108-8-7 Parking Lot Design And Maintenance

Parking space location. Parking space(s) as required by this chapter shall be on the same lot with the main building or, in the case of buildings other than dwellings, may be located no farther than 500 feet therefrom. Public parking lot standards. Every parcel of land hereafter used as a public parking area shall be paved with an asphalt or concrete surface. Exceptions to this requirement will be made for seasonal, temporary, or transient uses, including, but not limited to, a fair, festival, short-term vendor, park and ride lots, and legitimate agricultural uses and agriculturally related uses, including, but not limited to, a petting farm, corn maze, green house, garden plant sales, and/or approved agri-tourism operations. As determined by the planning commission, parking lots shall have appropriate bumper guards or curbs where needed, in order to protect property and/or pedestrians. Maximum yard area to be used for parking and vehicle access lanes. In residential zones, front yard areas should generally remain open and landscaped; however, parking may be allowed where necessary to accommodate rural site design, agricultural uses, agritourism uses, or practical access needs. The land use authority may allow front yard parking where: 1 Site constraints limit alternative locations 2 Agricultural or agritourism uses require functional access 3 Shared or consolidated access improves safety 4 The design minimizes visual and traffic impacts Front yard parking areas should incorporate landscaping, screening, or layout techniques where reasonably feasible to maintain neighborhood character. In the case of multiple-family dwellings and nonresidential uses in a residential zone, not more than 50 percent of the required side and rear yards shall be used for parking. Any side yard area used in excess of said limits shall be provided in an equivalent amount of land elsewhere on the same lot as the building as open green space, patios, play areas or courts. Additional provisions. The design and maintenance of off-street parking facilities shall be subject to the following provisions: Each parking space shall encompass not less than 180 square feet of net area. Each parking space shall be not less than nine feet wide, the width being measured at a right angle from the side lines of the parking space. Adequate automobile access to and from parking area for interior block developments shall be provided. Minimum size of the access right-of-way shall be as follows based on the number of units to be served: Up to and including four dwelling units, 16 feet. Five or more dwelling units, one 24-foot two-way access right-of-way or two 16foot one-way access rights-of-way. Larger access widths may be required only where necessary for fire access, traffic safety, or engineering standards and shall be the minimum increase necessary, supported by written findings. Parking areas adjoining residential zones shall provide screening where necessary to mitigate documented impacts. Screening may include fencing, vegetation, berms, setbacks, or existing natural features. Agricultural and small-scale uses may utilize existing site conditions where adequate buffering exists. Hedge-row shrubs shall be maintained and replaced where necessary so that the hedge may become an effective screen from bordering property within a maximum five-year period. Front yard and corner lot fences or plantings shall maintain height requirements of their respective zones. Lighting and signs shall conform to the requirements set forth in this Land Use Code. Parking requirements for dwellings will be located on the same lot with the dwelling. All private parking facilities shall be constructed of a durable surface capable of supporting vehicle loads and preventing excessive dust or erosion. Acceptable surfaces may include asphalt, concrete, gravel, road base, permeable pavers, or other similar materials. Alternative parking surface materials shall not be prohibited where they meet functional performance standards. Agricultural, agritourism, and seasonal uses may utilize gravel or other permeable surfaces where drainage is properly managed. Hard surfacing shall only be required where necessary to address documented dust, drainage, or safety impacts.