1.    Overall Requirements.

      A.   Number of Spaces. Each use that is newly developed, enlarged, signifi cantly changed in type of use, or increased in number of establishments shall provide and maintain off-street parking spaces in accordance with Table 27-601.1 and the regulations of this Part.

      B.   Uses Not Listed. Uses not specifically listed in Table 27-601.1 shall comply with the requirements for the most similar use listed in Table 27-601.1, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that an alternative standard should be used for that use.

      C.   Multiple Uses. Where a proposed lot 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.

      D.   Parking Landscaping. See §§27-803 and 27-804 of this Chapter.

 

   1.   General. Parking spaces and accessways shall be laid out to result in safe and orderly use, and to fully take into account all of the following: vehicular access onto and off the site, vehicular movement within the site, loading areas, pedestrian patterns and any drive-through facilities. No parking area shall cause a safety hazard or impediment to traffic off the lot.

   2.   Existing Parking.

      A.   Any parking spaces serving such pre-existing structures or uses at the time of adoption of this Chapter shall not in the future be reduced in number below the number required by this Chapter.

      B.   If a new principal nonresidential building is constructed on a lot, then any existing parking on such lot that serves such building shall be reconfigured to comply with this Chapter, including, but not limited to, requirements for channelization of traffic from adjacent streets, channelization of traffic within the lot, minimum aisle widths, paving and landscaping.

   3.   Change in Use or Expansion. A structure or use in existence at the effective date of this Chapter that expands or changes in use of an existing principal building shall be required to provide all of the required parking for the entire size and type of the resulting use, except as follows:

      A.   If a nonresidential use expands by an aggregate total maximum of 5 percent in the applicable measurement (such as building floor area) beyond what existed at the time of adoption of this Chapter, then no additional parking is required. For example, if an existing building included 3,000 square feet, and a single minor addition of 150 square feet was proposed, then additional parking would not be required. This addition without providing new parking shall only be allowed one time per lot.

   4.   Continuing Obligation of Parking and Loading Spaces. All required numbers of parking spaces and off-street loading spaces shall be available as long as the use or building which the spaces serve still exist, and such spaces shall not be reduced in number below the minimum required by this Chapter. No required parking area or off- street loading spaces shall be used for any other use (such as storage or display of materials) that interferes with the area’s availability for parking.

   5.   Location of Parking.

      A.   Required off-street parking spaces shall be on the same lot or abutting lot with the principal use served, unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer that a method of providing the spaces is guaranteed to be available during all of the years the use is in operation within 300 feet walking distance from the entrance of the principal use being served. A written and signed lease shall be provided, if applicable. A sign shall direct persons to the parking spaces.

         (1)   The Zoning Officer may require evidence at any time that the parking continues to be available for the use. If such parking is not available in the future, the zoning permit shall be considered to have been revoked, unless the applicant proves that other parking is provided that meets the requirement.

(Ord. 2014-02, 10/7/2014, §602)

   1.   General Requirements.

      A.   Backing onto a Street. No parking area of four or more parking spaces shall be designed to require or encourage parked vehicles to back into a public street in order to leave a parking space, except for a driveway that enters onto a local street or a parking court. Parking spaces may back onto an alley.

      B.   Except for spaces serving one household, every required parking space shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other vehicle.

      C.   Parking areas shall not extend into a required buffer yard. New parking spaces shall only be allowed within a street right-of-way where they are specifically approved by the Borough.

      D.   Separation from Street. Except for parking spaces immediately in front of individual dwellings, all areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading and the storage or movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from the street by a continuous grass or landscaped planting strip, except for necessary and approved vehicle entrances and exits to the lot.

      E.   Stacking and Obstructions. Each lot shall provide adequate area upon the lot to prevent back-up of vehicles on a public street while awaiting entry to the lot, or while waiting for service at a drive-through facility.

      F.   Provisions Allowing Flexibility or Reduction of Parking Requirements.

         (1)   See the provisions of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance that may allow a portion of parking to be reserved for future use if needed. See the provisions of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance that may allow a reduction of parking when two or more uses share the parking and have different peak needs. Where one of those modifications are approved, a variance shall not be needed to the provisions of this Part.

         (2)   In the Town Center Zoning District, an applicant may count legal on- street parking spaces that are in front of his/her lot and that are on the same side of the street towards meeting some of the required number of parking spaces.

   2.   Size and Marking of Parking Spaces.

      A.   Each parking space shall be a rectangle with a minimum width of 9 feet and a minimum length of 18 feet, except the minimum sized rectangle shall be 8 feet by 22 feet for parallel parking, except as provided for parking for persons with disabilities in subsection .7 below. The 9 by 18 feet space size shall supercede any larger parking space requirement in the SALDO. Larger parking spaces are required for persons with disabilities, as provided below.

      B.   All spaces shall be marked to indicate their location, except those of a one- or two-family dwelling, and except where stone parking may be allowed.

   3.   Parking Aisles. See the provisions in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

   4.   Driveways.

   A.

 

 

      B.   Drainage. Adequate provisions shall be made to maintain uninterrupted parallel drainage along a public street at the point of driveway entry. The Borough may require an applicant to install an appropriate type and size of pipe at a driveway crossing.

      C.   Clear Sight Distances. A driveway shall be designed and located to minimize obstructions to vision by motorists and pedestrians of other traffic. The Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance includes sight distance require ments for new driveways. PennDOT also has sight distance requirements for driveways entering onto a State road.

      D.   Driveway Setbacks. A new driveway shall be set back the following minimum distances from the following features:

         (1)   Forty feet from the intersecting street rights-of-way of two public streets.

         (2)   Twenty feet from a fire hydrant.

         (3)   One hundred feet from another driveway on the same lot along the same street, unless the driveways are one-way pairs or one is right hand turn only, and except for driveways serving individual dwelling units.

         (4)   Five feet from a utility pole, electric service box or similar utility structure.

      E.   Slope and Width. The slope of a driveway shall not exceed 8 percent within 25 feet of a street right-of-way. The slope and width of a driveway and the clear height above it shall be sufficient to allow access by emergency vehicles.

      F.   Driveway Grading. Where a driveway is cut through a bank, unless an approved retaining wall is used, the finished slope shall not result in a slope of greater than 2:1, within 25 feet of where the driveway enters the street right-of- way. Grading shall allow drainage to continue to gutters, unless an alternative method of drainage is approved. Re-grading shall not result in a slope of greater than 5 percent for public sidewalks, unless a stricter requirement is required by PennDOT within a State road right-of-way.

   5.   Paving, Grading and Drainage. This subsection shall only apply when the same matter is not submitted for approval under the Subdivision and Land Develop ment Ordinance.

      A.   Parking and loading facilities and including driveways shall be graded and adequately drained to prevent erosion or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining properties.

      B.   Except for landscaped areas, all portions of required parking areas for commercial, industrial, multi-family and institutional uses involving four or more spaces, off-street loading facilities and driveways serving such uses shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, paving block, or other low-dust materials pre- approved by the Borough.

         (1)   If a residential driveway is over 100 feet long, only the first 25 feet is required to have such hard surfaces, while the remainder may be crushed stone.

         (2)   Driveways limited to use by emergency vehicles are not required to be paved provided the fire company approves the proposed surface.

         (3)   Driveways and parking that serve public uses, public parks and public recreation areas are not required to be paved.

         (4)   However, by special exception, the Zoning Hearing Board may allow parking areas with low or seasonal usage to be maintained in stone, grass or other suitable surfaces. For example, the Board may allow parking spaces to be grass, while major aisles are covered by stone.

         (5)   If the design and materials are found to be acceptable in writing by the Borough Engineer, portions of parking areas may be covered with a low- dust porous pavement surface that is designed to promote groundwater recharge.

      C.   Motor vehicles shall not routinely be parked on grass or dirt surfaces, except where specifically approved under the above provisions. Entrances to parking spaces shall only occur at lawful driveway locations.

   6.   Lighting of Parking Areas. See “Light and Glare Control” in Part 5.

   7.   Parking for Persons with Disabilities.

      A.   Number of Spaces. See requirements under the Federal Americans With Disabilities Act for parking for persons with disabilities. The following is a summary of some of the relevant requirements in effect as of the enactment of this Chapter.

 

      C.   Minimum Size and Slope. See requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act regulations.

      D.   Marking. All required handicapped spaces shall be well-marked in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Such signs and/or markings shall be maintained over time.

      E.   Paving. Handicapped parking spaces and adjacent areas needed to access them with a wheelchair shall be covered with a smooth surface that is usable with a wheelchair.

      F.   Note: A separate Borough ordinance addresses placement of an individual handicapped parking space in front of a home.

   8.   Paved Area Setbacks (Including Off-Street Parking Setbacks).

      A.   Intent. To ensure that parked or moving vehicles within a lot do not obstruct sight distance or interfere with pedestrian traffic, to aid in stormwater management along streets, and to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting a lot other than at approved driveways.

      B.   Any new or expanded vehicle parking or vehicle storage area of 4 or more parking spaces that serves a principal nonresidential use shall be separated from a public street by a planting strip. The planting strip shall have a minimum width of 10 feet and be maintained in grass or other attractive vegetative groundcover. The planting strip may be on one or both sides of any sidewalk, provided the planting width totals 10 feet. This 10 feet width shall be increased to 20 feet for a lot including 20 or more parking spaces that are visible from the street.

         (1)   The planting strip shall not include heights or locations of plants that would obstruct safe sight distances, but may include deciduous trees that allow motorists to maintain views under the leaf canopy.

         (2)   The planting strip may be placed inward from the shoulder of an uncurbed street or inward from the curb of a curbed street. The planting strip may overlap the street right-of-way, provided it does not conflict with PennDOT requirements, and provided that the Borough and PennDOT, as applicable, maintain the right to replace planting areas within the right-of-way with future street improvements.

         (3)   Approximately perpendicular driveway crossings may be placed within the planting strip. Mostly vegetative stormwater channels may be placed within the planting strip.

         (4)   The following shall be prohibited within the planting strip:

            (a)   Paving, except as allowed by subparagraph (3) above, and except for street widenings that may occur after the development is completed.

            (b)   Fences.

            (c)   Parking, storage or display of vehicles or manufactured homes or items for sale or rent or junk.

         (5)   Where feasible, where a sidewalk is not installed, this setback should include an unobstructed generally level width running parallel to a street that is suitable for a person to walk.

      C.   See landscaping requirements in §§27-803 and 27-804.

(Ord. 2014-02, 10/7/2014, §603)

   1.   Each use shall provide off-street loading facilities, which meet the require ments of this Section, sufficient to accommodate the maximum demand generated by the use and the maximum size vehicle, in a manner that will not routinely obstruct traffic on a public street and traffic entering and exiting the lot. If no other reasonable alternative is feasible, traffic may be obstructed for occasional loading and unloading along an alley, provided traffic has the ability to use another method of access.

   2.   At the time of review under this Chapter. the applicant shall provide evidence to the Zoning Officer on whether the use will have sufficient numbers and sizes of loading facilities. The Planning Commission and/or Borough Council may provide advice to the Zoning Officer on this matter as part of any plan review by such boards. For the purposes of this Section, the words “loading” and “unloading” are used interchangeably.

   3.   Each space and the needed maneuvering room shall not intrude into approved buffer areas and landscaped areas.

(Ord. 2014-02, 10/7/2014, §604)

   1.   Fire lanes shall be provided where required by State or Federal regulations or other local ordinances.

   2.   Access shall be also provided so that fire equipment can reach all sides of principal nonresidential buildings and multi-family/apartment buildings. This access shall be able to support a loaded fire pumper truck, but shall not necessarily be paved.

   3.   The specific locations of fire lanes and fire equipment access are subject to approval by the Borough, after review by local fire officials.

(Ord. 2014-02, 10/7/2014, §605)