The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe regulations for off-street parking of motor vehicles in all zoning districts, to ensure by the provision of these regulations that adequate parking and access is provided in a safe and convenient manner, and to afford reasonable protection to adjacent land uses from light, noise, air pollution, and other effects of parking areas.

a)

At the time any building or structure is erected, enlarged, or increased in capacity, or when any use is established, off-street parking and loading spaces shall be provided in all zoning districts according to the requirements of this chapter.

b)

No parking or loading area or space which exists at the time of the adoption of this chapter shall thereafter be relinquished or reduced in any manner below the requirements established by this chapter.

c)

Definitions. For purposes of determining off-street parking requirements, the following definitions shall apply:

1)

Gross floor area. The sum of all gross horizontal areas of all floors of a building or buildings, measured from the outside dimensions of the outside face of the outside wall. Unenclosed porches, court yards, or patios shall not be considered as part of the gross floor area except where they are utilized for commercial purposes such as the outdoor sale of merchandise or seating for a restaurant.

2)

Usable floor area. That area to be used for the sale of merchandise or services, or for use to serve patrons, clients, or customers. Such floor area which is used or intended to be used principally for the storage or processing of merchandise, hallways, stairways, and elevator shafts, or restrooms, shall be excluded from this computation of usable floor area. Usable floor area shall be measured from the interior faces of the exterior walls, and total usable area for a building shall include the sum of the usable floor area for all floors.

3)

Parking area. For purpose of this chapter, parking area shall include the space where vehicles are parked, as well as access aisles, driveways, and loading and unloading areas.

d)

Units of measurement.

1)

For requirements stated in terms of employees, the calculation shall be based upon the maximum number of employees likely to be on the premises during the largest shift.

2)

When units of measurement determining the number of required parking spaces result in a requirement of a fractional space, that fraction shall be counted as a full parking space.

e)

Shared parking and mixed occupancy.

1)

In the case of mixed uses in the same building or on the same lot or parcel, the total requirements for off-street parking and loading shall be the sum of the requirements for the individual uses computed separately.

2)

Joint or collective provision of off-street parking areas for buildings or uses on two or more properties shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the participating individual uses computed separately except that the planning commission may approve a lesser parking requirement for such uses if evidence of a signed agreement between the owners of both properties agreeing to such joint use is provided to the planning commission.

f)

Parking requirements for uses not listed. The minimum parking space requirements for all uses shall be as listed in section 17.05. For uses not specifically listed in section 17.05, the zoning administrator may establish the parking requirement by making the determination that the proposed use is similar in parking requirements to a use which is listed in section 17.05. The zoning administrator shall refer to engineering or planning manuals, publications and reports, or to the parking requirements used by other municipalities in order to determine the minimum parking requirements.

g)

Maximum amount of parking. In order to minimize excess areas of pavement which result in adverse aesthetic impacts and contribute to high rates of stormwater runoff, off-street parking lots exceeding the minimum parking space requirements by greater than 20 percent shall be prohibited, unless the applicant can demonstrate that additional parking is necessary to the operation of the proposed use. Factors to be considered in such demonstration shall include, but need not be limited to, the type of use proposed, examples of similar uses requiring such additional parking and whether such additional parking is for seasonal or peak periods only.

h)

Conformance to parking plan. Once a parking area has been approved as part of an approved site plan the owners, operators, or tenants shall conform at all times to the requirements of the approved plan including maintaining the parking lot in good working order and appearance.

i)

Existing parking lots. Parking areas which are in existence as of the date of adoption of this chapter shall be considered legal nonconforming uses if lawfully approved under the previous regulations. Any expansion of such existing parking areas shall conform to the requirements of this chapter.

j)

Permit required. A zoning permit must be obtained from the zoning administrator before an off-street parking area is enlarged or re-constructed. The applicant shall provide a site plan to the zoning administrator who shall review it for compliance with the site plan requirements of this ordinance. The zoning administrator may refer the site plan to the planning commission for review and approval. Parking lots which are only being repaved or which were part of a site plan already approved by the planning commission are exempt from this requirement.

k)

Landscaping. Landscaping for off-street parking lots shall be provided as required by section 16.09 herein.

The following regulations shall apply to all uses except one- and two-family dwellings:

a)

Parking lot surface and drainage.

1)

For required parking lots in all zoning districts the parking lot and all drives and driveways serving the parking lot shall be surfaced with asphalt or concrete pavement.

2)

All parking lots shall be graded and drained to dispose of all surface water and prevent drainage onto abutting properties.

3)

The planning commission may approve alternate parking lot surfaces which are dustless and which allow for stormwater drainage directly through the parking surface or other similar surface.

4)

In order to reduce the amount of impervious surface and the corresponding stormwater runoff and reduce heat given off by paved surfaces, the planning commission may approve alternate parking lot surfaces for overflow parking, or employee parking, or parking or maneuvering areas devoted to loading activities or parking for trucks or similar heavy equipment. Such surface may include, but shall not be limited to, gravel, crushed stone, or products which are installed in the ground to support a vehicle but allow grass to grow within the supporting spaces or similar dustless material.

b)

Lighting. Lighting fixtures used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be so arranged as to deflect the light away from any adjoining residential properties or streets and highways. Lighting fixtures in required parking facilities for commercial, industrial, or office districts within 150 feet of any residential area shall not exceed 20 feet in height. All other fixtures shall not exceed 35 feet in height. Light fixtures shall be designed to achieve total luminary cutoff.

c)

Parking lot setback. All off-street parking areas, except those serving residential dwellings with less than five dwelling units, shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the rear and side lot lines, and a minimum of ten feet from the front lot line.

The planning commission may approve a setback of less than ten feet if the minimum number of parking spaces required by the zoning ordinance for the proposed use is no more than ten or if the applicant can demonstrate that there is insufficient space on site to provide the ten feet setback and still allow for the efficient operation of the proposed use. In approving a lesser setback, the commission may require additional landscaping.

The planning commission may also permit parking aisles or vehicle maneuvering areas to encroach within the required parking setback and may require additional screening or landscaping.

d)

Traffic islands. Parking areas shall be designed to delineate access aisles or drives and to provide drivers proper sight distance at the end of parking rows where such rows intersect access aisles or drive. The planning commission may require traffic islands, striped pavement or other methods to achieve this.

e)

Pedestrian protection. Parking lots shall be designed to limit the number of points where pedestrians must cross in front of vehicles. In particular, vehicle access in front of building entrances and exits should be minimized. Landscaped pedestrian walkways to and from parking areas may be required to enhance pedestrian safety.

f)

Screening of parking area. Where off-street parking areas for nonresidential uses abut residentially zoned property, a greenbelt not less than 15 feet wide shall be provided between the parking area and the residentially zoned property. The greenbelt shall be landscaped according to the landscape requirements of section 16.05 of this ordinance. A solid fence instead of landscaping may be required by the planning commission, if in the opinion of the commission, the fence will serve as a more effective buffer.

g)

Driveways. Driveways serving off-street nonresidential parking areas shall be at least 25 feet from any residentially zoned property or a residential use such as a single-family dwelling. Such driveways shall be a minimum of 24 feet wide for two-way traffic and a minimum of 13 feet wide for one-way traffic.

h)

Snow storage. Snow shall not be stored in areas with plantings or where it may create visibility problems for drivers or pedestrians.

i)

Uses not permitted. Off-street parking areas shall not be used for repair, dismantling or servicing of motor vehicles.

j)

All off-street parking areas that make it necessary for vehicles to back out directly into a public street shall be prohibited except that this prohibition shall not apply to one- and two-family dwellings.

Off-street parking spaces and aisles for various parking angles shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the minimum standards provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Minimum Standards for Parking Stall and Aisles

Figure 17-1

Each use shall provide spaces in conformance with the following schedule of requirements:

a)

In the C-1 district, the provisions of this section may be met by any one or combination of the following:

1)

Participation in a city or community parking program designed to serve a larger area, provided plans for such parking have been approved by the planning commission.

2)

On-street parking.

3)

Off-street parking on the same site as the use it serves.

h)

Parking variation: In order to avoid excessive amounts of impervious surface and to allow for an opportunity to provide parking which meets the demonstrated needs of a proposed use, the planning commission may approve a development which provides less than the minimum number of parking spaces required herein according to the following requirements:

1)

The applicant must provide written evidence to the planning commission that the parking proposed on the site for the use is sufficient to meet the parking needs of those who will patronize the use as well as the parking needs for employees during the largest working shift. Such evidence may consist of: arrangements for nearby shared parking; evidence that the proposed use will also be patronized by pedestrians or by those using bus service or; evidence from the parking history of the proposed use or a use similar to the proposed use at other locations or; that there is sufficient space on the site for the required parking to be provided if it becomes necessary at a later time.

2)

If a plan is approved to allow fewer parking spaces than required by section 17.05 above such parking plan shall only apply to the stated use. Any other use shall comply with the requirements of section 17.05 before an occupancy permit is issued or such use shall first obtain approval from the planning commission in accordance with section 17.05(h)(1) above before an occupancy permit is issued.

Barrier-free parking shall be provided as follows:

Requirements for barrier-free parking space size, ramps, and signs shall be as required by the State of Michigan barrier-free design act, as amended.

a)

Off-street loading spaces shall be provided in size and quantity sufficient to prevent interference with adjacent streets or required off-street parking areas.

b)

Loading spaces shall be illustrated on the site plan if provided.

c)

Loading spaces shall not be located within the driving aisle of the parking lot and a vehicle in the process of being loaded or unloaded shall not block the movement of vehicles on the site.

d)

Loading spaces shall not be included in the count of off-street parking spaces.

e)

Loading spaces shall not use any portion of any public right-of-way.

f)

Maneuvering space for trucks using the loading spaces shall be provided on-premises and shall not necessitate the use of public right-of-way.

g)

Except in the C-1 zone loading docks shall be a minimum of 100 feet from the front lot line as measured to the loading dock. This shall apply to both front yards on each street side of a corner lot.

h)

The design, location, and screening of off-street loading areas shall be reviewed at the time of site plan approval to ensure adequate protection is afforded adjacent properties, especially residential districts.

i)

Off-street loading spaces shall be no closer than 50 feet to any residential zone unless such space is wholly within a completely enclosed building or enclosed on all sides by a wall or a uniformly painted solid board or masonry fence of uniform appearance not less than six feet in height.