Thornton City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 11
7 Off-Street Parking and Loading Facilities
§ 11-7-1 Purpose.
[1983 Code]
The purpose of this chapter is to alleviate or prevent congestion of the public streets, and so promote the safety and welfare of the public by establishing minimum requirements for the off-street parking and loading and unloading of motor vehicles in accordance with the use to which property is put.
§ 11-7-2 Scope of regulations.
[1983 Code]
The off-street parking and loading requirements of this chapter shall apply as follows:
A.
All buildings and structures erected and land uses initiated after the effective date hereof shall provide accessory off-street parking or loading facilities as required hereinafter for the use thereof.
B.
When a building or structure erected prior to or after the effective date hereof shall undergo any decrease in number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity, number of employees or other unit of measurement specified hereinafter for required parking or loading spaces through application of the provisions of this Title thereto, parking and loading facilities may be reduced accordingly provided that existing parking or loading facilities shall be so decreased only when the facilities remaining would at least equal or exceed the parking or loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of this Title to the entire building or structure as modified.
C.
When a building or structure shall undergo any increase in number of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or other unit of measurement specified hereinafter for required parking or loading facilities; and, further, when said increase would result in a requirement for additional total parking or loading spaces through application of the provisions of this Title thereto, parking and loading facilities may be increased accordingly; provided, that existing parking or loading facilities shall be so increased that the facilities would at least equal or exceed the parking or loading requirements resulting from application of the provisions of this Title to the entire building or structure as modified.
§ 11-7-3 General provisions.
[1983 Code]
A.
Definition of Floor Area. The term "floor area" as employed in this chapter in the case of office, merchandising or service types of use shall mean the gross floor area of a building or structure used or intended to be used for service to the public as customers, patrons, clients, patients or tenants, including areas occupied by fixtures and equipment used for display or sale of merchandise. "Floor area" for the purpose of this Title shall not include any area used for:
B.
Existing Parking and Loading Spaces. Accessory off-street parking and loading spaces in existence on the effective date hereof may not be reduced in number unless already exceeding the requirements of this chapter for equivalent new construction; in which event, said spaces shall not be reduced below the number required herein for such equivalent new construction.
C.
Parking and Loading Spaces Permitted. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the establishment of off-street automobile parking or loading facilities to serve any existing use of land or buildings, subject to full compliance with the provisions of this chapter, except that off-street parking areas accessory to existing multiple-family structures cannot be located off the premises containing the main use unless on a lot adjacent thereto without authorization by the Village Board of Trustees.
D.
Damage or Destruction of Building or Use. Any building, structure or use which is in existence and is a conforming use on the effective date hereof and which subsequently shall be damaged by fire, collapse, explosion or other cause may be reconstructed, re-established or repaired with or without off-street parking or loading facilities, except that parking or loading facilities equivalent to any maintained at the time of such damage or destruction shall be restored or continued in operation. However, it shall not be necessary to restore or maintain parking or loading facilities in excess of those required in this chapter for equivalent new construction.
E.
Tables for Required Parking and Loading. Requirements governing the number and location of off-street parking and off-street loading facilities in relation to the use of property are established hereinafter. The parking and loading requirements for any use not specified herein shall be the same as for a similar specified use, as determined by Chapter 11-9 of this Title.
F.
Submission of Plot Plan. An application for a building permit for a new or enlarged building, structure or use shall include therewith a plot plan, drawn to scale, and fully dimensioned showing any parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance with the requirements of this Title.
§ 11-7-4 Off-street parking regulations and requirements.
[1983 Code; amended 10-21-2019]
A.
Use of Parking Facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential use and developed in any residential district in accordance with the requirements of this chapter shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles owned by occupants of the dwelling structures to which such facilities are accessory or by guests of said occupants. Under no circumstances shall required parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the storage of commercial vehicles or for the parking of automobiles belonging to the employees, owners, tenants, visitors or customers of business or manufacturing establishments, except as permitted in this section.
B.
Joint Parking Facilities. Off-street parking facilities for different buildings, structures or uses, or for mixed uses, may be provided collectively in any zoning district in which separate parking facilities for each constituent use would be permitted; provided that the total number of spaces so located together shall not be less than the sum of the separate requirements for each use.
C.
Control of Accessory Parking Facilities. When required accessory off-street parking facilities are provided elsewhere than on the lot on which the principal use is located, they shall be in the same possession, either by deed or long-term lease, as the property occupied by such principal use, and the owner shall be bound by covenants filed of record in the office of the Recorder of Deeds, or the Registrar of Titles of Cook County, Illinois, requiring the owner and his or her heirs and assigns to maintain the required number of parking spaces during the existence of said principal use.
D.
Permitted Districts for Accessory Parking. Accessory parking facilities provided elsewhere than on the same zoning lot with the principal use served in accordance with § 11-7-5 of this chapter may be located in any zoning district, except as follows:
1.
No parking facilities accessory to an apartment use shall be located in an R District.
2.
No parking facilities accessory to a business or manufacturing use shall be located in a residential district, except when authorized by the Village Board of Trustees as prescribed hereinafter.
3.
No parking facilities accessory to a manufacturing use shall be permitted in a B1 District.
E.
Design and Maintenance.
1.
Description of Space. A required off-street parking space shall be an area of not less than 162 square feet nor less than 8 1/2 feet wide by 19 feet long exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns or office and work areas, accessible from streets, alleys or from private driveways or aisles leading to streets or alleys and to be used for the storage or parking of passenger automobiles or commercial vehicles under 1 1/2 ton capacity. Aisles between vehicular parking spaces shall be not less than 12 feet in width when serving automobiles parked at a 45° angle in one direction nor less than 20 feet in width when serving automobiles parked perpendicular to the aisles and accommodating two-way traffic.
2.
Determining Number of Spaces. When determination of the number of required off-street parking spaces results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including 1/2 shall be interpreted as one parking space.
3.
Open and Enclosed Spaces. Parking areas may be open or enclosed except that when parking facilities accessory to a multiple dwelling are located in a residential or B1 or B2 District elsewhere than on the same zoning lot with the principal use served, such parking facilities shall be open to the sky.
4.
Access. Parking facilities shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to a street or alley in such a manner as will least interfere with the movement of traffic. No driveway or curb cut in any district shall exceed 25 feet in width.
5.
Signs. No sign shall be displayed in any parking area within any residential district except such as may be necessary for the orderly use of the parking facilities.
6.
Required Setbacks. No parking space or portion thereof established on the same zoning lot with a building shall be located within a required front yard. No parking space or portion thereof established on a zoning lot without a building shall be located closer to any street line than the established building line on adjacent properties nor closer than the front yard setback required for the district in which the parking lot is located. Further, any wall, fence or hedge developed around any parking area shall be subject to the front yard setback requirements of this Title in the same manner as a building or structure.
7.
Surfacing. All open off-street parking areas shall be improved with a compacted macadam base not less than six inches thick, surfaced with asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather, dustless material not less than two inches thick compacted. Portland cement concrete having a thickness of not less than five inches for residential and six inches for business or industry may be substituted in lieu of the above requirement.
8.
Screening and Landscaping. All open off-street parking areas of six or more cars shall be effectively screened by a wall, solid fence, or a densely planted, compact hedge along any side which adjoins or is directly across a street or alley from a property in a residential district or an institutional property. Such wall, fence or hedge shall be at least four feet, but not more than seven feet in height and shall be maintained in good condition.
9.
Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided and any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area shall be so arranged as to reflect the light away from adjoining properties.
F.
Public Parking Areas as Special Uses. Any automobile parking area developed for transient trade, and not accessory to specific main uses or groups of uses for which parking is required by this Title, shall be treated as a special use as defined in § 11-1-3 of this Title and as allowed by the Village Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 11-9 of this Title.
G.
Location of Parking Areas. Off-street automobile parking facilities shall be located as hereinafter specified. Where a distance is specified, such distance shall be walking distance measured from the nearest point of the parking area to the nearest entrance of the building that said parking area is required to serve.
1.
For one and two-family dwellings on the same lot with the building they are required to serve.
2.
For three and four-family dwellings not over two stories in height, on the same lot or parcel of land as the building they are required to serve. For the purposes of this requirement, a group of such uses constructed and maintained under single ownership or management shall be assumed to be on a single lot or parcel of land.
3.
For apartment houses containing four or more dwelling units, on the same lot or parcel of land as the building they are required to serve, or on a separate lot or parcel of land not more than 300 feet from the nearest entrance to the main building being served; provided the lot or parcel of land selected for the parking facilities is located in an apartment district or a less restricted district.
4.
For rooming houses, lodging houses, clubs, hospitals, sanitariums, orphanages, homes for the aged, convalescent homes, dormitories, sorority and fraternity houses and for the other similar uses, the off-street parking facilities required shall be on the same lot or parcel of land as the main building or buildings being served, or upon properties contiguous to the zoning lot upon which is located the building or buildings they are intended to serve.
5.
For uses other than those specified herein, off-street parking facilities shall be provided on the same lot or parcel of land as the main building being served, or on a separate lot or parcel of land not over 1,000 feet of the entrance of the main building, measured from the nearest point of the parking area, provided the separate lot or parcel of land intended for the parking facilities is located in B or I Districts.
H.
Municipal lots.
1.
Municipal lots are those lots owned by the Village of Thornton and designated as a municipal lot by the Village Board. Once a lot loses its designation as a municipal lot, by action of the Village Board, it must conform to the standards for parking lots stated in this code. Except as noted herein, municipal lots shall be subject to the requirements of § 11-7-4 of this code.
2.
Use of parking facilities. Municipal parking lots shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles, motorcycles, or pickup trucks plated no higher than "B." Municipal lots are to be used by persons patronizing local businesses, utilizing Village facilities, or visiting residential dwellings. No vehicle shall remain continuously parked in a municipal lot for over 24 hours. The Village has the authority to fine and tow vehicles violating this section pursuant to Title 9 of this Code and the laws of the State of Illinois.
3.
Occupancy. In calculating off-street parking requirements under this code, municipal lots may be used for up to seventy-five percent (75%) of required off-street parking for any business within 1,250 feet of the property line of the lot.
4.
Permitted Districts for Municipal Parking. Municipal parking lots may be located in any zoned district.
5.
Design and Maintenance.
a.
Open and enclosed spaces. Municipal parking lots may be open or enclosed.
b.
Required setbacks. There are no setback requirements for Municipal parking lots.
c.
Screening and Landscaping. Municipal lots shall be landscaped and screened as appropriate, taking into account the size, location and the character of the adjoining properties.
§ 11-7-5 Schedule of off-street parking requirements.
[Amended 12-4-2006; 2-18-2014]
In all Districts, off-street parking should be provided in accordance with the following requirements:
Type | Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
Single-family dwellings | Minimum of 2 parking spaces for each family dwelling unit |
Dwelling units other than single-family dwellings | 2 parking spaces for each family dwelling unit |
Senior citizen housing | 1 parking space per bedroom of each family dwelling unit for each family dwelling unit, minimum of 1, plus 1 additional parking space per 10 units or fraction thereof |
Restaurants and bars | 1 per 100 gross square feet |
Offices | 1 per 300 gross square feet |
Industry/Warehouse | 1 per 500 gross square feet |
Schools | 1 per 3.5 seats in assembly rooms plus 1 per faculty member |
Tourist homes, cabins or motels | Parking space for each guest or sleeping room or suite, plus 1 per 500 square feet of common area |
Trailer courts or camps | 1 parking space for each trailer space |
Lodging, rooming and boarding houses | 1 parking space for each 4 guests, plus 1 additional space for the owner or manager if resident on the premises |
Private clubs or lodges (without sleeping rooms) | Parking spaces equal in number to 25% of the total membership |
Sanitariums, convalescent homes or homes for the aged | 1 parking space for each 4 patient beds, plus 1 additional space for each staff or visiting doctor |
Retail and general business and service establishments | 1 parking space for each 200 gross square feet |
Medical or dental clinics, chiropractic, therapeutic facilities | 1 parking space for each 200 gross square feet |
§ 11-7-6 Off-street loading regulations and requirements.
[1983 Code]
A.
Location of Berth. No permitted or required loading berth shall be closer than 50 feet to any property in a residential district unless completely enclosed by building walls or a uniformly painted solid fence or wall or any combination thereof not less than six feet in height. No permitted or required loading berth shall be located within 25 feet of the nearest point of intersection of any two streets. Loading berths open to the sky may be located in any required yards.
B.
Description of Loading Berth. An off-street loading berth shall be a hard-surfaced area of land, open or enclosed, other than a street or public way, used principally for the standing, loading or unloading of motor trucks, tractors and trailers so as to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets and alleys. A required loading space shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 25 feet in length and 14 feet in height, exclusive of access aisles and maneuvering space, except as otherwise specifically dimensioned hereafter.
C.
Measurement of Berth. When determination of the number of required off-street loading berths results in a requirement of a fractional berth, any fraction up to and including 1/2 shall be disregarded and fractions over 1/2 shall be interpreted as one loading berth.
D.
Surfacing. All open off-street loading berths shall be improved with a compacted macadam base, not less than seven inches thick, surfaced with not less than two inches of asphaltic concrete or some comparable all-weather, dustless material.
§ 11-7-7 Schedule of off-street loading requirements.
[1983 Code]
In all districts where property uses include the loading and unloading of materials or merchandise from vehicles, off-street loading and unloading facilities shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements:
Type | Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
Hotels or apartment-hotel buildings wherein there are contained exhibition halls, convention halls, auditoriums, office facilities or retail shops | 1 off-street loading and unloading space for the first 40,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus 1 additional off-street loading space for each 150,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof of gross floor area in excess of 40,000 square feet |
Hospitals or sanitariums containing 40,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area | 1 off-street loading and unloading space, plus 1 additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet |
Bowling alleys, taverns, restaurants, or any retail shops and having 10,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area | 1 off-street loading and unloading space, plus 1 additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet |
For banks, business or professional offices or public administration buildings containing 40,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area | 1 off-street loading and unloading space, plus 1 additional such space for each additional 100,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 square feet |
Furniture and appliance stores, motor vehicle sales, wholesale stores, household equipment or machinery sales and having 8,000 to 25,000 square feet of gross floor area | 1 off-street loading and unloading space, plus 1 additional space for each additional 25,000 square feet of gross floor area or fraction thereof in excess of 25,000 square feet |
Manufacturing uses; research and testing laboratories; laundry and dry-cleaning establishments; printing, binding, publishing and issuing of newspapers, periodicals, books and other reading matter; warehouse and storage facilities; engraving shops, assembly of materials and products; processing and distribution of materials and products; and, other similar uses having more than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area, exclusive of basement area and less than 40,000 square feet of gross floor area | 1 off-street loading and unloading space, plus 1 additional such space for each additional 60,000 square feet of gross floor area in excess of 40,000 square feet |