§ 6-6. Off-street parking and loading requirements.

Whenever any ordinance, regulation, or plan, enacted or adopted by the city council is for the purpose of providing off-street automobile parking spaces or establishing requirements that such spaces be provided in a particular area of the city, then such plan or requirements shall govern within such area. Otherwise off-street automobile parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the section which shall apply to buildings hereafter erected and uses hereafter established, to such nonconforming uses as may be required to conform to the provisions hereof, and to extensions and enlargements of buildings and uses.

A.

PARKING TABLE: Except as otherwise provided in this section, off-street parking spaces shall be provided as follows:

Schedule of Parking Requirements
Land Use	Requirements	Additional Requirements
Residential
Bed and breakfast	See special condition section 3-2, item 29
Single-family detached units	2/unit
Single-family attached units	2/unit	See subsection 6-6 F.
Duplex	2/unit	None
Townhouse, condominium, triplex, quadruplex or row	3/unit	None
Multi-family	1.5/1 bed unit 2/2 bed unit 2.5/3 bed unit	See subsection 6-6 F.
HUD-Code manufactured home	2/unit	None
Boarding or rooming house, hotel or motel/residence motel or inn	1/residential unit	1 add. sp. for 200 s.f. of exhibit/ballroom sp., + 1 sp./100 s.f. of meeting room, + 1 sp./2.5 seats in restaurant/lounge
Retirement housing: Ambulatory independent residents	1.5/unit	None
Retirement housing: Nursing home facilities	1/2 beds	None
Dormitory	1.5/2 occupants	None
Fraternity, sorority, or lodge	1/125 sq. ft.	None
Civic
Religious institution	1/3 seats in the sanctuary or auditorium	None
Community center	1/4 persons	None
Library	1/300 sq. ft.
Museum	1/300 sq. ft.
Public assembly hall/auditorium	1/3 seats	None
Education
College or university	1/4 day students	None
Schools: Elementary Junior High Senior High Trade	1/25 students 1/18 students 1/5 students 1/4 students
Amusement
Ballpark or stadium	1/4 seats	None
Bowling alley	4/lane	None
Dance hall, exhibition hall w/out fixed seats	1/100 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Outdoor commercial amusement	1/500 sq. ft. of site area exclusive of building	None
Pool hall, arcade, other indoor commercial amusement	1/100 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Automotive
Auto parts accessory sales	1/300 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Auto repair garage or shop	1/350 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Auto sales	1/800 sq. ft. sales floor or lot area
Car wash (full-serve)	3 stacking spaces
Car wash (self-serve or automatic)	3 stacking spaces/wash bay	None
Service station	Minimum of 6 + 2/employee	None
Vehicle or machinery sales (indoors)	1/500 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Wash bay	None
Commercial, retail, service
Barber/beauty salon	2/chair	None
Coin-operated or self-service laundry or dry cleaner	1/200 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Day care or day nursery	1/5 pupils + 1/employee	1 space for drop-off/3 pupils
Driving range	1/10 linear ft. of designated tee area	None
Eating or drinking establishment (no drive-through service)	1/4 seats	None
Eating or drinking establishment (with drive-through service and all others)	1/150 sq. ft.	None
Furniture, appliance sales or repair	1/600 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Indoor retail store or shop	1/250 sq. ft. of floor area up to 5,000 sq. ft., then 1/200 sq. ft.	None
Lodge or fraternal organization	1/125 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Miniature golf	1/hole	None
Mortuary or funeral home	1/4 seats in chapel	None
Outdoor retail sales	1/500 sq. ft. of site area, exclusive of building	None
Personal service shop	1/250 sq. ft. of floor area up to 5,000 sq. ft., then 1/200 sq. ft.	None
Shopping center, malls and multi-occupancy uses (3—50 acres)	1/250 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Shopping centers, mall and multi-occupancy use (over 50 acres)	1/300 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Veterinary clinic	1/300 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Medical, professional
Bank and savings & loan or other similar institution	1/300 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Hospital	1.5/bed	None
Medical, dental clinic or office	1/150 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Other office or professional business	1/250 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Sanitarium, convalescent home	2/6 beds
Manufacturing, industrial
Manufacturing or warehousing	1/3 employees or 1/1,000 sq. ft. of floor area (whichever results in more spaces)
Mini-warehouse	1/3,000 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Storage yard	1/3 employees or 1/1,000 sq. ft. of floor area (whichever results in more spaces)

 

B.

RULES FOR COMPUTING NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES: In computing the number of parking spaces required for each of the uses in this section, the following rules shall govern:

1.

"Floor area" shall mean the gross floor area of the specific use.

2.

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

3.

The parking space requirement for a use not specifically mentioned herein shall be the same as required for a use of similar nature.

4.

In the case of mixed uses, the parking spaces required shall equal the sum of the requirements of the various uses computed separately.

Parking Angle	Stall Width	Stall Depth	Min. Aisle Width		Aisle Length Per Stall	Module Width
			One-Way	Two-Way		One-Way	Two-Way
(A)	(B)	(C)	(D1)	(D2)	(E)	(F1)	(F2)
Parallel	8.0	8.0	12.0	18.0	22.0	28.0	34.0
45	9.0	19.1	12.0	24.0	12.7	50.2	62.2
60	9.0	20.1	18.0	24.0	10.4	58.2	64.2
90	9.0	18.0	24.0	24.0	9.0	60.0	60.0

 

C.

GENERAL PARKING REGULATIONS:

1.

Reduction: Administrative approval of a request for a reduction in the number of required spaces may be allowed by the administrative official for requests for reductions of ten percent or less where the applicant can demonstrate that the necessary parking to serve the proposed land use is less than that number required by this ordinance. A request for a reduction in the number of required spaces may be allowed by special exception for requests for reductions of between 11 and 50 percent. The following procedure must be followed in order to apply for a reduction.

(a)

The application will be reviewed by the administrative official in cases where the reduction request is ten percent or less. The application will be reviewed by the zoning board of adjustment in cases where the reduction is greater than ten percent.

(b)

For requests of relief greater than ten percent of the required parking spaces, the applicant must provide a parking analysis done by a certified professional indicating the parking necessary to serve the proposed use.

2.

Drive lane widths and parking space sizes: Drive lanes and parking space sizes shall be required as shown in the following illustration. A driveway for access to any nonresidential, single parking space or to a parking lot shall not measure less than that shown in the parking layout illustration. All drive approach widths shall be no less than those indicated in the following graphic. All two-way drive lanes shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width. Parking spaces shall be nine feet wide by 18 feet deep for all 90 degree parking spaces. Angled spaces shall be as shown in the graphic.

3.

On-premise parking required: All required commercial and residential parking spaces shall be located on the premises to which such requirement applies or within an off-street space of which the distance is not more than 100 feet from such premises. Such parking spaces shall be owned by the owner of the premises to which the on-premise parking requirement applies.

4.

Residential parking development standards: The following regulations shall apply to all residential districts:

(a)

All automobiles and trucks which are parked or stored on private property and are located in the front yard shall be parked on a paved surface.

(b)

Vehicles, including RV's, campers, boats, and all terrain vehicles must be parked in the side or rear yard. Vehicles parked in the side or rear yard must be parked on a paved surface.

(c)

RV's may be parked in the front yard area on a paved surface or on the street for loading and unloading purposes only for no longer than 48 hours.

(d)

In instances where driveways exceed 100 feet in length, an alternative surface may be permitted upon approval of the designated city official.

(e)

Pavers are not to exceed one-half inch above the surface of the yard in which they are placed to allow them to be properly mowed and trimmed around.

(f)

Vehicles are to be completely resting on such surfaces from the point they leave the public streets to the point upon which they are parked or stored.

(g)

All vehicles shall be so parked in relation to the street and dwelling at right angles and not to extend over any walkway or be closer than eight inches from the back of the curb so they will not obstruct the pedestrian ways.

(h)

Any vehicle found in violation of this provision must be made operable or moved to an enclosed building within 30 days from the notification of such violation. All repeat violations which occur at the same address within any subsequent 30-day period shall be subject to immediate penalties and/or fines as allowed by law.

(i)

Parking spaces located on existing single-family residentially zoned lots that were deemed to conform at the effective date of this ordinance shall still be deemed to be legal. This includes parking spaces not located in enclosed garages, however, this section shall not be construed to authorize any enclosed garage to be eliminated.

5.

Nonresidential parking development standards: The off-street parking or loading facilities required for nonresidential uses shall consist of paved surfaces or alternative surfaces as approved by the designated city official.

6.

Maintenance requirements: To insure that all requirements set forth in this section are carried forward, it will be the responsibility of the owner to maintain the required off-street parking areas. All such off-street parking areas shall be kept free of trash, debris, vehicle repair operations or display and advertising uses. At no time after initial approval of the parking area layout can changes be made in the location and number of provided spaces without approval of the administrative official.

7.

All required off-street parking spaces shall be provided and maintained wholly within private property lines and not within any public highway, street or alley right-of-way. No head-in parking shall be permitted such that the driving lane accessing the parking spaces is not totally located on site.

D.

PARKING REGULATIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND OTHER ONE-TIME EVENTS:

1.

"Special event" means a festival, celebration, performance or other event which occurs no more frequently than once per year, and which will or should be reasonably anticipated to attract patrons or visitors in such numbers as to exceed the capacity of the required permanent parking spaces provided under other provisions of this section for the property upon which the special event is to be held. Events which are conducted more frequently than once per year are not considered "special events" under the provisions of this subsection, and the property upon which these events are conducted must conform to the other provisions of this section concerning parking requirements.

2.

The persons or entities conducting any special event shall submit to the administrative official at least 45 business days prior to such event a plan for the accommodation and parking of vehicles of persons reasonably expected to attend such event. The plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

(a)

A description and the address of the premises where the event is to be held;

(b)

A description and the address of any property, other than the premises described in (a) above, where parking is to be provided for patrons or visitors to the event;

(c)

The name and address of the owner of the premises upon which parking for the event is to be provided, and the terms and conditions of the agreement by which the owner of such premises has authorized their use for parking;

(d)

The dates and times that the event is to be held;

(e)

The measures which will be taken by the persons or entities conducting the special event to ensure safe and orderly traffic flow to and from the event site and any parking area;

(f)

A plan or diagram of the proposed layout of the parking scheme upon the property to be used for parking for such event.

(g)

All parking for any such special event shall be provided off-street and on an area and surface reasonably anticipated to be dry and safe for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. No public property or rights-of-way may be utilized or included in such parking areas except upon express, prior written permission by the city council.

3.

Subject to the above requirements, the surface of such parking areas need not be paved or otherwise surfaced as required by the other provisions of this section for permanent parking areas, but it must be suitable for the type and amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic reasonably anticipated for the special event.

4.

Upon submittal of the required parking plan to the city, the administrative official shall review it and shall advise the applicants whether any changes or modifications to the plan are required. The administrative official has the sole discretion to approve or reject, or require modifications to, any parking plan required hereunder. No vehicles may be parked in any location not otherwise allowed under other subsections of this section, in connection with any special event, unless and until the administrative official has issued a written approval of the parking plan for the special event.

5.

Such written permission may be revoked at any time by the administrative official if it is found that false or misleading information was contained in the proposed parking plan.

E.

HANDICAPPED SPACES:

1.

All areas of newly designed or newly constructed buildings and facilities required to be accessible under federal and state law shall comply with the standards set forth in the Texas Accessibility Standards of the Architectural Barriers Act, Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Art. Ann. §9102 (Vernon Supp 2000.)

2.

The dimensions of each handicapped accessible parking space ("H" parking space) shall be 12 feet wide and 18 feet long.

3.

Each and every "H" parking space required by this section or by other applicable regulations shall be clearly identified as reserved for the handicapped.

4.

The number of "H" parking spaces required shall be determined by the following table:

Total Parking Spaces Provided	Number of Handicapped Accessible Spaces
1 to 25	1
25 to 50	2
51 to 75	3
76 to 100	4
101 to 150	5
151 to 200	6
201 to 300	7
301 to 400	8
401 to 500	9
501 to 1,000	2% of total
More than 1,000	20 plus one for each 100 over 1,000

 

F.

SINGLE-FAMILY ATTACHED AND MULTI-FAMILY PARKING FACILITIES: Common parking facilities for single-family attached and multi-family structures shall meet the following criteria:

1.

Each dwelling unit shall have its required parking spaces provided within 100 feet of a principal entrance to a single-family attached structure and 150 feet of a principal entrance to a multi-family structure.

2.

The parking facility shall be arranged so that a minimum of five feet shall separate any parked car from a solid building wall and 20 feet from a principal entrance.

3.

In any residential district off-street parking provided at the rear of the lot shall be permitted to occupy any paved portion of the rear yard except that a minimum distance of 20 feet shall separate the enclosed off-street parking spaces from an alley at the rear lot line.

G.

PARKING ACCESS REQUIREMENTS: Parking areas which would require the use of public right-of-ways for maneuvering shall not be acceptable for the furnishing of required off-street parking spaces other than for single-family detached and duplex dwelling structures. Parking parallel at the curb on a public street shall not be substituted for off-street requirements.

H.

NONRESIDENTIAL OFF-STREET LOADING REQUIREMENTS: Provisions for loading and unloading in nonresidential districts shall be provided on the site according to the following regulations:

1.

To facilitate the movement of traffic on the public streets, all retail, office and service buildings shall provide and maintain off-street facilities, including any maneuvering areas required to access the loading space, for the loading and unloading of merchandise and goods within the building or on the lot adjacent to a public alley or private service drive:

2.

Individual loading space dimensions shall at a minimum to be 35 feet in length, 12 feet width with a height clearance of 15 feet.

3.

The number of required off-street loading spaces shall be determined according to the following table:

Square Feet of Gross Floor Area in Structure	Minimum Required Spaces or Berths
0 to 10,000	None
10,000 to 50,000	1
50,000 to 100,000	2
100,000 to 200,000	3
Each additional 200,000	1 Additional

 

I.

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS: Nothing in this section shall require the furnishing of additional parking spaces for buildings existing and used on the date of adoption of this ordinance. However, no enlargement or addition to an existing building shall be approved unless such building and addition or enlargement is brought into full compliance with the provisions of this section.

When the occupancy of any building is changed to another use, parking shall be provided to meet the requirements for the new use.

J.

GENERAL DESIGN STANDARDS FOR PARKING STRUCTURES:

1.

In all districts, above grade parking structures shall conform to height restrictions for structures in the zoning districts in which they are located.

2.

The distance from parking structure entry and exit points to the corner of a street intersection shall conform to standards contained in the subdivision ordinance.

3.

Ramps shall not be constructed with slopes exceeding 15 percent and single lane entrances shall not be less than 16 feet wide at the street.

4.

A minimum of one car length shall be provided between an exit control gate and the inside edge of a sidewalk to minimize conflicts between exiting cars and pedestrians.

5.

Parking structure facades shall be left 50 percent open and interior light levels shall be maintained at ten foot-candles to enhance security and safety. All parking structure lighting shall be designed so as not to reflect or shine on adjacent properties.

6.

Full enclosure of any level of a parking structure may be permitted only if such structure is fully sprinklered and mechanically ventilated.

K.

STACKING REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES:

1.

A stacking space shall be an area on a site measuring eight feet by 20 feet with direct forward access to a service window or station of a drive-through facility which does not constitute space for any other circulation driveway, parking space, or maneuvering area.

2.

For financial institutions with drive-through facilities, each teller window or station, human or mechanical, shall be provided with a minimum of five stacking spaces (from the right-of-way line).

3.

For each service window of a drive-through restaurant, a minimum of seven stacking spaces shall be provided from the right-of-way line.

4.

For kiosks, a minimum of two stacking spaces for each service window shall be provided from the right-of-way line.

5.

For drive-in cleaners, three storage spaces for each drive-in window shall be provided from the right-of-way line.

L.

EXEMPTIONS: Commercial uses located in the CBD and the heritage overlay district, when the underlying zoning district is commercial, shall be exempt from this section.

(Ord. No. 2011-18, §§ 5, 6, 6-19-2011)

Cross reference

Parking, § 86-151 et seq.