The regulations of this article are intended to ensure provision of off-street parking and loading facilities in rough proportion to the generalized parking, loading, and transportation demands of different land uses. By requiring such facilities, it is the intent of this article to help avoid the negative effects associated with spillover parking into adjacent neighborhoods, while at the same time avoiding the negative environmental and urban design effects that can result from parking lots and other vehicular use areas. The provisions of this article are also intended to help protect the public health, safety, and general welfare by:

(1)

Helping avoid and mitigate traffic congestion;

(2)

Encouraging multi-modal transportation options and enhanced pedestrian safety;

(3)

Providing methods to help reduce stormwater runoff and the heat island effect of large paved parking areas; and

(4)

Providing flexible methods of responding to the transportation and access demands of various land uses in different areas of the city.

(Ord. No. 1089, § 1, 6-28-2017)

Every building or part thereof erected or occupied for retail business, service, manufacturing, storage, warehousing, hotel, mortuary, or any other use involving the receipt or distribution by vehicle, rail, or other carrier, of material or merchandise, shall provide on the same lot as the main building loading space in accordance with the following:

(1)

The location of required loading space shall be within a building or on the same lot as the main building, in accordance with the table below, entitled "minimum off-street loading standards."

(2)

No portion of a loading space may extend into a public right-of-way or into a required off-street parking area.

(3)

Each loading space shall be designated as such and shall only be used for loading purposes.

(4)

Where loading facilities are required for a development adjacent to an existing single-family residential use or adjacent to the boundary of District SFR, or District SFR-5 the loading spaces must be located so as to be visually screened from the adjacent residential use or District SFR or District SFR-5 by an intervening building. If this is not possible due to the parcel being of such a restricted area, shape or slope that it cannot be screened by an intervening building, then a screening wall shall be erected of sufficient height to fully screen the loading facility from view from any lot upon which a single-family residential structure is located or from any lot within District SFR or District SFR-5.

(5)

The regulations applicable to loading facilities as provided in this subsection shall apply equally to spaces reserved for dumpsters that are repositories for solid waste collection.

(6)

Off-street loading spaces (or truck berths) shall have the following minimum dimensions:

a.

At least one-half of such spaces or berths shall be not less than ten feet by 40 feet. If only one such space is required, it shall be not less than ten feet by 40 feet.

b.

The remainder shall be not less than ten feet by 20 feet.

(Ord. No. 1089, § 1, 6-28-2017)

(a)

General provisions. Required parking shall be comprised of all-weather surface, off-street parking spaces and shall have direct access to a public street or alley by an all-weather surface driveway width not less than 12 feet in width if a one-way driveway, and not less than 24 feet in width if a two-way driveway. Notwithstanding the foregoing, required off-street parking spaces for single-family dwellings, including attached townhouses, detached dwellings, and duplexes, may be connected to a public street or alley by an all-weather surface driveway not less than nine feet in width. Provided, further, if a segment of said driveway contains a width of nine feet or more and a length of 18 feet or more, and is completely within the lot lines of the lot, it may be counted as a required parking space.

(b)

Calculating the parking requirement. When calculating the required number of off-street parking spaces, fractions of less than one-half shall be disregarded, and fractions of one-half or more shall be counted as one space. Where parking requirements are based on building floor area, the floor area calculations shall be based on the gross leasable floor area. A parking analysis may be required by the zoning administrator to determine adequate parking for a site.

(c)

Dimensions. Required parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following standards:

(1)

Standard automobile parking spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet wide by 18 feet long.

(2)

Compact automobile parking spaces shall be a minimum of eight feet wide by 16 feet long.

(3)

Up to 30 percent of the required parking spaces may be designated for use by compact automobiles.

(4)

Handicapped parking shall be provided in accordance with the American Disabilities Act, 42 USC 12101 et seq., and may be credited to the required parking ratios provided herein.

(d)

Location of nonresidential parking spaces.

(1)

In Districts MU, MU-1, RCLM, and RCT, required off-street parking may be provided on a separate lot from the lot upon which the main use is conducted, provided such lot is within 300 feet of the main building for which such parking is intended, and provided said lot is dedicated to parking use by an instrument filed with the zoning administrator and consolidated with the main use under one certificate of occupancy. Two or more owners may join together in the provision of required parking hereunder, provided such joined parking meets the requirements for both individual uses.

(2)

For mixed use developments on street parking credit may be given in the following manner:

a.

The amount of off-street parking required shall be reduced by the following credit provided for on-street parking: One off-street parking space credit for every two on-street spaces up to four credits, thereafter one space credit for each on-street parking space.

b.

On-street parking shall follow the established configuration of existing on-street parking, except that 45 degree diagonal parking may be allowed with the approval of the director of public works, taking into account traffic flows and street design, with the parking spaces designed in accord with city standards. The following shall constitute an on-street parking space:

1.

Parallel parking, each 24 feet of uninterrupted curb.

2.

Forty-five degree diagonal, each 17 feet of uninterrupted curb.

3.

Curb space must be contiguous to the lot which contains the use which requires the parking.

c.

Parking spaces may not be counted that are within 25 feet measured along the curb of any corner or intersection of an alley or street, nor within ten feet of an intersection of a street and driveway, as measured from the bottom of the apron wing, nor any other parking configuration that violates any law or standard of city or the State of Texas.

d.

On-street parking spaces credited for a specific use shall not be used exclusively by that use, but shall be available for general public use at all times. No signage or actions limiting general public use of on-street spaces shall be permitted.

(3)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the board of adjustment shall be authorized to grant special exceptions from the terms of this subsection to allow the joint use by two or more property owners of parking areas for a mixed use development with a total number of spaces that is less than that required for both individual uses, if it can be established by the applicants therefor that:

a.

Differences of uses by the applicants dictate that the hours of peak parking for each such use are significantly varied so as not to impede availability of parking;

b.

The permanent nature of the development supporting each such use would not reasonably be anticipated to alter the hours of each such use's period of peak parking demand;

c.

Such special exception would not be contrary to public interest; and

d.

The spirit of the ordinance would be observed and substantial justice done.

(4)

No off-street parking or loading space shall be located, either in whole or in part, within any fire lane required by any ordinance of the city or within aisles, driveways, or maneuvering areas necessary to provide reasonable access to any parking space.

(e)

Enlargement of uses.

(1)

Whenever a use which is in existence on the date of enactment of this chapter, or any amendment hereto, is changed by enlarging the gross leasable floor area, the number of employees, number of dwelling units, seating capacity, or otherwise changed to create a need for an increase of ten percent or more in the number of existing parking spaces based upon the applicable parking standard or standards provided herein, such spaces shall be provided on the basis of the enlargement or change.

(2)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever a building or use existing prior to the effective date of this chapter, or amendment hereto, is enlarged by 50 percent or more in gross leasable floor area, parking shall be provided as set forth herein for the totality of the use or structure.

(f)

Parking prohibitions in District SFR and District SFR-5. In District SFR and District SFR-5, no truck exceeding one and one-half-ton capacity, no bus, recreational vehicle, trailer, watercraft, motor home, or mobile home shall be parked or stored on a lot in front or on the side of the main building or on an abutting street or alley for more than 48 hours during any given week, from Monday through the following Sunday.

(g)

Schedule of parking regulations. The minimum number of off-street parking spaces required hereby for uses in the various zoning districts shall be in accordance with the schedule provided in the table below, but shall be not less than five parking spaces for any nonresidential use:

For uses not mentioned above or for which the category of use is uncertain, the city council shall determine the most appropriate equivalent from the preceding table.

(h)

Maintenance of required spaces. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to maintain parking facilities required to be provided by this chapter.

(i)

Parking requirements in District PC and District IS. Additional parking requirements for parking areas located in District PC or IS shall be as follows:

(1)

General provisions. Off-street parking areas shall be graded and surfaced with asphalt, concrete, or as approved by the director of public works, another material that will provide equivalent protection against potholes, erosion, and dust. Off-street parking spaces shall have direct access to a public street or alley by a driveway (of an equivalent surface) with a width of nine feet or more and a length of 18 feet or more, and is completely within lot lines of the lot, it may be counted as parking space.

(2)

No portion of a loading space may extend into a public right-of-way or into a required off-street parking area.

(3)

Parking shall be set back a minimum of ten feet.

(4)

The city may approve a reduction in the number of required parking or loading spaces if the applicant demonstrates that such a reduction is appropriate based on specific parking demand forecasts for the proposed use, provided that:

a.

Such forecasts shall be made by a qualified traffic engineer and shall be based upon a peak parking analysis of at least five comparable uses.

b.

The comparability of the uses shall be documented in detail, which shall include their location, size, transportation system access, use restrictions, and all other factors that could affect their parking demand that were considered by the traffic engineer.

c.

The city may retain a qualified traffic engineer at the applicant's expense to review the parking demand forecast and provide recommendations to the city.

d.

The city may substitute or rely on the special study for that specific property.

e.

The city may require space be reserved or land-banked for additional parking upon a determination that the nature of the use has changed in a manner that increases its parking demand. Such space shall remain in open space without any permanently affixed structures during the intervening period.

f.

On-street parking and common lot credit in District IS. An applicant may deduct from the required parking its share of on-street parking spaces and any common lot parking as follows:

1.

Calculation of on-street parking credit. The credit is equal to the linear street frontage (in feet) divided by 12½ feet.

2.

Calculation of common lot credit. The credit is equal to the total number of common lot parking spaces multiplied the proportionate share of the subject parcel as a percentage of all parcels participating in the common lot.

(j)

Exclusion from credit. The credit shall not include any parking spaces that are located more than 300 feet from the boundaries of the parcel that is the subject of the credit.

(k)

Additional provisions for off-street parking of commercial vehicles in District PC. Off-street parking areas for commercial vehicles, as that term is defined by V.T.C.A., Transportation Code, ch. 522, and larger vehicles, in existence on March 2, 2011 shall be graded and surfaced with an all-weather material such as concrete, asphalt, crushed aggregate, crushed limestone or other similar materials and be maintained dust free. All other off-street parking areas for commercial vehicles and larger shall comply with current construction rules, regulations and guidelines.

(l)

Special shared parking study. Where a building is a mixed use structure, such as a shopping center, or where a combination of uses is such that there are very different parking requirements in the same complex or are designed to share parking areas, the off-street parking requirements shall be calculated individually. It is understood that uses may have very different hours of operation and peak parking demand hours. The city desires to encourage the sharing of parking and reduced impervious surfaces. Thus, where a reduced parking need exists, the city may reduce the number of spaces required. A special parking study shall document the parking required for mixed uses by reviewing peak loading times for uses during a 24-hour day and designing for the peak hour demand. The study shall provide data on the following:

(1)

The recommended parking needs of the project;

(2)

The sensitivity of the proposed uses to change;

(3)

Similar mixes of uses in other areas of the community; and

(4)

Degree of variability of parking for individual uses (average, range, and standard deviation).

(m)

The city may require a reserved open area if it believes that the risk of parking needs changing over time warrants reserved parking. Once the project is occupied and well established, if there is a surplus of parking, the applicant may petition for additional development capacity and parking using the reserved area.

(n)

When the reduction is to be applied to uses on several lots under different ownership, the following shall be met:

(1)

A plan that provides for interconnected lots;

(2)

Places cross easements on the parking areas and connections that permit parking by the different uses anywhere in the connected properties; and

(3)

A pedestrian circulation system that connects uses and parking areas, making it easy and convenient to move between uses.

(o)

The regulations applicable to loading facilities as provided in this subsection shall apply equally to spaces reserved for dumpsters that are repositories for solid waste collection.

(Ord. No. 1089, § 1, 6-28-2017)

Automobile/vehicle paint and body shops, and automobile/vehicle repair and service garages, may include automobile/vehicle storage as an accessory use only if such storage occurs on an all-weather surface area, and provided any open storage complies with section 102-153.

(Ord. No. 1089, § 1, 6-28-2017)