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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-30-168_Zoning Regulations, Parking and Loading1 CHAPTER 168 ZONING REGULATIONS PARKING AND LOADING 168.01 Purpose and Scope 168.07 Parking for Persons with Disabilities 168.02 Jurisdiction 168.08 Dimensional Requirements 168.03 Applicability 168.09 Landscaping, Screening and Open Space 168.04 Off-Street Loading Spaces Required Requirements 168.05 Lighting Requirements 168.10 Off-Street Parking Spaces Required 168.06 Off-Street Parking Regulations 168.01 PURPOSE AND SCOPE. The purpose of this chapter is to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens to be accomplished so as to: 1.Prevent traffic congestion and hazards. 2.Provide for proper traffic safety by preserving the public thoroughfares for the unimpaired movement of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic. 3.Provide for attractive, secure, properly lighted, and well screened off-street parking and loading facilities. 4.Assure the mobility and access of emergency vehicles. 5.Provide for appropriately designed parking and loading facilities in proportion to the needs generated by the varying types of land use in order to maintain the character of the City environment. 6.Minimize the negative visual impacts of large expanses of parking and loading areas by reducing glare from parking lots through open space and landscaping in and around parking areas. 168.02 JURISDICTION. The lawful use of parking and loading facilities existing on January 8, 2007, may be continued although such facilities may not conform to the regulations herein. Parking and loading facilities permitted before the adoption of the regulations herein shall be referred to as “permitted nonconforming uses.” No permit shall be issued for any lot, tenant, or development after the effective date of this chapter unless the same is in conformity with, the provisions of this chapter. No parking or loading facility, except where specified herein, may be substantially improved, converted, enlarged or otherwise altered without conforming to this chapter. 168.03 APPLICABILITY. In any and all districts in connection with every industrial, commercial, business, recreational, or dwelling use, and all other uses, space for off-street parking and storage of any vehicle shall be provided in accordance with all of the following regulations except where otherwise specified herein. 168.04 OFF-STREET LOADING SPACES REQUIRED. 1.Loading Areas With Dock. Loading areas that have a dock shall have a minimum width of 12 feet and a minimum length of 40 feet. 2 2.Loading Areas Without Dock. Loading areas that do not have a dock shall have a minimum width of 10 feet and a minimum length of 25 feet. 3.Location of Loading Areas. Loading areas shall generally be located behind a building not fronting a public street right-of-way. Loading areas should be set back from an adjoining R District a distance of at least 25 feet or not less than the minimum required landscape buffer from the R District boundary and an opaque screen or buffer should be installed and maintained. 4.Use of Street or Alley Restricted. No portion of a public street or alley should be allowed to accommodate loading area functions unless otherwise designated by the City. 168.05 LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS. Lighting requirements for off-street parking and loading areas shall comply with the standards as established in Chapters 160 through 163 (Site Plan Requirements) of this Code of Ordinances. 168.06 OFF-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS. All of the following standards shall apply to all off-street parking: 1.Parking Spaces Required. No structure or use shall be permitted or constructed unless off-street parking spaces are provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. 2.Arrangement and Marking. All parking areas shall be so arranged and marked so as to provide for orderly and safe loading or unloading, parking, and storage of vehicles. 3.Use of Spaces Restricted. Required parking spaces shall be used only for the parking of vehicles for property owners, guests, renters, patrons or employees of the site. Required parking spaces shall not be used for the commercial sale, display, rental or repair of other vehicles. 4.Surfaced Areas; Private Property. All parking of vehicles, including automobiles, vans, campers, trucks, trailers, tractors, recreational vehicles, boats, construction equipment and any other mobile vehicle equipped for street and highway travel shall occur on permanent impervious surface (concrete or asphalt) areas and on private property only. 5.Fractional Spaces. Fractional space requirements shall be rounded up to the next whole space. 6.Uses with Differing Business Hours. The number of required parking spaces for uses with differing business hours that share a parking lot may be reduced by 25 percent of the total required for each use if it is determined by the administrative official that such reduction will not have a negative impact on the congestion or safety of the development. 7.Reduction In Parking Capacity Prohibited. Any required parking spaces displaced by building expansion shall be provided elsewhere on the site. No required off-street parking facility shall be reduced in capacity below the minimum requirements of this chapter. 8.Change In Building or Use; Increased Capacity. When a principal building is enlarged, increased in capacity, or when a change in use creates an increase in the 3 amount of off-street parking space required, additional off-street parking spaces shall be required in conformity with this chapter. 9.Striping of Spaces. All parking spaces, except parking spaces for single- family attached and detached dwellings, shall be striped in accordance with approved site plan. The striping is to remain maintained in a clear and visible manner. 10.Maneuvering and Circulation Area. Off-street parking facilities, including (but not limited to) parking lots, loading zones, and residential driveways shall accommodate the maneuvering and circulation of all vehicles on site, so as not to impair the movement of vehicles on public streets. Except for attached and detached single-family dwellings and townhomes, there shall be no backing of any vehicle from an off-street parking space into a public street or alley unless otherwise approved by the City Council. 11.Security and Lighting;. All parking facilities shall be designed, constructed and maintained with security as a priority to protect the safety of the users. In all cases, lighting may be regarded as an acceptable form of fulfilling the security requirement. 12.Sanitation. All parking facilities shall be maintained free of litter and debris, potholes, broken curbs, etc. 13.Auto Repair and Car Washes. For auto repair, car wash, oil change shops or other similar uses, lift racks shall not be considered as a required parking space. 14.Flexible Space. Buildings developed as “flexible space” shall be designed to accommodate eight spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross building area. “Flexible space” is defined as those buildings that are constructed to include multiple tenants, generally including retail users and restaurant users. In the case that a big box retailer is a tenant within a “flexible space” building, the minimum parking requirements shall be provided in accordance with the parking requirements of each use. “Big box retailer” is defined as a single tenant user with a minimum square footage of 50,000 square feet in gross floor area. 15.Queuing Space. For purposes of the requirements herein, a “queuing space” is defined as a space used for the accommodation of vehicular traffic in wait, having a dimension of 12 feet in width and 20 feet in length. 16.C-2 District Exempt. The C-2 Downtown Village District is exempt from the provisions of this chapter. 168.07 PARKING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. With respect to persons with disabilities parking, all of the following apply: 1.The owner, contractor, and developer shall comply with all federal, State and local laws regarding parking for persons with disabilities, including (but not limited to) Chapter 321L of the Code of Iowa and the Americans With Disabilities Act. 2.Parking spaces for persons with disabilities required by federal, State and local laws shall count toward the requirements of this chapter. 168.08 DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS. 1.Driveways. With respect to driveways, all of the following shall apply: 4 A.An access driveway shall not be less than 10 feet in width in the case of an attached or detached single-family dwelling. B.With the exception of attached or detached single-family dwellings, the minimum width of a one-way driveway shall be 16 feet. The minimum width of a two-way driveway shall be 24 feet. C.Commercial uses that require the need for a drive-through lane, the minimum drive-through lane width shall be 12 feet. In cases where the drive- through lane runs adjacent with a drive-by lane, the minimum width shall be 24 feet. 2.Parking Spaces and Aisles. With respect to parking spaces and aisles, all of the following shall apply: A.A parking space reserved for the parking of vehicles, and aisles servicing their respective parking spaces, shall have a minimum dimension based on the following table: Angle of Parking Space (Degree) Stall Width (Minimum) Aisle Width (Minimum) 0 9 feet 14 feet 45 12 feet 15 feet 50 12 feet 15 feet 55 12 feet 17 feet 60 10 feet 17 feet 65 10 feet 17 feet 70 9 feet 19 feet 75 9 feet 19 feet 90 9 feet 24 feet B.The minimum length of all parking spaces shall be 19 feet. C.Any proposed parking space of an angle other than specified in this chapter shall have a sufficient width and length of no less than nine feet by 19 feet. D.Any parking space parallel to a wall or other solid barrier shall be widened by an additional two feet. E.All parking spaces abutting a sidewalk shall have a minimum sidewalk width of six feet. When the front of a parking space abuts open space within the perimeter of the parking lot, the minimum width of the open space shall be five feet. F.When the front of a parking space abuts spaces as defined in paragraph E of this subsection, the stall length may be decreased a maximum of two feet. 3.Parking Lot Setbacks. In case of any parking area within any C or M District: A.A minimum setback of 10 feet from the public street right-of-way or public intersection shall be required. B.A minimum setback of five feet from the side yard and rear yard setback shall be required. 5 C.In case of an R District adjoined to a C or M District: (1) The parking area in an adjoining C or M District to an R District shall be set back at least 25 feet from the R District boundary line and shall be effectively screened and planted accordingly. (2) Parking may be established in any R District that immediately adjoins a C or M District, provided such parking shall be accessory to and for the use of one or more business or industrial establishments located in the adjoining C or M District; provided, however, such transitional use shall not extend more than 100 feet from the boundary of the less restricted zone. (3) All entrances and exits specified in subsection 2 of this section shall be from the adjoined C or M District or an adjoining alley of both districts involved. 168.09 LANDSCAPING, SCREENING AND OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS. 1.Site Plan Requirements. All parking areas shall meet the open space and landscaping requirements, including screening and buffers, as specified in Chapter 160 through 163 (Site Plan Requirements) of this Code of Ordinances. 168.10 OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED. In case of any building, structure, or premises, the use of which is not specifically mentioned herein, the provisions for a use that is mentioned and for any use determined to be similar shall apply, as determined by the administrative official. All of the requirements listed are the minimum that must be met: Type Of Structure Minimum Number of Spaces Animal boarding/kennel 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet Assisted living center 1 space per 2 dwelling units; 1 space per staff during the shift with the largest number of employees Automotive repair station 3 spaces per service bay; 1 space per service vehicle; 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of non-service area Automotive sales 1 space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area plus 1 per 5,000 square feet of developed area Bank 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area; 3 queuing spaces per drive-through station Barber/beauty shop 1 space per chair or beautician station; 1 space per staff member Type Of Structure Minimum Number of Spaces Bowling center 3 spaces per lane; 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area for associated eating and drinking places Cafe, coffee shop, delicatessen 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet, plus 3 queuing spaces per drive-through lane Car wash, drive-through oil change 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet Queuing capacity equal to 2 per service capacity Car wash - self-service 1 space per wash bay plus 2 queuing spaces per bay Childcare center 1 space per 6 children, 5 space minimum; 1 space per van or bus; 1 queue space per 6 children Commercial entertainment (batting cages, ice skating, mini golf, etc.) 1 space per 1,000 square feet of outdoor area and building combined Consumer Fireworks Sales 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Convenience store/gas station 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Dance or assembly hall, theater, event center, auditorium or gymnasium 1 space per 3 fixed seats or 20 spaces per 1,000 square feet if no fixed seats 6 Display Fireworks Sales 1 space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, or 1 space per 2 employees, whichever is greater Drinking establishment, lounge 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Driving ranges 2 spaces per tee area Elementary and junior high schools 1 space per employee;;1 space per class room; 1 space per 4 seats in gymnasiums and auditoriums Furniture, carpet, appliance – retail 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Funeral homes/mortuary 1 space per 4 fixed seats in assembly area In case of no fixed seats, 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet of assembly area Fitness center/health club 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Golf course 6 spaces per hole Grocery store 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area High schools 1 space per employee;1 space per 5 students based on the maximum capacity of school; 1 space per 4 seats in gymnasiums and auditoriums Hotel/motel 1 space per guest room 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet associated with eating and drinking areas Independent living facility 1.25 spaces per dwelling unit 1 visitor space per 5 dwelling units Industrial, manufacturing facility 1.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Medical office/clinic 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Multi-family dwelling 1 space per bedroom 1 visitor space per 5 dwelling units Professional/business office 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Religious organization 1 space per 4 fixed seats In cases where an auditorium is not involved, 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gathering space Restaurant (full service, fast food) 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area 5 queuing spaces per drive-through lane Retail, general commercial 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area Secondary, college, university, or vocational school 1 space per classroom; 1 space per 4 seats at capacity; Auditoriums and gymnasiums, 1 space per 4 seats Self-storage, mini warehouse 1 space per 20,000 square feet of gross floor area 1 space per 50,000 square feet of vehicle or boat storage spaces Office spaces equal to specified requirement Single-family dwelling 2 spaces per dwelling unit Townhome 2 spaces per dwelling unit; 1 visitor space per 5 dwelling units in case of private streets Warehouse 1 space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area or 1 space per 2 employees, whichever is greater (repeal Chapter 301, replace in entirety) July 15, 2019 – Ordinance 2932