Spencer City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Traffic Visibility, Loading, Parking and Access
§ 480-48 Traffic visibility.
On a corner lot in all zoning districts, no fence, wall, hedge, planting or structure shall be erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow in such a manner as to obstruct vision between a height of 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above the center-line grades of the intersecting streets in the area bounded by the street lines of such corner lots and a line joining the points along said street lines 25 feet from the point of intersection.
§ 480-49 Loading requirements.
A.
Loading space requirements. On every lot on which a business, trade or industrial use is hereafter established, space with access to a public street or alley shall be provided as indicated below for the loading and unloading of vehicles off the public right-of-way:
Use | Floor Area (square feet) | Loading Space | |
|---|---|---|---|
Retail, wholesale warehouse, service manufacturing, and industrial, establishments | 2,000 to 10,000 10,000 to 20,000 20,000 to 40,000 40,000 to 60,000 Each additional 50,000 | 1 2 3 4 1 | |
Hotels, offices hospitals, places of public assembly | 5,000 to 10,000 10,000 to 50,000 50,000 to 100,000 Each additional 25,000 | 1 2 3 1 | |
Funeral homes | 2,500 to 4,000 4,000 to 6,000 Each additional 10,000 | 1 2 1 |
B.
Multiple or mixed uses. Where a building is devoted to more than one use or for different uses and where the floor area for each use is below the minimum required for a loading space but the aggregate floor area of such uses is above such a minimum, then off-street loading space shall be provided as if the entire building were devoted to that use in the building for which the most loading spaces are required.
C.
Location. Required off-street loading spaces shall be located on the same lot with the principal use requiring such space. No loading space shall be located within 30 feet of the nearest point of intersection of two streets or require any vehicle to back into a public street.
D.
Design standards. Each off-street loading space shall have a width of at least 12 feet, a length of at least 45 feet, and a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet. Dimensions for loading spaces in connection with funeral homes shall be reduced to 10 feet in width, 25 feet in length, and eight feet in vertical clearance. Every loading space shall be sufficiently screened in the form of a solid fence or shrubbery to protect neighboring residences.
E.
Surfacing. All open off-street loading berths shall be improved with a compacted macadam base, not less than seven inches thick, surfaced with not less than two inches of asphalt or treated with some comparable all-weather dustless material.
F.
Repair and service. No motor vehicle repair work or service of any kind shall be permitted in conjunction with loading facilities provided in any residential district.
G.
Utilization. Space allocated to any off-street loading berth shall not, while so allocated, be used to satisfy the space requirements for any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof.
H.
Central loading. Central loading facilities may be substituted for loading berths on the individual zoning lots, provided the following conditions are fulfilled:
(1)
Each zoning lot served shall have direct access to the central loading area without crossing streets or alleys at grade.
(2)
Total berths provided shall meet the requirements based on the sum of the several types of uses served. (Areas of types of uses may be totaled before computing number of loading berths.)
(3)
No zoning lot served shall be more than 300 feet removed from the central loading area.
(4)
The tunnel or ramp connecting the central loading area with the zoning lot served shall be not less than seven feet in width and have a clearance of not less than seven feet.
§ 480-50 Off-street parking requirements.
All new parking lots and all alterations of existing lots shall be subject to the approval of the Village Board, after a recommendation from the Plan Commission. Requests for said parking lots shall be accompanied with detailed plans on landscaping, parking layout, drainage provisions and driveway locations. In all districts, there shall be provided at the time any use or building is erected, enlarged, extended, or increased off-street parking stalls for all vehicles in accordance with the following:
A.
Access. Adequate access to a public street shall be provided for each parking space.
B.
Design standards. Each required off-street parking space shall be not less than 180 square feet. No parking area of more than four spaces shall be designed as to require any vehicle to back into a public street. Large expanses of unchanneled parking areas shall be avoided by interior landscaping and safety islands.
C.
Location.
(2)
Off-street parking is permitted in all yards of all districts except in the front yards of Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Districts but shall not be closer than five feet to a side lot line, right-of-way line or rear lot line.
D.
Surfacing. All off-street parking areas, except parking spaces accessory to a single-family dwelling, shall be surfaced with an all-weather material, such as blacktop.
E.
Additional requirements.
(1)
Special residential requirements. Those parking areas for five or more vehicles if adjoining a residential use shall be screened from such use by a solid wall, fence, evergreen planting of equivalent visual density or other effective means, built and maintained at a minimum height of five feet. Where a solidly constructed decorative fence is provided along the interior lot line, the minimum setback for the parking area shall be five feet from said lot line. Said fence shall be located a minimum of one foot from said lot line.
(2)
Repair and service. No motor vehicle repair work or service of any kind shall be permitted in association with parking facilities provided in residential districts.
(3)
Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be directed away from residential properties and public streets in such a way as not to create a nuisance. However, in no case shall such lighting exceed three footcandles measured at the lot line.
(4)
Street setback area. No parking shall be permitted between the street right-of-way line and the building setback line prevailing in the zone in which the proposed parking area is to be located. The resulting open area shall be planted in grass or otherwise landscaped to create a permanent green area.
F.
Curbs. Curbs or barriers shall be installed a minimum of four feet from a property line so as to prevent the parked vehicles from extending over any lot lines.
G.
Number of stalls. Number of parking stalls required are shown in the following table:[3]
Use | Minimum Parking Required | |
|---|---|---|
Dwellings: single-family, two-family and mobile homes | 2 stalls for each dwelling unit | |
Dwellings: multifamily | 2 stalls for each dwelling unit | |
Housing for the elderly | 0.75 space for each dwelling with 1/2 of these spaces to be built before occupancy and the balance of which spaces shall be reserved until such time as the Village Board may order them installed | |
Hotels, motels | 1 stall for each guest room plus 1 stall for each 3 employees | |
Sororities, dormitories, rooming houses and boardinghouses | 1 stall for each bed | |
Retirement homes, orphanages, convents and monasteries | 1 stall per 2,000 feet of principal floor area | |
Hospitals, sanitariums, institutions, rest and nursing homes | 1 stall for each 3 beds plus 1 stall for each 3 employees | |
Medical and dental clinics | 5 stalls for each doctor | |
Churches, theaters, auditoriums, community centers, vocational and night schools, and other places of public assembly | 1 stall for each 4 seats | |
Secondary and elementary schools | 1 stall for each 2 employees plus 1 stall for each 10 students of 16 years of age or more | |
Restaurants, bars, clubs and lodges, places of entertainment | 1 stall for each 3 seats and 1 space for each 2 employees | |
Manufacturing and processing plants (including meat and food processing), laboratories and warehouses | 1 stall for every 2 employees; number of employees shall be construed to mean the maximum number on the premises at 1 time | |
Financial institutions, business, government and professional offices, retail and service establishments | 1 stall for each 250 square feet of floor area and 1 stall for each 2 employees | |
Motor vehicle sales (new and used) | 1 space for each 500 square feet of floor area used plus 1 space for each 300 square feet of outdoor display area for each motor vehicle to be displayed. (This requirement does not include automobile repair garages and service stations – see below.) | |
Repair shops, retail and service stores | 1 space for each 150 square feet of net floor space | |
Automobile repair garages and service stations | 1 space for each employee plus 1 space for each 250 square feet of floor area used for repair work | |
Bowling alleys | 5 spaces for each alley |
H.
Uses not listed. In the case of structures or uses not mentioned, the provision for a use which is similar shall apply. "Floor space or area" shall mean the gross floor area inside the exterior walls, where floor space is indicated above as a basis for determining the amount of off-street parking required.
I.
Combined uses. Combinations of any of the above uses shall provide the total of the number of stalls required for each individual use. Two or more uses may provide required off-street parking spaces in a common parking facility less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually, provided such uses are not operated during the same hours. A written agreement satisfactory to the Village Attorney shall accompany any joint use arrangement.
J.
Handicapped parking requirements. In addition to any other requirements relating to parking spaces contained in these ordinances, the provisions contained in §§ 101.13, 346.503 and 346.56, Wis. Stats., and any Wisconsin Administrative Code sections adopted pursuant thereto are hereby adopted by reference and made applicable to all parking facilities whenever constructed.
K.
Changes in buildings or use. Whenever a building or use is changed, structurally altered or enlarged to create a need for an increase of 25% or more in the number of existing parking spaces, such spaces shall be provided on the basis of the enlargement or change. Whenever a building or use is enlarged to the extent of 50% or more in the floor area, said building or use shall then comply with the parking requirements set forth in the district in which it is located.
L.
Off-lot parking.
(1)
Required off-street parking spaces shall be located on the same lot with the principal use, or when this requirement cannot be met, such parking spaces may be located off lot, provided the parking spaces are located in the same district. Off-lot parking spaces shall also be held in fee simple ownership by the owner of the use requiring such parking or be leased or rented through a written agreement satisfactory to the Village Attorney.
(2)
Off-lot parking spaces for residential uses shall be within 250 feet of the principal entrance or the entrance for the individual occupants for whom the spaces are reserved while the farthest portions of a parking lot for all other uses shall be within 300 feet of the entrance of the establishment.
(3)
Accessory parking may be located in residential districts, provided that said lots or property are immediately adjacent to a commercial, business or industrial zoning district.
(4)
All off-street parking lots adjoining lots zoned for residential use shall have a minimum setback of 10 feet from any interior lot line, except if the adjoining lot is used for legally conforming parking purposes.
§ 480-51 Highway access.
A.
Highway access. No direct private access shall be permitted to the existing or proposed rights-of-way of expressways, nor to any controlled access arterial street without permission of the highway agency that has access control jurisdiction. No direct public or private access shall be permitted to the existing or proposed rights-of-way of freeways, interstate highways and their interchanges or turning lanes nor to intersecting or interchanging streets within 1,500 feet of the most remote end of the taper of the turning lanes (such as exit and entrance ramps). No driveway openings shall be permitted within 100 feet of the intersection of an arterial street right-of-way line.
B.
Access barriers. Access barriers, such as curbing, fencing, ditching, landscaping or other topographic barriers shall be erected to prevent unauthorized vehicular ingress or egress to the above specified streets or highways.
C.
Temporary access. Temporary access to the above rights-of-way may be granted by the Zoning Administrator after review and recommendation by the highway agencies having jurisdiction. Such access permit shall be temporary, revocable and subject to any conditions required and shall be issued for a period not to exceed 12 months.
§ 480-52 Storage and parking of recreational vehicles.
A. BOAT RECREATIONAL VEHICLE(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
Definitions: recreational vehicles. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
Every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.[1]
Any of the following:
TRAVEL TRAILERA vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis and on wheels that is between 10 and 36 feet long, including the hitch, and eight feet or less in width, designated to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation, vacation or other uses and towed by a car, station wagon or truck. It includes so-called "fifth-wheel" units.
PICKUP COACHA structure designed to be mounted on a truck chassis for use as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation, vacation or other uses.
MOTOR HOMEA portable, temporary dwelling to be used for travel, recreation, vacation or other uses, constructed as an integral part of a self-propelled vehicle.
CAMPING TRAILERA canvas or folding structure mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation, vacation or other uses.
CHASSIS MOUNTS, MOTOR HOMES AND MINI-MOTOR HOMESRecreational structures constructed integrally with a truck of motor-van chassis and incapable of being separated therefrom.
CONVERTED AND CHOPPED VANSRecreational structures which are created by altering or changing an existing auto van to make it a recreational vehicle.
BOAT OR SNOWMOBILE TRAILERA vehicle on which a boat or snowmobile may be transported and is towable by a motor vehicle. When removed from the trailer, a boat or snowmobile, for purposes of this article, is termed an "unmounted boat or snowmobile."[2]
B.
Permitted parking or storage of recreational vehicles. In all residential and commercial districts provided for in this chapter, it is permissible to park or store a recreational vehicle or boat and boat trailer on private property in the following manner:
(1)
Parking is permitted inside any enclosed structure, which structure otherwise conforms to the zoning requirements of the particular zoning district where located.
(2)
Parking is permitted outside in the side yard or rear yard, provided it is not nearer than five feet to the lot line.
(3)
(4)
The body of the recreational vehicle or boat must be at least 15 feet from the face of any curb.
(5)
No part of the unit may extend over the public sidewalk or public right-of-way.
(6)
Parking is permitted only for storage purposes. Recreational vehicles or boats shall not be:
(a)
Used for dwelling purposes, except for overnight sleeping for a maximum of 14 days in any one calendar year.
(b)
Permanently connected to sewer lines, waterlines or electricity. The recreational vehicle may be connected to electricity temporarily for charging batteries and other purposes.
(c)
Used for storage of goods, materials or equipment other than those items considered to be part of the unit or essential for its immediate use.
(7)
Notwithstanding the above, a unit may be parked anywhere on the premises during active loading or unloading, and the use of electricity or propane fuel is permitted when necessary to prepare a recreational vehicle for use.