A.   Protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens.

B.   Prevent traffic congestion and hazards.

C.   Provide for proper traffic safety by preserving the public thoroughfares for the unimpaired movement of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic.

D.   Provide attractive, secure, properly lighted, and well screened off-street parking facilities.

E.   Assure the maneuverability of emergency vehicles.

F.   Provide appropriately designed parking facilities in proportion to the needs generated by the varying types of land use.

G.   Minimize the negative visual impacts of large expanses of parking by reducing the glare and hot spots from the parking lots through open space and landscaping within the parking areas.

H.   Ensure that loading and delivery services are compatible with adjacent parcels and surrounding neighborhoods.

A.   General Provisions: All of the following standards shall apply to all off-street parking:

1.   Off-Street Parking Required: No structure or use shall be permitted or constructed unless off-street parking spaces are provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

2.   Exceptions: The provision of off-street parking spaces is not required for uses located within the Valley Junction Historic Business District (VJHB), or for any second dwelling units, however, any off-street parking that is provided must comply with the regulations set forth in this chapter.

3.   Arrangement And Identification: All parking areas shall be so arranged and marked so as to provide for orderly and safe loading or unloading, parking and storage of self- propelled vehicles.

4.   Calculation Of Spaces: Fractional space requirements shall be rounded up to the next whole space.

5.   Combined Uses: When two (2) or more tenants which are not part of a planned commercial center are located in the same building or structure or are common developments, the parking requirements shall be the sum of the separate requirements for each use.

6.   Dead-End Parking: Parking lots accessed by only one entrance with only one drive aisle which is greater than two hundred fifty feet (250') in length shall provide a second access or a turnaround equal to the dimensions of a cul-de-sac for a public street at the dead end of the aisle.

7.   Double Counting: A reduction in the number of required parking spaces for uses with differing business hours which share a parking lot shall not comply with the requirements of this chapter.

8.   Increase Or Change In Use: When any principal building is enlarged, or increased in capacity, or when a change in use creates an increase in the amount of off street parking space required, additional off street parking spaces shall be required, in conformity with this chapter.

9.   Mixed Use Buildings: For a building where a single tenant has multiple uses, parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the parking requirements of each use. An example of a mixed use building is one containing a combination of both office and manufacturing uses. The area dedicated to each use can be calculated at its individual requirement. At the discretion of the Community Development Director, the tenant may need to demonstrate that the parking can meet the more restrictive standard if the uses are changed.

10.   Outdoor Areas: Outdoor patron use areas or areas used for assembly shall be included in the gross floor area (gfa) for calculating parking requirements. Outdoor dining areas shall be included in the gfa for restaurants when calculating parking requirements.

11.   Parking Structures: Parking structures are subject to setbacks, building height, and other development standards of a principal structure in the respective zoning district.

12.   Reduction In Number Of Spaces: Any required parking spaces displaced by building expansion shall be provided elsewhere on the site. No required off street parking facility shall be reduced in capacity below the minimum requirements of this chapter.

13.   Tandem Parking: Parking spaces in tandem are not allowed in any zoning district unless otherwise noted for a specific use.

14.   Use Of Parking Spaces: Required parking spaces shall be used only for parking of vehicles for property owners, guests, renters, patrons or employees. Required parking spaces shall not be used for sale, display, rental or repair of motor vehicles on any permanent basis.

B.   Provisions For Residential Uses:

1.   Paving Required: All parking of vehicles, excluding recreational vehicles and trailers for residential uses that comply with subsection 9-5-4A1 of this title, shall occur on paved areas and on private property only, and the entire length and width of the vehicles must be on paved surfaces. All parking of recreational vehicles and trailers for residential uses that comply with subsection 9-5-4A1 of this title shall occur on hard surfaces other than gravel sufficient to support the weight of the recreational vehicle or trailer in question and on private property only, but only the parts of the recreational vehicle or trailer that contact the ground shall be required to be placed on a hard surface. The parked recreational vehicles and trailers which only have the parts that contact the ground placed on a hard surface must be parked adjacent to the existing driveway, garage, or alley. City right-of-way between the property line and the street shall not be used for parking vehicles. Gravel parking areas existing prior to September 1, 1996, may continue in use; however, in no case shall the total pavement and gravel parking area exceed twenty percent (20%) of the square footage of the lot. Paved driveways and any associated off street parking areas within the front yard of a single-family detached residence shall not occupy greater than fifty percent (50%) of the area between the primary wall of the front plane of the dwelling structure and public right-of-way.

2.   Setback: On single-family lots, parking shall not be permitted within twenty feet (20') of an alley or street. Exception: Accessory garages which access from the alley may have vehicles parked on the required twenty foot (20') access directly in front of the garage door provided no portion of the vehicle encroaches into the alley or right-of-way.

3.   Commercial Vehicles In Residential Zones: Refer to chapter 5, "Agricultural/Open Space And Residential Zoning District", of this title.

C.   Provisions For Commercial Uses:

1.   Parking Location: Off street parking for commercial uses shall be located on the same lot, or, with a reciprocal parking, ingress and egress easement on a lot contiguous to the building, structure or use to be served. The required parking spaces shall not be located in the rear of commercial buildings unless direct access for the customers to the facility is provided. Parking shall not be located across a street unless connected by an approved under or over crossing.

2.   Racks Not Counting As Parking Spaces: For auto repair shops or other similar uses, the racks shall not be considered in calculating required parking spaces.

3.   Spaces Not For Repair, Servicing Or Storage: Required parking spaces shall not be used or permitted to be used for the repair, servicing or storage of vehicles, or for storage of materials.

D.   Provisions For Office Uses:

1.   Parking Location: Off street parking for office uses shall be located on the same lot, or, with a reciprocal parking ingress and egress easement on a lot contiguous to the building, structure or use to be served. Parking shall not be located across a street unless connected by an approved under or over crossing.

E.   Provisions For Industrial Uses:

1.   Parking Location: For industrial uses, off-street parking shall be located on the same lot, or, with a reciprocal parking, ingress and egress easement on a lot contiguous to the industrial building, structure or use to be served.

2.   Racks Not Counting As Parking Spaces: For auto repair shops or other similar uses, the racks shall not be considered in calculating required parking spaces.

3.   Spaces Not For Repair, Servicing Or Storage: Required parking spaces shall not be used or permitted to be used for the repair, servicing or storage of vehicles, or for storage of materials.

F.   Provisions For Public Uses:

1.   Bicycle Parking: Public uses with more than fifty (50) required parking spaces shall provide a bicycle rack for the purpose of storing and protecting bicycles from theft. The minimum number of bicycle spaces required shall be one bicycle space per forty (40) parking spaces, up to a maximum of twenty (20) required bicycle spaces per use. Such devices shall be located in such a way as not to interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

2.   Parking Location: Off-street parking for public uses shall be located on the same lot, or, with a reciprocal ingress and egress easement on a lot contiguous to the building, structure or use to be served. Parking shall not be located across a street unless connected by an approved under- or overcrossing.

A.   With respect to handicapped parking, all of the following shall apply:

1.   The owner, contractor and developer shall comply with all Federal, State, and local laws regarding handicapped parking including, but not limited to, Iowa Code chapter 321L and the Americans With Disabilities Act.

2.   Handicapped parking spaces required by Federal, State, and local laws shall count toward meeting the requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 1213, 11-4-1996)

A.   Location: All parking spaces shall be located on the same parcel as the structure or use, unless approved otherwise by the City Council and no parking space required by this chapter shall be located in the parking lot setback area of any land use district.

B.   Access: With respect to access, all of the following shall apply:

1.   Width: Where a lot does not abut on a public or private alley or easement of access, there shall be provided an access drive not less than ten feet (10') in width in the case of a single- family dwelling, and not less than twenty four feet (24') in width for all other uses. Except where provided in connection with a use permitted in a Residential District, such easement of access or access drive shall not be located in any Residential District.

2.   Flow Of Traffic: Off-street parking or loading facilities shall be designed so as to permit entrance and exit by a forward movement of the vehicle for all uses, except single-family detached or townhouse dwellings with direct driveway access to City classified "collector" streets with projected average daily traffic (ADT) of less than three thousand (3,000) ADT, which shall be permitted backward movement from a driveway. The backing or backward movement of vehicles from a driveway, off-street parking or loading area onto a major thoroughfare, including all thoroughfares designated as arterial streets or major collector streets, in the Comprehensive Plan, other than local residential streets as noted herein, shall be strictly prohibited for all uses. Driveway approach returns shall not extend beyond the side lot line as extended into the right-of-way, unless such driveway is of joint usage by the adjoining lots.

3.   Paving Required: Paving of the alley shall be required whenever a property, except a single-family detached residence, utilizes an alley as an ingress to an off-street parking area. The property owner shall be responsible for paving the alley in accordance with the specifications of the Des Moines Metropolitan Design Standards, as modified by the City, to provide safe ingress and egress to the site.

4.   Vertical Clearance: Access driveway vertical clearance shall be at least fourteen feet (14').

5.   Drive/Street:

a.   Access to four (4) or fewer single-family detached houses shall be considered a drive. Access to more than four (4) single- family detached houses shall be considered a street.

C.   Driveways: With respect to driveways, all of the following shall apply:

1.   The number of ingress/egress access points to public streets from off street parking areas are subject to approval by the City and located to limit vehicular conflicts, provide acceptable location of driveway accesses to public streets, preserve proper traffic safety and, as possible, not impair movement of vehicular traffic on public streets. The permitted number of ingress/egress driveway approaches to public streets for an off street parking lot shall be dependent upon the existing and projected future average daily traffic (ADT) for the public street and, where possible, public street accesses should be located in alignment with driveway approaches gaining access to the same public street from property on the opposite side of the street.

2.   Except for single-family detached dwellings, and unless expressly recommended otherwise by the Director of Public Works, access drives onto public streets should have a minimum separation of one hundred feet (100') apart, measured centerline to centerline; on arterial streets, the required distance should be three hundred feet (300'). No driveway shall be permitted to access a public street within twenty five feet (25') of the end of radius at a street intersection.

3.   Individual residential driveways on private property shall not be greater than twenty feet (20') in width at the street right- of-way line. The driveway may flare out at an angle on both sides of the driveway toward a point situated ten feet (10') from the right-of-way line to create additional parking spaces within the driveway as long as the total paving for the parking of vehicles does not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the area between the right-of-way line and the primary wall of the front plane of the dwelling structure. All paving must maintain a minimum setback of one foot (1') from a side property line. Any retaining walls must comply with setbacks as defined in chapter 14 of this title.

4.   Driveways and associated off street parking areas for single- family residences shall not be located closer than one foot (1') from an adjoining residential lot line, unless such driveway is jointly used by adjoining residential lot owners and a joint easement has been recorded.

5.   Except for single-family residences, the minimum width of a one-way drive without parking stalls shall be fifteen feet (15'). The minimum width of a two-way drive without parking stalls shall be twenty four feet (24').

D.   Maneuvering/Circulation: Off street parking facilities shall accommodate the maneuvering and circulation of all vehicles on site, so as not to impair the movement of vehicles on public streets. There shall be no backing of vehicles from an off street parking facility into the public street, or backing from the public street into an off street parking facility.

E.   Parking Lot Setbacks: With respect to parking lot setbacks, all of the following shall apply:

1.   Screening: The parking lot setback shall provide open space for screening of the lot and vehicles within the lot through berming, landscaping or other similar screening in accordance with chapter 19 of this title. No part of any parking space shall be within the parking lot setback.

2.   Public Street Right-Of-Way:

a.   Residential Districts: In all Residential Districts except for single-family residences with driveway parking space shall have a minimum of fifteen feet (15') from the public street right-of- way.

b.   Setbacks: Parking on driveways parallel to a public sidewalk for single-family residences shall maintain a minimum setback of ten feet (10') from the public street right-of-way. In all zoning districts, parking on driveways within the public street right- of-way or across public sidewalks shall not comply with the requirements of this chapter.

c.   Office And Commercial Districts: Office and Commercial Districts, including the Warehouse Retail District, except for Professional Commerce Park and Valley Junction Historic Business Districts, shall have a minimum setback of fifteen feet (15') from the public street right-of-way.

d.   Valley Junction Historic Business (VJHB) District: If a parking lot is proposed, a parking lot setback shall be determined through development review which preserves the intent of the setback.

e.   Light Industrial And General Industrial Districts: Light Industrial (LI) and General Industrial (GI) Districts shall have a setback of at least ten feet (10') from the public street right-of-way.

f.   Business Park And Professional Commerce Districts: Business Park (BP) and Professional Commerce Park (PCP) Districts shall have a minimum setback of twenty feet (20') from the public street right-of-way.

g.   Parking Lots: Parking lot setbacks shall be measured from the ultimate right-of-way of an adjacent roadway.

3.   Alley Line: An eight foot (8') setback from the public street right-of-way is required for all districts.

4.   Adjoining Lot Line: A five foot (5') setback is required along an adjoining lot line, unless the parking space within the setback is part of a common parking lot of joint usage between the adjoining lots.

F.   Dimensions: With respect to dimensions, all of the following shall apply:

1.   A parking space reserved for the parking of vehicles shall have a dimension of not less than nine feet (9') in stall width and nineteen feet (19') in length for ninety degree (90°) parking without front end overhang, plus such additional parking bay stall aisle width based on proven traffic engineering standards, acceptable to the City and conforming to the minimum standards for parking lot dimensions set forth herein necessary to afford adequate ingress and egress.

2.   The following dimensions are minimum standards for the design of a parking lot for parking stalls without an overhang over an open space area:

G.   Surfacing: With respect to surfacing, all of the following shall apply:

1.   Paving: All off street parking and loading areas and access roadways shall be paved with asphaltic or portland cement concrete pavement in accordance with the specifications as herein set forth. The off street parking of automobiles, vans, campers, trucks, trailers, tractors, recreational vehicles, boats, construction equipment and any other mobile vehicle equipped for street and highway travel which is not otherwise located within an approved storage yard in accordance with subsection 9-10-4A8 of this title, shall be on an asphaltic or portland cement concrete paved off street parking area as required herein. No parking or storage of vehicles within the landscaped open space area of the front yard between the building and public street right of way, shall be allowed unless otherwise approved by the city council during review of a development request.

2.   Curbing: Except for individual driveways for single-family detached dwellings and unless otherwise noted in this title, all off street parking areas and associated driveways, access roadways and frontage roads shall be constructed with permanent, integrally attached standard portland cement concrete curbing not less than four inches (4") high at any given time, or curbing of alternate height as approved by the city council. The parking lot shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water accumulation within the area; and shall be so arranged and marked to facilitate and ensure the orderly and safe loading or unloading and parking and storage of self-propelled vehicles. In situations in which there is a pedestrian walkway immediately adjacent to the curb of a parking space, when the adjoining pedestrian walkway is less than six feet (6') in width, the depth of the parking stall shall be increased to accommodate the full required parking stall depth consistent with code without encroaching over the sidewalk so as to maintain a minimum four feet (4') clear walkway width.

A curb shall be implemented whenever possible to increase safety and to direct proper movement of vehicle traffic; however, the curb may be dropped to a zero curb in the following situations:

a.   Along accessible parking spaces at the building entrance. The segment of the dropped curb shall extend only for the width of an individual stall or collective width of adjacent accessible stalls and any associated accessible walkway, then shall transition back to full height curb at the first regular stall.

b.   Between driveways of the end units in an attached townhome building when the spacing between driveways is ten feet (10') or less.

c.   Along the parking lot edge adjacent to a non-residential building on only those sides of a building which contain a public/patron access into the building.

d.   Within loading and service areas for only the portion necessary to allow access to the building for loading and unloading of goods or for access to refuse dumpsters.

3.   Pavement Thickness: The minimum thickness of pavement of the parking area shall be as follows:

a.   Portland cement concrete shall have a minimum thickness of five inches (5") and the subgrade shall have a minimum subgrade modulus (k) of one hundred fifty (150). Additional thickness of portland cement concrete may be utilized to create an equivalent subgrade modulus if the existing subgrade modulus is less than one hundred fifty (150).

b.   Asphaltic concrete shall have a minimum thickness of five and one-half inches (51/2") and the subgrade shall have a minimum California bearing ratio (CBR) of 5, or equivalent standard measured in proctor. Additional thickness of asphaltic concrete may be utilized to create an equivalent CBR if the existing CBR is less than 5. Pavement shall be designed in accordance with the Asphalt Institute's "Thickness Design Manual" (MS-1).

4.   Subgrade Material: Material utilized in the subgrade shall be well drained and not susceptible to frost boils. The part of the parking area utilized for driveways, access roadways and frontage roads shall be specifically designed to accommodate the type and load bearing of traffic that will be utilizing the access roadway.

5.   Driveways:

a.   Driveway approaches and any other area within the city right of way shall be portland cement concrete per city specifications.

b.   Driveways for individual single-family detached residences shall have a minimum thickness of four inches (4") of Portland cement concrete or a thickness of asphaltic concrete of an equivalent strength. All other driveways shall have a minimum thickness of five inches (5") of Portland cement concrete or a thickness of asphaltic concrete of an equivalent strength.

6.   Testing: A review and report certified by a third party recognized testing agency acceptable to the City shall be submitted which documents the thickness and compaction of the pavement and its compliance with the above standards.

H.   Slope And Drainage: Parking areas shall be designed and improved with grades not to exceed a six percent (6%) slope. All required off street parking areas shall be so designed that surface water will not drain over any sidewalk or adjacent property. Driveways are recommended not to exceed eight percent (8%) slope and none shall have grades exceeding ten percent (10%) slope. Driveways shall be graded and drained to dispose of surface water to the street or public designated stormwater drainage facilities.

I.   Striping: All parking spaces, except individual dwelling unit driveways, shall be striped in accordance with the Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards. The striping shall be maintained in a clear and visible manner.

J.   Wheel Stops: Prefabricated curb or wheel stops shall not be considered an acceptable alternative to curbing. Wheel stops may be used in conjunction with curbing to define the vehicle parking space to stop bumper overhang over an adjacent sidewalk thus maintaining a minimum four foot (4') wide unimpeded pedestrian pathway.

K.   Vehicle Impact Protection Devices: All zero curb segments with pedestrian walkways immediately adjacent shall install appropriate vehicle impact protection devices to define the parking area and prevent automobiles from encroaching into areas which are solely intended for pedestrian use and movement.

L.   Landscaping, Screening, And Open Space: Refer to chapter 19 of this title.

M.   Lighting: With respect to lighting, all of the following shall apply:

1.   Any lighting used to illuminate any off street parking or loading area shall be so arranged as to divert the light away from adjoining residential uses or premises in any Residential District and away from the traveled roadway of public streets.

2.   Lighting fixtures shall possess sharp cutoff qualities at property lines.

3.   Any project that proposes the use of wall pack lighting on the perimeter of the property shall be required to prepare an exterior lighting (photometric) plan for review and approval by the City.

4.   Any lighting which exceeds one foot-candle at the property line shall not comply with the requirements of this chapter.

5.   Low pressure sodium lighting fixtures are prohibited.

6.   At the discretion of the Director of Community Development, an exterior lighting (photometric) plan may be required according to the following standard: point by point foot-candle layout based upon a ten foot (10') grid center, extending a minimum of twenty feet (20') outside the property lines.

N.   Maintenance And Security: All parking facilities shall be designed, constructed and maintained with security as a priority to protect the safety of the users. All required parking facilities shall be permanently maintained, free of litter and debris.

O.   Waiver Of Requirements: With respect to a waiver of requirements, all of the following shall apply:

1.   The City Council reserves the right to waive or modify to a lesser restriction any provision or requirement of off street parking and loading areas contained in this chapter, provided said waiver or modification does not adversely affect the intent of these regulations to adequately safeguard the general public and surrounding property.

2.   Exceptions may be considered for those uses where special circumstances warrant a change and whereby the modification or waiver is determined to be in the best interest of the general public.

A.   Uses Not Specified: In the case of any building, structure or premises, the use of which is not specifically mentioned herein, the provisions for a use which is mentioned, and to which said use is similar shall apply, as determined by the Development Services Director.

B.   Development With More Than One Use: If more than one use exists in a building or on a site, each separate use's parking requirements shall be calculated individually (i.e., restaurant in hotel - restaurant total calculated for restaurant gross floor area (GFA) and hotel total calculated for hotel guestrooms and staff).

C.   Parking Spaces Requirements For Land Uses:

A.   Each loading space shall be not less than ten feet (10') in width and twenty feet (20') in length for loading spaces not requiring loading dock access, and fifty feet (50') in length for loading dock access for trucks. They shall be designed in a manner acceptable to the City providing adequate space for loading access.

B.   Such loading area may occupy part of a rear yard, side yard or court space, provided the loading area and access roadways meet all setbacks required of off street parking areas as set forth in this chapter.

C.   Loading yards and loading docks shall be buffered from general public view, public streets, public buildings, recreation facilities, parks, schools, places of assembly for worship, Residential Zoned Districts and uses, and screened from all other adjoining properties of contrasting and conflicting uses.

D.   All loading yards and accesses to loading yards and loading docks shall be paved with asphaltic or portland cement concrete pavement in accordance with surfacing requirements set forth in the design standards of this chapter.

E.   Loading areas shall have lighting capable of providing adequate illumination for security and safety. Lighting fixtures shall be energy efficient and in scale with the height and use of the structure. Any illumination, including security lighting, shall be directed away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way.

F.   Loading areas shall be striped indicating the loading spaces and identifying the spaces for loading only. The striping shall be permanently maintained in a clear and visible manner.

G.   Continuous concrete curbing of at least six inches (6") high and six inches (6") wide shall be provided for all loading spaces, and shall be set at least three feet (3') from any wall, fence, property line, walkway, or structure. Wheel stops are not allowed as a substitute for curbing.

H.   Loading areas and docks shall be permitted only in rear and side lot areas.

I.   Loading doors shall not open toward public streets.

J.   Sufficient space for turning and maneuvering loading vehicles shall be provided on the site.

K.   Loading spaces shall be located and designed so that trucks shall not back into or from a public street or alley.

L.   No part of an alley or street shall be used for loading except as designated by the City for loading.

M.   No area may be utilized and counted both as a required parking space and a loading dock. (Ord. 1213, 11-4-1996)