The purpose of these off-street parking and loading requirements is to relieve traffic congestion in the streets ; to minimize any detrimental effects of off-street parking and loading areas on adjacent properties; and to assure a proper and adequate development of off-street parking and loading areas throughout the area. The standards contained in this section are minimum standards and should not be regarded as optimum standards. The prudent property owner will generally provided considerably more off-street parking and loading spaces than these minimum requirements. These parking and loading standards shall be enforced within the Historical District only to that extent considered feasible by the Board of Adjustment .

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005)

   (A)   Off-street parking requirements. There shall be provided at the time of the erection of any building , or at the time any principal building is enlarged or increased in capacity by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, seats, or floor area; or before conversion from one type of uses or occupancy to another, permanent off-street parking space in the amount specified by this chapter. Such parking space may be provided in a parking garage or properly graded open space. No off-street parking or loading shall be permitted in the required parkway area. See § 152.196(G).

      (1)   Each application for a building permit shall include information as to the location and dimensions of off-street parking and loading space and the means of ingress and egress to such space. Required off-streetparking area for three or more automobiles shall have individual spaces marked, and shall be so designed, maintained, and regulated that no parking or maneuvering incidental to parking shall be on any public street , walk, or alley , unless the speed limit on the public street , walk, or alley is no greater than 20 miles per hour. Automobiles must be parked and unparked without moving another. This information shall be in sufficient detail to enable the Administrator to determine whether or not the requirements of this chapter are met.

      (2)   The following diagrams depict the minimum dimensional requirements of off-streetparking areas . Parking space and aisle dimensions are required minimums. Curb and other dimensions shown are typical measurements.

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005) (Am. Ord. 2011-O7, passed 2-15-2011; Am. Ord. 2011-O30, passed 10-18-2011; Am. Ord. 2013-O7, passed 3-19-2013; Am. Ord. 2013-O3, passed 5-21-2013)

   (A)   The following off-street parking spaces shall be required and maintained:

 

 

 

 

 

 

   (B)   To promote alternative of modes of transportation within the town, one parking space for the development , as required by the above table, may be exchanged for bicycle facilities such as bike racks.

   (C)   Special situations which are not covered by the above shall be handled by the Board of Commissioners . The Board of Commissioners shall make the final determination as to the number of spaces to be required, but shall in all cases give due consideration to the needs therefore.

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005) (Am. Ord. 2009-O6, passed 4-21-2009; Am. Ord. 2010-O14, passed, 5-18-2010; Am. Ord. passed 6-15-2010; Am. Ord. 2013-O7, passed 3-19-2013; Am. Ord. 2013-O13, passed 5-21-2013; Am. Ord. 2017-03, passed 1-24-2017)

      (1)   After the date of passage of this section, only driveways designed, approved, constructed, and surfaced in accordance with the provisions herein shall be allowed to provide motor vehicle access to or from any property upon which a building has been constructed, reconstructed, or physically altered. All driveways shall be paved with either asphalt or concrete, or with alternative paving material (e.g., concrete pavers, brick, “turf stone” or similar material) determined to exhibit equivalent wear resistance and load bearing characteristics as asphalt or concrete.

      (2)   Before a building permit is issued for the construction, reconstruction, or change in use of any building or land used for purposes other than a single or two-family residence, all driveways shall be reviewed and approved by the Administrator . Private driveways serving single-family and two-familydwellings shall not be regulated by the provision of this chapter. “Construction, reconstruction, or change in use” refers to those improvements made to the site involving overall structure size or to changes in use which would require the addition of one or more parking spaces under the provision of §§ 152.290 through 152.296, Off-Street Parking and Off-Street Loading Requirements; it is not intended to refer to construction activities which merely involve changes to exterior architectural features (e.g., painting, addition of siding, roofing activities, and the like).

      (3)   When the use of any driveway has been permanently discontinued, the property owner of that driveway shall, at his expense, replace all necessary curbs, gutters aprons, sidewalks, and appurtenances thereto, within 60 days of receipt of a written notice from the Administrator .

      (4)   No driveway shall conflict with any municipal facility such as traffic signal standards, catch basins, fire hydrants, crosswalks, loading zones, bus stops, utility poles, fire-alarm supports, meter boxes, and sewer clean-outs or other necessary structures, except with the express approval of the Administrator . Any adjustments to municipal facilities to avoid such conflicts shall be at the expense of the driveway applicant.

      (1)   A continuing indemnity bond with sufficient surety acceptable to the town may be required of the party performing the work. All work must be done in conformity with the standards established herein.

      (2)   The town shall be indemnified for any damages it might sustain as a result of the breach of condition above. The damages payable to the town shall be the amount required to make such improvement conform to town standards.

      NOTE: Based on the Town of Swansboro Schedule of Fees, a fee shall be paid to the town at the time the application for a driveway permit is made.

      (1)   Two copies of plans showing the location and dimensions of all proposed improvements shall be filed with the Administrator for his approval prior to the issuance of a driveway permit for uses other than single or two-family residential.

      (2)   All design and construction of driveways shall conform to the requirements of the North Carolina Department of Transportation or Town engineering guidelines whichever is greater.

      (1)   Two driveways entering the same street from a single lot shall be permitted only if the minimum distance between the closest edges of the driveways equals or exceeds 50 feet.

      (2)   Three driveways entering the same street from a single lot shall be permitted only if the minimum distance between the closest edges of the driveways equals or exceeds 150 feet.

      (3)   Four or more driveways entering the same street from a single lot shall be prohibited.

      (4)   In no case may the total width of all driveways exceed 50% of the total property frontage .

      (5)   No driveway (nearest edge) shall be located within 10 feet of a side lot property line except in the case of a shared driveway (single curb/access point) utilized by two or more lots .

      (6)   No driveway (nearest edge) shall be located within 25 feet of an intersection or secondary road and 40 feet of a primary road except in the case where no other lot access to a public street or town-approved private road is available.

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005)

   (A)   (1)   In any district in which a building hereafter erected is to be occupied by any manufacturing, processing , assembly , wholesaling, retailing, laundering, dry cleaning, or similar activity requiring the receiving or distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the same lot with such building at least one off-street loading space plus one additional space for every 20,000 square feet or major fraction thereof of gross floor space in excess of 10,000 square feet.

      (2)   Each such loading space shall be at least ten feet in width, 25 feet in length, and shall have a height clearance of at least 14 feet.

   (B)   All off-street loading areas shall be arranged and marked to provide for orderly and safe unloading and loading, and shall not hinder the free movement of vehicles and pedestrians. All loading and unloading maneuvers shall take place on private property. No backing in from a road or maneuvering on the road right-of-way shall be permitted.

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005)

   Vehicle drive connections are required to connect adjacent property when the proposed development is adjacent to a commercial property, public amenity site, public park, public open space and/or residential public street:

   (A)   Connections shall be constructed and stubbed to accommodate future development of adjacent properties;

   (B)   Connections shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width;

   (C)   The requirement for a vehicle drive connection to an adjacent commercial property may be waived by the Zoning Administrator upon a written finding that there is no means due to pre-existing development features, structures, or topographical conditions, to establish such a connection; and

   (D)   The requirement for interconnectivity to town amenities may be waived by the Zoning Administrator for any reason or for no reason.

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005; Amended 1-18-2011; Am. Ord. 2020-O8, passed 6-22-2020)

   Parking facilities shall be designed and constructed so as to:

   (A)   Allow unobstructed movement into and out of each parking space without interfering with fixed objects or vehicles;

   (B)   Minimize delay and interference with traffic on public streets and access drives;

   (C)   Maximize sight distances from parking lot exits and access drives; and

   (D)   Allow off-street parking spaces in parking lots to have access from parking lotdriveways and not directly from streets .

   (E)   Required parking spaces and loading areas shall be paved and maintained with masonry, concrete, asphalt, or alternative paving surface such as turf stone which allows greater stormwater runoff . All parking, drive and loading areas must be of sufficient thickness and consistency to be able to support anticipated traffic volumes and weights. Gravel, crushed stone asphalt shall not be considered as optional paving surfaces for minimum off-street parking facility requirements.

   (F)   All facilities shall be graded, properly drained, stabilized and maintained to minimize dust and erosion.

   (G)   All parking spaces and loading areas shall be clearly identified with paint lines, bumper guards, curbs or similar treatment.

   (H)   All parking spaces adjacent to a property line, vegetative buffer or planting area shall be provided with wheel guards or curbs located so that no part of the parked vehicle will extend beyond the property line or encroach more than two feet into a vegetative buffer or required planting area.

   (I)   Parking lots shall be designed and constructed such that walkways shall maintain a minimum unobstructed width of five feet.

   (J)   Parking lots shall be designed and constructed that allows for the safe movement of pedestrians to and from vehicular parking areas .

   (K)   All parking, loading, and service areas shall be separated from walkways, sidewalks, and streets by curbing or other suitable protective device to prevent vehicles from intruding into these areas.

   (L)   Access ways, walkways, and parking areas shall be lighted by lighting fixtures which shall be so installed as to protect the street and neighboring properties from direct glare of hazardous interference and provide full illumination at all access ways, walkways, and parking areas .

   (M)    Curbs or other similar devices shall be located along the perimeter of parking lots , when safety requires it, except at entrance and exits. Such barrier shall be located to prevent parked vehicles from extending or rolling beyond the boundaries of parking lots .

(Ord. 2005-O3, passed 3-15-2005) (Am. Ord. 2013-O13, passed 5-21-2013)