In any district, all structures erected or enlarged and all uses established or expanded, shall provide off-street parking and loading spaces in accordance with the requirements established herein.

(a)

All required off-street parking or loading spaces shall be maintained for parking or loading use for as long as the principal use for which such spaces were established shall remain.

(b)

No enlargement of a building, structure or use shall reduce the number of existing parking or loading spaces below the minimum number required unless provisions are made elsewhere on the premises for replacement spaces. Additional parking or loading spaces shall be provided to accommodate any additional demand created by such enlargement.

(c)

In the event more than one principal use which requires parking or loading space is erected or established on the same premises, parking or loading space shall be provided on the basis of the sum of the required spaces for each use, except in the case of approved planned developments. For the purpose of this section, a shopping center, or a commercial facility containing three (3) or more attached tenant spaces but which does not meet the minimum lot area, setback or other design requirements specified by this chapter for shopping centers, shall be considered a single principal use and, except for theaters or bingo halls located within such centers, parking requirements need not be calculated separately for each establishment therein.

(d)

The parking or loading requirements established herein shall be superseded if different requirements are established by the board as a condition of other approvals required by this chapter.

(Ord. No. 01-20(R), 10-16-01; Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03; Ord. No. 08-17(R), 3-17-09)

(a)

The off-street parking facilities required by this article shall be located on the same lot or parcel of land or within the same project and in reasonable proximity to the uses or structures that they are intended to serve. For nonresidential uses the zoning administrator may authorize an alternate or cooperative location, subject to the following:

(1)

An alternate location is one that provides parking only for the use in question, but on a different lot or parcel.

(2)

A cooperative location is defined as one that provides parking for two (2) or more uses, and has combined parking spaces equal to the sum required for the separate uses. The hours of operation and parking demand of such uses shall be considered and where sufficient offset in parking demand occurs, the zoning administrator may authorize a reduction in the total number of spaces required. It shall be the applicant's responsibility to provide documentation in support of such a reduction.

(3)

Such parking spaces shall be conveniently and safely accessible to pedestrians.

(4)

All such parking spaces shall be on property zoned for the uses which require the parking spaces or for more intensive uses.

(5)

The right to permanently use such property for parking shall be established by deed, easement, lease or similar recorded covenant or agreement, shall be approved as to form and content by the county attorney, and shall be recorded in the clerk's office of the circuit court. (See sample agreements in Appendix B)

(6)

Should such off-street parking spaces become unavailable for use at some future time, an equal number of parking spaces shall be constructed and provided on either the primary site or by another off-site arrangement meeting the requirements of this article. Failure to provide or construct such replacement parking spaces within ninety (90) days from the date on which the use of the previously available off-street spaces was terminated shall be a violation of this chapter.

(b)

Unless the zoning administrator approves otherwise for good cause shown, parking for customers shall be located no farther from the main entrance(s) of the use it is to serve than indicated below:

• Automobile—750'     • Handicapped—100'

(c)

Location of all or the majority of off-street parking to the side or rear of the principal building is strongly encouraged so as to enhance opportunities for landscaping in front of buildings and complement site architecture.

(Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03)

(a)

Every parking space shall afford satisfactory ingress and egress for a motor vehicle without requiring another motor vehicle to be moved, except for the following:

(1)

Parking spaces for single family detached, duplex and townhouse dwellings where the parking spaces are located on the same lot as the dwelling unit. This exception shall not extend to required parking spaces for accessory apartments in single family detached dwellings, or for visitor parking in townhouse developments, or for parking required in conjunction with home occupations.

(2)

Stacking spaces for dropping off or picking up passengers where the duration of parking is ten (10) minutes or less on average.

(b)

Valet parking arrangements may be authorized by the zoning administrator and shall not be subject to this section.

(Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03)

(a)

In calculating the number of required off-street parking spaces the following rules shall govern:

(1)

Floor area shall mean the gross floor area of the specific use measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating two attached buildings. Unless otherwise specified, floor area shall include associated corridors, utility rooms and storage space.

(2)

Parking spaces required on a per employee or per person basis in the standards which follow shall be based on the maximum number of employees or persons on duty or residing, or both, on the premises at any one time, or the maximum occupancy load (based on Building and Fire Codes) of the building or use, whichever is greater. Overlapping demand for parking spaces at shift changes shall be considered in determining these maximum loads.

(3)

Where fractional spaces result, the parking or loading spaces required shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.

(4)

The parking or loading space requirement for a use not specifically mentioned shall be the same as required for a use of a materially similar nature, as determined by the zoning administrator. A site-specific parking analysis and plan may be required by the zoning administrator to establish parking demands for uses not listed and for which the zoning administrator determines that a materially similar use listing does not exist herein.

(5)

Except for shopping centers, or commercial facilities containing three (3) or more attached tenant spaces but which do not meet the minimum lot area, setback or other design requirements specified by this chapter for shopping centers, where multiple principal uses occupy the same site (either in the same building or in separate buildings) the parking spaces required shall equal the sum of the parking space requirements of the various uses computed separately.

(b)

Applicants may have a site and use-specific parking and/or loading space analysis and plan prepared by a professional qualified to perform such studies for submission to the county for use in lieu of the numerical parking or loading space standards contained in this article. Such an analysis and plan shall be based on parking/loading demands at comparable local uses or establishments taken within six (6) months of the date of submission and shall include comparisons with Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) documents and manuals. The analysis and plan may include provisions for a reasonable number of compact car spaces in lieu of full-sized spaces. In addition to the above-noted adjustments, the parking analysis may also propose, and the zoning administrator may approve, the construction of a portion of the required parking for a site in an "overflow" or "peak demand" lot. Such lots may be designed with grid paving systems that allow grass to grow within the paver voids and curbing and wheel stops may be eliminated from this portion of the parking lot.

The professional qualifications of the preparer shall accompany the report. Upon approval by the zoning administrator, the site-specific parking or loading plan shall guide the development for the site, provided, however, that if the plan provides for fewer parking or loading spaces than would otherwise be required, an area sufficient to accommodate one-half (½) of the difference shall be reserved for a period of five (5) years and maintained as landscaped open space during that time. At any time during that 5-year period the zoning administrator may, in recognition of five (5) or more documented instances where parking demand for the site has exceeded available supply, issue a written notice to the property owner requiring that reserved open space area be converted to paved parking spaces. A reserved area shall not be required where the site and use-specific parking analysis and plan refers to a use for which a specific or comparable listing is not provided in section 24.1-608.

(c)

Business vehicles shall be parked on the site in properly paved and located spaces. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for accommodating business vehicle parking needs without adversely impacting the availability of parking for customers, clients and employees. Adverse impact shall be considered to include instances where, due to inadequate space, business or customer vehicles must park in travel aisles, driveways, unpaved areas or other inappropriate locations as determined by the zoning administrator.

(Ord No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03; Ord. No. 08-17(R), 3-17-09; Ord. No. 09-22(R), 10-20-09)

(a)

Spaces designated for off-street loading shall not be counted toward the required number of offstreet parking spaces, except where specifically approved by the zoning administrator in consideration of appropriate documentation that loading space needs will occur when parking space demand is not at its peak.

(b)

Off-street loading spaces shall be located so that there is sufficient room for the turning and maneuvering of vehicles using loading spaces.

(c)

All off-street loading spaces including aisles and driveways leading to them shall be constructed of concrete, asphalt or other equivalent permanent, dustless surface material.

(d)

Off-street loading spaces may be incorporated into the overall design and layout of parking and circulation systems provided that no individual parking spaces will be encroached upon, except as authorized in subsection (a) above, and that vehicles utilizing such loading spaces will not interfere with vehicular circulation on the site or on adjacent public rights-of-way.

(e)

Each off-street loading space shall be not less than twelve feet by fifty feet (12' × 50') in dimension with a vertical clearance of not less than fifteen feet (15'). The zoning administrator may authorize a reduction in the length of the required loading space in consideration of the characteristics of the use and appropriate documentation of typical delivery vehicle traffic.

(Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03)

Off-street parking spaces and loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the minimum standards set forth in the following tables. These standards prescribe the minimum amount of parking and loading space that must be provided in conjunction with various uses and nothing shall prohibit the installation of more than the required minimums, provided however, that an additional twenty (20) landscape credits shall be provided/earned on the site for every ten (10) spaces in excess of the minimum number. Such additional landscaping shall be installed in the parking lot or around its perimeter.

(a)

Category 1—Residential and related uses.

¹ A parking space located within a garage shall be credited as one-half (1/2) of a required parking space

(b)

Category 2—Agriculture, Animal Keeping and Related Uses.

(c)

Category 3—Home Occupations. (Refer to Article II—Division 8)

(d)

Category 4—Community Uses.

(e)

Category 5—Educational Uses.

(f)

Category 6 Institutional Uses.

(g)

Category 7—Public and Semi Public Uses.

(h)

Category 8—Temporary Uses.

(i)

Category 9—Recreation and Amusement Uses.

(j)

Category 10—Commercial/Retail Uses.

(k)

Category 11—Business/Professional Service.

(l)

Category 12—Motor Vehicle/Transportation.

(m)

Category 13—Shopping Centers.

(n)

Category 14—Wholesaling/Warehousing.

(o)

Categories 15, 16 and 17—Limited Industrial Uses, General Industrial Uses, and Utilities.

(Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03; Ord. No. 05-13(R), 5-17-05; Ord. No. 06-19(R), 7-18-06; Ord. No. 06-21, 9-19-06; Ord. No. 14-27, 12-16-14; Ord. No. 20-5, 3-17-20; Ord. No. 24-17(R), 9-17-24; Ord. No. 25-17, 7-15-25)

(a)

Required off-street parking spaces for single-family detached and duplex dwellings shall be a minimum of nine feet by eighteen feet (9' × 18') in dimension with a driveway which is constructed with an all-weather surface, affording safe and convenient access, and passable by emergency vehicles at all times.

(b)

Except as provided in section 24.1-607(e) all other parking spaces intended for use by the general public shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet by eighteen feet (9' × 18'), or ten (10) feet by twenty (20) feet if parallel. Where separate employee spaces are designated on the site and are situated in some manner as to be clearly distinguishable from the remaining spaces, such spaces may be designed with minimum dimensions of eight feet by sixteen feet (8' × 16').

(c)

Where parking spaces are arranged along a walkway, median or landscaped island of at least nine (9) feet in width, a one and one-half foot (1.5') overhang credit may be deducted from the required length of the parking space. Where this credit is used, the adjacent landscaped island or walkway shall be increased in width by an equal amount.

(d)

All permanent off-street parking areas proposed in conjunction with any development other than single-family detached or duplex dwellings which is subject to the requirements of this chapter shall comply with the following design standards:

(1)

Parking areas shall be constructed of concrete, asphalt or other equivalent permanent, dustless surface such as cobblestone, Belgian block, brick, grid pavers, interlocking pavers, or similar surface material.

The above provision notwithstanding, the zoning administrator may approve unpaved or gravel parking areas provided that a specific request, detailing the environmental conditions giving rise to the request, is submitted in writing at the time of plan submission. Said unpaved or gravel parking areas must be an integral part of an overall stormwater management plan for the project.

(2)

Parking lots shall be set apart from landscaped areas by a permanent curb or wheel stop. In the event a parking lot is adjacent to a parking lot on another parcel and both lots are served by a joint entrance, the zoning administrator may approve a transfer of the required landscaped strip along the common property line to another location on the site. In such situations, fifty percent (50%) of the area to be transferred shall be added to the landscaping otherwise required in front of the principal building on the site.

(3)

Traffic aisles in parking lots shall conform with the following criteria:

(4)

Parking lots shall be designed and constructed so that spaces are grouped into bays separated by landscaped traffic islands each of which shall be surrounded by a curb. There shall be no more than fifteen (15) parking spaces in a row without an intervening landscaped island, provided however, that the zoning administrator may approve alternative arrangements where landscaped islands in other parts of the parking lot are enlarged to exceed the minimum dimensions specified below. Such islands and bays shall be designed to provide a clear delineation of circulation patterns, guide vehicular traffic, prevent unsafe diagonal movements through the parking lot, break large expanses of pavement into subareas to improve both the appearance and climate of the parking lot, minimize glare and noise, and delineate safe pedestrian walkways. The minimum size of any island shall be one hundred fifty (150) square feet with a minimum width of nine feet (9').

(5)

A minimum of seven and one-half percent (7.5%) of the total surface area in parking lots shall be maintained in traffic islands or other interior planting areas within the lot including all traffic islands provided or required herein. Any landscaping within or around the traffic aisles of such parking areas shall be maintained so as to prevent visual obstructions between the height of three feet (3') and six feet (6') where such obstructions could impair vehicular safety.

(6)

Landscaping of traffic islands and circulation control improvements, as required above, shall be provided in accordance with article II, division 4 and the following specifications:

a.

Existing mature trees and natural vegetation shall be protected and preserved during and after the development process in accordance with the provisions of section 24.1-242 wherever possible, particularly around the perimeter of parking areas.

b.

At least fifty percent (50%) of the trees installed in parking lots shall have a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches (2-½").

c.

Trees within landscaped strips located adjacent to parking spaces shall be placed at least four feet (4') from the face of curbs or wheel stops or at the corners of parking spaces in order to protect plant materials from damage.

d.

The specific types and locations of landscaping materials selected for planting shall conform to the provisions of article II, division 4 of this chapter and shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking area.

(7)

Sidewalks shall be provided to facilitate safe and convenient pedestrian movements within and between such parking areas and the establishments which they serve. Sidewalks shall be designed in accordance with all applicable barrier-free access standards as specified by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(8)

Outdoor lighting shall be installed at appropriate locations to provide illumination for parking areas and pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular circulation routes and especially to establishments which will be patronized during non-daylight hours.

(9)

Parking spaces for the physically handicapped, including lift-equipped van-accessible spaces, shall be provided and labeled on the plan in accordance with the numerical and design standards established for the physically handicapped and aged, by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and as specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(10)

All parking lots shall be visually screened from public street rights-of-way by means of landscaping which provides a visual screen of the parking lot throughout the year. Unless otherwise required by this chapter or by the terms of a special use permit, the buildings on the site need not be entirely screened.

(11)

Outdoor storage and display shall not be permitted in required parking spaces. If outdoor storage and display is to be located in non-required parking areas, such area shall be delineated on the site plan and shall be located so that it does not impede traffic circulation on the site and does not create safety or visibility problems for vehicles and pedestrians using the parking lot.

(e)

In the case of parking lots containing twenty (20) spaces or more, the developer may elect to designate up to a maximum of twenty percent (20%) of such spaces for the use of compact cars. The minimum dimensions of such spaces shall be eight feet by sixteen feet (8' × 16') with traffic aisle widths remaining unchanged. Such spaces shall be located so as to be convenient to all major entrances of the proposed establishment and shall be clearly identified through appropriate signage and pavement markings as to their function.

(f)

No certificate of zoning compliance or certificate of occupancy may be issued unless the following criteria are fully satisfied with regard to the approved parking plan:

(1)

Such plan has been fully implemented on the site, including installation of landscaping, curbs, paving or other surface treatment, painting or striping to delineate individual spaces, installation of necessary regulatory, warning and directional signage, delineation of handicapped spaces and all other aspects required or shown on the approved plan; or

(2)

Such plan, because of unanticipated weather conditions, cannot be fully implemented immediately, but has been guaranteed by a postponed improvement agreement between the developer and the county in a form acceptable to the county attorney, and secured by a letter of credit, cash escrow or other instrument acceptable to the county attorney in an amount equal to the remaining cost of such implementation plus a reasonable allowance for estimated administrative costs, inflation and potential damage to existing improvements and vegetation. The zoning administrator shall determine, on a case-by-case basis, the minimum acceptable level of improvement necessary for issuance of a conditional certificate of zoning compliance under these circumstances.

(Ord. No. 03-42(R), 12-2-03)

The following provisions shall apply to the parking or placement of automobiles, trucks, trailers, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, boats, tractors, heavy construction equipment or other types of motorized vehicle or equipment with the intent to offer such vehicles or equipment for sale or rent. For the purposes of this section, the presence of signs, lettering, papers, flyers or other visible information on or within the vehicle indicating it to be for sale or rent shall be deemed evidence of such intent.

(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person to park or place any such vehicle for sale or rent upon or in any street or street right-of-way.

(b)

The owner or occupant of a parcel on which an occupied commercial or industrial structure is located may park an automobile, light-duty truck, recreational vehicle or trailer, boat or cargo trailer on the property for the purpose of selling or offering the vehicle for sale, provided that:

(1)

The vehicle is owned by the owner or occupant of the property, or a member of the owner/occupant's immediate family. For the purposes of this section, the term "immediate family" shall be deemed to include natural or legally defined offspring or parents or grandparents of the owner or occupant of the premises.

(2)

The vehicle is parked on a paved or graveled parking space on the property, and shall not be parked on grassed or landscaped portions of the property.

(3)

Any lettering on the vehicle indicating it to be "for sale" shall not exceed six (6) square feet in area.

(4)

Not more than two (2) vehicles shall be parked or displayed "for sale" at any time and not more than five (5) vehicles may be parked or displayed "for sale" on any premises within the same calendar year.

(5)

In the event the commercial or industrial use occupying the property is authorized to include the on-premises parking or storage of heavy construction equipment, large trucks, and similar vehicles/equipment, the above-noted limitation to "light-duty trucks" shall be waived.

(c)

Parking of vehicles or equipment for sale or rent on undeveloped or vacant property, or on property on which the principal structure(s) are unoccupied, shall be prohibited.

(d)

Violations of the terms of this section shall be enforceable against the owner of the property and the owner of the vehicle.

(e)

The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the sale or rental of vehicles or equipment when conducted from a site which has been authorized, pursuant to the terms of this chapter, for the conduct of vehicle or equipment sales/rental as a principal use of the property.

(Ord. No. 06-19(R), 7-18-06; Ord. No. 19-1(R), 3-19-19)