Wheatland City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
63 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
§ 18.63.010 Purpose of provisions.
The purpose of the provisions set forth in this chapter is to reduce street congestion and traffic hazards in the city by incorporating safe, adequate, attractively designed facilities for off-street parking and loading as an integral part of every use of land in the city requiring such facilities.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.020 General requirements.
A.
Off-street parking spaces for vehicles shall be provided in accordance with the requirements set forth in this chapter. Where existing buildings not now meeting these requirements are proposed to be enlarged or increased in capacity, off-street parking shall be provided as required in this chapter for the entire structure.
B.
For the purposes of this chapter, "floor area" in the case of offices, merchandising or service types of uses means the gross area used or intended to be used by tenants, or for service to the public as customers, patrons, clients, or patients including areas occupied by fixtures and equipment used for display or sales of merchandise. It does not include halls, lobby, waiting rooms or rest rooms or areas used principally for nonpublic purposes, such as storage and incidental repair.
C.
Such space, when provided in accordance with this chapter shall consist of a paved area for vehicle parking.
D.
Such facilities shall consist of a site, or a portion of a site, for off-street parking of vehicles, and shall include parking spaces, aisles, access drives, and landscaped areas, and shall provide vehicular access to a public right-of-way.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.030 Location.
A.
Required off-street parking spaces shall be located on the site with the use which they serve, provided that in the C-2 districts, and any nonresidential district except a C-1 district, the requirements of this chapter shall be considered satisfied if the required parking is provided within one hundred fifty feet of the site of the use being served, such distance being measured in a direct line from the building or, if no building exists, from the property line.
B.
This off-street parking shall be furnished through ownership or lease of sufficient off-street parking, or through the crediting of unallocated spaces in municipal parking lots by the city planning commission.
C.
No required off-street parking space shall be located on a site across an arterial street from the use served.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.040 Number of spaces required.
Spaces shall be provided as follows:
Automobile or machinery sales and services garages | 1 for each 300 sq. ft. of floor area plus 1 for each 1.5 employees |
Banks and post offices | 1 for each 200 sq. ft. of floor area |
Bowling alleys | 1 for each 60 sq. ft. of floor area plus 1 for each 4 seats |
Cemeteries, columbaria, and crematories | 1 for each 1.5 employees |
Charitable and religious institutions providing sleeping accommodations | 1 for each 1.5 employees on the maximum shift |
Children's homes | 1 for each 5 beds, plus 1 for each 1.5 employees on the maximum shift |
Churches | 1 for each 5 seats or for each 90 lineal inches of pew space |
Convalescent hospitals, and nursing homes | 1 for each 5 beds, plus 1 for each 1.5 employees |
Dancehalls | 1 for each 50 sq. ft. of floor area |
Dwellings | |
Single-family | 2 parking spaces for each dwelling unit |
Duplex | 2 parking spaces for each dwelling unit |
Multifamily | 1 covered space per unit up to 2 bedrooms; 1.5 covered space per unit for 3 bedrooms or more; plus 1 space per 5 units for guest parking (may be uncovered) |
Senior-housing (age restricted) | 1 covered space per unit, plus 1 space per 5 units for guest parking (may be uncovered) |
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) | 1 space per unit |
Junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) | No parking requirement |
Funeral homes, mortuaries | 1 for each 4 seats, plus 1 for each 60 sq. ft. of display space, plus 1 for each 300 sq. ft. of office or sales space |
Home for the aged | 2 for each 2 1/2 beds |
Hospitals | 1 for each 3 beds, plus 1 for each 1-1/2 employees, plus 1 for each resident doctor |
Hotels, motels, and private clubs providing sleeping accommodation | 1 for each dwelling unit, rooming unit or guest room |
Libraries, museums, art galleries, and similar uses | 1 for each 1.5 employees plus 1 for each 190 sq. ft. of floor area |
Manufacturing plants, research or testing laboratories, bottling plants, processing plants and packaging plants | 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Medical and dental offices and clinics | 1 for each 200 sq. ft. of floor area |
Mobile home developments | 2 for each mobile home space and 1 for each 5 mobile home spaces for visitor parking |
Offices other than medical-dental offices | 1 for each 300 sq. ft. of floor area |
Public buildings and grounds other than schools and administration offices | 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Recreational vehicle parks | 1.1 for each recreational vehicle space |
Restaurants, bars and nightclubs | 1 for each 75 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Retail stores, shops, supermarkets, food stores, etc. | 1 for each 300 sq. ft. of floor area plus 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Roominghouses and lodginghouses | 1 for each rooming unit plus 1 for each 2 guest rooms |
Schools: | |
Elementary and junior high schools | 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
High schools | 1 for each 5 students plus 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Colleges | 1 for each 1.5 students plus 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Business schools, beauty schools and other special schools | 1 for each 150 sq. ft. of floor area |
Sports arenas, churches, auditoriums, exhibition halls, theaters, lodge or assembly halls, and meeting rooms | 1 for each 4 seats plus 1 for each 60 sq. ft. of floor area |
Wholesale establishments, warehouses, service and maintenance centers, communication equipment buildings | 1 for each employee on the maximum shift |
Unspecified uses of buildings, structures or premises | The number of spaces shall be established by the city planning commission. |
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991; Ord. 481 § 3, 2021)
§ 18.63.050 Standards generally.
§ 18.63.060 Size of spaces.
A.
Standard-Size Cars. Regulations for standard-size car spaces shall be as follows:
1.
Each ninety-degree parking space shall be not less than nineteen feet in length and nine feet in width, exclusive of aisles and drives.
2.
Each sixty-degree parking space shall be not less than nineteen feet in length and nine and one-half feet in width.
3.
Parking spaces at all angles shall be the functional equivalent of those set forth in this subsection, and shall be designed and arranged within parking facilities to facilitate easy and safe ingress and egress to each parking space.
B.
Compact-Size Cars. Compact car spaces shall be as follows:
1.
Each ninety-degree parking space shall be not less than sixteen feet in length and eight feet in width.
2.
Parking spaces at all angles shall be the functional equivalent of those set forth in this subsection, and shall be designed and arranged within parking facilities to facilitate easy and safe ingress and egress to each parking space.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.070 Aisles.
Access to each off-street parking space shall be from a driveway or aisle, with sufficient room for readily turning and maneuvering vehicles. As a general rule, subject to waiver by the city planning commission, all maneuvering shall be on private property.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.080 Access.
Each parking space shall be accessible from a street or alley or from an aisle or drive connecting with a street or alley in accordance with the driveway requirements of this code. No off-street parking facility for four or more spaces, except in an R-1 district, shall be designed so that vehicles must back across a sidewalk in order to gain access to a street or alley. Where a parking facility does not abut a public or private street, alley, or access easement there shall be provided an access drive not less than twenty feet in width, for two-way traffic or, where separated one-way access drives are proposed each shall not be less than ten feet in width.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.090 Pavement.
The parking area, aisles, and access drives shall be paved so as to provide a durable, dust-free surface and shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of surface water without damage to private or public properties, streets, or alleys.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.100 Border barricades.
Every parking facility for four or more spaces that is not separated by a wall from abutting property shall be provided with a six-inch by six-inch concrete, or other approved barrier, not less than two and one-half feet from such property line, unless the abutting area on adjoining property is also used for parking or vehicular access. Such barriers shall also be provided adjacent to drives, parking and maneuvering areas.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.110 Screening.
A.
Every parking facility containing four or more spaces abutting a city street shall be separated from such street by a decorative wall, view-obscuring fence, permanently maintained compact evergreen hedge, berm or a combination of the preceding treatments to enhance the appearance of the parking area.
B.
Every parking facility abutting property located in R districts shall be separated from such property by a decorative wall, view-obscuring fence, or permanently maintained evergreen hedge not less than five nor more than six feet in height.
C.
Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, no screen, wall, fence, or hedge shall exceed a height of three feet above the established grade within any required front setback.
D.
For any commercial or industrial use directly across a street other than a freeway from an R district designated for future residential use in the comprehensive general plan, the parking facilities shall be set back at least twenty feet, and the setback area shall be landscaped in accordance with Chapter 18.60.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.120 Additional requirements and exceptions.
§ 18.63.130 Modification of requirements.
The provisions of this chapter as to number of required spaces may be modified in the form of a variance by the city planning commission including, but not limited to, the following cases:
A.
Up to fifteen percent of the required parking spaces may be reduced in size for the accommodation of small cars, in parking facilities providing not less than twenty spaces.
B.
The number of spaces required may be reduced for uses, such as housing for the elderly or retirement homes, where it can be demonstrated that automobile use or ownership is significantly lower than for other dwelling or lodginghouses.
C.
When a common off-street parking facility, located, within three hundred feet of the uses served will provide twenty or more parking spaces, the total number of parking spaces required for all the uses served may be reduced by not more than twenty-five percent.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.140 Plan submittal required.
Before any work may proceed on a new or on existing parking facility, a plan shall be submitted to the city engineer for review and approval, conditional approval or denial.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.150 Loading facilities-Standards generally.
All off-street loading facilities shall conform to the following standards:
A.
Every hotel, office building, restaurant, department store, freight terminal or railroad yard, hospital or industrial plant, manufacturing establishment, retail establishment, storage warehouse or wholesale establishment, and all other structures devoted to similar mercantile or industrial pursuits, which has an aggregate gross floor area of five thousand square feet or more shall provide off-street truck loading or unloading berths in accordance with the following table:
Square Feet of Aggregate Gross Floor Area Devoted to Such Use. | Required Number of Berths |
|---|---|
5,000 sq. ft. up to and including 25,000 sq. ft. | 1 |
25,001 sq. ft. up to and including 40,000 sq. ft. | 2 |
40,001 sq. ft. up to and including 100,000 sq. ft. | 3 |
For each additional 60,000 sq. ft. | 1 additional |
B.
Each loading berth shall be not less than forty-five feet in length and twelve feet in width exclusive of aisle or maneuvering space, and shall have an overhead clearance of not less than fourteen feet.
C.
Each space may occupy all or any part of any required yard or court space, except front and exterior side yards, and shall not be located closer than forty feet to any lot in any R district, unless enclosed on all sides except the entrance by a wall not less than six feet in height.
D.
Sufficient room for turning and maneuvering vehicles shall be provided on the site, so that vehicles shall cross a property line only by driving forward.
E.
Each loading berth shall be accessible from a street or alley or from an aisle or drive connecting with a street or alley.
F.
Entrances from and exits to streets and alleys shall be designed to minimize traffic congestion and shall be placed at locations approved by the city engineer.
G.
The loading area, aisles, and access drives shall be paved so as to provide a durable paved surface and shall be so graded and drained so as to dispose of surface water without damage to private or public properties, streets, or alleys.
H.
Bumper rails shall be provided at locations approved by the city engineer where needed for safety or to protect property.
I.
If the loading area is illuminated, lighting shall be deflected away from abutting residential sites so as to cause no annoying glare.
J.
No repair work or servicing of vehicles shall be conducted in a loading area.
K.
Landscaping and screening shall be provided in accordance with the standards of Section 18.60.130.
L.
Off-street loading facilities shall be located on the same site with the use for which the berths are required.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.160 Off-street loading-Additional requirements and exceptions.
A.
If more than one use is located on a site, the number of loading berths provided shall be equal to the sum of the requirements prescribed in this chapter for each use. If more than one use is located on a site and the gross floor area of each use is less than five thousand square feet, but the total gross floor area is greater than five thousand square feet, off-street loading berths shall be provided for total gross floor area.
B.
Off-street loading facilities for a single use shall not be considered as providing required off-street loading facilities for any other use except as provided in subsection A of this section.
C.
At the time of initial occupancy, major alteration, or enlargement of a site, or of completion of construction of a structure or of a major alteration or enlargement of a structure, there shall be provided off-street loading facilities for trucks in accordance with the schedule of off-street loading berth requirements.
D.
Space allocated to any off-street loading berth shall not be used to satisfy the space requirements for any off-street parking facility.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)
§ 18.63.170 Off-street loading-Modification of requirements.
Off-street loading berths, in addition to those prescribed in the schedule of off-street loading berth requirements, shall be provided if the city manager finds that such additional berths are necessary to ensure that trucks will not be loaded, unloaded, or stored on public streets. A finding of the city planning commission shall be based on an investigation of the anticipated frequency of truck pickups and deliveries, and of the truck storage requirements of the use for which the off-street loading berths are required.
(Ord. 337 Exh. A, 1991)