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Vienna Charter Township
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 19

- OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING

Sec. 1900.- Off-street parking requirements.

There shall be provided in all districts at the time of erection or enlargement of any main building or structure, automobile off-street parking space with adequate access to all spaces. The number of off-street parking spaces, in conjunction with all land or building uses shall be provided, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, as hereinafter prescribed.

1.

Location and number of spaces.

a.

Off-street parking spaces may be located within a side or rear yard unless otherwise provided in the ordinance. Off-street parking shall not be permitted within a minimum front yard setback unless otherwise provided in this ordinance.

b.

Residential off-street parking spaces shall consist of a parking strip, parking bay, driveway, garage or combination thereof and shall be located on the premises they are intended to serve and subject to the provisions of section 2010, accessory buildings and structures, of this ordinance.

c.

Off-street parking for other than residential use shall be either on the same zoning lot or within 300 feet of the building it is intended to serve, measured from the nearest point of the building to the nearest point of the off-street parking lot. Ownership shall be shown of all lots or parcels intended for use as parking by the applicant.

d.

Required parking spaces for two or more buildings or uses may be provided within a common parking area. However, in such cases the required number of parking spaces shall not be fewer than the sum of the requirements for the individual uses computed separately. The board of appeals may allow a reduction in the required number of spaces where operating hours of uses do not overlap.

e.

For the purpose of computing the number of parking spaces required, the definition of usable floor area in section 205, definitions, shall govern.

f.

When units or measurements determining the number of required parking spaces result in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction up to and including one-half shall be disregarded and fractions over one-half shall require one parking space.

g.

For those uses not specifically mentioned, the requirements for off-street parking facilities shall be in accordance with a use that the planning commission considers is similar in type.

h.

The storage of merchandise, motor vehicles for sale, trucks, or the repair of vehicles is prohibited.

i.

Any area once designated as required off-street parking shall not be changed to any other use unless and until equal facilities are provided elsewhere.

j.

Off-street parking existing at the effective date of this ordinance, in connection with the operation of an existing building or use, shall not be reduced to an amount less than hereinafter required for a similar new building or new use.

k.

Off-street parking may be permitted in a side or rear yard unless otherwise provided in this ordinance.

l.

The minimum number of off-street parking spaces by type of use shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule:

Use Minimum Number of Parking Spaces Per Unit of Measure
RESIDENTIAL USES
1. One and two-family Two for each dwelling unit.
2. Multiple-family Two for each dwelling unit of three rooms or less; 2½ for each dwelling unit of four rooms or more.
3. Mobile home park Two for each mobile home pad and one for each three mobile home sites for visitors and employees.
4. Family day care home Two plus one for each nonresident employee.
5. Group day care home Two plus one for each employee. In addition, a designated drop-off area is required.
INSTITUTIONAL USES
a. Churches, places of worship One for each three seats or six feet of pew in the main area of worship or one for each three person capacity if no fixed seating.
b. Convalescent homes and nursing homes One for every four persons in residence plus one for each employee in the largest working shift.
c. Golf courses open to the general public Six for each golf hole and one for each employee, plus spaces required for each accessory use such as a restaurant or bar.
d. Hospitals/health care centers Two for each one bed plus spaces required for outpatient and medical offices at one space for each 100 sq. ft. of usable floor area.
e. Nursery schools/day care centers One for each 200 square feet of usable floor area plus one designated off-street loading space for children entering and leaving the facility.
f. Private clubs or lodge halls One for each 100 square feet of usable floor area.
g. Private golf clubs, swim clubs One for every two member families or tennis clubs, or other similar uses individuals plus additional spaces for accessory uses such as a restaurant or bar.
h. Elementary or junior high schools One for each one teacher, employee, or administrator plus the requirements for an auditorium or stadium.
i. Senior high schools One for each teacher, employee or administrator, and one for each five students, plus the requirements for an auditorium or stadium.
j. Stadium or sports arenas or similar outdoor place of assembly One for each three seats or six feet of benches.
k. Theaters and auditoriums One for each three seats plus one for every two employees.
COMMERCIAL USES
a. Athletic clubs, exercise establishments, health studios, sauna baths, martial arts studios and other similar uses One parking space for each three persons allowed within the maximum occupancy load as established by local, county or state fire, building or health codes plus one space per employee.
b. Auto wash (automatic) One for each one employee.
c. Auto wash (self washing or coin operated) Two for each stall in addition to the stall itself.
d. Beauty parlor, barbershop, or salon Three spaces for each of the first two chairs, and 1½ spaces for each additional chair.
e. Bowling alleys Five for each bowling lane plus parking for accessory uses such as restaurants or bars.
f. Dance halls, roller rinks, exhibition halls and assembly halls without fixed seats One for each three persons allowed within the maximum occupancy load as established by local, county or state fire building or health codes.
g. Funeral home or mortuaries One for each 50 square feet of usable area of assembly room and parlors.
h. Furniture and appliance, household equipment, repair shops, showroom of a plumber, decorator, electrician or other similar uses One for each 800 square feet of usable floor area. For that floor area used in processing, one additional space shall be provided for each two persons employed therein.
i. Gasoline service stations (full service) Two for each lubrication stall, rack or pit; and one for each gasoline pump stand. In addition, parking for accessory uses, such as minimarkets, shall be provided. No spaces are required for self-service pump stands.
j. Gasoline service stations (self serve) One space plus one space for each employee on the largest working shift; but not fewer than three spaces in any instance. In addition, parking for accessory uses, such as minimarkets shall be provided.
k. Golf driving range One space for each driving tee plus one space for each employee.
l. Hardware stores One for each 300 square feet of usable floor area.
m. Laundromats and coin operated dry cleaners One for each two machines.
n. Miniature golf courses Three spaces per hole.
o. Ministorage buildings One space for each 30 units that do not have direct access from outside the building or directly from a vehicular aisle within the building and three for the office or residence and one for each employee.
p. Motel/hotel, bed and breakfast One for each occupancy unit, plus 50 percent of the parking required on the basis of accessory uses such as a restaurant or bar.
q. Motor vehicle sales establishments One for each 100 square feet of usable floor area of sales room or three for each auto service stall in service areas, whichever is greater.
r. Pool or billiard hall, amusement arcade One for each 60 square feet of usable floor area.
s. Restaurant or bar establishments for sale and consumption, on the premises, of beverages, food or refreshments One for each 75 square feet usable floor area.
t. Restaurant drive-in, fast-food or carry-out One space for each 25 square feet of usable floor area.
u. Retail stores except as otherwise specified herein One for each 150 square feet of usable floor area.
v. Shopping center or five or more lease units under one roof One for each 125 sq. ft. of usable floor area for the first 15,000 sq. ft.; one for each 150 sq. ft. for the next 15,001 to 450,000 sq. ft.; and one for each 175 sq. ft. for that area in excess of 450,000 sq. ft. of usable floor area.
OFFICE USES
a. Banks One for each 125 sq. ft. of usable floor space, including employee working space.
b. Business or professional offices One for each 200 sq. ft. of usable floor area.
c. Offices of doctors, dentists, or similar professions One for each 50 sq. ft. of usable floor area in waiting rooms and one for each examining room, dentist chair, office, or similar use area.
INDUSTRIAL USES
a. Industrial or research establishments and related accessory offices Five plus one for every 1½ employees in the largest working shift or five plus one for each 450 sq. ft. of usable floor area, whichever is greater.
b. Warehousing and wholesale establishments and related accessory offices Five plus one for every one employee in the largest working shift, or one for every 1,700 sq. ft. of usable floor area, whichever is greater.

 

(Ord. of 3-21-2005, § 1900)

Sec. 1905. - Parking space layout, construction and maintenance.

Whenever an off-street parking facility is required or proposed, including those within P-1 vehicular parking districts, such off-street parking lots shall be laid out, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the following standards and regulations:

1.

Requirements. No parking lot shall be constructed until approved by the planning commission pursuant to section 2810 and unitil a permit is issued by the building inspector. Applications for a permit shall be submitted to the building inspector as determined by the building inspector and shall be accompanied by two sets of plans for the development and construction of the parking lot showing full compliance with the provisions of this section.

2.

Ingress and egress.

a.

Adequate ingress and egress to the parking lot by means of clearly limited and defined drives shall be provided for all vehicles.

b.

Ingress or egress to a parking lot lying in an area zoned for other than one-family residential use shall not be across land zoned for one-family residential use.

c.

Each entrance and exit to and from any off-street parking lot located in an area zoned for other than one-family residential use shall be at least 25 feet distant from adjacent property located in any one-family residential district.

d.

The planning commission shall regulate and determine the places of ingress and egress so that traffic on the streets and highways in the township shall be controlled, regulated and coordinated and to require the installation and maintenance of suitable barriers to ensure the safety of passing pedestrians, in order to provide for the greatest possible public safety and welfare. Such necessary directional signs and controls as are required by the township shall be established and maintained by the owner or lessee of the parking lot.

e.

In all cases where a wall extends to an alley which is a means of ingress to or egress from an off-street parking area, it shall be permissible to end the wall not more than ten feet from such alley line in order to permit a wider turning radius.

f.

The planning commission may require the joining of parking lots in adjacent parcels in order to reduce the number of curb cuts onto a public street and to facilitate movement between sites.

_____

3.

Layout standards.

a.

The layout of off-street parking facilities shall be in accordance with the following minimum requirements:

Parking
Pattern 		Aisle Width Parking Space Length* Parking Space Width Total Width of One Tier of Spaces + Aisle Total Width of Two Tiers of Spaces + Aisle
0° (parallel) 12 ft. 23 ft. 8 ft. 28 ft. 36 ft.
30° to 53° 12 ft. 20 ft. 8.5 ft. 32 ft. 52 ft.
54° to 74° 15 ft. 20 ft. 8.5 ft. 36 ft. 58 ft.
75° to 90° 20 ft. 20 ft. 9 ft. 40 ft. 60 ft.

 

*The required parking space length may be reduced by one foot for each one-quarter foot by which the parking space width is increased.

b.

All spaces shall be provided with adequate access by means of maneuvering lanes. Backing directly onto a street shall be prohibited.

c.

All maneuvering lane widths shall permit one-way traffic movement, except that the 90 degree pattern may permit two-way movement.

d.

When a front yard setback is required, all lands between a required wall and the front property line or street right-of-way line shall be kept free from refuse and debris and shall be landscaped with deciduous shrubs, evergreen material and ornamental trees. The ground area shall be planted and kept in lawn. All such landscaping and planting shall be maintained in a healthy, growing condition, neat and orderly in appearance.

e.

Dead-end off-street parking aisles are discouraged, especially in connection with commercial uses. Such aisles should be no more than eight spaces deep and should, in any case, be proposed only when there is no reasonable alternative. If more than eight spaces deep, the layout shall provide a means for vehicles to turn around if all spaces are occupied.

f.

The planning commission may require the joining of parking lots in adjacent parcels in order to reduce the number of curb cuts onto a public street and to facilitate movement between sites.

4.

Construction, maintenance, screening and landscaping.

a.

Except for single-family residences, the entire parking area, including parking spaces and maneuvering lanes, required under this section, shall be provided with asphalt or concrete surfacing in accordance with specifications approved by the township engineer. The parking area shall be surfaced within one year of the date the permit is issued. Time extensions due to earth settlement problems may be approved by the board of appeals.

b.

Off-street parking areas shall be drained so as to dispose of all surface water accumulated in the parking area in such a way as to preclude drainage of water onto adjacent property or toward buildings.

c.

Off-street parking areas shall be provided with a continuing obscuring wall as specified in section 2055, obscuring walls and landscaped berms. Upon application by the property owner of the off-street parking area, the planning commission may modify the yard or wall requirements where, in unusual circumstances, no good purpose would be served by compliance with the requirements of this section.

d.

Landscaped areas within the interior of the parking lot shall be provided in accordance with section 2050.3.

(Ord. of 3-21-2005, § 1905)

Sec. 1910. - Off-street loading and unloading.

On the same premises with every building, structure, or part thereof involving the receipt or distribution of vehicles or materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the lot, adequate space for standing, loading and unloading in order to avoid undue interference with public use of dedicated rights-of-way. Such space shall be provided as follows:

1.

Within any OST or OR district, off-street loading shall be provided as follows:

a.

For buildings of less than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area, at least one loading space, separate from off-street parking, shall be provided and may be located in any yard. For buildings of 20,000 square feet to 99,999 square feet, the loading space shall be located in a rear or side yard only. Loading space shall have a dimension of at least nine feet by 20 feet.

b.

For buildings of 100,000 square feet in gross floor area or more, at least one loading space shall be provided with a dimension of at least ten by 50 feet or 500 square feet in area. Such space shall have a minimum clearance of at least 14 feet in height and shall be located only in a rear or interior side yard.

c.

In addition to spaces required for offices or research, one separate space, nine feet by 20 feet, shall be provided for each service entrance to secondary uses. Such spaces shall be located only in the rear or interior side yard.

2.

Within any C-1 through C-4 district, off-street loading space shall be provided in the rear yard only and in the ratio of at least ten square feet per front foot of building. In exceptional instances such space may be permitted in an interior side yard with approval of the planning commission, provided that such location is necessitated by the site conditions.

3.

Within any I-1 or I-2 district, off-street loading shall be provided as follows:

a.

All spaces shall be laid out in the dimension of at least ten by 50 feet, or 500 square feet in area, with a clearance of at least 14 feet in height unless otherwise specified.

b.

Loading dock approaches shall be surfaced with asphaltic or concrete paving so as to provide a permanent, durable and dustless surface.

c.

All spaces in I-1 and I-2 districts shall be provided in the following ratio of spaces to floor area:

Gross Floor Area
(square feet) 		Number of Spaces
Required
0 to 1,400 One space (9 × 20).
1,401 to 20,000 One space.
20,001 to 100,000 One space plus one space for each 20,000 square feet in excess of 20,000 square feet.
Over 100,000 Five spaces plus one space for each 40,000 square feet in excess of 100,000 square feet.

 

d.

All spaces shall be provided off-street in the rear yard or interior side yard and shall in no instance be permitted in a front yard. In those instances where exterior side yards abut an industrial district across a public street, loading/unloading may take place in such exterior side yard when the setback is equal to at least 50 feet.

4.

Access to the loading/unloading area shall be designed in such a manner as to allow trucks to enter and leave the area without having to back from or onto the public street.

5.

Where a public alley exists or is provided at the rear of buildings, the loading/unloading requirements may be computed from the center of such alley.

(Ord. of 3-21-2005, § 1910)