Weedsport Village City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XI
Off Street Parking and Loading
§ 215-71 Intent.
The intent of this article is to prevent or alleviate congestion on public streets and to promote the public safety and welfare by establishing standards for the provision of off-street parking and loading spaces.
§ 215-72 Applicability.
A.
In all districts, every use shall provide, at the time of any change of use or when any building or structure is erected, enlarged, or increased in capacity, off-street parking for motor vehicles in accordance with the requirements of this and other applicable sections of these regulations, especially site plan approval in accordance with Article VIII, Historic Commercial District Design Regulations, in accordance with Article VI, and landscaping in accordance with § 215-70.
B.
Loading and unloading spaces shall be identified and provided for every building or structure erected, occupied, enlarged or intended to be used, involving the receipt or distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise. Required loading and unloading space plans shall be approved by the Planning Board in accordance with § 215-75 of this article.
§ 215-73 Required off-street parking spaces.
A.
Parking space. The following off-street parking provisions shall constitute the minimum space required for the following buildings and uses hereafter erected, converted, or otherwise established in any district:
(1)
Any use in the Historic Commercial (HC) Zoning District:
(a)
No off-street parking shall be required for any use, other than residential uses, within the Historic Commercial (HC) Zoning District. However, any such parking voluntarily provided shall comply with the off-street parking provisions of § 215-76 of this chapter.
(b)
Residential uses shall provide one off-street parking space per dwelling unit.
(2)
One-family dwelling on an individual lot: two off-street parking spaces for each dwelling.
(3)
Multiple-family dwelling: two off-street parking spaces for each dwelling.
(4)
Motel or hotel: one off-street parking space for each rental room or suite, plus one additional space for each full-time employee on the premises at one time.
(5)
Restaurant, bar, or other eating or drinking establishment: one off-street parking space for each 50 square feet of floor area devoted to customer uses, plus one additional space for each full-time employee on the premises at one time.
(6)
Church, library, fire station, funeral home, theater and auditorium: one off-street parking space for every four seats provided for patrons, customers, members or guests. When benches rather than individual seats are provided, two linear feet shall be equivalent to one seat. If no fixed seats are provided, each 50 square feet of floor area shall be equivalent to one seat.
(7)
Retail and office uses: one off-street parking space for each 150 square feet of gross floor area.
(8)
Health care facility: one off-street parking space for each patient or resident bed, excluding bassinets, plus one space for each full-time employee on the premises at one time. However, hospitals, sanatoriums, or convalescent homes primarily providing long-term custodial care for patients need not provide more than one space for each four patient beds.
(9)
Industrial: one parking space for each 250 square feet of floor area.
(10)
Home occupation: two off-street parking spaces, in addition to the requirement for the dwelling.
(11)
Bed-and-breakfasts must provide one off-street parking space for each rental bedroom, plus one additional space for employees in addition to the requirements for the dwelling.
(12)
Farm stand: No off-street parking shall be required for farm stands. However, the Planning Board may require off-street parking at their discretion if they determine that a safety hazard exists for vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic due to the volume of on-street parking occurring for said farm stand use.
(13)
Other uses: The number of spaces shall be determined during site plan review. If no site plan review is required, the Code Enforcement Officer may refer the case to the Planning Board to review and provide guidance on the case. General guideline: A sufficient number of spaces to accommodate the expected number of vehicles stopping at the site when the site is at maximum permitted human occupancy. A general guideline is one space per four human occupants.
B.
The Zoning Board of Appeals may reduce the number of required parking spaces if a property owner provides evidence of an undue hardship and the inability to provide the required number of spaces on the subject parcel. The Zoning Board of Appeals may require an alternative parking plan which may include off site or shared parking that meets the intent of the applicable requirements of § 215-74 below.
C.
Two or more establishments may join in meeting the requirements of this article, provided that the total area for parking is the sum of the individual requirements.
D.
Driveways and parking areas for nonresidential uses, except home occupations, shall include, within the property lines, turning areas so constructed and surfaced that a vehicle entering or leaving the property is not required to back onto the street or onto the property.
§ 215-74 Location of required spaces.
A.
All parking facilities provided under this article shall be located off the public right-of-way and shall contain an area of at least 200 square feet per motor vehicle parking space exclusive of accessways, aisles, and maneuvering space. Each space shall have an all-weather surface, which may consist of gravel, crushed stone, concrete, or black top.
B.
Layout and construction of parking areas for single-family and two-family dwelling units shall be in accordance with the following:
(1)
Off-street parking shall be provided on the same lot with the building it serves. No parking is permitted in the front setback unless it is conducted in a driveway that meets the requirements set in this article.
C.
All other uses. Required off-street parking shall be located as close to the use as possible, given site conditions. In no case shall any required off-street parking space be located more than 500 feet from the building it is required to serve except as in accordance with Subsection D below.
D.
Off-site parking. Parking spaces required for a structure in § 215-73 may be otherwise located upon approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon findings that:
(1)
It is impractical to provide parking on the same lot with the structure.
(2)
The required space is fully provided in a permanent and accessible manner.
(3)
The off-site parking area is within 1,000 feet of the site of the structure and within the same or a less restricted district (i.e., a use located in any commercially zoned area may not locate its required parking within any residentially zoned area).
(4)
Such off-site parking shall be subject to deed, lease, or contract restrictions acceptable to the Municipal Attorney binding the owner, heirs or assigns to maintain the required number of spaces available throughout the life of such use.
E.
The location, dimensions, and signage of handicapped parking shall meet the requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
§ 215-75 Required loading and unloading spaces.
A.
Loading and unloading space, sufficient to accommodate the maximum demand generated by the use of the lot, shall be provided for any commercial or industrial use that is hereafter erected or substantially altered. The applicant shall provide a loading and unloading plan to be approved by the Planning Board. Loading and unloading plans shall meet the following criteria:
(1)
When practicable, loading and unloading areas shall be provided off-street and separate from parking areas. If the identified loading and unloading areas cannot meet this criteria due to site conditions, the Planning Board may require certain conditions, such as time limits or specific loading and unloading hours, to increase the compatibility of loading and unloading activities with neighboring businesses and uses.
(2)
All loading and unloading spaces shall be located in areas that will not prohibit vehicular or pedestrian access.
(3)
All off-street loading and unloading spaces shall have an all-weather surface to provide safe and convenient access and use during all seasons.
(4)
Required loading spaces shall be 12 feet by 35 feet, with a fourteen-foot height clearance. If tractor trailer deliveries are expected, at least one loading space 12 feet by 55 feet shall be provided.
(5)
All required loading areas shall be independent of required emergency access lanes and drive-in queuing lanes.
§ 215-76 Design of off-street parking facilities.
A.
All parking facilities provided shall have an all-weather surface, which may consist of gravel, crushed stone, concrete, or asphalt.
B.
Driveways and parking areas for nonresidential uses except home occupations shall include, within the property lines, turning areas so constructed and surfaced that a vehicle entering or leaving the property is not required to back onto the street.
C.
Parking lot lighting shall be provided in accordance with § 215-69.
D.
The size of standard perpendicular off-street parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide by 20 feet long and clear to a height of eight feet, together with access aisles for maneuvering and passage to and from the public street. In all instances, the minimum width of the aisle shall be 24 feet.
E.
Off-street parking areas shall include landscaping in accordance § 215-70.
F.
Off-street parking areas located within the Historic Commercial (HC) Zoning District shall be designed and located in accordance with the parking requirements listed in Article VI, § 215-27L.
G.
Where parking spaces abut sidewalks, landscaped areas, lighting fixtures, or fences, appropriate car stops shall be installed to prevent encroachment on or damage to such features.
H.
All off-street parking areas of more than 20 spaces shall provide a snow-storage area independent of required parking and loading areas.
I.
No driveway to an off-street parking area shall be located closer than 50 feet to the intersection of any two streets or within 10 feet of any side lot line, provided that sufficient distance will always remain for all required radii for said driveway. The distances from the driveway to the intersection shall be measured by extending the curbline of the intersecting street until it intersects the curbline, extending if necessary, of the driveway in question.
J.
Driveways shall be designed to provide for the safe and efficient movement of traffic between the roadway and the site, to eliminate the potential for stacking of vehicles along the public right-of-way and to minimize interference with pedestrians and vehicles using the site and the public right-of-way. The location and distance between driveways to an intersection shall be provided in accordance with NYS Department of Transportation, Cayuga County Highway Department, or the Village of Weedsport design standards as appropriate for specific streets in the Village. Property owners are required to obtain proper permits and approvals for all driveway locations from the appropriate agency and provide proof of approval to the Code Enforcement Officer.
K.
Curb cuts for ingress and egress onto existing roadways shall be a maximum of 20 feet for residential uses and 35 feet for nonresidential uses. The location and distance between curb cuts and to intersections shall be provided in accordance with NYS Department of Transportation, Cayuga County Highway Department, or the Village of Weedsport design standards as appropriate for specific streets in the village. Property owners are required to obtain proper permits and approvals for all curb cuts from the appropriate agency and provide proof of approval to the Code Enforcement Officer.