Robinson Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 300-79 Off-street parking regulations.
A.
Applicability.
(1)
New or expanded uses and structures. In any zoning district, all structures built and all uses established hereafter shall provide off-street parking areas in accordance with this section. When an existing structure or use is expanded, parking spaces for the area or capacity of such expansion shall be required in accordance with this section. The granting and continued validity of a certificate of occupancy issued after the effective date of this chapter shall be conditioned upon compliance with these parking requirements.
(2)
Existing uses. Existing uses in compliance with prior ordinances are not required to comply with these regulations, except when such uses are enlarged or changed in use, size or capacity. An expansion or alteration of an existing use or a subdivision or combination of zoning lots shall not result in the elimination of any existing required off-street parking spaces.
B.
General provisions.
(1)
Utilization. Required off-street parking facilities shall be solely for the parking of passenger automobiles in operating condition of patrons, occupants or employees of such use or commercial vehicles under 1 1/2 tons' capacity.
(2)
Space description. A required off-street parking space shall be at least nine feet wide by 20 feet long measured perpendicularly to the sides of the parking space, exclusive of access drives, aisles, ramps or columns, accessible from streets or private driveways. Parking spaces reserved for handicapped persons shall be a minimum 12 1/2 feet in width by 20 feet in length.
(a)
Calculation of required spaces.
(b)
When calculating the required number of spaces, a fractional space of 1/2 or over shall be considered an entire space while a fraction below 1/2 may be disregarded.
(c)
In case of a mixed-use structure or multiple-structure development, excluding a shopping center, the required number of parking spaces shall be cumulative of that required for each type of use.
(3)
Maneuvering aisles.
Parking Space Angle | Minimum Aisle Width (feet) | |
|---|---|---|
45° | 12 | |
60° | 18 | |
90° | 20 |
(4)
Driveway access and design. Driveway access from parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate and clearly marked means of vehicular access to and from streets in such a manner as will least interfere with the movement of traffic and shall be in accordance with the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's "Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Roads" (67 Pa. Code Chapter 441), and any revisions or amendments thereto.
(5)
Surfacing. All driveways and off-street parking areas shall be graded for proper drainage and paved with asphalt, concrete, grouted brick, paving blocks or similar materials approved by Robinson Township.
(6)
Striping. Parking areas providing for 10 or more vehicles shall be striped to outline the entire parking space with a durable paint and shall be maintained.
(7)
Lighting. All parking areas in a C, I or R-4 District for over 10 vehicles shall be suitably illuminated for night use. All lighting shall be directed away from abutting residential properties and public rights-of-way. If a commercial or industrial use is not normally in operation after 6:00 p.m., then minimal security lighting shall be provided. Generally, a minimum of 1/2 footcandle average maintained illumination shall be required in the vicinity of all normal building entrances/exits and any exterior storage areas that have a high risk of theft or vandalism.
(8)
Screening and landscaping.
(a)
All parking areas for commercial uses, industrial uses and multiple-family dwellings containing more than 10 spaces shall be effectively screened on each side by a decorative wall, fence or planted screen of not less than four feet in height. Where a parking area abuts a bufferyard required by § 300-72 of this chapter, then additional landscaping shall not be required. Required screening may be placed in any required yard or other setback area and shall be considered part of the setback.
(b)
Where a planted screen is utilized, it shall consist of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, bushes or trees which shall mature to the stated height in two growing seasons from planting.
(c)
The required screening shall not interfere with the provisions of a clear sight triangle at intersections, as specified by § 300-68 of this chapter.
(d)
Continuing maintenance of screening shall be the responsibility of the property owner.
(9)
Ingress and egress barriers. Whenever an open parking area abuts a public street, sidewalk or alley, a planting strip, at least five feet in depth, planted and maintained with shrubbery, trees or other landscape or decorative materials, shall be installed across the entire frontage of the property in order to prohibit vehicle access except at approved ingress/egress points. Planting required in this area shall be exclusive of other planting requirements contained in § 300-71 and § 300-72 of this chapter.
(10)
Wheelstops and curbs. Continuous curbing or other approved wheelstops shall be installed to prevent vehicle encroachment into public rights-of-way or required bufferyards or planting strips, as well as to direct stormwater. However, the Planning Commission may waive the installation of curbs where desirable to provide adequate on-site drainage.
(11)
Automobile repair garage. No motor vehicle repair work or service shall be permitted in conjunction with any off-street parking facility.
(12)
Location of off-street parking facilities.
(a)
No required off-street parking space shall occur wholly or partly in a public right-of-way or required buffer area.
(b)
All required parking must be provided on the same zoning lot as the principal use which it serves, except as otherwise provided herein.
(c)
Open off-street parking areas may be located in any yard, subject to the provisions of § 300-73C, Location of structures and accessory uses. Required parking spaces accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling shall be located either within an enclosed garage or in the driveway, provided the spaces in the driveway do not obstruct access to vehicles parked in the garage.
C.
Joint parking facilities.
(1)
Two or more uses may share a common parking area, provided the total spaces equal or exceed the sum of the spaces required for each use individually. However, the Planning Commission may approve a joint parking plan which permits a reduction in this total, subject to the following:
(a)
A written report shall be prepared by the applicant which clearly demonstrates that one or more uses require parking at times when other uses in the building or complex are not normally in operation and, therefore, the uses could share parking, thus reducing the total spaces that otherwise would be required for all uses.
(b)
Not more than 40% of the required parking spaces for any one use shall be supplied jointly with other uses, except that up to 100% of the parking spaces for a place of worship or school may be supplied jointly with another use.
(c)
All uses shall be located within 350 feet of the joint parking spaces and connected by safe pedestrian access.
(d)
A written agreement shall be executed with Robinson Township assuring the continued availability of the joint parking spaces to all proposed uses.
(2)
This joint parking provision shall not apply to shopping centers.
(3)
Any change or expansion of the uses sharing the joint parking area shall require a new review by the Planning Commission and may result in additional spaces being required and a revised agreement with Robinson Township.
(4)
Continued compliance with the approved joint parking plan is a condition of occupancy; any violation thereof may result in the suspension or revocation of the certificate(s) of occupancy/compliance of affected uses.
D.
Off-site parking facilities. The Planning Commission may approve a plan for providing all or some of the required off-street parking spaces on a lot other than where the principal use is located, provided that:
(1)
Both lots are held in the same ownership or a lease has been executed for the spaces which guarantees their availability for as long as the use exists. Evidence of ownership or a copy of the lease shall be filed with Robinson Township.
(2)
The off-site parking spaces are located within 350 feet distance from the principal use and connected by a safe pedestrian walkway.
(3)
The continued availability of the approved off-site parking shall be a condition of occupancy for the principal use; any violation thereof may result in the suspension or revocation of the principal use's certificate of occupancy.
E.
Schedule of required off-street parking spaces. The following shall be the absolute number of parking spaces required; additional spaces may only be permitted through the approval by the Board of Commissioners as a result of the development application review.
[Amended 7-6-2020 by Ord. No. 2-2020]
Use | Requirement | ||
|---|---|---|---|
One- and two-family dwellings | 2 spaces per dwelling unit | ||
Multiple-family dwellings (three units or more) | 1.8 spaces per dwelling unit | ||
Personal care home, group care facility, group home | 1 space for each employee on peak shift plus 1 space for each resident | ||
Day-care center, adult or child | 1 space for each teacher and employee on peak shift plus 1 space per 6 clients (adults or children) | ||
Places of public assembly (place of worship, auditoriums, stadiums, theaters) | 1 space for every 3 seats (24 inches of a bench or pew equals one seat) | ||
Hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes | 1 space for every 4 beds plus 1 space per doctor plus 1 space for every employee on peak shift | ||
Libraries, museums | 1 space for every 250 square feet of gross floor area | ||
Post office | 1 space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area plus one space for each employee on the two largest shifts combined; minimum required spaces shall be 15 | ||
Elementary schools | 1 space for every classroom plus 1 for every employee | ||
Junior high and high schools | 1 per employee plus 2 per classroom plus one for every 6 seats in the largest place of assembly | ||
Colleges and other institutes of higher learning | 1 per employee plus 2 per classroom plus 1 per every 4 seats in the largest place of public assembly | ||
Retail business, convenience and shoppers retail; service business, businesses and personal service | 1 space for every 250 square feet of gross area plus 1 space per employee on peak shift; minimum required spaces equals 5 | ||
Business and professional offices (excluding doctor and dentist offices) | 1 space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area; minimum required spaces equals 4 | ||
Banks and financial institutions | 1 space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area plus 1 per employee; minimum required spaces equals 20 | ||
Hotel/motel | 1 space for every lodging room plus 1 space for each employee during peak shift (if a restaurant or meeting room is on site, spaces shall be as required herein for those uses) | ||
Car wash | 1 space per employee on peak shift plus 4 off-street spaces in waiting lane for each washer | ||
Automobile service station/vehicular repair garage | 4 spaces per repair bay plus 1 per each employee on peak shift plus 1 for each business vehicle | ||
Funeral homes | 20 per view room plus 1 for every 6 seats; minimum required spaces equal 20 | ||
Doctor's and dentist's offices | 3 spaces per examining room plus 1 space per employee on peak shift | ||
Bowling centers | 3 per alley plus 1 for every 2 employees on peak shift | ||
Swimming pool or club | 1 per 50 square feet of water area (if a restaurant or other accessory facility is on site, spaces shall be as required herein for those uses) | ||
Tennis/racquetball clubs or courts | 3 per court plus 1 for each employee on peak shift | ||
Laundromats | 1 for every 2 washers | ||
Theaters | 1 for every 4 seats plus 1 for each employee on peak shift | ||
Restaurants, conventional and taverns/bars | 2 spaces for every 4 seats or booth plus 1 space for 2 stools at a bar or counter plus 1 space for every employee at peak shift | ||
Restaurants, fast-food | 1 space for every seat plus 10 spaces for takeout customers plus 5 off-street spaces in waiting lane for each pickup window | ||
Shopping centers: | |||
0 to 100,000 square feet gross leasable area (GLA) | 1 space per 250 square feet GLA; minimum required spaces equals 5 | ||
100,001 to 400,000 square feet GLA | 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA | ||
400,001 to 600,000 square feet GLA | 4.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA | ||
600,001 square feet and over GLA | 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA | ||
Health club, spa, etc. | 1 space per 3 users, as determined by maximum lawful capacity of the facility, plus 1 for every 2 employees on the peak shift | ||
Industrial uses | 1 space for every business vehicle plus 1 space for each employee on peak shift | ||
All other uses | 1 space per 300 square feet of GFA or one space for each three occupants at maximum legal occupancy, whichever is greater | ||
§ 300-80 Off-street loading facilities.
A.
Applicability.
(1)
New or expanded uses and structures. In any zoning district, all structures built and all uses established hereafter shall provide off-street loading facilities in accordance with this section. When an existing structure or use is expanded, loading facilities for the area or capacity of such expansion shall be required in accordance with this section. The granting and continued validity of a certificate of occupancy issued after the effective date of this chapter shall be conditioned upon compliance with these off-street loading requirements.
(2)
Existing uses. Existing uses in compliance with prior ordinances are not required to comply with these regulations, except when such uses are increased in capacity, enlarged or changed. Any expansion or alteration of an existing use or a subdivision or combination of zoning lots shall not result in the elimination of any existing required off-street loading spaces.
B.
General provisions.
(1)
Description. An off-street loading berth shall be an area of land, open or enclosed, other than a street or public right-of-way, used principally for standing, loading or unloading of trucks and trailers so as to avoid undue interference and congestion on the public streets and rights-of-way.
(2)
Size. Each required off-street loading berth shall be at least 14 feet in width and 55 feet in length, exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space, and shall have a vertical clearance of at least 17 feet. The space shall be of adequate length so that no truck extends beyond any property line or into any right-of-way.
(3)
Calculation of required spaces. When calculating the required number of off-street loading berths, a fractional space of 1/2 or over shall be considered an entire space, while a fraction below 1/2 may be disregarded. In the case of a mixed-use structure or multiple-structure development, the required number of loading berths shall be the cumulative total of those berths required for each type of use.
(4)
Access. Each required off-street loading space shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street, highway or alley in a manner which will not interfere with traffic movement.
(5)
Surfacing. All open off-street loading areas shall be paved or otherwise improved with all-weather, dustless material.
(6)
Motor vehicle repair work. No motor vehicle repair work or service shall be permitted in conjunction with any off-street loading facility.
(7)
Utilization. Space allocated for off-street loading berths shall not be used to satisfy the space requirements for any required off-street parking spaces.
(8)
Location. All required off-street loading berths shall be located on the same lot as the uses served. No loading berth shall be closer than 50 feet from any property in a residential district unless completely enclosed by building walls or an ornamental fence or wall or any combination thereof not less than six feet in height. No loading berth shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two streets.