Purpose: The regulations of this section are intended to ensure the safe, orderly, and convenient development of the built environment.

Applicability: The requirements of this section shall apply to new construction. For existing sites and redevelopment the requirements of this section shall apply to all additions of fifty (50) percent or more to the floor area. For existing sites and redevelopment with additions of less than fifty (50) percent of the floor area, the Zoning Regulatory Administrator shall determine the applicability of this section to the required site plan.

A.

Site Plan Submittals: Prior to the issuance of a building permit, complete site plans with the following information shall be submitted to the St. Charles Parish Department of Planning and Zoning for review:

1.

Name, address, email and phone number of the property owner.

2.

Name, address, email and phone number of the designated agent or representative of the property owner.

3.

Certified survey with a north arrow, bounding streets, existing and proposed servitudes and rights-of-way, name of subdivision, lot and square number, and the physical address of the subject property.

4.

Proposed and existing structures with the square footage of each structure, square footage of development as a whole and elevations including primary material, primary colors and accent secondary colors.

5.

Parking layout with the location of all parking spaces, number of required parking spaces, number of proposed parking spaces and type of parking.

6.

Landscaping plan showing the location, type and number of planting materials and existing mature trees to be preserved.

7.

Landscaping and buffering maintenance plan with a schedule of regular waterings, fertilization, removal of dead vegetation, and replacement with similar plantings to the original approved landscaping plan as well as replacement or repair of fences, walls and other required screening as needed.

8.

Light fixtures with location, height, orientation, intensity, number, type, style, materials, color and method of illumination.

9.

Location of service areas and waste containment, loading and unloading areas, along with buffers and fencing with location, height and length, and materials.

10.

Location of drive-thru facilities along with location and dimension of menu boards with buffering from residential development.

11.

Location and dimensions of all outdoor storage and permanent display areas.

12.

Location of mechanical equipment and utility cabinets with location, type of material and dimensions of required screening.

13.

Signs with number and locations of all ground or detached and attached signs, dimensions, areas and renderings with area calculations of total detached or ground signs and total attached signs for the development.

14.

Location and dimensions of required public infrastructure including but not limited to water, drainage, sewer, sidewalks, access to and from the development site, and the development's relationship with public rights-of-way and servitudes.

15.

Any other information as may be necessary to completely describe the proposed development and structures.

B.

Site Plan Approval Process:

1.

The Planning and Zoning Department is charged with site plan review and coordination with other parish and state departments as appropriate to determine whether the site plan submittal meets all applicable codes. Until a site plan is approved, no building or structure shall be erected, added to or structurally altered, no parking lot shall be paved, added to or structurally altered, and no building permit or certificate of completeness shall be issued.

2.

An approved site plan duly signed and dated by the Planning Director or his designated representative shall constitute the official instrument that governs the development and use of the property. Building and other pertinent permits may be issued based on the approved site plan and in accordance with Chapter 6, Buildings and Building Regulations, Article II, Building and Related Construction Codes, of the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances and other pertinent parish regulations.

3.

Any deviation from an approved site plan shall be considered a violation of the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance as per Section XII. - Violation and penalty.

4.

Final site plan approval shall be valid for a period of one (1) year.

5.

If no building permit is issued during the one (1) year site plan validation period or if the building permit lapses and has not been reactivated, then the approved site plan shall be deemed null and void.

C.

Minor Changes to a Site Plan: Minor changes to an approved site plan shall be submitted to and may be approved by the Planning Director to facilitate construction and site improvements if such minor changes will not change the character of the approved development or structures, increase the density, floor area, intensity of use or ground coverage. Additionally, no increase in total building site area, in spaces between buildings, the ratio of off-street parking and off-street loading area to gross floor area, or gross floor area shall be considered a minor change.

D.

Amendment to a Site Plan: Pursuant to the same standards and procedures by which the site plan was approved, any site plan may be amended, either partially or completely, if all land and structures remaining under such site plan comply with all regulations established by all applicable codes.

E.

Phased Development:

1.

Developments within an approved site plan may be developed in phases, provided that more restrictive land uses and the necessary public infrastructure improvements are completed first and the time frame for phases is submitted at the time of the application for site plan review.

2.

Approval of the phased development of an approved site plan is voided if development does not begin within one (1) year and completed within two (2) years. Additional time may be granted by the Planning Director if completion of the approved site plan is assured. In no case shall any phased development exceed a four-year period.

F.

Off-street parking in general:

1.

Off-street vehicle parking spaces shall be provided, at the time of occupancy, on the same lot upon which a principal use is permitted.

2.

Any area where off-street parking is provided (including additional parking areas that are not required by this ordinance) must be surfaced with permanent dust-free paving except for single-family residences in the O-L District which must be surfaced with appropriate materials.

3.

Off-street parking facilities shall be drained to eliminate standing water and prevent damage to abutting property and/or public streets and alleys.

4.

Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in a clean, orderly, and dust-free condition at the expense of the owner or lessee.

5.

Minimum area:

a.

An unenclosed off-street parking space is a paved area of not less than eight (8) feet, six (6) inches in width and nineteen (19) feet in length.

b.

An enclosed parking area shall be not less than ten (10) feet in width and twenty (20) feet in length.

c.

Handicapped parking shall be an area not less than twelve (12) feet in width and nineteen (19) feet in length. (Ord. No. 15-12-10, § I, 12-14-15)

6.

Stacked parking may be allowed for residential uses.

7.

No parking spaces will be permitted on corner lots within thirty (30) feet of the intersection with said thirty (30) feet to be measured from the property corner along the front and side property lines.

8.

No parking spaces will be permitted closer to the roadway edge or curb than ten (10) feet.

9.

At intersections of driveways and alleys with streets, no fence, hedge, wall, sign, or other structure shall be erected, placed, or allowed to grow in such a manner as to impede vision between a height of two and one-half (2½) feet and ten (10) feet above the established driveway or alley grade level.

10.

On lots having a frontage of fifty (50) feet or less, only one (1) combined entrance and exit shall be permitted. On lots having a frontage in excess of fifty (50) feet but less than two hundred (200) feet, there shall be no more than two (2) combined entrance-exits. On property having frontage in excess of two hundred (200) feet, additional drives may be permitted but only when traffic generated by the use warrants the additional drives.

11.

Where fractional parking stalls result, the parking spaces required shall be construed to be the next highest whole number.

G.

Parking lot standards: (Ord. No. 15-12-10, § II, 12-14-15)

1.

Off-street vehicle parking spaces shall be provided on the same lot upon which a principal use is permitted according to Table 8-1 and 8-2.

2.

The Zoning and Regulatory Administrator shall adopt plans and outline specifications clearly indicating the acceptable design and minimum construction standards for off-street parking facilities. These standards shall be incorporated according to Figures 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3.

3.

The parking area shall be secured as to prevent vehicular access to the street other than at the approved access drives.

4.

Each parking space shall open directly upon an aisle or driveway which is connected to a street or alley by a paved driveway which affords ingress and egress for a vehicle without requiring another vehicle to be moved.

5.

Parking spaces must be striped with four (4) inch contrasting stripe: yellow on concrete; yellow or white on asphalt; or ADA compliant.

6.

Where parking is perpendicular to a public sidewalk or property line, barrier curbing shall be installed two and one-half (2½) feet from the sidewalk or property line (see Figure 8-3).

7.

Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in a clean, orderly, and dust-free condition at the expense of the owner or lessee.

8.

Adequate lighting shall be provided if off-street parking spaces are to be used at night. The lighting shall be arranged as not to interfere with traffic safety or cause a nuisance to abutting properties.

9.

Handicapped parking spaces shall be located as close as possible to elevators, ramps, walkways, and entrances. Parking spaces should be located so that physically handicapped persons are not compelled to wheel or walk behind parked cars to reach entrances, ramps, walkways, and elevators.

10.

In the case of mixed uses, uses with different parking requirements occupying the same building, or in the case of joint use of a building by more than one (1) use having the same parking requirements, the parking spaces required shall equal the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately.

11.

In the instance of dual function of off-street parking spaces where operating hours of buildings do not overlap, the Planning and Zoning Director may grant an exception to allow the designed parking area to serve multiple uses.

12.

Off-street parking areas shall not be used for the sale, repair, dismantling, or servicing of any vehicles, equipment, materials, or supplies.

13.

Off-street parking shall be developed in accordance with the provisions of this section, and required parking shall not be reduced or changed unless specifically permitted.

14.

Whenever a building or use is changed or enlarged in floor area, number of employees, number of dwelling units, seating capacity, or otherwise to create a need under the requirements of this article for an increase in parking spaces which exist at the time of the change or enlargements, such additional spaces shall be provided on the basis of the change or enlargement. No additional spaces shall be required for the first change or enlargement which would result in an increase of spaces of less than ten (10) percent of those required before the change or enlargement. This provision shall not apply to a series of changes or enlargements which together result in a need for an increase in parking space of ten (10) percent or more.

15.

All access to any commercial zoned property through any residential zoning district shall require approval of a special permit use by the planning and zoning commission and the parish council.

_____

TABLE 8-1: OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIRED PER USE

FIGURE 8-1: OFF-STREET PARKING DESIGN STANDARD

H.

Off-Street Loading Facilities:

1.

Whenever a building other than a one or two family residence is erected, altered, enlarged, converted, or otherwise increased in size or capacity, the off-street loading facilities herein required shall be provided for uses that distribute or receive materials or merchandise by trucks or other commercial vehicles in accordance with Table 8.3. (Ord. No. 15-12-11, § I, 12-14-15)

2.

In the case of multi-tenant developments, required loading spaces are calculated on the basis of each individual tenant. For example, if only one (1) commercial tenant of a multi-tenant development is over five thousand (5,000) square feet only one (1) loading space is required; if all tenants are less than five thousand (5,000) square feet, no loading is required.

3.

Computation of off-street loading requirements. The off-street loading requirements for each use permitted by this ordinance are established in Table 8-3. For uses not mentioned in this section, the Zoning Regulator Administrator shall determine the requirements for off-street loading facilities. The determination shall be based upon the most comparable use listed, AASHTO or ITE standards, and/or the specific needs of the development as determined by the zoning regulatory administrator.

4.

Combined off-street loading facilities. Required off-street loading facilities for two (2) or more structures may be satisfied by a common loading facility at the discretion of the Zoning Regulator Administrator. Approval of a common loading facility shall not reduce the number of required spaces below fifty (50) percent of the calculated required total.

5.

Off-street loading dimensions. A loading space shall have minimum dimensions of twelve (12) feet in width, fifty (50) feet in length and shall not be located within driveways or other circulation areas. A clearance height of not less than fifteen (15) feet is required.

TABLE 8-3: OFF-STREET LOADING REQUIREMENTS

I.

Landscaping requirements: The purpose of these provisions is to prescribe standards for landscaping and screening within St. Charles Parish. In addition to enhancing the visual and aesthetic appearance of the parish, these regulations will help improve drainage and flood mitigation, assist in compliance with municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and provide other environmental benefits.

1.

Applicability. Developers or landowners are responsible for providing and maintaining the landscaping herein required. These standards shall apply to all multi-family development of three (3) or more units, commercial development, and industrial development.

2.

General requirements:

a.

A landscape plan, as part of the required site plan, shall be submitted to the Department of Planning and Zoning for review and approval. (Ord. No. 15-8-4, § I, 8-3-15)

b.

Before any final certificate of occupancy can be issued, the required and approved landscaping shall be installed and inspected for compliance with this ordinance.

c.

Additional landscaping and/or buffering requirements specified in other sections of this ordinance shall not serve to satisfy the landscape requirements of this section except in cases where the location of the required landscaping and/or buffering satisfies both requirements.

d.

The landscape requirements of this section may not serve to satisfy additional landscaping and/or buffering requirements specified in other sections of this ordinance except in cases where the location of the required landscaping and/or buffering satisfies both requirements.

3.

Required plantings.

a.

A minimum of ten (10) percent of the site shall be designated for designed landscaping.

b.

A minimum five-foot wide planting area shall be established between the public rights-of-way and parking areas or structures. This planting area may count towards the overall landscaping and open space requirements.

c.

Planting materials should achieve a balance between low-lying vertical and horizontal shrubbery and trees.

d.

One (1) tree planting for every five thousand (5,000) square feet of site area is required.

e.

One-third (⅓) of the required tree plantings must be Class A trees and the remaining two-thirds (⅔) of the required tree plantings may be Class B trees. A list of suggested Class "A" and Class "B" trees can be found at the end of this section.

f.

Parking lot interiors shall be designed to provide at least one (1) tree for every twelve (12) parking spaces. Trees can be either Class "A" or Class "B" trees.

g.

Trees shall be located in landscaped areas at least two hundred (200) square feet evenly distributed throughout the parking lot so as to provide a canopy effect.

h.

All required landscaping is subject to periodic inspection.

4.

Trees. Existing healthy trees are encouraged to be preserved where possible.

a.

For private developments, any live oak, cypress, and magnolia trees six (6) inches dbh preserved may be counted toward the required new tree plantings for that site.

b.

New trees must have a minimum dbh of one and one-half (1.5) inches and be a minimum of four (4.0) feet tall at the time of planting and be guaranteed to survive for one (1) year.

5.

Planting area maintenance.

a.

The responsibility for maintenance of a planting area shall remain with the owner, lessee or a designee.

b.

All plant materials must be maintained in an attractive and healthy condition. Maintenance includes, but is not limited to, watering, mulching, mowing, weeding, removal of litter and dead plant material, and necessary pruning and trimming.

c.

Necessary pruning and trimming must be in accordance with the American National Standards for Tree Care Operations: Tree Shrub and Other Woody Plant Maintenance—Standards Practices (Pruning), and must not be interpreted to include topping of trees through removal of crown material or the central leader, or any other similarly severe procedures that cause irreparable harm to the natural form of the tree.

d.

Dead or diseased plant materials must be removed. Replacement plant materials must be provided for any required plants that die or are removed for any reason.

6.

Recommended trees. The following list of trees indicate plantings that will meet the screening and shading requirements of this Ordinance. Plants were selected for inclusion on these lists according to general suitability as identified by the Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center, which may be updated periodically and used as a guide in making landscape planting decisions.

TABLE 8-4: CLASS A TREES

TABLE 8-5: CLASS B TREES

[J]

Applicability: The requirements of this section shall apply to new construction. For existing sites and redevelopment the requirements of this section shall apply to all additions of fifty (50) percent or more to the floor area. For existing sites and redevelopment with additions of less than fifty (50) percent of the floor area, the Zoning Regulatory Administrator shall determine the applicability of this section to the required site plan.

(Ord. No. 15-7-5, § V, 7-6-15; Ord. No. 24-8-2, § II, 8-5-24)