Unless otherwise specifically provided or unless clearly required by the context, the words and phrases defined below shall have the meaning indicated when used in this section.

1. Circulation Area. That portion of the vehicle accommodation area used for access to parking or loading areas or other facilities on the lot. Essentially, driveways and other maneuvering areas (other than parking aisles) comprise the circulation area.
2. Driveway. That portion of the vehicle accommodation area that consists of a travel lane bounded on either side by an area that is not part of the vehicle accommodation area.
3. Gross Floor Area. The total area of a building measured by taking outside dimensions of the building at each floor level intended for occupancy or storage.
4. Loading and Unloading Area. That portion of the vehicle accommodation area used to satisfy the requirements of §287.
5. Vehicle Accommodation Area. That portion of a lot that is used by vehicles for access, circulation, parking, and loading and unloading. It comprises the total of circulation areas, loading and unloading areas, and parking areas (spaces and aisles).
6. Parking Area Aisles. That portion of the vehicle accommodation area consisting of lanes providing access to parking spaces.
7. Parking Space. A portion of the vehicle accommodation area set for the parking of one (1) vehicle.
   

1. All developments in all zoning districts other than the C-C district shall provide a sufficient number of parking spaces to accommodate the number of vehicles that ordinarily are likely to be attracted to the development in question. All residential uses within the C-C zoning district shall provide off-street parking per §279.
2. The presumptions established by this article are that:
   1. a development must comply with the parking standards set forth in §279 to satisfy the requirement stated in §278(a), and
   2. any development that does meet these standards is in compliance.
   However, the Table of Parking Requirements is only intended to establish a presumption and should be flexibly administered, as provided in §280.
3. Uses in §279 Table of Parking Requirements, are indicated by a numerical reference keyed to the Table of Permissible Uses, when determination of the number of parking spaces required by this table results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction of one-half (½) or less may be disregarded, while a fraction in excess of one-half (½) shall be counted as one (1) parking space.
4. The town board recognizes that the Table of Parking Requirements set forth in §279 cannot and does not cover every possible situation that may arise. Therefore, in cases not specifically covered, the permit-issuing authority is authorized to determine the parking requirements using this table as a guide.

Amended May 20, 2019

Amended May 3, 2004, November 21, 2005, March 15, 2010, November 17, 2014, March 16, 2015, June 1, 2015, September 21, 2015, December 21, 2015, June 20, 2016, October 17, 2016, October 2, 2017, May 20, 2019

1. The town board recognizes that, due to the particularities of a given development, the inflexible application of the parking standards set forth in §279 may result in a development either with inadequate parking space of parking space far in excess of its needs. The former situation may lead to traffic congestion of parking violations in adjacent streets as well as unauthorized parking in nearby private lots. The latter situation wastes money as well as space that could more desirably be used for valuable development or environmentally useful open space. Therefore, as suggested in §278 the permit-issuing authority may permit deviations from the presumptive requirements of §279 and may require more parking or allow less parking whenever its finds that such deviations are more likely to satisfy the standard set forth in §279.
2. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the permit-issuing authority may allow deviations from the parking requirements set forth in §279 when it finds that:
   1. A residential development is irrevocably oriented toward the elderly;
   2. A business is primarily oriented to walk-in trade.
3. Whenever the permit-issuing authority allows or requires a deviation from the presumptive parking requirements set forth in §279, it shall enter on the face of the permit the parking requirement that it imposes reasons for allowing or requiring the deviation.
4. If the permit-issuing authority concludes, based upon information it receives in the consideration of a specific development proposal, that the presumption established by §279 for a particular use classification is erroneous, it shall initiate a request for an amendment to the Table of Parking Requirements in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article XX.
   

1. Subject to §281(b) and §281(c), each parking space shall contain a rectangular area at least nineteen (19) feet long and nine (9) feet wide. Lines demarcating parking spaces may be drawn at various angles in relation to curbs or aisles, so long as the parking spaces so created contain within them the rectangular area required by this section.
2. In parking areas containing ten (10) or more parking spaces, up to twenty (20) percent of the parking spaces need contain a rectangular area of only seven and one-half (7 1/2) feet in width by fifteen (15) feet in length. If such spaces are provided, they shall be conspicuously designated as reserved for small or compact cars only.
3. Wherever parking areas consist of spaces set aside for parallel parking, the dimensions of such parking spaces shall be not less than twenty-two (22) feet by nine (9) feet.
4. Parking spaces provided within residential garages or carports may satisfy parking requirements stated in §279. Parking spaces provided within residential garages or carports shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide by twenty (20) feet deep.
5. Driveways serving as parking spaces in all residential properties shall be at least twenty (20) feet in length as measured from the back of the sidewalk or, where no sidewalk exists, from back of curb or edge of street.

Amended September 16, 2019

1. Parking area aisle widths shall conform to the following table, which varies the width requirement according to the angle of parking.
   
   

   	Parking Angle
   Aisle Width	0°	30°	45°	60°	90°
   One-Way Traffic	13	11	13	18	24
   Two-Way Traffic	20	21	22	23	24

2. Driveways shall be not less than ten (10) feet in width for one-way traffic and twenty (20) feet in width for two-way traffic, except that ten (10) feet wide driveways are permissible for two-way traffic when:
   1. the driveway is not longer than fifty (50) feet,
   2. it provides access to not more than six (6) spaces, and
   3. sufficient turning space is provided so that vehicles need not back into a public street.
3. As provided in N.C.G.S. 136-93, no person may construct any driveway entrance or other opening onto a state-maintained road except in accordance with a permit issued by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
4. Specifications on Driveway Entrances. All driveway entrances and other openings onto town-maintained streets shall, at a minimum, conform to the requirements set forth in the “Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways”, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The following are exceptions to the requirements set forth in the policy referenced above for town-maintained streets:
   1. Where more than one (1) driveway is permitted along a single property frontage, the distance between adjacent driveways shall be:
      1. Five (5) or greater if the driveway is located along a minor street or local street. If the separation measures less than five (5) feet, the next separation shall be at least twenty (20) feet.
      2. Driveways accessed by an alley require no separation requirement.
   2. The minimum separation between driveways and intersecting streets shall be at least ten (10) feet if the driveway is located along an alley, minor street, or local street.
   3. Appendix L – Traffic Impact Analysis of the Town’s UDO.
5. Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). See Appendix L – Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).

Amended November 17, 2014, October 17, 2016, September 16, 2019, November 2, 2020

1. Unless no other practicable alternative is available, vehicle accommodation areas shall be designed so that, without resorting to extraordinary movements, vehicles may exit such areas without backing onto a public street. This requirement does not apply to parking areas consisting of driveways that serve one (1) or two (2) dwelling units, although backing onto arterial streets is discouraged.
2. Vehicle accommodation areas of all developments shall be designed to that sanitation, emergency, and other public service vehicles can serve such developments without the necessity of backing unreasonable distances or making other dangerous or hazardous turning movements.
3. Every vehicle accommodation area shall be designed so that vehicles cannot extend beyond the perimeter of such area onto adjacent properties or public rights-of-way. Such areas shall also be designed so that vehicles do not extend over sidewalks or tend to bump against or damage any wall, vegetation, or other obstruction.
4. Circulation areas shall be designed so that vehicles can proceed safely without posing a danger to pedestrians or other vehicles and without interfering with parking areas.
   

1. Vehicle accommodation areas that (i) include lanes for drive-in windows or (ii) contain parking areas that are required to have more than ten (10) parking spaces and that are used regularly at least five (5) days per week shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other material that will provide equivalent protection against potholes, erosion, and dust and be accessible to fire department apparatus and capable of supporting the imposed load of fire apparatus weighing at least 75,000 pounds (per the most recent adopted version of Appendix D of the NC Fire Code). Specifications for surfaces meeting the standard set forth in this section are contained below:
   1. Paved Surfaces. Vehicle accommodation areas paved with asphalt shall be constructed in the same manner as street surfaces (Appendix C, Sections C-6 through C-9). If concrete is used as the paving material, vehicle accommodation areas shall be similarly constructed except that six inches of concrete shall be used instead of two inches of asphalt. The planning director may allow other paving materials to be used so long as the equivalent level of stability is achieved.
2. Vehicle accommodation areas that contain parking areas that are required to have more than ten (10) parking spaces and that are used regularly at least five (5) days per week but are closed for at least two (2) consecutive month per year (such as elementary and secondary schools) shall be graded and surfaced per subsection (a). However, this requirement only applies to driveways and drive aisles. The area for parking spaces may be graded and surfaced per subsection (a) or (c).
3. Vehicle accommodation areas that are not provided with the type of surface specified in §284(a) shall be graded and surfaced with, gravel, or other suitable material (as provided in the specifications set forth below) to provide a surface that is stable, accessible to fire department apparatus and capable of supporting the imposed load of fire apparatus weighing at least 75,000 pounds (per the most recent adopted version of Appendix D of the NC Fire Code), and will help to reduce dust and erosion.
   1. Impervious Gravel Surfaces. Vehicle accommodation areas surfaced with impervious gravel shall at a minimum be constructed to the following specifications:
      1. Compacted subgrade six (6) inches deep;
      2. Compacted six (6) inches aggregate base course (crushed stone conforming to DOT Type ABC stone); and
      3. Compacted one and one-half (1.5) inches surface course (#57, #67, or #78M stone).
   2. Pervious Gravel or Grass Surfaces. Vehicle accommodation areas surfaced with pervious gravel or grass shall at a minimum be constructed to the following specifications:
      1. Various types of permeable surfaces, including rubber or grid type systems utilizing grass or washed stone may be used if the subgrade and finished slope is less than two percent (2%).
      2. A porous or pervious surface often built with an underlying stone reservoir that temporarily stores surface runoff before it infiltrates into the subsoil.
      3. The minimum separation between the closest point to the seasonal high-water table and the finished surface shall be:
         1. two feet for infiltrating pavement systems cross section without calculation or geotechnical analysis; however, the separation may be reduced to a minimum of one foot if the applicant provides a soils report that demonstrates that the modified soil profile allows for infiltration of the design volume within 72 hours; and
         2. one foot for detention pavement systems.
      4. Shall be considered surface improvements such as interlocking concrete paving blocks, brick pavers, grid pavers, permeable pavers, or other similar improvements which permit the infiltration of water through the improved surface.
      5. Surface preparation to accommodate the water infiltration allowed through the surface material shall be required.
      6. Gravel shall not be considered a pervious paving surface.
      7. An environmentally preferable alternative to traditional pavement that allows stormwater to infiltrate into the subsoil.
4. Vehicle Accommodation Areas Surfaced with the standards specified in §284(c).
   1. The perimeter of such parking areas shall be defined by bricks, stones, railroad ties, or other similar device.
   2. In addition, whenever such a vehicle accommodation area abuts a paved street, the driveway leading from such street to such area (or, if there is no driveway, the portion of the vehicle accommodation area that opens onto such streets), shall be paved as provided in §284(a) for a distance of fifteen (15) feet back from the edge of the paved street, to the end of the turnout radius, or back of sidewalk, whichever is greater. §284(d)(2) shall not apply to:
      1. single-family or two-family residences; or
      2. other uses that are required to have only one (1) or two (2) parking spaces; or
      3. other uses that regularly operate less than five (5) days per week and have an estimated trip generation of less than seventy (70) vehicle trips per week.
      Paved turnouts are permanent pavement beginning at the edge of the street and extending into the property. Their purpose is to protect the edge of pavement of the street, to smooth a vehicle's transition on and off the road surface, and to prevent tracking of mud or gravel on the street. Paved turnouts shall be required for all permanent street connections. The type and design of permanent pavement used on street and driveway turnouts shall be shown on the submitted site plan and shall provide at least the same structural strength as that of the adjacent public roadway. Truck usage shall be considered in determining the strength of the permanent pavement.
5. Paving shall not be required for the following uses but at minimum shall comply with §284(c) above:
   1. Parking facilities for agricultural operations, farming in the A-R zoning district;
   2. Parking facilities located within the Watershed Protection Area;
   3. Parking areas for tracked heavy construction equipment, skid-mounted equipment and similar equipment provided they are constructed with an all-weather surface;
   4. Overflow parking areas (off-street parking that is in excess of the minimum parking requirement for the use and such parking area is located the furthest from the driveway entrance/exit);
   5. Parking facilities for athletic facilities that are an accessory to an elementary or secondary school; and
   6. Special event parking areas.
6. The surface course for handicap accessibility areas including: parking space/facility/access aisles, sidewalks, curb ramps, routes, and path of travel shall meet the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards for accessible design provided by the US Department of Justice (see ada.gov).
7. Demarcating parking spaces
   1. Parking spaces in areas surfaced in accordance with §284(a) shall be appropriately demarcated with painted lines or other markings.
   2. Parking spaces in areas surfaced in accordance with §284(b) & §284(c) shall be exempt from being demarcated.
8. Vehicle accommodation areas shall be properly maintained in all respects. In particular, and without limiting the foregoing, vehicle accommodation area surfaces shall be kept in good condition (free from potholes, etc.) and parking lines or marking shall be kept clearly visible and distinct.

Amended October 2, 2000, September 19, 2016, January 16, 2018, May 20, 2019, November 2, 2020

1. One (1) parking area may contain required spaces for several different uses, but except as otherwise provided in this section, the required space assigned to one (1) use may not be credited to any other use.
2. To the extent that developments that wish to make joint use of the same parking spaces operate at different times, the same spaces may be credited to both uses. For example, if a parking lot is used in connection with an office building on Monday through Friday but is generally ninety (90) percent vacant on weekends, another development that operates only on weekends could be credited with ninety (90) percent of the spaces on that lot. Or, if a church parking lot is generally occupied only to fifty (50) percent of capacity on days other than Sunday, another development could make use of fifty (50) percent of the church lot's spaces on those other days.
3. If the joint use of the same parking spaces by two (2) or more principal uses involves satellite parking spaces, then the provisions of §286 are also applicable.

Amended October 2, 2000

1. If the number of off-street parking spaces required by this ordinance cannot reasonably be provided on the same lot where the principal use associated with these parking spaces is located, then spaces may be provided on adjacent or nearby lots in accordance with the provisions of this section. These off-site spaces are referred to in this section as satellite parking spaces.
2. All such satellite parking spaces must be located within six hundred (600) feet of a public entrance of a principal building housing the use associated with such parking, or within six hundred (600) feet of the lot on which the use associated with such parking is located if the use is not housed within any principal building.
   1. Exceptions.
      1. Satellite parking spaces intended for employee use may be located within any reasonable distance.
      2. Satellite parking spaces may be located more than six hundred (600) feet if remote parking shuttle bus service is provided.
   2. Exclusions.
      1. Satellite parking spaces may not be separated from the use served by a street right-of-way with a width of more than eighty (80) feet, unless a grade-separated pedestrian walkway is provided, or other traffic control or remote parking shuttle bus service is provided (developments located within the C-C zoning district shall not be restricted by the width of right-of-way).
      2. Satellite parking may not be used to satisfy the off-street parking standards for:
         1. residential uses, except for:
            1. guest parking; and
            2. developments in the C-C zoning district if off-street parking spaces required cannot be reasonably provided on the same or adjacent lot on which the principal use is located, such space may be provided on any land within six hundred (600) feet. A clearly designated or marked paved pedestrian path shall connect the principal use to the satellite parking lot.
         2. convenience stores; or
         3. other convenience-oriented uses.
3. Agreement for Satellite Parking.
   1. The developer wishing to take advantage of the provisions to this section must present satisfactory written evidence that he has the permission of the owner or other person in charge of the satellite parking spaces to use such spaces.
   2. The developer must also sign an acknowledgment that the continuing validity of his permit depends upon his continuing ability to provide the requisite number of parking spaces.
   3. No use shall be continued if the parking is removed unless substitute parking facilities are provided, and the zoning administrator shall be notified at least sixty (60) days prior to the termination of a lease for satellite parking.
4. Persons who obtain satellite parking spaces in accordance with this section shall not be held accountable for ensuring that the satellite parking areas from which they obtain their spaces satisfy the design requirements of this article.

Amended October 2, 2000

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this ordinance, whenever (i) there exists a lot with one (1) or more structures on it constructed before the effective date of this ordinance, and (ii) a change in use that does not involve any enlargement of a structure is proposed for such lot, and (iii) the parking requirements of §278 that would be applicable as a result of the proposed change cannot be satisfied on such lot because there is not sufficient area available on the lot that can practicably be used for parking, then the developer need only comply with the requirements of §278 to the extent that (i) parking space is practicably available on the lot where the development is located, and (ii) satellite parking space is reasonably available as provided in §285. However, if satellite parking subsequently becomes reasonably available, then it shall be a continuing condition of the permit authorizing development on such lot that the developer obtain satellite parking when it does become available.

1. Subject to §288(e), whenever the normal operation of any development requires that goods, merchandise, or equipment be routinely delivered to or shipped from that development, a sufficient off-street loading and unloading area must be provided in accordance with this section to accommodate the delivery or shipment operations in a safe and convenient manner.
2. The loading and unloading area must be of sufficient size to accommodate the numbers and types of vehicles that are likely to use this area, given the nature of the development in question. The following table indicates the number and size of spaces that, presumptively, satisfy the standard set forth in this subsection. However, the permit-issuing authority may require more or less loading and unloading area if reasonably necessary to satisfy the foregoing standard.
   
   

   Gross Leasable Area of Building (Square Feet)	Number of spaces*
   1,000 - 19,999	1
   20,000 - 79,999	2
   80,000 - 127,999	3
   128,000 - 191,999	4
   192,000 - 255,999	5
   256,000 - 319,999	6
   320,000 - 391,999	7

   Plus one (1) space for each additional seventy two thousand (72,000) square feet or fraction thereof.
   *Minimum dimensions of twelve (12) feet x fifty five (55) feet and overhead clearance of fourteen (14) feet from street grade required.
3. Loading and unloading areas shall be so located and designed that the vehicles intended to use them can (i) maneuver safely and conveniently to and from a public right-of-way, and (ii) complete the loading and unloading operations without obstructing or interfering with any public right-of-way or any parking space or parking lot aisle.
4. No area allocated to loading and unloading facilities may be used to satisfy the area requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off-street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading and unloading facilities.
5. Whenever (i) there exists a lot with one (1) or more structures on it constructed before the effective date of this ordinance, and (ii) a change in use that does not involve any enlargement of a structure is proposed for such lot, and (iii) the loading area requirements of this section cannot be satisfied because there is not sufficient area available on the lot that can practicably be used for loading and unloading, then the developer need only comply with this section to the extent reasonably possible.
   

Every off-street parking area and parking garage available to the public shall have parking spaces reserved for the use of physically handicapped persons as specified in the table found below (Minimum ADA Parking Spaces as required by ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, Chapter 4.1.2(5)(a), published in the Federal Register, Volume 56, No. 144, dated July 26, 1991).

Amended June 1, 2015