This section is intended to ensure an adequate amount of properly designed parking areas to prevent traffic congestion and to minimize any detrimental effects on adjacent properties.

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII)

All off-street parking areas shall meet the requirements of this article and shall be properly maintained to ensure continued compliance with this article.

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII)

Parking areas shall conform to the general criteria listed below unless expressly provided otherwise in this chapter.

(1)

Location. Off-street parking areas shall be provided on the same zone lot as the principal use or on a nearby lot a reasonable walking distance away. Such areas shall not be located within any rights-of-way and shall be set back five (5) feet from any zone lot line.

(2)

Safety. All parking areas shall be designed so that emergency vehicles may safely enter, maneuver in, and exit such areas without backing onto a street or road.

(3)

Surfacing. Notwithstanding the other requirements of this chapter, required parking areas shall be properly graded improved, and maintained with an all-weather surface, which may be gravel.

(4)

Lighting. Parking areas shall be adequately lighted during business hours. Such lighting shall be designed to minimize adverse effects upon adjoining properties and rights-of-way.

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII; Amend. of 9-6-11; Amend. of 9-15-25)

(a)

Calculation of minimum spaces required. The number of standard off-street parking spaces required by this section shall be determined in accordance with section 21-166. Any fraction resulting from the calculation of required parking spaces shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

(b)

Minimum space dimensions.

(1)

Standard spaces. Each standard parking space shall be twenty (20) feet long and nine (9) feet wide. Parallel parking spaces shall be at least twenty-two (22) feet long and nine (9) feet wide. Paved spaces must be appropriately painted while gravel spaces must be denoted by an individual parking block, marker sign, or similar feature to identify each parking space.

(2)

Handicapped spaces. Handicapped spaces shall be as required by the North Carolina Building Code and the Americans With Disabilities Act, which are not included in the required number of spaces.

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII; Amend. of 8-15-25)

The presumptive standards set forth in the parking requirements table cannot cover every possible use or situation, nor can the table be considered exact. Therefore, the administrator is given flexibility to administer this section as follows:

(1)

Similar use. Parking space requirements for a use not identified in the table shall be based on a similar, listed use.

(2)

Other use. In the case of unique land uses or those that have unusually high parking requirements, the landowner shall demonstrate to the administrator that sufficient off-street parking can be provided.

(3)

Numerical standard. Deviations from the number of spaces are permitted when the administrator determines that the requirements for a particular situation are unreasonable. The reasons for allowing the deviation or requirement shall be noted in writing by the administrator.

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII)

(Ord. of 1-19-98, § VIII; Amend. of 3-5-12; Amend. of 4-21-14; Amend. of 10-17-16; Amend. of 9-3-19; Amend. of 6-21-21; Amend. of 9-15-25)