West Grove City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 400-78 Purpose and applicability.
A.
Purpose.
(1)
Establish standards for the layout, location, and amount of off-street parking for land uses within the Borough.
(2)
Provide adequate parking and loading facilities for all permitted structures and uses.
(3)
Reduce traffic congestion and promote the allocation of parking and loading spaces to increase public safety and convenience.
B.
Applicability.
(1)
Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided whenever:
(2)
Buildings and uses in existence on the date of adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the provisions of this article, except as provided in § 400-78B(1) above.
(3)
All land uses proposed subsequent to the adoption of this chapter shall be in conformance with this article.
(4)
Off-street parking and loading facilities existing at the effective date of this chapter shall not subsequently be reduced below the requirements of this article.
(5)
All parking and loading facilities required by this article shall be constructed and subsequently maintained in an attractive, safe, and functional manner for as long as the building or use which they are designed to serve remains in existence.
§ 400-79 Off-street parking.
A.
General requirements.
(2)
Use of parking facilities. Parking facilities shall not be used for any use that interferes with the availability for the parking need it is required to serve, unless otherwise provided in this article.
(3)
No storage of vehicles or motor vehicle repair other than emergency service shall be permitted in parking areas.
(5)
Handicapped parking, access, curb ramps, and markings shall be in accordance with appropriate current laws, codes, and requirements including but not limited to editions of the international codes adopted by reference by the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), which is administered and enforced in the Borough by the Borough.[1]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(6)
Appropriate signage and pavement markings shall be incorporated to facilitate safety and clear functioning of traffic movements, including but not limited to exit and entrance, no parking, fire lane, stop, yield, crosswalks, one-way or two-way, disabled parking spaces, and other similar messages appropriate to parking facilities.
B.
Nonresidential off-street parking requirements. (See § 400-79E for residential parking requirements.)
(1)
Uses not specifically listed in § 400-79B(6) shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in § 400-79B(6).
(2)
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.
(3)
Connected parking lots. Connected parking lots between adjacent uses shall be required as follows: (See Figure 16-1.)
(a)
When parking lots are developed on adjacent lots, they shall be required to connect to parking lots on adjacent lots as follows:
[1]
Where there is no existing parking lot on an adjacent lot, a parking lot shall be constructed so that such connection may be made in the future if a parking lot is constructed on the adjacent lot.
[2]
Where there is an existing adjacent lot, the connection shall be subject to approval of the owner of the adjacent use.
[3]
Adjacent parking lots shall be connected through aisles/traffic lanes.
[4]
Parking structures shall be exempt from this requirement.
(b)
Access. When a new parking lot is developed adjacent to an existing parking lot and the required connections are constructed, existing access drives may be eliminated to reduce the access for the connected lots to the requirement for one lot. Any eliminated access drives may be repurposed for parking spaces.
(c)
A common access agreement between adjacent uses shall be required and approved by the Borough to maintain the parking lots and the shared access. If a connection is removed due to development on one lot or other reason, the remaining parking lot(s) shall be required to meet access requirements for individual parking lots.
Figure 16-1: Connected Parking  |
(4)
Required off-street loading facilities shall not be used to satisfy the parking requirements listed in the table below.
(5)
Required off-street parking facilities as accessory to uses listed herein shall be solely for the parking of passenger vehicles of patrons, occupants, or employees of each use.
(6)
Off-street parking requirements.
(a)
The off-street parking requirements in Figure 16-2 shall constitute the minimum spaces required for the following buildings and uses hereafter erected, converted or otherwise established in any district.
(b)
Where computations result in fractions, a fraction of 1/2 or more shall be rounded up, and a fraction of less than 1/2 rounded down.
(c)
All ratios are expressed in number of required spaces per 1,000 square feet gross floor area (# spaces/1,000 gfa) unless otherwise specifically noted.
(d)
In addition to the required parking spaces in this section, handicapped parking shall be located, designed and constructed in accordance with the applicable standards and provisions all local, state, and federal laws and codes, including but not limited to the currently adopted version of the UCC by the Borough.
(e)
The following off-street parking requirements shall apply to all uses within the Borough:
Figure 16-2: Nonresidential Parking Requirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial Uses | Parking Requirement (spaces/square feet gross floor area) | ||
Accessory use | No additional spaces required, except as otherwise required herein, including but not limited to home occupations | ||
Adult use | 4/1,000 | ||
Bank or financial institution | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office/administration and 5/1,000 for area devoted to customer service | ||
Private club or fraternal institution | 1 space for every 3 seats provided for patrons, customers, members or guests, or 1 space per 3 persons permitted at the maximum capacity of the use as established by the Fire Marshal or other official mechanism, whichever is greater | ||
Convenience store | 10/1,000 | ||
Child day-care center (commercial day care | 2/1,000 plus 1 space per 6 students/attendees the facility is licensed, permitted, or intended to serve at maximum capacity | ||
Funeral parlor or undertakers establishment | 8/1,000 | ||
Grocery store | 5/1,000 | ||
Home occupation | See § 400-91 | ||
Laundromat | 10/10,000 or 2 spaces per washing machine, whichever is greater | ||
Kennel | 4/1,000 | ||
Medical clinic | 4/1,000 or 3 spaces per examining room, whichever is greater | ||
Mixed use | Required spaces shall be the sum of all applicable uses | ||
Office (professional, business, etc.) | 4/1,000 | ||
Personal service shop | 3/1,000 | ||
Recreational use or facility; park or outdoor recreation | |||
a. | Indoor use (bowling, skating, etc.) | a. | 6/1,000 or 1 space per 3 people permitted for the maximum capacity of the use as established by the Fire Marshal or other official mechanism, whichever is greater |
b. | Park or outdoor recreational use | b. | 1 space per 4 visitors estimated peak service |
Restaurant; coffee shop | 5/1,000 for areas devoted to kitchen, guest reception plus 1 space for every 3 seats provided for patrons, customers, members, or guests as follows: | ||
a. | Where establishments provide benches instead of fixed individual seats | a. | 3 linear feet of seating shall equal 1 seat |
b. | Where no fixed seats are used | b. | 75 square feet of gross floor area shall equal 1 seat |
Retail store | 4/1,000 | ||
Shopping center | Required spaces shall be the sum of all applicable uses | ||
Studio | 3/1,000 | ||
Theater | 1 space per every 3 seats plus 10/1,000 for foyer, customer service, or assembly areas. | ||
Vehicle fueling station (gas station) | 1 parking space for fueling and 2 stacking spaces per pump | ||
Vehicle repair, or service | 4/1,000 for office/retail space plus 2 spaces per service bay, however the internal space of a service bay shall not count towards parking requirements | ||
Vehicle sales | 3/1,000 | ||
Continuing care retirement center | 2 spaces per administrative office, plus 1 space per room for residents, plus 1 space per residential dwelling unit where applicable | ||
Educational use: | |||
a. | Elementary or junior high school | a. | 1.5 spaces per classroom plus 4/1,000 devoted to office or administration plus auditorium requirement |
b. | High school | b. | 1 space per classroom plus 4/1,000 devoted to office or administration plus 1 space per 10 students in grades 11 and 12 plus auditorium requirement |
c. | Plus auditorium or gymnasium space for either use | c. | 1 space per 4 fixed seats or 4 people permitted for the maximum capacity of the use as established by the Fire Marshal or other official mechanism, whichever is greater |
Emergency services facility | 1 space per staff or volunteer projected on the largest shift or the greatest capacity of the facility, whichever is greater | ||
Institution; government; municipal use | 4/1,000 devoted to office or administration plus 1 space per every 2 seats of capacity for public meeting facilities | ||
Library | 3/1,000 | ||
Park or outdoor recreational use | See recreational use above | ||
Place of worship | 4/1,000 devoted to office or administration plus 1 space per every 3 seats or 1 space per 3 people permitted for the maximum capacity of the use as established by the Fire Marshal or other official mechanism, whichever is greater | ||
Post office | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office/administration and 6/1,000 for area devoted to customer service. | ||
Veterinary clinic | 4/1,000 or 3 spaces per examining room, whichever is greater | ||
Wireless communication facility | 2 spaces per facility | ||
Youth activity center | 5/1,000 | ||
Industrial/manufacturing uses | |||
Contractors establishment | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office/administration | ||
Industrial | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office or administration and 2/1,000 for area devoted to storage, warehousing, processing, or other similar use | ||
Junkyard | 2 spaces per office located on the premises | ||
Manufacturing | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office/administration and 2/1,000 for area devoted to manufacturing, processing and similar uses | ||
Public utility operating facility | 4/1,000 | ||
Research, engineering, or testing laboratory | 4/1,000 for area devoted to office, administration, or research and 2/1,000 for area devoted to engineering or testing | ||
Rail freight terminal | 4/1,000 | ||
Truck freight terminal | 2/1,000 plus 1 parking space for every 2 fleet vehicles stored and/or intended for operation in connection with said use | ||
For all other uses not listed | The requirement for the most similar use shall apply or the applicant shall supply sufficient documentation to justify requested parking allocation in accordance with § 400-79B(6)(e) | ||
(f)
Where a specific use is not listed or the site conditions do not warrant the specified requirement in Figure 16-2, an applicant may request an alternative requirement by conditional use subject to § 400-127 of this chapter. Where a change in the number of required off-street parking spaces is considered, the applicant shall provide documentation to support that the use does not warrant the spaces required by Figure 16-2 and the Borough Council may approve a reduction which shall not exceed 20% of the standard parking requirement.
C.
Specific parking regulations.
(1)
Off-site parking alternatives. Parking requirements shall be located on the same lot as the use for which the parking is required, except in cases where it is not feasible due to the Borough's small size and the limitations of lot sizes and space in the downtown. In the C-1 District, the following alternatives for off-street parking are permitted by conditional use, subject to § 400-127 of this chapter:
(a)
Off-site parking. Required parking spaces may be accommodated off site on a different lot than the use for which they are required, provided: (See Figure 16-3.)
[1]
The owner(s) of the use(s) or structure(s) shall submit a plan to the Borough that includes a site plan and agreement showing use(s), ownership, maintenance responsibility, location of the off-street parking facility.
[2]
The parking facility fulfills the required parking for the use(s) with which it is associated.
[3]
Sidewalks for pedestrian safety are available between the parking lot and the associated use.
[4]
Off-site parking facilities shall be provided with appropriate signage indicating the buildings and/or uses for which the spaces are available.
[5]
The lot can be accessed by patrons where safe crossing streets are available through crosswalks or other similar means and are located within 500 feet of the building entrance(s) in which the use(s) is(are) located.
[6]
The applicant(s) shall provide sufficient legal documentation to ensure the long-term availability of the parcel to be used for off-site parking. This may be in the form of a deed, lease, contract, easement or similar instrument, of which the form and duration shall be subject to the review of the Borough Solicitor and approved by Borough Council.
Figure 16-3: Off-Site Parking  |
(b)
Shared parking. A maximum of 50% of required parking spaces for a place of worship, theater or other use open primarily outside of typical business hours may be provided and used jointly by banks, offices, retail stores, service establishments, and other similar uses which are normally open, used or operated during typical business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday), according to the following provisions: (See Figure 16-4.)
[1]
The sharing of parking shall be approved by the Borough Council which shall consider, among other criteria, the hours of operation of the uses which are sharing required parking spaces and the number of spaces involved.
[2]
A written agreement ensuring the retention of parking spaces for such sharing of required parking shall be properly drawn and executed by the parties concerned for review by the Borough Solicitor and approval of Borough Council. Such approval may be rescinded by the Borough, and additional parking shall be obtained by the owner of the use sharing the parking spaces to meet the required off-street parking standard in the event the Borough determines the joint use of parking results in a public nuisance or adversely affects the public health, safety, or welfare or if there is a change in use of the property that owns the parking lot being shared or other issue which results in negating the ability of the shared parking to fulfill the parking requirement for the use sharing the parking.
[3]
The lot can be accessed by patrons where safe crossing streets are available, and are located within 500 feet of the building entrance(s) in which the use(s) is(are) located.
[4]
Shared facilities shall be provided with appropriate signage indicating the buildings and/or uses for which the spaces are available.
[5]
Sidewalks for pedestrian safety are available between the parking lot and the associated use.
Figure 16-4: Shared Parking  |
(2)
The following regulations shall apply within the C-1 District:
(a)
Off-street parking or loading facilities shall not be permitted in front of any primary building or structure except where otherwise permitted herein. All parking and loading facilities shall be located either to the side or rear of the principal structure and connected to the front sidewalk by pedestrian walkways or sidewalks. Alternative side or rear entrances to buildings are encouraged in addition to primary entrances along the street frontage.
(b)
Front access to associated off-street parking facilities shall not be permitted on lots accessible from an alley or a side street of lower functional classification.
(c)
Off-street surface parking shall not extend more than 60 feet in width along any street frontage.
(d)
Not more than 130% of the required minimum parking requirement shall be permitted, unless otherwise provided by this chapter or when approved by conditional use.
D.
Design of off-street parking facilities.
(1)
Parking space and traffic aisle design.
(a)
Off-street parking spaces with proper and safe access shall be provided, either within a structure or in the open, to serve the use or uses for which it is designed.
(b)
Parking spaces shall be a rectangular block containing a minimum of nine feet wide by 18 feet long, exclusive of access driveways, aisles and maneuvering space. Not more than two feet of a parking space may overhang a perimeter buffer, so long as such overhang does not intrude into a right-of-way or pedestrian walkway, and for such spaces, the area directly below the overhang need not be paved.
(c)
Individual parking spaces shall be clearly marked by durable white or yellow striping a minimum of four inches in width.
(d)
Each required off-street parking space shall open directly upon an aisle, or an access driveway to provide safe and efficient means of vehicular access to such parking space in accordance with applicable standards.
(e)
Off-street parking shall be permitted head-in only in accordance with the following:
Angle of Parking Row | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
30° | 45° | 60° | 90° | |
Depth of parking row (feet) | 17 | 20 | 21 | 18 |
Width of parking space (feet) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Depth of aisle one-way (feet) | 11 | 13 | 18 | 24 |
NOTES: |
* All two-way aisles shall be 24 feet in width. |
(f)
On-street parking shall be permitted and may include head-in angled parking in accordance with § 400-79D(1)(e) or parallel parking. Parallel parking spaces shall be a minimum of seven feet wide and 22 feet in length.
(2)
Parking lot access and traffic control.
(a)
All parking lot and access driveways shall be constructed and maintained to provide safe and orderly access to a street, alley, or other approved access driveway, at all times.
(b)
Accommodation of off-street stacking of vehicles waiting to enter or exit the parking facility shall be required, and a minimum one stacking space shall be provided.
(c)
Interior drives and aisles shall be designed to prevent blockage of vehicles entering or leaving the site. Interior drives and aisles within parking lots separating rows of parking spaces shall have a minimum width of 12 feet for one-way use and maximum width of 24 feet for two-way use and shall be clearly defined by means of painted lines, curbing, or landscaping.
(d)
Provisions for clear sight distance in § 400-70, Visibility at intersections, shall apply to all access points and access driveways to parking lot.
(e)
Parking areas shall be designed to permit each vehicle to proceed to and from a parking space without requiring the moving of any other vehicle.
(f)
No parking lot or space, except for permitted access driveways, shall directly abut a street, and shall at a minimum be separated from the street by a curb or vertical barrier except for access driveways. No off-street parking shall be designed so that a vehicle is required to back into a public street in order to leave the parking lot or space.
(g)
The following shall be required for parking lots with 20 spaces or greater:
[1]
Parking lots shall be divided so interior drives, access aisles, and parking spaces are clearly defined, and that moving traffic will be confined to designated drives and aisles.
(h)
Access to parking lots shall be provided by a common access driveway to an alley or on the street of lowest functional classification as identified in the Borough Comprehensive Plan or as otherwise designated, unless clearly impractical.
(i)
For the purposes of servicing any property, a maximum of two access driveways shall be permitted for each use, unless otherwise permitted herein.
(3)
Lighting. Lighting of parking lots shall be in accordance with § 400-71. All access driveways, aisles, maneuvering spaces, and parking spaces shall be adequately illuminated.
(4)
Construction of off-street parking.
(a)
All parking spaces, aisles, access driveways, and lots shall be constructed of an all-weather surface approved by the Borough Engineer.
(b)
Parking spaces, aisles, access driveways, and lots may be constructed of a permeable surface, unless otherwise approved or required by the Borough Engineer.
(c)
All off-street parking facilities shall be accompanied by a plan prepared by a Pennsylvania licensed engineer incorporating stormwater management design as applicable, which shall be approved by Borough Council.
(d)
Parking spaces, aisles, access driveways, and lots shall have a minimum slope of 1% and a maximum slope of not greater than 5%.
(e)
Parking facilities shall be designed to prevent pooling or flooding of parking areas, with drainage designed in an acceptable manner to prevent problems off site with flooding, water flow, or erosion, as approved by the Borough Engineer and in compliance with Chapter 350, Subdivision and Land Development, and Chapter 342, Stormwater Management.
(5)
Pedestrian circulation. When off-street parking facilities are constructed or modified, existing sidewalks or the installation of sidewalks or other pedestrian facilities as necessary or desirable shall be constructed to achieve the following:
(a)
To logically continue, link, or expand existing pedestrian facilities on, across, and abutting the site.
(b)
Provide convenient and logical connections between the entrance of a principal building and its required parking spaces, in conjunction with required landscaped islands or buffers. Sidewalks or internal walkways shall be a minimum of four feet wide and may be delineated by painted markings, curbs, wheelstops, or combination thereof, as approved by Borough Council and according to Chapter 350, Subdivision and Land Development.
(c)
The installation of marked and signed crosswalks across access drives, travel lanes, or aisles is encouraged to facilitate safe travel of pedestrians to and from parking spaces.
E.
Residential parking requirements.
(1)
Parking requirements. Unless otherwise required within this chapter, required minimum parking spaces for residential units shall be in accordance with Figure 16-5, with proper and safe access from a street, shall be provided for each residential dwelling either within a driveway or off-street parking lot or space. The required parking space for each vehicle shall be a minimum of nine feet by 18 feet in size. Parking spaces shall have a stable and usable all-weather surface and shall have a safe and convenient access, in all seasons, from the street and dwelling. Off-street parking for multifamily dwellings, townhouses, and within mixed -use buildings shall be in accordance with §§ 400-95, 400-97, 400-107, 400-108 and 400-109.
(2)
Location. For single-family detached and semidetached dwellings and townhouses, the required parking spaces shall be located on the lot with the dwelling except where otherwise permitted by this chapter. No required parking shall be on a street or within a street right-of-way and shall be at least five feet from all street rights-of-way. All required residential parking in parking lots shall be located within 100 feet of the dwelling it is provided for except as provided in §§ 400-95, 400-97, 400-107, 400-108 and 400-109.
Figure 16-5: Residential Unit Parking Requirements | |
|---|---|
Residential Uses | Parking Requirement |
Single-family detached dwelling | 2 spaces per dwelling |
Two-family dwelling: duplex or twin (semidetached) | 2 spaces per dwelling |
Single family attached (townhouses) | |
Multifamily (apartments, apartment buildings) | 2.5 spaces per unit for resident and visitor parking |
Accessory dwelling or apartment above a nonresidential use (mixed use) | 2 spaces per unit |
Mobile home (individual) | 2 spaces per dwelling |
Mobile home park | 2 spaces per mobile home, plus 1 space per 3 mobile homes for visitor parking |
§ 400-80 Off-street loading.
Any commercial, industrial, or institutional use, building, or structure that requires the receipt or distribution of materials, supplies, merchandise, or other goods by trucks or similar vehicles shall provide a sufficient number of off-street loading and unloading berths for the intended use in accordance with the following regulations.
A.
General requirements.
(1)
Off-street loading and unloading space, or spaces, with proper and safe access from street or alley or from an traffic aisle or access driveway connecting with a street or alley, shall be provided on the same lot for which it intended to serve, either within a structure or in the open, except as provided for in § 400-80D. The ingress and egress of loading operations shall not require backing into a public street and shall minimize interference with regular traffic movements.
(2)
Loading and unloading spaces shall have all-weather surfaces to provide safe and convenient access during all seasons.
(3)
Loading facilities shall not be constructed between the building line and a street right-of-way line, except as provided in § 400-80D.
(4)
Required off-street parking space shall not be used for loading and unloading purposes except during hours when business operations are suspended, except as provided in § 400-80D.
(5)
Alleys may be required to give access for loading areas in the rear of properties.
(6)
Areas provided for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles and for servicing by refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles shall be so arranged that they may be used without blocking or interfering with the use of any parking space, access driveways, traffic aisle, pathways, sidewalks, streets, or within the front, side or rear yard setbacks, except as provided in § 400-80D below.
(7)
All loading berths and circulation areas which abut a residentially zoned district or residential use shall be buffered and screened in accordance with § 400-73, Landscaping, buffering and screening.
(8)
All off-street loading berths shall be constructed and maintained for as long as the use for which they are designed to serve remains in existence.
B.
Size.
(1)
For structures and uses that are served only by smaller vehicles such as vans, the minimum size for each berth shall be 10 feet in width and 20 feet in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of 12 feet, by approval of Borough Council.
(2)
For structures and uses that are served by larger vehicles than specified in § 400-80B(1), such as tractor trailers, the minimum size for each berth shall be 14 feet in width and 50 feet in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of 16 feet.
C.
Required number of off-street loading berths.
(1)
Every commercial, industrial, or institutional use shall have at least one off-street loading space unless as provided in § 400-80D. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or more for each use, one additional off-street loading space shall be provided for each additional 20,000 square feet of gross floor area or part thereof.
D.
Alternatives. Where off-street loading cannot be accommodated on site due to site constraints that preclude the installation of appropriate off-street loading, turning movements for, or access for applicable delivery vehicles, applicants for a development may submit for one of the following off-street loading alternatives approved by conditional use:
(1)
Use of public alleys and streets. The Borough Council may approve the use of public alleys and streets for loading and unloading, provided the following conditions are met:
(a)
The applicant demonstrates that loading and unloading may be conducted without blocking or interfering with vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
(b)
Loading and unloading shall not generally interfere with the use of on-street parking spaces.
(c)
Loading and unloading is limited to off-peak hours but no earlier than 7:00 a.m.
(2)
Common loading and unloading facilities. Required off-street loading spaces may be provided cooperatively for two or more uses on the same lot or on adjacent lots.
(3)
Loading in a required off-street parking space or lot.
(a)
The parking space or lot being used is associated with the use being served, unless as approved in conjunction with § 400-80D(2).
(b)
Loading and unloading will not generally interfere with the use of the parking space or lot to fulfill the parking requirements of this article.