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Wilmington City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 9

- Off-Street Loading and Parking Regulations

150.110 - Purpose and intent.

It is the purpose of these off-street parking and loading regulations to reduce congestion on the city's streets due to excessive use of on-street parking and loading of motor vehicles.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.111 - General provisions.

(A)

Hereafter no parking lot or building shall be erected or altered and no land used unless there be provided adequate off-street parking space for the needs of tenants, personnel, and patrons together with means of ingress and egress.

(B)

All uses in the Central Business District as designated on the official zoning map are exempt from all off-street parking space requirements. Residential uses in the Central Business District shall be subject to the off-street parking space requirements as set forth in this section.

(C)

Prior to the issuance of a building or grading permit for a parking area, a site plan shall be submitted to the zoning officer who will submit same to the city planner, city engineer, and other agencies for their consideration and recommendations. The site plan shall include, but not be limited to, the boundaries of the property, location of the adjacent houses, parking spaces, circulation patterns, drainage plan, and construction plan for boundary walls and planting plan.

(D)

All parking facilities shall have a bituminous or concrete surface except that outdoor storage areas and truck parking areas in any industrial district may have a stone or gravel surface if located in the rear yard.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.112 - Location requirements.

(A)

Off-street parking for other than residential uses shall be either on the same lot or within 300 feet of the property it is intended to serve, as measured along dedicated streets.

(B)

Off-street parking for separate uses may be provided collectively if the total number of spaces so provided is not less than the sum of the separate requirements governing the number of accessory off-street spaces required in relation to the use served.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.113 - Yard requirements for off-street parking.

(A)

Parking garages. Parking garages shall comply with the yard requirements of the zoning district in which it is located.

(B)

Residential districts. In residential districts, parking lots shall comply with the following yard requirements:

(1)

No motor vehicle shall be permitted to be parked in the required front yard or between any dwelling or principal structure and any street unless said vehicle is parked upon a driveway.

(2)

The driveway shall not be wider than 40% of the width of the lot on which the driveway is located.

(3)

The driveway shall not cover more than 40% of the required front yard setback area.

(C)

Commercial and industrial districts. In commercial and industrial districts, parking lots shall comply with the following yard requirements:

(1)

Parking facilities may be located in any front, side or rear yard.

(2)

Parking facilities where permitted shall not be located within five feet of any property line except in the case of combined parking facilities.

(3)

No loading space or spaces shall be closer than 50 feet to any property in a residential district unless said space is completely enclosed by a building. No loading space shall be located within any area where parking is prohibited in this chapter.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.114 - Lighting.

To ensure the security of property and the safety of persons using any parking area, the following minimum lighting standards shall apply:

(A)

For residential uses, lights shall be installed in all parking areas containing five or more parking spaces and shall be illuminated between dusk and dawn. For nonresidential uses, lights shall be installed in all parking areas containing five or more parking spaces and shall be illuminated between dusk and dawn whenever said premises are open for operation. "Open for operation" shall be any time that a retail business is open for the sale of goods or services or a retail, office, or industrial facility actually has employees working within or upon said premises, other than guards or watchmen. Lights shall be not more than 15 feet in height in residential zoning districts, and not more than 30 feet in height in other zoning districts.

(B)

Where lighted areas are required, lighting shall be provided as follows:

Minimum* Maximum*
Residential zoning districts 1.5 2.0
Commercial zoning districts 2.0 5.0
Industrial zoning districts 2.5 5.0

 

;sz=9;*Average ground level foot-candles

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.115 - Landscaping requirements.

It is the purpose and intent of these regulations to provide adequate protection for contiguous property against the undesirable effects caused by the creation and operation of parking and loading areas, and to protect and preserve the appearance and character of the surrounding neighborhoods through the screening effects and aesthetic qualities of such landscaping. As such, all parking and loading areas, constructed after the date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, shall be properly screened and landscaped as hereinafter described:

(A)

All yards and open spaces surrounding, parking lots, access drives and streets shall be landscaped with trees and shrubs, and shall be maintained by the property owner.

(B)

For parking lots adjacent to residentially zoned property, Section 150.86 shall apply.

(C)

All new landscaped areas shall be installed within six months after the occupancy or use of the building or premises. Dead plant materials shall be replaced in a timely fashion with living plant material and shall have the same quality and quantity of the initially approved landscaping.

(D)

All landscaping shall be maintained in a healthy, neat, trimmed, clean and weed-free condition. Landscaped areas shall be covered with either grass and/or other types of ground cover located beneath and surrounding the trees and shrubs.

(E)

Landscaped areas within and immediately adjacent to an off-street parking or loading area shall be protected from the encroachment of motor vehicles by placing, along the entire perimeter of the landscaped area, a six-inch concrete curb or other curbing material approved by the city engineer.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.116 - Off-street parking dimensions.

(A)

The regulations of this article shall govern the dimensions of off-street parking facilities including those approved as planned unit developments and conditional uses.

(B)

Except as otherwise provided for in this section, all uses except for single-family residential, shall comply with the following requirements:

(1)

Standard dimensions. Subject to subsections (B)(2) and (3) of this section, each parking space shall contain a rectangular area at least 19 feet long and nine feet wide. Lines demarcating parking spaces may be drawn at various angles in relation to curbs and aisles, so long as the parking spaces so created contain within them the rectangular area required by this section.

(2)

Compact car provisions. In parking areas containing 10 or more parking spaces, up to 20% of the parking spaces need contain a rectangular area of only seven and one-half feet in width by 15 feet in length. If such spaces are provided, they shall be conspicuously designated as reserved for small or compact cars only.

(3)

Parallel parking. Wherever parking areas consist of spaces set aside for parallel parking, the dimensions of such parking spaces shall not be less than 22 feet by nine feet.

(4)

Parking aisle widths. Parking aisle widths shall conform to the following table, which varies the width requirement according to the angle of parking:

Parking Angle

Aisle Width 30° 45° 60° 90°
One-Way Traffic 13′ 11′ 13′ 18′ 24′
Two-Way Traffic 19′ 20′ 21′ 23′ 24′

 

(5)

Driveways. Driveways shall not be less than 10 feet in width for one-way traffic and 18 feet in width for two-way traffic.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.117 - Amount of off-street parking space required.

The amount of off-street parking spaces for new uses or buildings, additions thereto, and additions to existing buildings shall be determined in accordance with the following minimum parking provisions, excepting as otherwise provided below, no parking area shall project into a required front yard, and provided that no parking area shall be permitted between the curb line and the property line in any district.

(A)

Residential uses.

Single-family detached 2 spaces per dwelling unit
Single-family attached 2 spaces per dwelling unit
Two-family 2 spaces per dwelling unit
Mobile home 2 spaces per dwelling unit
Multiple-family dwellings 2 spaces per dwelling unit

 

(B)

Commercial uses.

Auto service station 1 space per employee on the maximum shift plus 1 space per 500 square feet of floor area
Banks 1 space for each 250 square feet of floor area
Banks with drive-through facilities 1 space for each 250 square feet of floor area plus 5 stacking spaces for each drive-through teller window including automatic teller machines (ATM)
Barber shops and beauty parlors 1 space for each chair, plus one for each employee
Hotel, motel 1 space for every sleeping unit, 1 space for every employee on the maximum shift, plus 1 space for every vehicle customarily used in operation of the use or stored on the premises
Mortuaries or funeral homes 1 space for each 50 square feet of floor area
Office buildings 1 space for each 250 square feet of floor area
Outdoor sales 1 space for 2,500 square feet of sales lot area, plus 1 parking space for each employee per shift
Restaurants 1 space for every 3 seats, plus 1 space for every employee on the maximum shift
Restaurants with drive-through facilities 1 space for every 2 seats, plus 1 space for every employee on the maximum shift, plus 5 stacking spaces for each drive-through window
Retail stores 1 space for each 200 square feet of floor area
Wholesale businesses 1 space for each 500 square feet of floor area used for the display or sale of merchandise, excluding office space, plus one parking space for each employee per shift

 

(C)

Institutional uses.

Churches 1 parking space for each 5 seats (one seat equals 2 feet of bench length)
Hospitals 1 space for each 4 beds, 1 space for each staff doctor, plus 1 space for each 2 full-time employees on shift, including nurses
Libraries, museums or art galleries 1 space for each 600 square feet of floor area plus 1 for every 4 employees
Schools, public and private, all grades 1 space for every classroom and office; 1 space for every 4 students over 16 years of age; 1 visitor space for each office; and 1 space for every non-teaching employee on the maximum shift
Schools, vocational, business and trade 1 space for every classroom, plus 1 for every 2 students

 

(D)

Cultural, entertainment and sports facilities.

Athletic fields 20 spaces for every diamond or athletic field or 1 space for every 4 seats, whichever is greater. (One space equals 2 feet of bench length)
Bowling alleys 3 spaces for each alley
Community centers 1 space for every 300 square feet of floor area
Gymnasiums 1 space for every 300 square feet of floor area
Indoor swimming pool 1 space for every 300 square feet of floor area
Recreation and health centers 1 space for every 300 square feet of floor area
Cultural institution 2 parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Golf courses 4 spaces per hole plus 1 space per every 2 employees on the maximum shift
Parks, playgrounds and forest preserves 1 parking space for every 5,000 square feet of land area
Sports arenas, auditoriums, and theaters 1 parking space for each 5 seats or seating spaces

 

(E)

Industrial uses.

Manufacturing plants, warehouses and offices 1 space for every employee on the maximum shift plus one space for every vehicle customarily used in the operation of the use or stored on the premises

 

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)

150.118 - Off-street loads.

(A)

Ingress and egress. Off-street loading spaces shall be provided with entrances and exits not less than 12 feet in width and so located as to minimize traffic congestion.

(B)

Dimensions. Each off-street loading space shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 25 feet in length and 14 feet in height exclusive of access drives.

(C)

Projection into yards. Off-street loading space may occupy all or any part of any required rear yard.

(D)

Amount of loading space required. The minimum amounts of off-street loading space shall be provided according to the table below. An area adequate for maneuvering, ingress and egress shall be provided in addition to required loading space.

Square Feet of Gross Floor Area Required No. of Spaces
Up to 20,000 square feet 1
20,001 to 40,000 square feet 2
40,001 to 70,000 square feet 3
70,001 to 120,000 square feet 4
120,001 to 200,000 square feet 5

 

For each additional 100,000 square feet, one additional loading space shall be required.

(Ord. 1324, passed 1-4-00)