the grades kindergarten through 12 in any zone: one off-street parking space for every four students in attendance at one time, based upon the maximum licensed capacity of the school.
(c)
Public utility facilities permitted by this chapter: one off-street parking space for each employee or staff person present at the normal peak staffing period of the facility.
(d)
Other nonresidential uses:
Zone District(s) | Minimum Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
T | 1 per each 200 square feet of gross floor area |
B-2, O-B2 | 1 per each 200 square feet of gross floor area, or 1 per each 250 square feet of gross floor area when parking is shared by two or more abutting uses |
C, H, HC, P, P-2 and in residential zone districts | 1 per each 250 square feet of gross floor area |
OB-1 | 1 per each 250 square feet of gross floor area for buildings having a gross floor area up to 50,000 square feet, and 1 per each 300 square feet of gross floor area for buildings having a gross floor area greater than 50,000 square feet |
B-1, NWSR | 1 per each 300 square feet of gross floor area |
B.
Parking for disabled persons. In any parking lot designed to accommodate the public, a minimum number of designated parking spaces accessible to disabled persons shall be required as follows:
Total Parking Spaces in Lot | Required Number of Accessible Spaces |
|---|---|
1 to 25 | 1 |
26 to 50 | 2 |
51 to 75 | 3 |
76 to 100 | 4 |
101 to 150 | 5 |
151 to 200 | 6 |
201 to 300 | 7 |
301 to 400 | 8 |
401 to 500 | 2% of total |
501 to 1,000 | 20, plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000 |
C.
Shared parking. In the B-1, B-2, OB-1, OB-2, C, HC, P and P2 Districts, the required parking provisions of this section may be met by participating in a joint parking program involving two or more nonresidential uses; provided, however, that plans for such a joint program shall have been approved by the Board or the Site Plan Exemption Committee, as applicable, and subject to the following:
(1)
The area for the parking facilities shall equal the collective parking area requirements of the participating properties to be served.
(2)
The provisions of § 190-121F(1) shall be complied with.
(3)
The parking areas shall be devoted exclusively to parking and no other use so long as the principal building or use which makes such parking areas necessary shall continue in existence.
D.
Number of loading spaces. For any nonresidential use involving manufacturing, storage, display of goods, retail or wholesale sales or warehousing, market, hospital for humans, laundry, dry cleaning establishment or other use similarly requiring the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the same premises with such use at least one off-street loading space.
E.
Exemptions; reserve parking and loading. If any applicant can clearly demonstrate to the Board that, because of the nature of his operation or use, the parking requirements of Subsection A above are unnecessary or excessive, the Board shall have the power to approve a site plan showing less paved parking area than is required by this section; provided, however, that a landscaped area of sufficient size to meet the deficiency shall be set aside and reserved for the purposes of meeting future off-street parking and loading requirements in the event that a change of use of the premises shall make such additional off-street parking or loading spaces necessary.
F.
Location of parking and loading areas.
(1)
For residential uses, all off-street parking facilities shall be located on the same lot with the building they are serving. For nonresidential uses, all off-street parking facilities shall be located on the same lot with the building they are serving or on other property owned, leased or shared by the applicant, provided that the following are complied with:
(2)
The required yard locations and setbacks for off-street parking and loading areas are set forth below, provided that where shared parking arrangements are permitted by this chapter, no minimum setback for parking areas shall be required where shared parking areas abut one another at the property line.
(a)
In all R-125, R-110, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Districts and in other districts, vehicle parking for single-family detached and two-family dwelling units shall be permitted in any yard, but shall be prohibited in the front yard area except on the driveway.
(b)
In the R-1A and R-2A Districts, parking areas serving single-family attached or multifamily residences permitted as a conditional use may be located in any yard pursuant to a plan approved by the Board.
(c)
In the R-4 and R-5 Districts, parking areas may be located in the side or rear yard.
(d)
In the R-7 District, parking areas may be located in any yard. Parking areas located in the front yard shall be set back at least 25 feet from the front lot line.
(e)
In the B-1, B-2, C, P and P-2 Zone Districts, parking areas are permitted in the front, side or rear yards. Parking areas in the front yard shall be set back from the front lot line at least 1/2 of the minimum required front yard setback. In the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zones, all parking areas in any yard shall be set back at least five feet from all other lot lines, except where such parking areas are connected with other parking areas as part of a shared parking facility as permitted by this section.
(f)
In the OB-1 Zone District, parking areas permitted in the front, side and rear yards. Parking areas in the front yard shall be set back from the front lot line at least 12 feet, or 14 feet where vehicle overhangs are provided along the periphery of a parking area. Parking areas in the side yard shall be set back at least five feet from any building. Parking areas in the rear yard shall be set back at least 25 feet from any abutting residential zone district boundary line, provided that where a solid unpierced masonry wall is constructed as permitted by this chapter, the parking area need only be set back from the wall at least five feet, or seven feet where vehicles overhang the periphery of the parking area.
(g)
In the OB-2 Zone District, parking areas are permitted in the side or rear yards and shall be set back at least five feet from the side and rear lot lines.
(h)
In the H Zone District, parking areas shall be permitted in the front, side and rear yards, and shall be set back at least 15 feet from all lot lines, except when adjacent to a residential zone as otherwise provided in the H District regulations.
(i)
In the T Zone District, parking areas shall be permitted in the front and side yards. Parking areas shall be set back at least 20 feet from the front lot line, and at least five feet from all other lot lines; provided, however, in the circumstances described in § 190-118B(5) above, parking areas shall be set back at least 10 feet from a front lot line that is located on the opposite side of the street from a property used for residential purposes, at least two feet from a front lot line that is located on the opposite side of the street from a property used for nonresidential purposes, and at least 24 feet from all other lot lines.
(j)
Loading areas shall be located on the same property as the use to which they are accessory and shall be located in the side or rear yard. Loading spaces shall be set back at least five feet from any side or rear lot line or shall comply with the required setback for parking areas, whichever is more restrictive. A loading space may be located in a parking area in the side or rear yard, provided that the loading and parking movements and operations do not interfere with each other.
(k)
In the HC Zone District, parking areas shall be permitted in any yard but shall be located at least the following distances from lot lines and street rights-of-way:
G.
Driveways.
(1)
No driveway shall be permitted to serve any use other than the permitted use on the lot upon which such driveway is located, except when such driveway is part of a joint parking facility permitted by § 190-121C or such driveway is located in the T Zone District and services a lot in an abutting nonresidential district. Driveways serving garden apartments in the R-4 Zone shall be located in the same R-4 Zone.
(2)
Entrances to and exits from parking and loading areas and other driveways for nonresidential uses shall be located no closer than 10 feet from any property located in a residential zone, or such greater setback required for parking areas or by buffer requirements, whichever is most restrictive, measured from the property line to the curb face or edge of pavement of the driveway, excluding curb returns at entrances.
(3)
In all R-125, R-110, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zone Districts and in any district where a lot is used for a single-family detached or two-family dwelling, no driveway shall have a width exceeding 1/5 of the width of such lot, up to a maximum width of 25 feet; provided, however, that where otherwise lawful, no driveway shall be required to be fewer than 10 feet wide. On corner lots, the lot width used for making the above calculation shall be that side of the lot through which the driveway provides access to the street.
(a)
No residential property with less than 100 feet of lot frontage or a non-conforming front yard setback shall be permitted to have two curb cuts (i.e., a circular driveway) on the same street. Where circular driveways are permitted, the maximum width of each curb cut shall not exceed 12 feet and all other driveway width limitations contained in this section shall apply.
(4)
All developments shall comply with the standards of the state highway access management code adopted by the Commissioner of the Transportation in the case of a state highway, with the standards of any access management code adopted by the county in the case of a county road or highway, and with the standards of any Village access management code adopted in the case of a Village street or highway.