Spirit Lake City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 12
OFF STREET PARKING
12-12-1: PURPOSE:
The purpose of this chapter is to set forth the minimum requirements for off street vehicular parking and loading for various buildings and land uses irrespective of the district in which they are located. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-2: GENERAL PARKING REQUIREMENTS:
A. Off street parking and loading facilities shall be shown on a site plan for building permit or administrator review at a scale not less than one inch equals one hundred feet (1"=100'). This is not required for single-family or duplex construction on a lot with an attached garage for each unit.
B. The parking areas shall be used for automobile parking only, with no sales, storage, repair work or servicing of any kind conducted thereon, except where the lot is constructed with adequate space to accommodate trucks.
C. Whenever a land use is changed or altered (enlarged, increase in number of employees, seating capacity, etc.) in such a manner that will increase the parking space requirement specified by this title, a site plan showing the design for the additional parking spaces shall be submitted to the administrator for approval.
D. With the exception of residential districts, no inoperable or unlicensed vehicles shall be parked within public or private off street parking areas. Inoperable or unlicensed vehicles located in residential districts shall be located within an enclosed building or an enclosed back yard.
E. Groups of three (3) or more parking spaces, except those in conjunction with single-family or two-family dwellings on a single lot shall be served by a service drive so that no backward movement or other maneuvering of a vehicle within a street, other than an alley will be required. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-3: LOCATION OF PARKING SPACES:
A. An off street parking lot for uses other than residential uses shall be located on the same lot as the principal use the parking lot serves or within four hundred feet (400') of the principal building it serves. This four hundred foot (400') measurement shall be measured from the nearest point of the principal building to the nearest point of the parking lot.
B. Off street parking for residences shall be located on a driveway in the side, rear or front yard. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-4: PARKING AREA IMPROVEMENTS:
All public or private parking areas which contain three (3) or more parking spaces shall be improved according to the following:
A. All parking areas except those in conjunction with single- family or two-family dwellings shall have surfacing of asphalt concrete, or Portland cement concrete. The council may approve other durable and dust free surfacing materials for infrequently used parking areas, such as an auditorium, gymnasium, church or other similar use.
B. All parking areas, except those required in conjunction with a single-family or two-family dwelling, should provide a substantial bumper, which will prevent cars from encroachment on abutting private or public property.
C. All parking areas, including service drives, except those required in conjunction with single-family or two-family dwellings, which abut a residential district, shall be enclosed along and immediately adjacent to any interior property which abuts any residential district with a sight obscuring fence, wall or hedge not less than three feet (3') nor more than six feet (6') in height. If fence, hedge or wall is not located on the property line, said area between fence, hedge or wall and the property line shall be landscaped with lawn or low growing evergreen ground cover or rock mulch.
D. Any lights provided to illuminate any public or private parking area or vehicle sales area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from any abutting or adjacent residential district.
E. Parking areas for residential uses, except those required in conjunction with a single-family or two-family dwelling, shall not be located in a required front yard.
F. Service drives shall be designed and constructed to facilitate the flow of traffic, provide maximum safety in traffic access and egress and maximum safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the site, but in no case shall two-way and one-way driveways be less than twenty feet (20') and twelve feet (12') wide respectively. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-5: PARKING LOT DESIGN:
All parking spaces and parking lots shall be designed and constructed to the following minimum standards:
A. Parking space dimensions: Eight feet (8') in width by twenty feet (20') in length. Parking area aisle widths shall be as follows:
Parking Aisle Widths | ||
Parking Angle | One-Way Traffic | Two-Way Traffic |
30° | 12 feet | 24 feet |
45° | 12 feet | 24 feet |
60° | 24 feet | 24 feet |
90° | 24 feet | 24 feet |
B. Stalls must be clearly marked and the markings must be maintained in good condition.
C. Bumpers must be installed along street property line where paved areas abut street right of way (except driveways).
D. No stalls shall be such that cars must back over the property line to enter or leave a stall.
E. Driveway entrances and exits:
1. A driveway that serves no more than one dwelling unit: Ten feet (10') in width.
2. A driveway that serves two (2) or more dwelling units: Eighteen feet (18') in width. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-6: PARKING SPACES REQUIRED:
The minimum number of off street parking spaces required shall be no less than as set forth in the following:
Use
| Parking Spaces Required
| |
Residential: | ||
Use
| Parking Spaces Required
| |
Residential: | ||
Bed and breakfast | 2 for the operator; 1 for each guestroom; 1 for each employee | |
Hotels, motels, motor hotels, etc. | 1 for each guestroom | |
Mobile/manufactured home park | 2 for each dwelling unit | |
Multiple-family dwelling | 1.5 for each dwelling unit; rounded to the highest full unit | |
Rooming or boarding houses | 1 for each guestroom | |
Single-family or two-family dwelling | 2 for each dwelling unit on a single lot | |
Institutional types: | ||
Churches, clubs, lodges | 1 for every 4 fixed seats or every 8 feet of bench length or every 28 square feet where no permanent seats or benches are maintained in main auditorium (sanctuary or place of worship) | |
Daycare centers | 1 per 350 square feet of gross floor area | |
Hospitals | 1.5 for each bed; rounded to the highest full unit | |
Libraries, museums, art galleries | 1 for each 250 square feet of gross floor area | |
Nursing homes, home for the aged, group care homes, etc. | 1 for each 3 beds | |
Schools | Elementary or junior high, 1.5 for each teaching station plus 4 for every classroom, or 1 for every 42 square feet of seating area where there are no fixed seats in an auditorium or assembly area | |
High Schools, 1.5 for each teaching station, plus 8 for every classroom or 1 for every 28 square feet of seating area where there are no fixed seats in an auditorium or assembly area | ||
Commercial types: | ||
Barber and beauty shops | 1 for each 75 square feet of gross floor area | |
Bowling alleys | 6 for each bowling lane | |
Medical/dental clinics | 1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area | |
Office buildings, business and professional offices | 1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Pharmacies | 1 for each 150 square feet of gross floor area | |
Retail establishments, except as otherwise specified herein | 1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor area | |
Retail stores handling bulky merchandise, household furniture, or appliance repair shops | 1 for each 600 square feet of gross floor area | |
Establishments or enterprises of a recreational or an entertainment nature: | ||
Establishments for the sale and consumption on the premises of food and beverages | 1 for each seating capacity plus employees divided by 3, where fraction round up | |
Participating type, e.g., skating rinks, dance halls | 1 for each 75 square feet of gross floor area | |
Spectator type, e.g., auditoriums, assembly halls, theaters, stadiums, places of public assembly | 1 parking space for each 4 seats | |
Industrial types: | ||
Except as specifically mentioned herein | 1 for each 500 square feet of gross floor area | |
Laboratories and research facilities | 1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor area | |
Machinery or equipment sales | 1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
Wholesale and storage cooperations | 1 for each 400 square feet of gross floor area | |
(Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-7: PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR USES NOT SPECIFIED:
The parking space requirements for buildings and uses not set forth herein shall be determined by the planning and zoning commission and such determination shall be based upon the requirements for the most comparable building or use specified herein. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-8: COMMON FACILITIES FOR MIXED USES:
A. Requirements: In the case of mixed uses, the total requirements for off street parking spaces shall be the sum of the requirements for the various uses. Off street parking facilities for one use shall not be considered to provide parking facilities for any other use except as provided below.
B. Joint Uses Of Parking Facilities: The city council may, upon application, authorize the joint use of parking facilities required by said uses and any other parking facility, provided that:
1. The applicant shows that there is no substantial conflict in the principal operating use of the building or use for which the joint use of parking facilities is proposed.
2. The parking facility for which joint use is proposed is not farther than four hundred feet (400') from the building or use required to have provided parking.
3. The parties concerned in the joint use of off street parking facilities shall evidence agreement for such joint use by a legal instrument approved by the city attorney as to form and content. Such instrument, when approved as conforming to the provision of this title, shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder and copies thereof filed with the city clerk. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-9: OFF STREET LOADING:
Buildings to be built or substantially altered that receive and distribute materials and merchandise by trucks shall provide and maintain off street loading berths in sufficient number and size to adequately handle the needs of the particular use.
A. The following standards shall be used in establishing the minimum number of berths required:
Loading Berths Required | |
Gross Floor Area Of The Building In Square Feet | Number Of Berths |
Up to 10,000 | 1 |
10,000 and over | 2 |
B. A loading berth shall contain a space ten feet (10') wide and thirty five feet (35') long, and have a vertical clearance of fourteen feet (14'). Where the vehicles generally used for loading and unloading exceed these dimensions, the required length of these berths shall be increased. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)
12-12-10: GENERAL PROVISIONS; OFF STREET LOADING:
The following provisions shall apply to off street loading facilities:
A. Requirements: The provision and maintenance of off street loading space is a continuing obligation of the property owner. No building permit shall be issued until plans are presented that show property that is and will remain available for exclusive use of property for which the building permit is issued and shall be conditional upon the unqualified continuance and availability of the amount of loading space required by this title. Should the owner or occupant of any building change the use to which the building is put, thereby increasing off street loading requirements, it shall be unlawful and a violation of this title to begin or maintain such altered use until such time as the increased off street loading requirements are met.
B. Joint Use: Owners of two (2) or more buildings may agree to utilize jointly the same loading spaces when the hours of operation do not overlap; provided, that satisfactory legal evidence is presented to the city attorney in the form of deeds, leases or contracts to establish the joint use.
C. Loading Area Plan: A plan drawn to scale, indicating how the off street loading requirements are to be fulfilled shall accompany an application for loading areas.
D. Design Requirements For Loading Areas:
1. Areas used for standing and maneuvering of vehicles shall have durable and dustless surfaces of asphaltic concrete or Portland cement concrete, maintained adequately for all weather use and so drained as to avoid flow of water across sidewalks.
2. Loading areas adjacent to residential districts or adjacent to residential uses shall be designed to minimize disturbance of residents. Artificial lighting which may be provided shall be so deflected as not to shine or create glare in residential districts or on any adjacent dwelling.
3. Access aisles shall be of sufficient width for all vehicular turning and maneuvering.
4. Service drives shall have a minimum vision clearance area formed by the intersection of the driveway centerline, the street right of way line and a straight line joining said lines through points twenty feet (20') from their intersection. (Ord. 518, 6-10-2008)