Union City City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
28 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
§ 18.28.010 Scope of regulations.
The off-street parking and loading provisions of this title shall apply as follows:
A.
For all buildings and structures erected and all uses of land established after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, accessory parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by the regulations of the districts in which such buildings or uses are located.
B.
When the intensity of use of any building, structure or premises is increased through change of use, addition of dwelling units, gross floor area, seating capacity or other units of measurement specified in this title for required parking or loading facilities, parking and loading facilities as required in this title shall be provided for such increase in intensity of use. However, no building erected or use lawfully established prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be required to provide such additional parking or loading facilities unless the aforesaid increase in unit of measurement shall amount to at least 15%. Determination of the percentage of increase in units of measurement for required parking or loading facilities shall be based on the total increase which a building or use shall undergo after the effective date of the ordinance codified herein, whether such total increase occurs at one time or in successive stages.
C.
Whenever the existing use of a building or structure hereafter is changed to a new use, parking or loading facilities shall be provided as required for such new use. However, if the said building or structure were erected prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified herein, additional parking or loading facilities are mandatory only in the amount by which the requirements for the new use would exceed those for the existing use if the latter were subject to the parking and loading provision of this title.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(A), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.020 Existing parking facilities.
Accessory off-street parking facilities in existence on the effective date of the ordinance codified herein and located on the same lot as the building or use served shall not hereafter be reduced below, or if already less than shall not be further reduced below the requirements for a similar new building or use under the provisions of this title.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(B), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.025 Parking of company vehicles.
An off-street parking space shall be provided on-site for each company vehicle utilized in the day to day operations of a permitted or conditional use. This requirement does not apply to vehicles used by employees to get to and from the premises. Company vehicles shall be parked on-site when not in use. Parking spaces for company vehicles are in addition to those required by this title.
(Ord. 702-08 § 2, 2008; Ord. 852-18 § 4, 2018)
§ 18.28.030 Permissive parking-Loading facilities.
Nothing in this title shall be deemed to prevent the voluntary establishment of off-street parking or loading facilities to serve any existing use of land or buildings provided that all regulations herein governing the location, design and operation of such facilities are adhered to.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(C), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.040 Damage or destruction.
For any conforming or legally nonconforming building or use which is in existence on the effective date of the ordinance codified herein which subsequently thereto is damaged or destroyed by fire, collapse, explosion or other cause, and which is reconstructed, reestablished, or repaired, off-street parking or loading facilities need not be provided 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, in no case shall it be necessary to restore or maintain parking or loading facilities in excess of those required by this title for equivalent uses or construction.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(D), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.050 Control of off-site parking facilities.
Where required off-street parking facilities must be provided away from the lot on which the use or building served is located, such facilities shall be in the same possession, either by deed or long-term lease, as the property occupied by the use or building to which the parking facilities are accessory, in which case the owner of said land shall be bound by covenants filed of record in the office of the Recorder of Alameda County requiring the owner, his or her heirs and assigns to maintain the required number of parking facilities for the duration of the use served.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(E), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.060 Submission of plot plan.
Any applicant for a building part shall include therewith a plot plan, drawn to scale and fully dimensional, showing any parking or loading facilities to be provided in compliance with this title.
(Ord. 55-64 § 5.7(F), 1964; Ord. 670-06 § 3, 2006)
§ 18.28.070 Computation of required automobile parking and bicycle parking facilities demand.
When determination of the number of off-street parking spaces or bicycle parking facilities required by this title results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction less than one-half may be disregarded, while a fraction of one-half or more shall be counted as one automobile parking space or bicycle parking facility.
(Ord. 683-07 § 2, 2007)
§ 18.28.080 Design criteria for bicycle parking facilities.
A.
Short- and Long-Term Bicycle Parking Required. Unless otherwise stated in another part of this Code, required bicycle parking shall be designed as either short- or long-term bicycle parking as follows.
1.
Four or Fewer Required Bicycle Parking Spaces. Where four or fewer bicycle parking spaces are required, the required bicycle parking spaces shall be designed as short-term bicycle parking in compliance with the standards of this section.
2.
Five or More Required Bicycle Parking Spaces. Where five or more bicycle parking spaces are required, the required bicycle parking spaces shall be designed as short- or long-term bicycle parking in compliance with the standards of this section as follows:
a.
A minimum of four bicycle parking spaces shall be designed as short-term bicycle parking.
b.
A minimum of 20% of the required bicycle parking spaces shall be designed as long-term bicycle parking.
c.
The balance of the required bicycle parking spaces shall be designed as either short-term bicycle parking or long-term bicycle parking.
B.
Short-Term Bicycle Parking. Short-term bicycle parking intended to serve customers, messengers, and other visitors to a site who generally stay for a short time, shall be designed as specified below.
1.
Location. Short-term bicycle parking shall be located within 50 feet of a main entrance to the building it serves and visible from a main entrance if feasible. Where the bicycle parking area is not visible from a main entrance of the building, signs located at the main entrance of the building shall identify the location of bicycle parking.
a.
Required short-term bicycle parking may be located within the public right-of-way with an encroachment permit issued by the City.
2.
Anchoring and Security. For each short-term bicycle parking space required, a stationary, securely anchored object shall be provided to which a bicycle frame and one wheel (two points of contact) can be secured with a high-security U-shaped shackle lock if both wheels are left on the bicycle. One such object may serve multiple bicycle parking spaces.
3.
Size. Each short-term bicycle parking space shall be a minimum of two feet in width and six feet in length and shall be accessible without moving another bicycle.
4.
Clearance.
a.
Between Racks. Three feet of clearance shall be provided between bicycle parking racks.
b.
Between Other Elements. Two feet of clearance shall be provided between short-term bicycle parking spaces and adjacent walls, poles, landscaping, street furniture, drive aisles, pedestrian ways, and curbs.
 Figure 18.28.080(B): Short-Term Bicycle Parking |
5.
Lighting. A minimum of one foot-candle lighting level shall be provided in all short-term bicycle parking areas.
C.
Long-Term Bicycle Parking. Long-term bicycle parking intended to serve employees, residents, visitors, and others who generally stay at a site for four hours or longer shall be designed as specified below.
1.
Location. Long-term bicycle parking shall be located on the same lot as the use it serves. In parking garages, long-term bicycle parking shall be located within 100 feet of an entrance to the facility.
2.
Covered Spaces. Long-term bicycle parking shall be covered either inside a building, under roof overhangs or awnings, in bicycle lockers, or within or under other structures.
3.
Security. Long-term bicycle parking shall be in one of the following locations:
a.
A fully enclosed bicycle locker accessible only by the owner or operator of the bicycle.
b.
A fenced, covered, and locked or guarded bicycle storage area.
c.
A rack or stand inside a building that is within view of an attendant or security guard, visible from employee work areas, or within a secure/restricted bicycle storage room.
d.
A unit with a foyer that accommodates a wall-mounted bike rack.
e.
Other secure area approved by the decision maker.
4.
Size. Each long-term bicycle parking space shall be a minimum of two feet in width and six feet in length and shall be accessible without moving another bicycle.
5.
Clearance.
6.
Accessibility. Long-term bicycle parking areas shall be accessible from the public right-of-way via at least one main access path that meets the following criteria:
a.
The access path shall be clear at all times.
b.
The access path shall be a minimum of four feet wide.
c.
Any doors the path goes through shall have a minimum width of three feet.
d.
The access path shall not exceed five percent slope.
e.
The access path shall not require any lifting of a bicycle over steps.
f.
Elevators, when used as part of the path, shall have minimum interior dimensions of 80 inches by 54 inches.
7.
Lighting. A minimum of one foot-candle lighting level shall be provided in all long-term bicycle parking areas.
8.
No Lifting. A minimum of 20% of long-term bicycle parking spaces shall be designed so that the bicycle does not need to be lifted in order to be secure.
9.
Electrical Service. A minimum of 20% of long-term bicycle parking spaces shall have access to an electrical outlet for charging.
10.
Racks and Stands. Racks and stands, if used, shall be securely anchored to the ground or building and be designed to enable a bicycle frame and one wheel (two points of contact) to be secured with a high-security U-shaped shackle lock if both wheels are left on the bicycle.
(Ord. 683-07 § 3, 2007; Ord. 917-23, 9/26/2023)
§ 18.28.090 Substitution of automobile parking with bicycle parking facilities.
Subject to approval by the decision maker, the required automobile parking demand for a particular use may be reduced by up to 10% when additional bicycle parking facilities are provided beyond what is required by the applicable provisions listed in this title. The required automobile parking demand may be reduced at a rate of one parking space for each six additional bicycle parking facilities provided.
(Ord. 683-07 § 5, 2007; Ord. 917-23, 9/26/2023)
§ 18.28.100 Transportation demand management programs.
A.
Subject to use permit approval, up to a 25% reduction in required parking demand may be granted by the decision-making body if transit demand management (TDM) measures are implemented that reduce a project's overall number of vehicle trips generated and related parking demand. TDM measures may include, but are not limited to, provision of shuttles to and from BART, implementation of public transit pass programs, installation of showers and lockers to encourage people to bike or walk to work, preferential parking for people who car pool, etc.
B.
A TDM plan, prepared by a qualified professional, shall be submitted with the use permit application. At a minimum, the TDM plan shall include a description of proposed TDM measures, a quantitative analysis of how measures will reduce the project's vehicles trips generated and related parking demand, and a detailed implementation plan to ensure TDM management through the life of the use permit. A responsible party (i.e., project applicant, property owner, homeowner's association, etc.) shall be identified for the implementation and management of the plan. The proposed parking demand reduction will be based on the information contained in the TDM plan. The City shall hire a consultant, at the applicant's and/or property owner's expense, to conduct a third-party peer review of the TDM plan.
C.
Yearly monitoring reports (measured from the date of use permit approval) shall be submitted by the responsible party listed in the TDM plan to the Economic and Community Development Department. Monitoring reports shall detail the TDM measures being implemented and the success of these measures including the number and percentages of people who are utilizing TDM programs and the amount of vehicle trips reduced. Monitoring reports shall be prepared by a qualified professional and may be subject to a third-party peer review paid for by the applicant and/or property owner. Failure to implement the programs and/or strategies listed in the TDM plan or failure to submit monitoring reports in a timely manner may result in revocation of the use permit subject to the provisions listed in Section 18.56.100.
(Ord. 726-10 § 2, 2010; Ord. 917-23, 9/26/2023)