It is the purpose of this chapter to establish the regulations necessary to assure that every land use will be so located and planned as to minimize traffic congestion, hazards and vehicular-pedestrian conflicts. It is the further purpose to place upon the property owner the primary responsibility for relieving public streets of the burden of on-street parking and to provide the regulations and minimum standards essential to the planning and development of adequate off-street parking. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the property owner to plan and develop his property in such a way that every use shall conform to the following general standards in addition to the special standards for certain specific uses as set forth in this section.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

On-street space may not be used to satisfy parking or loading space needs.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

No direct public or private access shall be permitted onto the existing or proposed rights-of-way of:

1.

Freeways or interstate highways, or to their interchanges or turning lanes, or to their intersecting or interchanging streets, within one thousand five hundred feet of the most remote end of the taper of the turning lanes;

2.

Arterial streets intersecting another arterial street, within forty feet of the intersection of right-of-way lines;

3.

Local or collector streets intersecting an arterial street, within thirty feet of the intersection or right-of-way lines;

4.

Vehicular entrances and exits for uses generating heavy, periodic traffic conflicts shall be located at least two hundred feet away from any pedestrian entrance or exit to a school, college, university, church, hospital, public emergency shelter or other place of public assembly;

5.

No obstructions to visibility at any street intersection, including, but not limited to structures, walls, fences or vegetation, shall be allowed or permitted to remain in any zoning district between the heights of three feet and eight feet above the ground, and within twenty-five feet measured from the intersection of the street center lines back along the center line of each street. In the case of an arterial street intersecting another arterial street or a railroad at grade, the vision clearance space shall be increased to thirty feet.

B.

Access From an Alley. An alley may be used for principal access to any parking lot and for direct access to parking spaces; provided, however, that every such alley shall be dedicated full-width to the public, fully improved with an all-weather, dust-free surface and property drained to prevent impoundment of surface water.

C.

Access From a Street. No entrance or exit to a parking lot shall be located closer than fifteen feet to any abutting structure.

D.

All driveways installed, altered, changed, replaced or extended after the effective date of this section, shall comply with the following requirements:

1.

Points of access from a public street will be minimized, and driveway openings will be so located and dimensioned as to minimize the disruption of passing traffic and the creation of traffic hazards.

2.

The driveway of lots fronting on an arterial street shall have a sufficient turning area to allow vehicles to turn around and enter the arterial street. Under no circumstances shall any parking lot be so arranged as to necessitate backing a vehicle into an arterial street.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

In all zoning districts, off-street parking facilities shall be provided in an amount not less than hereinafter specified, for the parking of vehicles. No off-street parking required for any use shall be considered off-street parking for any other use except when qualifying under Section 17.25.090(A)(3).

B.

Uses existing or in operation on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title shall provide such off-street parking space as was required for such uses by any previous ordinance to the extent that such requirements do not exceed the requirements of this section. However, when uses are enlarged, extended or changed, additional off-street parking shall be provided in the minimum amount specified for that kind of use in this title except in the downtown business district where existing buildings (businesses) have had no off-street parking available. For purposes of this section, the downtown business district shall be defined generally as the area bounded on the northwest by Giroux Street, on the northeast by Baud Street, on the southeast by Railroad Street, and on the southwest by Lay Street.

C.

The owner or occupant of any building or use, subject to off-street parking requirements under this section, shall not discontinue nor reduce any existing required parking lot, without first having established other parking space in replacement thereof, and having submitted satisfactory evidence to the planning commission that such replacement space meets all requirements of this title.

D.

Off-street parking space required under this section shall not be used for the storage of merchandise nor for the sale, rent, repair, dismantling, storage or servicing of vehicles or equipment.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

Site plans are required for off-street parking and loading areas and shall show how the required parking and loading spaces are to be located and arranged on the site. In addition, such plans shall show how driveways and parking lots are to be graded and drained, as well as the location and design of all screening fences, landscaping and lighting. Such plans must be reviewed by the planning commission.

B.

Every part of every parking lot shall be set back from every lot line a sufficient distance to assure that no part of any parked vehicle will project over the lot line.

C.

Every parking lot, regardless of the zoning district in which located, shall be set back from every abutting street right-of-way line a distance of not less than five feet.

D.

Minimum Design Dimensions. The layout of every off-street parking lot shall conform to the minimum standards.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

In determining the number of parking spaces in unmarked parking lots, each parking space shall be deemed to be not less than three hundred square feet inclusive of access lanes.

B.

For single-family, duplex, triplex and four-plex residential land uses, the square footage of each required parking space shall be not less than nine feet by twenty feet.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

Every parking lot shall be properly graded to prevent impoundment of surface water.

B.

Parking lots shall be surfaced with asphaltic concrete at least two inches thick and parking spaces shall be clearly striped.

C.

Parking lots shall have continuous six-inch concrete curbs installed as protection for planted areas, islands and walls within the parking lot proper. Pre-cast concrete curbs six feet long, six inches high and eight inches wide at the base, pinned to the surface with eighteen inch steel rods, one-half inch in diameter or equivalent, may be substituted for continuous curb as wheel stops.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

A.

Required off-street parking shall be located on the same lot or parcel as the use it is intended to serve; provided, however, that:

1.

Parking for cooperative or condominium-type multifamily dwellings, fraternities, sororities and rooming houses, may be provided in a parking lot not further than two hundred feet from an entrance to the dwelling unit it is intended to serve;

2.

Required parking for any multifamily dwelling, to the extent that the minimum requirement exceeds one space per dwelling unit, may be located in a parking lot not more than three hundred feet from the dwelling units it is intended to serve.

B.

Exception: In the case of a multifamily dwelling proposed to be restricted to occupancy by elderly persons and which is owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation, the planning commission may grant a reduction in the required off-street parking to not less than one space per two employees; provided, however, that such reduction shall be personal to the applicant and remain in effect only so long as the dwellings remain restricted to elderly occupancy.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

Required off-street parking shall be located within three hundred feet of the building or use it is intended to serve, the distance being measured from the nearest point of the building or use to the nearest point of the parking lot.

A.

Parking facilities for a stadium, auditorium, outdoor sports arena or similar use, may be located not further than one thousand three hundred feet from the nearest point of such building or use.

B.

Whenever the use of a separate lot or parcel is proposed for fulfillment of minimum parking requirements, the owner shall submit as a part of his application, satisfactory assurance that the separate lot or parcel is permanently committed to parking use by deed restriction or other enforceable, legal measure.

C.

Where parking is to be provided for two or more buildings or uses, the total of such parking shall not be less than the sum of the requirements for the several buildings or uses computed separately. A written agreement for joint use of parking facilities shall be executed between the parties concerned and a copy shall be filed with the planning department.

D.

Every nonresidential parking lot abutting a residential district shall be set back a distance not less than the minimum required setback for principal residential buildings in the same block.

E.

Every nonresidential parking lot across a street from a residential district shall not extend beyond the property line of said parking lot.

F.

Required Screen Walls. Where the interior side lot line or rear lot line of a nonresidential parking lot abuts a residential district and is not separated therefrom by an alley, solid, unpierced screening fence not less than five nor more than six feet in height above grade shall be installed and maintained abutting the residential district line; provided, however, that such fence shall extend no closer to the street line than the minimum required setback for residential properties in the same block.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)

The minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for specific uses shall be determined according to the stated schedule. Requirements for a specific use not listed shall be the same as those for the most similar use listed or as required by the planning commission.

(Ord. 617 § 1.1 Exh. A (part), 1996)