The purpose of this chapter is to prevent or alleviate the congestion of the public street, to minimize any detrimental effects of parking lots on adjacent properties, to enhance parking lots with landscape elements for improved traffic circulation and visual amenities and to promote the safety and welfare of the public. To accomplish this purpose minimum requirements are established, while more landscaping may be included depending on site specific conditions.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   (a)   Provision of spaces. When applicable in all districts, in connection with every use, there shall be provided at the time any building or structure is erected, enlarged or increased in capacity or has a change of use, off-street parking spaces for motor vehicles in accordance with this chapter.

      (1)   New building or structure. The off- street parking and loading requirements of this chapter shall apply to any application for a permit for the erection of a new building.

      (2)   Alteration, expansion or change in use. For an alteration, expansion or change of use of an existing building; or for an alteration, development or change of land use that requires more parking; or for changes of the capacity of an existing parking area or parking structure the off-street parking and loading requirements of this chapter shall apply only to the area of the alteration, addition or change of use.

   Such required space(s) shall be provided with vehicular access to a street or alley. This space shall not thereafter be reduced or encroached upon in any manner unless written approval is provided by the Planning Commission.

   Off-street parking spaces are not required for uses in any building existing at the time of adoption of this Code where no off-street parking had been provided previously, unless there is a change use or an enlargement of the building or structure as identified above.

   (b)   Maintenance. The duty to provide and maintain all such areas shall be the joint responsibilities of the owner, operator and lessee of the use for which parking lots are required. Off-street parking areas shall be maintained in good condition without holes and free of all trash, abandoned or junk vehicles, weeds and other rubbish.

   (c)   Plan review. For any off-street parking area required under this chapter a plan shall be submitted with the application for a Zoning Permit to the Zoning Officer to review for compliance with these regulations and for any other applicable regulations. Any such parking plan shall show the number of parking spaces, the arrangement of parking aisles, the location of driveway entrances, provisions for vehicular and pedestrian circulation, the location or typical location of sidewalks, wheel stops, lighting and curbs on or adjacent to the property, the location of utilities, barriers, shelters, and signs, the location of landscaped areas and the types and location of vegetation to be planted in them, typical cross-sections of pavement, storm water drainage facilities, and any other relevant information requested by the Zoning Officer.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   Except as otherwise provided in this section, off- street parking spaces for each new principal use on a lot shall be provided according to the units of measurement indicated for that use in § 1294.08, Required Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces.

   (a)   Computation of required spaces. The following provision shall govern the computation of the number of off-street parking spaces required:

      (1)   Fractions. When determination of the number of required parking spaces results in the requirement of a fractional space, any fraction 1/2 or less shall be disregarded and any fraction over 1/2 shall require one parking space.

      (2)   Bench seating calculation. In stadiums, sports arenas, churches and other places of assembly in which patrons or spectators occupy benches, pews or other similar seating facilities, each 24 inches of such seating facilities shall be counted as one seat for the purpose of determining the requirement for off- street parking facilities.

      (3)   Use of “Maximum”. When parking spaces are required on the basis of the number of faculty, staff, students or employees, the maximum number present at any one time shall govern. The “maximum number” shall be the same as the “maximum occupancy” as identified on the Building Permit or as identified by the Fire Chief.

      (4)   Interpretation. For uses not expressly listed in § 1294.08, parking spaces shall be provided on the same basis as required for the most similar and restrictive listed use as determined by the Zoning Officer for that specific use based on the intended use, the location of such use and the expected patronage by individuals operating motor vehicles.

      (5)   Floor area defined. For the purposes of applying “floor area,” floor area shall be the sum of the gross leasable horizontal area of all floors of a building.

   (b)   Spaces for the handicapped. Parking spaces for handicapped individuals shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of the Ohio Building Code and Ohio R.C. § 3781.111.

   (c)   Shared parking. Shared or joint use of up to 50% of required parking spaces may be permitted for two or more uses located on the same parcel or adjacent parcels provided that the developer can demonstrate to the Zoning Officer that the uses will not substantially overlap in hours of operation or in demand for the shared spaces. This shall be guaranteed by a written agreement from the owner or between the owners involved and all future owners or assigns which shall be submitted with the required plan. Shared parking spaces shall be located no more than 300 feet from the uses they are intended to serve. For shopping centers, parking requirements may be located on adjoining parcels if the parking requirements for the entire shopping center are met, the total number of required parking spaces are located within 300 feet from the uses they are intended to serve, and there is a recorded agreement from the owner or between the owners involved and all future owners or assigns which shall be submitted with the required plan.

   (d)   Maximum number of parking spaces permitted. In order to prevent excessive lot coverage, the artificial increase in air temperature, and surface water runoff, no minimum off-street parking space requirement in § 1294.08, Required Number of Off- Street Parking Spaces. shall be exceeded by more than 15 percent unless good cause can be shown by the applicant and approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Single-Family Dwellings, Two-Family Dwellings and accessory apartments are exempt from this provision.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   Each required parking space shall meet the minimum dimensional requirements set out in as established below.

   (a)   Aisles and stall dimensions. 

      (1)   Each required parking space shall have direct and unrestricted access to an aisle of the minimum width and stall dimensions as identified in Figure 1294.04(A)(1) and Figure 1294.04(A)(2):

   Figure 1294.04(A)(1)

 

 

   Figure 1294.04(A)(2)

 

      (2)   Where continuous curbs are used, the paved area of the parking stall length may be reduced by two and one-half feet, provided that the vehicle overhang will not encroach on pedestrian circulation or the required setback for screening and desirable plant growth. Where wheel stops are used, the paved area of the parking stall length required shall not be reduced. If the wheel stop or continuous curb is located adjacent to a sidewalk, the sidewalk shall be constructed to a minimum dimension of five and one- half feet to provide a clear sidewalk area of not less than three feet for pedestrian access.

   (b)   Access. All parking spaces shall be entered and exited directly from parking aisles arranged perpendicular to access drives wherever possible. Parking spaces shall not be permitted along access drives or within thirty feet of the right-of-way or easement line (and at greater distances as may be required by the Planning Commission depending on the traffic generation and parking lot size). Parking spaces shall not be located within eight feet of the curb or pavement edge of such restricted access drive area. The parking setback areas along the entry drive, as required in this section, must be a pervious surface consisting of grass or other landscaping material excluding pavement, gravel or other rock material.

   (c)   Maneuverability areas. In order to promote adequate and safe maneuverability, the following provisions shall be followed:

      (1)   Turn-around area. Where more than three parking spaces are served by a single driveway, a turn-around area shall be provided, or other provision shall be made, to permit cars to exit the parking lot or garage without backing onto any street or sidewalk.

      (2)   Back-up area. Each parking space shall be provided with a sufficient back-up area to permit egress in one maneuver, consisting of one backward and one forward movement.

   (d)   Surface and drainage. Every off-street parking lot shall be surfaced with an asphaltic or Portland cement binder pavement providing an all- weather, durable, and dustless surface. Individual stalls shall be graded to drain so as to dispose of all surface water within the parking area in accordance with the subdivision regulations. No surface water from parking areas shall accumulate or drain over a public sidewalk. Interior landscaped areas may be used for surface drainage. The use of pervious asphalt or pavers for nonresidential use is encouraged to prevent surface water runoff. Pervious asphalt or pavers for nonresidential use shall be approved by the Planning Commission prior to installation.

   (e)   Lighting. Fixed lighting shall comply with the provisions contained in § 1294.07 and be so arranged to prevent direct glare of beams onto any public or private property or street.

   (f)   Wheel stops and continuous curbs. Wheel stops or continuous curbs shall be provided, located, and designed to protect required screening, landscaping and pedestrian ways from damage or encroachment of vehicles and to provide necessary traffic control in the parking area.

      (1)   Wheel stops. Each wheel stop shall be a singular block of reinforced concrete, stone, or other durable material six inches in height, six inches in width, and eight feet in length. Wheel stops shall be placed as shown below and securely attached to the ground and may be used only at the end of parking stalls.

      (2)   Continuous curbs. Continuous curbs shall be made of asphalt, concrete, or block stone, and shall be a minimum of six inches in height and six inches in width. They shall form a non- interrupted edge around all landscaped areas adjacent to parking and turn-around areas which are not protected by wheel stops.

      (3)   Placement. The wheel stop or continuous curb shall be located a minimum of four feet from any structures, buildings, walls, or plant material, excluding ground cover to prevent a vehicle from driving onto the landscape area or hitting any structure or plant material at the edge of the parking area. The mature size of the plant material shall be specified to determine if the landscape meets the setback requirements.

   (g)   Slope. No area of any parking lot, excluding entry drives, shall have a slope in excess of 7%. Entry drives or drives that connect parking areas shall not have a slope in excess of 10%.

   (h)   Striping. All nonresidential parking areas shall be striped between stalls to clearly identify each parking space.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   The location and use of required off-street parking spaces shall be governed as follows:

   (a)   Off-street parking. Required off-street parking spaces for any use shall be located on the same parcel as the use they are intended to serve, except where these regulations allow shared parking between uses on different lots pursuant to § 1294.03(c).

   (b)   Residential parking.

      (1)   On any residential use parcel or residential district, no off-street parking area, maneuvering area for parking spaces, or loading area shall be located within any required front yard. This restriction shall not apply to driveways providing access from the street to the required parking area located outside of the required front yard, nor is it intended to prohibit parking of vehicles on such drive serving a detached dwelling. Within ten feet of the right-of-way, the maximum width of the driveway shall be 24 feet in a Single-Family District.

      (2)   No residential parking area or garage shall be utilized for more than one commercial vehicle owned or normally operated by a resident of the premises and such vehicle shall not exceed one and one-half tons capacity.

      (3)   The width of off-street parking for single-family detached residential uses shall be limited to the width of the garage or carport. If no garage or carport exists, the width of the off-street parking area shall be limited to the 12 feet. Additional off-street parking may be permitted in the side yard on a paved area if screened from adjacent properties and approved by the Planning Commission.

      (4)   Existing off-street parking in residential areas legally existing at the time of adoption of these regulations that do not conform to these regulations can remain until:

         A.   The existing dwelling is expanded by 20% or more in gross floor area inclusive of carport or garage addition; or

         B.   The dwelling is damaged to an extent of greater than 33% of its reproduction value.

   Under such circumstances, all off-street parking shall conform to these regulations.

   (c)   Boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and mobile home units.

      (1)   No person shall occupy any boat, camping vehicle, mobile home or trailer on any premises in the Municipality.

      (2)   The parking of a boat, camping vehicle, mobile home or trailer in an accessory private garage or other accessory building or rear yard shall be permitted at any time, provided that no living quarters shall be maintained and no business shall be conducted in such vehicle while it is parked or stored, and provided, further, that no front or side yard shall be occupied by such boat, camping vehicle, mobile home or trailer for more than ten calendar days in one year. If such unit is temporarily parked in the side yard, it shall not be parked any closer than the required front yard setback or front building line, whichever is greater.

      (3)   In addition, in any district, the wheels or any similar transporting devices of any boat, camping vehicle, mobile home or trailer shall not be removed except for repairs, nor shall such vehicle or similar facility be otherwise permanently fixed to the ground in a manner that would prevent the ready removal of such vehicle or similar facility.

      (4)   The occupancy of a mobile home or office unit providing temporary or emergency residential or office space as a result of fire, flood or similar calamity is permitted for a reasonable length of time while the permanent residence or office facility is repaired. Trailers or similar temporary structures required at a construction site for use by the contractor are permitted, but only during actual construction. They shall not be used for storage prior to construction or remain after completion of the project.

      (5)   All units shall be appropriately licensed at all times if required by the State of Ohio.

      (6)   All boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and mobile home units shall be appropriately screened from adjacent properties. Screening shall be approved by the Planning Commission and shall conform to the regulations established in § 1295.05, Landscaping and Screen Standards.

   (d)   Parking of inoperable or abandoned vehicles. The parking or storage of inoperable or abandoned vehicles is prohibited outdoors in all districts and as further provided in this section. The location and duration or temporary parking or storage of an unlicensed operable vehicle may be approved by the Zoning Officer through the issuance of a Temporary Zoning Permit on the basis of the adequacy of the parcel size, condition of the vehicle, visibility from other properties and absence of undue adverse impact on adjacent property or on the area as a whole.

   (e)   Commercial vehicles. No commercial motor vehicle exceeding two tons in rated capacity may be parked in any residential district for longer than 72 consecutive hours unless that commercial vehicle is performing construction or service work, at which point it shall be removed immediately upon the completion of work.

   (f)   Traffic patterns. All parking garages and parking lots shall be located and designed to encourage minimal routing of traffic along public rights-of-way contiguous to blocks that contain primary education facilities or recreation sites designed for children or which have over 50% of their frontage developed with single- or two-family dwellings.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   (a)   Applicability. The following shall govern the landscaping and screening of parking lots in the Municipality:

      (1)   Scope. Where new or expanded off- street parking spaces for motor vehicles are created, the regulations and standards of this section shall apply.

      (2)   Alteration or expansion. Where an existing parking lot containing less than 20 contiguous parking spaces is expanded and thereby contains 20 or more contiguous parking spaces, landscaping and screening for the entire parking area shall be provided and not merely to the extent of its expansion.

      (3)   Maintenance. The duty to provide and maintain landscaping or screening for all such areas shall be the responsibility of the owner or agent of public record of the use for which parking lots are required. Landscaped areas shall be healthy, maintained in good condition and free of all trash, weeds and other rubbish.

   The Municipality reserves the right to maintain the landscaping or screen if the owner or his or her agent fails to do so within six months of notification by the Zoning Officer. The Municipality reserves the right to assess the cost of maintenance to the property tax bill for the subject property.

   (b)   Total landscaping required. The total landscaping and screening required for parking lots is 22 square feet per parking and stacking space. Interior and streetscape landscaping count toward the minimum square feet of landscaping required per parking space.

   (c)   Screening and interior landscaping standards. Screening and interior landscaping shall comply with the following standards:

      (1)   Design.

         A.   Interior landscape areas shall be peninsular or island types. This shall include landscaped parking islands or peninsulas, natural or landscaped detention basins located in the front or side yards, and the required streetscape landscaping area.

         B.   Boundary screening areas shall not be counted as landscape areas for purposes of this section.

         C.   Screening for off-street parking lots shall be required when the parking lot is located within the front yard in order to soften the visual impact of the parking lot and parked vehicles. Screening shall follow the requirements of Sections 1295.05, Landscaping and Screen Standards and 1295.06, Screening and Buffering Required. With the exception of trees, screening materials are recommended to be between three and one-half and four and one-half feet in height.

      (2)   Location. All parking spaces must be at least within 125 feet of a landscaped area.

      (3)   Minimum area. The minimum landscape area shall be 100 square feet with a minimum width and length of ten feet.

      (4)   Surface. Any landscape area provided for under this section shall not contain bare soil. Any ground area shall be covered with stones, mulch, vegetative ground cover, or other surface permeable by water.

      (5)   Retention basins. Natural or landscaped detention basins may count toward minimum square footage landscaping requirements when the basins are in the front or side yards. Retention basins are encouraged to be designed as rain gardens which naturally filter surface runoff water prior to transmitting it into the ground. Rain gardens shall follow the general design guidelines established in the handbook, Rain Garden Guidelines for Southwest Ohio published by the Ohio State University Extension Office and shall be reviewed and approved by the Municipal Engineer.

      (6)   Traffic visibility. No landscaping shall obscure visibility at vehicular intersections with the parking area or other areas where clear visibility is necessary to assure safe circulation. Where safe visibility is impaired, canopy trees shall have branches removed from the trunk at least five feet above the ground and shrubs or ground cover shall not exceed two feet in height. Evergreen trees and understory trees that would impair visibility for safe circulation shall not be planted in these areas.

   (d)   Determination of interior landscape requirements. The landscape requirements shall be computed as follows:

      (1)   Interior landscape area requirement. Determine the landscape area by multiplying the landscape area requirement of 22 sq. ft. per parking and stacking space by the total number of parking spaces on the lot.

      (2)   Planting requirements. To determine the minimum number of canopy trees, use the rate of one canopy tree for each ten parking spaces for retail uses and two canopy trees for each ten parking spaces for non-retail uses. Any fractional number of trees shall be calculated to the next highest whole number. To determine the total number of required shrubs, multiply the total number of required canopy trees by three. One canopy tree may substitute for three shrubs. Trees and shrubs do not have to be equally spaced, but may be grouped.

   (e)   Overlap. When any portion of the parcel is subject to more than one set of landscape or buffer requirements as set forth in this or any other chapter, the most stringent requirement shall control. The most stringent requirements shall be defined as those which require the highest fence, wall or screen or, if no fence, wall or screen is required, the requirements with the greatest quantity of landscaping.

   (f)   Credit. Existing trees and shrubs, fences, walls or berms on a parcel may be used to meet the requirements if they meet the standards established in this chapter and are approved as credit by the Planning Commission.

   (g)   Plant installation and maintenance standards. All new plant material as part of the requirements for this chapter shall be in accordance with Chapter 1295 Screening and Landscaping.

   (h)   Modifications. In the event that the unusual topography or elevation of a development site, the size of the parcel to be developed, the extent of expansion or redevelopment of the site or parking area is deemed to be insignificant, or the presence of existing buffers on adjacent developed property would make strict adherence to the requirements of this chapter serve no meaningful purpose or would make it physically impossible to install and maintain the required landscaping, the Planning Commission may, upon proper application by the property owner, and upon making findings of fact, modify the requirements of this chapter provided the existing or resulting landscape features of the development site comply with the spirit and intent of this chapter, Chapter 1295 and other related chapters.

   (i)   Authority. The Planning Commission has the authority to review and approve any proposed landscape modifications.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   The following restrictions shall apply to any outdoor lighting located in any district or parcels where there are nonresidential off-street parking spaces.

   (a)   Lighting plan required. A lighting plan is required for any off-street parking and loading area lighting. The following information shall be submitted, as a minimum, in order to effectively evaluate the proposed lighting:

      (1)   Pole height or mounting height of lighting fixture;

      (2)   Type of luminaries;

      (2)   Site coverage;

      (4)   Uniformity including the maximum, average and minimum footcandles;

      (5)   Intensity at property line in footcandles.

   (b)   Height. All outdoor lighting shall be designed, located, and mounted at heights no greater than 16 feet above grade for non-cutoff lights and 32 feet above grade for cutoff lights. A greater height may be authorized in any district by a Variance approved pursuant to, Chapter 1254. Cutoff and non- cutoff lights are illustrated below:

   (c)   Illumination. All outdoor lighting shall be designed and located with a maximum illumination of 1.0 footcandles as measured at the property line.

   (d)   Shielding. All outdoor lighting for nonresidential uses shall be located, screened, or shielded so that adjacent lots located in residential districts are not directly illuminated.

   (e)   Color and glare. No outdoor lighting shall be of such an intensity or color distortion as to cause glare or to impair the vision of drivers or pedestrians.

   (f)   Location. Outdoor lighting need not comply with the yard requirements of this Code, except that no such light shall obstruct sight triangles as defined in § 1296.04, Obstructions to Traffic Visibility on Corner Lots.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

The following minimum number of parking spaces shall be provided on the same lot as the use or building they are intended to serve, or may be provided on adjacent lots subject to other provisions of this Section. This Section is also subject to § 1294.03(d), Maximum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces Permitted.

 

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   (a)   Scope of application. Every building or structure erected and occupied for retail, industrial or other uses involving the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by vehicle shall provide a permanently maintained space for standing, loading and unloading services in order to avoid undue interference with public use of the streets, alleys, or required parking areas. Such off-street loading areas shall comply with the following standards in this section.

   (b)   Number of off-street loading spaces required. Off-street loading spaces shall be provided for commercial, and industrial uses in accordance with the table below. Loading spaces shall not conflict with or overlap with the area used for parking.

 

 

   (c)   General standards. Every loading space shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the standards and requirements set forth below.

      (1)   Location of required loading spaces. Loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the building or structure to which they are accessory. No loading space shall be located in any required front yard, nor shall it permit any vehicle to extend into any front yard or across any lot line of a more restrictive district while being loaded or unloaded. No such space shall be closer than 50 feet to any other lot located in any Residence District, unless wholly within a completely enclosed building.

      (2)   Dimensions. No required loading space shall be less than 12 feet in width or 35 feet in length or have a vertical clearance of less than 14 feet.

      (3)   Access. Loading spaces shall be designed and arranged to provide access to a street or alley in a manner that will create the least possible interference with traffic movement and parking lot circulation. Access to and from loading spaces shall be approved by the Zoning Officer.

      (4)   Surface. All loading spaces shall be graded and provided with a durable and dustless hard surface of asphalt, Portland cement, concrete, or other suitable materials capable of withstanding 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

      (5)   Drainage. Individual stalls shall be graded to drain so as to dispose of all surface water within the parking area in accordance with the subdivision regulations. No surface water from parking areas shall accumulate or drain over a public sidewalk.

      (6)   Screening. All operations, material, and vehicles within any loading space that are visible from public streets or from residential uses shall be screened. The screening material, upon installation, shall be at least six feet in height, 100 percent opaque, and shall meet the requirements for screening as set forth in Chapter 1295, Screening and Landscaping.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)

   This section shall be applicable to all uses where commercial and fleet vehicles are parked.

   (a)   Minimum setbacks. Any vehicular storage yard shall be located behind the minimum front yard setback or the front building line for the site, whichever is greater.

   (b)   Screening. All vehicular storage yards that are visible from public roads or residential districts shall be screened. The screening material shall be at least six feet in height and 100 percent opaque, upon installation, and shall meet the requirements for screening as set forth in Chapter 1295.

   (c)   Contractor equipment. Contractor equipment shall not be parked or stored on site as to be visible from the public right-of-way.

   (d)   Stored vehicles. Vehicles that are not moved daily or which will not be moved for a period of more than 48 hours shall be parked so that they are not visible from the public right-of-way.

(Ord. 17-2013, passed 9-24-2013)