West Chester City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Parking and Loading Regulations
§ 112-601 Intent.
The intent of these regulations is as follows:
A.
To provide uniform regulations for parking and loading within the Borough of West Chester.
B.
To address the critical need for parking and loading space, to lessen congestion and to aid in a more orderly flow of traffic.
C.
To promote the allocation of parking and loading space to improve conditions related to safety and convenience.
§ 112-602 General regulations and design standards.
A.
Each building, structure or use established, erected, enlarged or altered in any district shall provide and satisfactorily maintain off-street parking space in accordance with § 112-603 and all other regulations pertaining to parking.
B.
Changes in use; alterations to buildings; construction of new buildings for all zoning districts except the Town Center District.
(1)
Change in use. In all zoning districts except the Town Center District, whenever the use of a building changes, the number of parking spaces which shall be provided for the new use shall be based upon the applicable criteria without counting the number of parking spaces that existed on the lot prior to the change in use.
(2)
Addition to existing buildings. In all zoning districts except in the Town Center District, whenever an existing building is enlarged by a building addition, the number of new parking spaces which shall be required for the building addition shall be based on the use and floor area of the addition, or in the case where additional dwelling units are added, the number of additional dwelling units created without counting the number of parking spaces that existed on the lot prior to the building addition.
(3)
Demolition and construction of a new building. In all zoning districts except the Town Center, whenever an existing building is demolished in whole or in part, and a new building (or portion thereof) is erected in its place, the number of new parking spaces which shall be required shall be based on the use and floor area of the new building (or portion thereof).
C.
Town Center parking regulations.
(1)
Change in use. In the Town Center District, whenever the use of a building changes, no new off-street parking spaces shall be required; provided, however, that if the use of a building in the Town Center District is changed to provide five or more dwelling units, off-street parking shall be provided for each dwelling unit in accordance with the applicable criteria without counting the number of parking spaces that existed on the lot prior to the change in use.
(2)
Addition to existing buildings. In the Town Center District, whenever an existing building is enlarged by a building addition, no new off-street parking spaces shall be required; provided, however, that if the addition to the building in the Town Center District provides five or more new dwelling units, off-street parking shall be provided for each new dwelling unit in accordance with the applicable criteria without counting the number of parking spaces that existed on the lot prior to the building addition.
(3)
Demolition and construction of a new building. In the HARB Overlay District only, whenever an existing building is demolished in whole or in part, and a new building (or portion thereof) is erected in its place, no new off-street parking spaces shall be required; provided, however, that if the use of the new building in the HARB Overlay District provides five or more dwelling units, off-street parking shall be provided for each dwelling unit in accordance with the applicable criteria. In the portions of the Town Center District which are not included in the HARB Overlay District, if an existing building is demolished in whole or in part and a new building (or portion thereof) is erected in its place, off-street parking shall be provided for the new building or part thereof in accordance with the applicable criteria.
D.
Whenever an off-street parking area has a required capacity for two or fewer motor vehicles, such parking area shall be constructed in accordance with criteria as set forth in Chapter 97, Subdivision and Land Development.
E.
No parking area shall be used for any use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve.
F.
Continuing character of obligation. All required parking facilities shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve.
G.
Unless otherwise approved for lots in the Town Center District pursuant to the applicable criteria, required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal use.
H.
Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a common parking lot if the total space provided is not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually, unless otherwise specifically set forth herein.
I.
All parking areas and accessways shall be built and maintained to provide safe and orderly access at all times from a street, alley or other approved accessway.
J.
Every parking area shall be designed so that its use does not constitute a nuisance, hazard or unreasonable impediment to traffic.
K.
Parking in front of building.
(1)
Parking spaces shall not be located within any front yard areas, except in the Industrial District, where parking in the front yard may be permitted as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided that it does not comprise more than 50% of the front yard areas.
L.
Except for properties in the TC-Town Center District and the NC-2 Neighborhood Conservation District, all parking spaces and access drives shall be at least five feet from any lot line, except for common driveways.
M.
For the purpose of servicing any property held under single and separate ownership, entrance and exit drives crossing the lot line along a street shall be limited to two along the frontage of any single street, and their center lines shall be placed at least 80 feet apart. On all corner properties, such drives shall be spaced a minimum of 60 feet, measured at the curbline, between the center line of any entrance or exit drive and the street line of the street parallel to said access drive.
N.
All artificial lighting used to illuminate any parking space or spaces shall be so arranged and shielded that no direct rays from such lighting shall fall upon any neighboring property. The angle for any such lighting shall not exceed 30° from the source to the ground plane.
O.
All off-street parking areas which have three or more parking spaces shall be designed in compliance with the following regulations:
(1)
Such parking area shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring any other motor vehicle to be moved, except in the case of a single-family dwelling.
(2)
Such parking area shall not be built or maintained to permit parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space, except in the case of a single-family or two-family dwelling.
§ 112-603 Parking space requirements.
[Amended 2-21-2024 by Ord. No. 01-2024; 9-18-2024 by Ord. No. 04-2024; 11-20-2024 by Ord. No. 08-2024]
A.
Except as provided in § 112-603B hereinbelow, the number of off-street parking spaces shall be provided to meet the demand of the proposed land uses. The applicant shall calculate the demand based on accepted standards, such as those published in the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Parking Generation Reports. This analysis shall be based on accepted methodologies, such as the Urban Land Institute Shared Parking Study. The number of off-street parking spaces provided will be determined by the Borough based on the information supplied by the applicant and such other information and studies as the Borough shall determine relevant.
B.
Off-street parking.
(1)
The following types of dwelling units shall provide two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit: single-family detached, single-family detached mobile home, single-family semidetached, single-family attached, two-family detached, two-family semidetached and two-family attached.
(2)
All tracts containing more than 12 multifamily dwelling units shall provide the number of off-street parking spaces and one loading/unloading space as provided hereinbelow:
(a)
1.2 spaces for each studio or one-bedroom unit;
(b)
1.7 spaces for each two-bedroom unit;
(c)
2.2 spaces for each three-bedroom unit;
(d)
2.5 spaces for each unit with four or more bedrooms;
(g)
One loading/unloading space for emergency and service vehicles, including moving, delivery and trash trucks, at least 15 feet wide, 14 feet vertical clearance, 55 feet deep with adequate access. The loading/unloading space shall not be located in the front yard.
(3)
Hospitals, nursing homes, and similar uses shall provide one off-street parking space for each 750 square feet of gross floor area, exclusive of basements and living quarters of student nurses.
C.
All new single-family detached dwellings, single-family attached dwellings, single-family semidetached dwellings, two-family attached dwellings, two-family semidetached dwellings and two-family attached dwellings, and any new garages or additions to existing garages that are accessory to the dwelling unit types identified above, shall be constructed to provide a dedicated branch circuit and overcurrent protection to accommodate a future Level 2 EVCS installation, with a wired receptacle and raceway terminating within close proximity to vehicle parking.
D.
Parking for short term rentals.
(1)
Notwithstanding Subsection A above, all short term rentals located in the TC-Town Center District which are also located in a residential permit parking area pursuant to Chapter 77 of the Borough Code shall provide one off-street parking space per bedroom in the short term rental. Such parking spaces may be located on one of the following:
(a)
On the lot where the short term rental is located.
(b)
On a different lot than where the short term rental is located provided that:
[1]
The owner of the short term rental use shall own the lot or lots to be used for off-lot parking.
[2]
The lot or lots to be used for off-lot parking shall be adjacent to the lot on which the short term rental use is located or be directly across the street from such lot.
[3]
The owner of the short term rental use shall submit a site plan showing the location of the off-lot parking area and the number of spaces to be provided on such lot.
[4]
The owner of the short term rental use shall record a written declaration that so long as the short term rental use continues, the lot used for off-lot parking shall be used for that purpose and no other.
(c)
In a public parking garage provided that the owner of the short term rental shall provide evidence that he/she is able to secure a parking permit from the Borough or its designee for the number of spaces needed for the short term rental.
§ 112-604 Commercial parking lots.
A.
A conforming or legally nonconforming parking facility, area or lot which has a minimum of 100 parking spaces may be used as a commercial parking lot.
B.
Where a commercial parking lot is located on land which is also used for another permitted use, parking spaces may be utilized for commercial parking as follows:
(1)
Where the number of required parking spaces is based in whole or in part on a religious use, up to 80% of all parking spaces on the lot may be utilized for commercial parking weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. prevailing time.
(2)
In all instances, where the number of parking spaces exceeds the number required for all uses on the property, the excess spaces may be utilized for commercial parking at any time.
§ 112-605 Off-lot parking in the Town Center District.
The parking spaces required for a multifamily use in the Town Center District may be located on a different lot, subject to the following:
A.
The owner of the multifamily use shall own the lot or lots to be used for off-lot parking.
B.
The lot or lots to be used for off-lot parking shall be adjacent to the lot on which the multifamily use is located or be directly across the street from such lot.
C.
The owner of the multifamily use must submit a site plan showing the location of the off-lot parking area and the number of spaces to be provided on such lot.
D.
The owner of the multifamily use shall record a written declaration that so long as the multifamily use continues, the lot used for off-lot parking shall be used for that purpose and no other.
§ 112-606 Screening and landscaping.
Screening and landscaping shall be provided as set forth in this section.
A.
Screening between any parking area and the street line shall be effective at the time of occupancy, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
All off-street parking areas which provide more than three parking spaces shall be screened from any abutting residential property.
(2)
Effective screens may be accomplished through the use of the following: plant materials, fencing or walls and/or mounding through the use of earthen berms.
(3)
The area for planting, fencing, walls or earthen berms shall not extend beyond the street line.
(4)
When planting screens are employed, the following shall apply:
(a)
A buffer planting strip shall be provided. It shall be a minimum of eight feet in width.
(b)
The type of plant materials to be used shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Tree Commission.
(c)
Planting screens shall be of sufficient height and sufficient density to constitute a visual buffer five feet in height at the time of planting. The spacing of plant materials shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Council.
(d)
Trees and shrubs shall be typical of their species and variety; have normal growth habits, well-developed, densely foliated branches and vigorous, fibrous root systems; be free from defects and injuries; and be free from diseases and insect infestations.
(e)
Any tree or shrub which dies within one year of planting shall be replaced. Any tree or shrub which, within one year of planting or replanting, is deemed, in the opinion of an agent authorized by the Borough, not to have survived or grown in a manner characteristic of its type shall be replaced.
(f)
Whenever fencing or walls are employed, they shall be no less than six feet in height and subject to the height restrictions of this chapter.
(g)
Whenever earthen berms are employed, they shall be no less than 4 1/2 feet in height and subject to the height restrictions in this chapter.
B.
Landscaping within any parking area which provides more than three parking spaces shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Parking areas shall be landscaped to reduce wind and air turbulence, heat and noise and the glare of automobile lights, to reduce the level of carbon dioxide, to provide shade, to ameliorate stormwater drainage problems and to provide for an attractive setting.
(2)
Each parking area shall have one properly-mulched shade tree of two-and-one-half-inch to three-inch caliper, for every five parking spaces. Shrubs, ground covers and other plant materials shall be used to complement the trees.
(3)
The type of plant materials to be used shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Council and shall be of a quality as specified in this section.
(4)
The landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed and grouped throughout the parking area, except where there are more than 20 parking spaces, in which case the following shall apply:
(a)
Landscaped islands shall be provided at the end of each parking bay. Such islands shall be a minimum of eight feet in width and 18 feet in length. Such islands shall be provided to enhance the appearance of the parking area and to control access and movement within the parking area.
(b)
All planting islands and planting beds within a parking area shall be surfaced with ground covers and/or dwarf shrubs and shall not be grassed. Stone mulch may be used in conjunction with ground covers and shrubs but shall not constitute more than 25% of the area of any planting bed. Such islands shall be grade separated to protect and preserve the plant material.