West Caln Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations
§ 350-1300 Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to establish standards for the location and number of off-street parking in terms of different land uses in the Township, provide adequate parking facilities for allowed uses, and allocate parking spaces to promote public safety and convenience.
§ 350-1301 Applicability.
A.
B.
Structures and uses in existence on the date of adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the provisions herein, except as provided in Subsection A above. No parking facilities existing at the effective date of this chapter serving existing buildings or uses in the Township shall subsequently be reduced below the requirements herein.
C.
All land uses proposed in the Township subsequent to the adoption of this chapter shall be in conformance with this section. Off-street parking facilities provided to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall not subsequently be reduced below the requirements herein.
D.
All required parking facilities shall be provided and maintained by the owner or manager of the property or use for as long as the use which they are designed to serve remains in existence.
§ 350-1302 General requirements.
A.
Location of required parking spaces. Required off-street parking spaces shall be located on the same lot as the principal use, unless provided in compliance with § 350-1304. Off-street parking spaces shall be located outside of the public right-of-way.
B.
Use of parking area. No parking area shall be used for any use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve.
C.
Landscaping. Landscaping requirements for off-street parking facilities shall conform to § 350-1206.
D.
Off-street parking in required yards. Parking areas may occupy no more than 50% of any required front yard.
§ 350-1303 Required off-street parking spaces.
A.
Uses not specifically listed herein shall comply with the parking standards for the most similar use, as determined by the Board of Supervisors with recommendation from the Township Engineer.
B.
Where a building or use contains or includes more than one type of use, the number of parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking requirements for each separate use, except as stipulated in the options in § 350-1304.
C.
Spaces needed for business vehicles owned or operated by any of the following uses shall be above and beyond the following off-street parking requirements and shall not occupy the minimum required spaces for uses as follows in this section.
D.
The following off-street parking provisions shall constitute the minimum parking spaces required for the uses indicated below, hereafter erected, converted or otherwise established in any district. Where computation result in fractions, a fraction of 1/2 or more shall be rounded up, and a fraction of less than 1/2 rounded down. In addition, one space for each company vehicle stored on the premises shall be provided. In this section, "s.f." shall be interpreted as "square feet" and "GLA" shall be interpreted as "gross leasable area," as defined in Article II.
(1)
The following parking standards shall apply for residential uses:
Residential Uses | Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
Single-family detached | 2 spaces per dwelling unit, excluding garages |
Single-family semidetached dwelling, or Two-family detached dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling unit, excluding garages |
Multifamily, Residential conversion, Mobile home park | 2 spaces per dwelling unit, plus 1 space per every 5 dwelling units to accommodate visitor parking |
Supplemental dwelling unit | 2 spaces per supplemental dwelling unit |
Home occupation: | |
Major, other than family day care home which shall conform with Article XI. | Number of required spaces for the primary residential use, plus 1 additional space per each nonresident employee and 1 space per client or customer |
Minor | No additional parking requirements beyond those for the primary residential use |
Nursing home | 1 space per every 4 patient beds, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift |
Group housing | 1 space per 3 beds, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift |
Retirement housing | 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit, plus 1 space per every 5 dwelling units to accommodate visitor parking |
(2)
The following parking standards shall apply for commercial uses:
Commercial Uses | Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
Automobile sales and service | 1 space per 400 square feet GLA. Outdoor display areas for automobile sales shall not be included in the required parking spaces |
Bank or similar financial institution | 1 space per 250 square feet for customer service, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift, plus stacking requirements for drive-through service, if applicable, as per Article XII |
Bed-and-breakfast | 1 space per rental unit, plus 1 space per employee, plus 2 spaces for the resident property owners |
Club or lodge | 1 space per 3 members the facility is designed to accommodate, plus 1 space per employee; an additional 15% of the total spaces required shall be reserved for auxiliary spaces |
Day-care center (child or adult) | 1 space per employee, plus 1 unloading space per 5 children/adults |
Gas station/service station | 1 space per pump, plus 2 stacking spaces per pump, plus 2 spaces per service bay |
Car wash | 3 stacking spaces per bay, plus 2 drying spaces per bay |
Convenience store | 1 space per 200 square feet GLA |
Grocery store or supermarket | 1 space per 100 square feet GLA |
Hotel or motel | 1 space per rental unit, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift; an additional 15% of the total spaces required shall be reserved for auxiliary spaces |
With conference facility | plus 1 space per every 3 seats of capacity for meeting facilities |
Kennel or animal shelter | 1 space per employee, plus 1 space per 10 units of animal holding capacity |
Laundromat | 1 space per 100 square feet GLA |
Office — business and administrative | 1 space per employee, plus 1 space per reception area seat or 1 space per 100 square feet GLA whichever is more applicable |
Office - professional and medical | 1 space per employee, plus 1 space per waiting room seat or 1 space per 100 square feet GLA whichever is more applicable |
Personal service shop (hair salon, barber shop, tailor, dry cleaner pick-up, etc.) | 1 space per 250 square feet GLA |
Recreational use | |
Indoor recreation/physical fitness club | 1 space per 200 square feet GLA, plus 1 space per employee |
Outdoor recreation or park | 1 space per 1,000 square feet of lot area, plus 1 space per employee |
Theater | 1 space per 3 seats |
Bowling alley | 4 spaces per bowling lane |
Research and development facility | 1 space per 300 square feet GLA |
Restaurant, outdoor cafe, or similar use | |
with table service, but no drive-through | 1 space for every 3 seats provided for customers, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift |
with no fixed seats or table service | 1 space per 75 square feet of GLA |
with drive-through service | a vehicle stacking lane is required as per Article XI, in addition to the requirements above |
Retail store | 1 space per 100 square feet GLA, when not in a shopping center |
Shopping center | 1 space per 200 square feet GLA |
Department store (when not in a shopping center) | 1 space per 75 square feet GLA |
Veterinary clinic | 4 spaces per vet on duty, plus 1 space per employee |
(3)
The following parking standards shall apply for public/institutional uses:
Educational Use | |
|---|---|
High school | 1 space per 4 students, plus 1 space per instructor and employee |
Elementary and middle school | 1 space per 15 students, plus 1 space per instructor and employee |
Trade or professional school | 0.75 spaces per 1 student at maximum capacity, plus 1 space per instructor or employee |
Studio for performing or visual arts, or other school | 1 space per instructor or employee, plus 1 space per 10 students at maximum capacity |
Public/Institutional Uses | Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
Community center | 8 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA or 1 space per 4 seats, whichever is greater |
Educational use | |
High school | 1 space per 4 students, plus 1 space per instructor and employee, plus impervious reserve parking area in accordance with the requirements of § 350-1304 for special events based upon a minimum of 1 space per 5 fixed seats in the auditorium |
Elementary and middle school | 1 space per 15 students, plus 1 space per instructor and employee, plus impervious reserve parking area in accordance with the requirements of § 350-1304 for special events based upon a minimum of 1 space per 5 fixed seats in the auditorium/cafeteria |
Trade or professional school | .75 spaces per 1 student at maximum capacity, plus 1 space per instructor or employee, plus impervious reserve parking area in accordance with the requirements of § 350-1304 for special events based upon a minimum of 1 space per 5 fixed seats in the auditorium/cafeteria, |
Studio for performing or visual arts, or other school | 1 space per instructor or employee, plus 1 space per 10 students at maximum capacity plus, impervious reserve parking area in accordance with the requirements of § 350-1304 for special events based upon a minimum of 1 space per 5 fixed seats in the auditorium/cafeteria, |
Funeral home | 1 space for every 2 individuals the facility is designed to accommodate, plus 1 space per residents, 1 space per nonresident employee; an additional 15% of the total spaces required shall be reserved for auxiliary spaces |
Library or museum | 1 space per 250 square feet GLA |
Life care facility | 1 space per dwelling unit, plus 1 space per every 2 patient beds, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift. |
Municipal building or government office | 1 space per employee, plus 1 space for 2 persons permitted maximum capacity; an additional 15% of the total spaces required shall be reserved for auxiliary spaces |
Place of worship or religious use | 1 space per every 2 seats; an additional 15% of the total spaces required shall be reserved for auxiliary spaces |
Post office | 2 spaces per 250 square feet for customer service, plus 1 space per employee on the largest shift |
Public service or utility facility | 2 spaces per facility, plus 1 space per assigned employee |
(4)
The following parking standards shall apply for industrial uses:
Industrial/Manufacturing Uses | Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
Industrial establishment | 1 space per employee on largest shift, plus 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA for customer/visitor parking up to 10,000 square feet GLA above which 1 space per 1,000 square feet GLA |
Repair, cleaning, processing facility laundry/dry cleaning facility (not including laundry pick up) | 1 space per employee, plus 2 spaces for visitors |
Wholesale, storage, distribution | 1 space per employee on largest shift, plus 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet GLA for customer/visitor parking up to 10,000 square feet GLA above which 1 space per 1,000 square feet GLA |
Sanitary landfill, transfer station | 1 space per employee on largest shift |
Self-storage units/mini-warehouse | 1 space per employee on largest shift, plus 1 spaces per 5 units for interior storage units and 1 space per 2 units for exterior storage units |
Quarrying, mining | 1 space per employee on largest shift |
Recycling center | 1 space per 5,000 square feet of lot area, plus 1 space per employee on largest shift |
Junkyard | 1 space per 5,000 square feet GLA, 1 space per employee |
§ 350-1304 Parking alternatives.
A.
Reserve parking area. To reduce unnecessary impervious surface coverage and excess stormwater runoff, the number of required parking spaces may be reduced when authorized by conditional use when the following are met:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(1)
Documentation is submitted that the use requires less parking than required in § 350-1303. Such documentation shall be based on actual documented rates for the use proposed.
(2)
The site plan shall indicate the location or layout of the required parking area, and shall include in the design those parking spaces deemed unnecessary at the time of application. Those parking spaces shall be designated as 'reserved'. No more than 20% of parking spaces shall be designated as reserved. Reserve parking areas may be precast porous pavement, or with the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board through recommendation of the Township Engineer, other pervious material including gravel or grass, depending on the amount of anticipated use. A mandatory parking set aside to accommodate future changes in use shall be included in the reserved designation. The number of spaces required shall be calculated based upon the use requiring the greatest number of spaces times 30%.
(3)
In no case shall the authorized area for reserve parking be counted towards open space requirements or other pervious surface requirements of this chapter.
B.
Shared parking facilities between uses. The number of required parking spaces for commercial, institutional, and industrial uses required by this chapter may be modified when authorized by conditional use. Three or more establishments in adjacent lots in any commercial, village, or industrial district, but not in a shopping center, may combine their off-street parking facilities, in which case the total combined parking space requirements may be reduced by 10% so long as such establishments typically operate at different hours and none of such establishments is a department store or supermarket, and provided that in no case shall such reduction result in less off-street parking spaces than would be required of such establishments if they were in a shopping center.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
C.
Off-site parking areas. Required parking spaces for commercial, institutional, and industrial uses may be accommodated off-site in commercial, village, or industrial districts, provided:
(1)
The owner(s) of the establishment(s) shall submit an application that includes a site plan and agreement showing (joint) use, maintenance responsibility, and location of the off-street parking area.
(2)
The number of spaces fulfills the requirements for use(s) based on § 350-1303, for which the lot is designated to accommodate.
(3)
Adequate pedestrian walkways or sidewalks for pedestrian safety are provided.
(4)
The lot is within 500 feet of the principal use(s).
(5)
The applicant(s) shall provide sufficient legal documentation to assure the long-term availability of the parcel to be used for off-site parking. This may be in the form of a lease, contract, deed restriction, easement, or similar instrument, of which the form and duration shall be subject to the review of the Township Solicitor.[1]
§ 350-1305 Design and maintenance standards for off-street parking facilities.
A.
The owners or operators of a property with required parking facilities shall be responsible for the maintenance of the off-street parking areas serving that property. Maintenance shall include, but not be limited to, keeping it clean of loose particles, plowing of snow and ice, maintenance of landscape elements and lighting, sealing of pavement, repainting of lines and other markings on the pavement, re-paving as necessary, and any other work required to maintain the parking area in an attractive, safe and functional condition. Adjacent sidewalk areas shall also be maintained in the same manner.
B.
Parking spaces shall be a rectangular block with the minimum dimensions of nine feet wide by 18 feet long, exclusive of passageways, driveways or other means of circulation access and regardless of pull-in angle, and shall not be occupied by, nor intruded upon by lighting or its foundations, landscape elements, pedestrian walkways, driveways, passageways, or any other feature which results in a reduced area available for occupation by a vehicle.
C.
Not more than two feet of a parking space may overhang the outer perimeter boundaries of a parking lot, so long as such overhang does not intrude into an adjacent right-of-way or pedestrian walkway.
D.
Upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, hitching posts for the parking of horses and/or carriages may be required.
F.
An off-street parking area with a minimum required capacity of five or more parking spaces shall be designed in accordance with the following provisions:
(1)
Parking spaces shall have a dust-free, all-weather surface. This requirement shall be met by paving, such as asphalt, concrete, or brick. However, where appropriate, and where approved by the Township Engineer, upon recommendation from the Planning Commission, pervious surfaces, such as porous paving, concrete lattice block or gravel may be substituted in order to reduce problems associated with runoff.
(2)
Parking spaces shall be reasonably level, sloping not more than 5% in any direction, but sloping at least 1% to provide for drainage.
(5)
Maximum width of accessways shall be typical for the proposed use and subject to the approval of the Township Engineer.
(6)
Driveways providing access to the parking area from the street shall be of adequate length to accommodate off-street stacking of vehicles waiting to enter the parking area. The stacking area shall accommodate at least one vehicle, plus one vehicle for every 50 spaces provided in the parking area, for up to 10 stacking spaces.
(7)
Parking areas shall be designed to permit each motor vehicle to proceed to and from the parking space without requiring the moving of any other motor vehicle.
(8)
In no case shall parking areas be designed to require vehicles to back into a public street, right-of-way or pedestrian walkway in order to leave the lot.
(9)
Parking areas shall be designed with safe and reasonable pedestrian access through the parking area.
(10)
No parking area, except for permitted driveways and accessways, should directly abut a street. If possible, each such area should be separated from the street by a curb, planting strip as per § 350-1206, wall or other suitable barrier against cars.
(11)
The parking area should be designed, if possible, so that parking aisles are perpendicular to the building to enhance pedestrian safety.
(12)
Individual parking spaces shall be clearly marked by durable white or yellow stripping at least four inches in width and extending the length of the space or by curbs or other means to indicate individual spaces. Signs located within a parking area shall be used to ensure efficient and safe operation.
(13)
All parking areas and accesses shall be constructed and maintained to provide safe and orderly access at all times from a street, alley, or other approved accessway. No parking area or access shall be constructed so that it constitutes a nuisance, hazard, or unreasonable impediment to traffic. Provisions for clear sight triangles in § 350-1203 and Chapter 300, Subdivision and Land Development, shall apply to all access points.
(14)
Parking areas greater than 50 spaces should use parking modules or smaller lots within the larger parking areas for safety and design concerns.
G.
Handicapped parking.
§ 350-1306 Off-street loading.
The intent of these provisions is to provide adequate loading areas for permitted structures and uses and reduce traffic congestion. Off-street loading for uses, buildings, or structures that require the distribution or receipt of materials or goods by trucks or similar vehicles shall provide a sufficient number of off-street loading and unloading spaces for the intended use as follows.
A.
Applicability. Off-street loading areas shall be provided whenever:
B.
Required spaces. The off-street loading and unloading requirements in the following shall apply to all uses and structures in the Township:
(1)
Where a structure or use includes more than one type of use, the number of spaces required shall be the sum of the requirements for each separate use.
(2)
Where a use is not specifically listed in the two categories below, the requirements for the most similar use shall apply.
(3)
The number of spaces may be less than that specified herein if evidence is submitted firmly documenting that the special nature of the proposed use requires less loading and unloading spaces than required by this section.
(4)
Every retail store, hospital, warehouse or wholesale use, industry or manufacturing use shall have at least one off-street loading space of suitable size. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or more for such use, one additional off-street loading space shall be provided for each additional 20,000 square feet of gross floor area or part thereof.
(5)
Every community center or auditorium, funeral home, office, restaurant or institutional use shall have at least one off-street loading space. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 30,000 square feet or more for such use, one additional off-street loading space shall be provided for each additional 30,000 square feet of gross floor area of part thereof.
C.
Layout. Regulations for the layout of parking lots and spaces shall be as follows:
(1)
Location.
(a)
All loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the use served, and no portion of the vehicle shall project into any traffic lane, parking space, driveway, sidewalk, or within the front, side or rear yard setbacks. Loading and unloading operations, including arrival and departure, shall not interfere with traffic and pedestrian circulation on public streets or within required off-street parking areas.
(b)
Loading and unloading areas shall not be located between the building setback line and the street line, and loading facilities shall be screened in accordance with § 350-1206, as applicable.
(c)
All off-street loading spaces shall be provided with safe and convenient access to a street or alley or from an aisle or drive connecting with a street or alley. The ingress and egress of loading operations shall not require backing into a street or lot.
(2)
Size.
(a)
For structures and uses that are served by trucks, tractor trailers, or larger vehicles, the minimum size for each loading space shall be 12 feet in width and 70 feet in length, exclusive of aisle and maneuvering space, with a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet.
(b)
For structures and uses that are served by smaller vehicles such as vans and in which no deliveries will be made by large trucks or tractor trailers, the minimum size for each space shall be 12 feet in width and 30 feet in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet.
(3)
Access. All required off-street loading spaces shall be designed with appropriate means of vehicular access to an interior accessway in a manner which will least interfere with traffic movements and shall be subject to Township approval. Areas provided for loading and unloading and for servicing of establishments by garbage collections, fuels, and other service vehicles shall be arranged that they may function without blocking or interfering with the use of the accessways, automobile parking areas, or pedestrian access.
(4)
Surfacing and maintenance.
(a)
All open areas provided for loading and unloading shall be graded and improved with a compacted base, surfaced with asphalt, concrete or other suitable material, and drained to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer to prevent dust, water flow, and erosion off the property.
(b)
All off-street loading spaces shall be constructed and maintained for as long as the structure or use for which they are designed to serve remains in existence.